Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

Gigervamp

Don't know about ex-bats, but my original 3 girls (speckledy, sussex star and black rock) are consistant layers. I got them at POL in february last year and they've laid almost every day since.

spirit

Hi,

I'm about to move house to one with a massive garden. I've been researching all things chickeny for months now. The only issue I'm stuck on is housing them.

My diy skills don't extend to making my own coop and run so will have to buy them in. I don't want to spend an absolute fortune on them but want something decent for them. I want to have around 10 birds or so eventually. I'll probably start with about 6 posh girls and then get some ex batts later.

I've searched t'interweb for poultry housing, I like the idea of the plastic housing to avoid the dreaded red mite. Eglu ones are so expensive though and the runs seem very small.

What would other keepers recommend? Is it possible to get a coop and run for around £500?

Gigervamp

A £500 budget will get you something decent. If you're getting 6-10 girls you will need a decent sized run, at least 1 sq metre per bird. Housing doesn't have to be too big. I have 8 girls in my main coop which is about 1 metre x 1 metre. (They were split between 2 coops, but when we moved them up to the field, they all decided to sleep together!)

What I'd do, is get a coop and pay someone to fence off a bit of the garden with posts and chicken wire or Rylock. You can see how we've done it on this video.

happycrafter_2

dandy-candy wrote: »

I grew up keeping chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, quail and pheasants; but that was 20 years ago now (!) and now my kids are big I would like to have chickens again (actually I'd like everything again but starting small first lol). I originally kept Rhode Island reds but I just want to check which you think are the best egg layers? Also my last lot I hatched from eggs but I wouldn't mind rescuing some ex-batterys now, but do you find they are still good for laying? Thx for any ideas

my ex bats are great layers (once they settled) they are so funny and quite brave wandering in the kitchen and chasing my dog.

spirit

Gigervamp wrote: »

A £500 budget will get you something decent. If you're getting 6-10 girls you will need a decent sized run, at least 1 sq metre per bird. Housing doesn't have to be too big. I have 8 girls in my main coop which is about 1 metre x 1 metre. (They were split between 2 coops, but when we moved them up to the field, they all decided to sleep together!)

What I'd do, is get a coop and pay someone to fence off a bit of the garden with posts and chicken wire or Rylock. You can see how we've done it on this video.

He he, i've got precious little work done today as have been watching all your videos! Love the bluebelles - they are bluebelles aren't they? Is it true that they can be bullies?

Gigervamp

Oops, lol!

Yep, we've only got the one bluebelle now. Sadly, Agatha died last year. She's the one who hopped up onto my back in one of the vids. She was a lovely, friendly thing and very chatty!
Tabitha, her sister is like a velociraptor. She pecks me when I crouch down and she's really good at giving the evil eye, but otherwise, she's not too bad. We can pick her up and then she'll settle down quite happily in your arms.

As she had been bottom of the pecking order when we only had her and our original 3, once we got the silkies, she did bully them a bit and also does it to the girls we've got since, but not too much. It's more of a quick peck on the back of the neck to remind the others that she's higher up the order than them.

saucy77

Was just looking through and thought I would add my 2 pennies worth.
I until recently had a flock of 12 girls (at maximum capacity), 8 of them were ex-batts and laid continuously for 2 years after I initially rehomed them. Unfortunately I had to give them up in March when I took in my terminally ill father. But whilst I had them, they gave me the best eggs, joy and a little extra income as I used to sell surplus eggs.

I also live in a HA house, where by I received a letter of complaint after only having my girls for a month. I then went house to house with a petition to make sure I get the right to keep them. Most of my neighbours were bemused at the fact I had chickens in my garden, having never heard them.
Eventually I was told that I cold keep them, the only rule was no cockeral's.

I miss the girls very much, and will be reinstating the coop at some point - it's just not the right time at the mo.
Once you get them, you'll wonder how on earth you managed without them?

sparrer

Thanks for that saucy77, sorry to hear you've had to lose your girls but hope it's not too long before you have more. I admit I'll be devastated if I'm turned down, I'm looking forward more to having some girls than I am my imminent holiday! If the worst happens I'll just have to keep visiting friends for coffee and having cuddles there, lol. I'll consider appealing if the answer is no, and have lots of printouts re greener living, self sufficiency etc to back up an appeal, some by names even the NTBYM would recognise! But not to jump the gun, for now am just keeping everything crossed that they'll agree

spirit

This is the list so far of hens I want to keep..

Bluebelle
Pied Princess (silver sussex hybrid)
Light sussex hybrid
Skyline blue (legbar hybrid)
Red ranger (rhode island hybrid)
Black Pearl
speckledy
buff orpington

any more i should consider?

Athome1

Hello All

For the last 2 weeks I have been the proud owner of 7 ex-battery hens and they live in a big static coup and run and are very happy and settled in:) I am now thinking forward to the winter, when their run won't have much (if anything) growing in it - what does everyone else do to keep their hens happy and occupied? I can't believe they will be content just paddling around muddy soil:( We intend to put 2 x 6ft long thick tree trunks in with them to peck at and climb on and will put in whatever greens we have to hand. I think I've read that some folk hang cds and greens up too, is that a good idea?

I hope this isn't a daft question and I'm hoping to hearing from you seasoned keepers, so thanks in advance.:)