Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

Frugaldom

chickenkorma wrote: »

All my friends think I've gone mad as it's all I talk about now! Thank you for your help and advice- I'm sure I'll be turning to you in the weeks to come with many more issues!

If they think you're mad now, just give it another few weeks or months until the bug really bites, THEN they'll see what mad really is. :rotfl: I remember the looks I used to get when the ducks were lined up at the back door, along with the goats and lambs, looking for their dinner!

Basmic, £100 sounds really reasonable to me. Try to find a feed supplier or mill locally, though, as it should only cost you about £7 for a bag of feeding and check before you buy it to make sure it isn't medicated. They have all sorts of feed - starter, grower, layer, crumbs, grain, pellets, mash... it'll depend how old your hens are when you get them, so best try to get some around the 18 to 20 week stage, usually advertised as 'POL Pullets'. You could also consider rehoming some ex-battery hens if there are any farms near you. They'll start laying again once they finish moulting. I haven't clipped any wings and the only time mine fly straight up is when cornered and startled, but I'd reckon a 6 or 7' wall would keep most in. Have you thought about what kind of hens you'd like?

Badger_Lady

sianster wrote: »

The man we bought our coop from said the eggs don't taste right if you eat them the same day & we should keep them in the fridge for a day or 2 before eating - is this right? Does anyone eat their eggs fresh on the sameday?

Total nonsense - there's nothing like a poached egg that never cooled down before it was cooked! However, fried eggs are better after a couple of days and it needs to be at least four days old before you can boil it properly (longer the better, apparently supermarket ones are a month old).

I have an egg tray in the kitchen where I put the eggs in one side and shuffle them up, so I can instantly see which ones are fresh for poaching, and which are old enough for boiling

The DEFRA guide to egg quality is an interesting read: clicky

basmic

nykmedia wrote: »

Basmic, £100 sounds really reasonable to me. Try to find a feed supplier or mill locally, though, as it should only cost you about £7 for a bag of feeding and check before you buy it to make sure it isn't medicated. They have all sorts of feed - starter, grower, layer, crumbs, grain, pellets, mash... it'll depend how old your hens are when you get them, so best try to get some around the 18 to 20 week stage, usually advertised as 'POL Pullets'. You could also consider rehoming some ex-battery hens if there are any farms near you. They'll start laying again once they finish moulting. I haven't clipped any wings and the only time mine fly straight up is when cornered and startled, but I'd reckon a 6 or 7' wall would keep most in. Have you thought about what kind of hens you'd like?

Any tips on finding local suppliers/mills and batteries (?)?

Really, I'd like to get the hens from about 18 weeks. This would I know I have had them from a young age, brought them up well, and know what they've gone through.

I must admit, the food thing is confusing me! Do I feed layers oyster shells or not? I've read not to, unless I want chicks - something I might consider, once I know how I get on. Layer, crumbs, grain, pellets, mash - they all confuse me, lol! :rotfl: What should I be feeding them, or should I do some more Googling?

As for what breed of hen I'd like...well, I don't know - there's just so many! :eek: I won't be having one for it's meat, just egg laying. I just haven't got it in me to kill something I've brought up - this might seem wrong to waste a good animal, but that's how I feel.

EggHead_2

feeding rules are easy...chic (birth to about 6 weeks) = chic crumb
growing pullets (6 weeks to about 18 weeks) = growers pellets (sometimes called developer pellets)
laying hens (crowing cockerels) = layers pellets
This is a really simplified explanation, but it worked for me, til i got more experienced, lol

EggHead_2

as for oyster shell, I mix some fine grit and crushed oyster shell, and have it available in a little dish for the laying hens. it seems to last for months, as they only have some when they need it.
Ex battery hens can be a problem, though it is great to offer them a happy life, they often die young, and it can be heartbreaking when you have nursed them back to health.

EggHead_2

Please DONT be tempted to purchase a sorry looking/sick bird to give it a good home, unless you know what you are doing. You may be introducing disease into your flock. I really recommend getting younger birds, especially if they have been reared by a hobbyist who only keep a few hens, as these are likely to be friendliest, although even the most aloof birds will soon love you if you offer them their treats by hand. The way to a chooks heart is through its crop!

BEWARE, chickens should carry a health warning....they are ADDICTIVE, i started with 4 hybrid "henny pennys", now have 50, including 4 breeding trios, and 9 cockerels!!Ooops. (and every single one has a name and an individual character)

Frugaldom

EggHead wrote: »

BEWARE, chickens should carry a health warning....they are ADDICTIVE, i started with 4 hybrid "henny pennys", now have 50, including 4 breeding trios, and 9 cockerels!!Ooops. (and every single one has a name and an individual character)

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Excellent! I quit and then fell off the wagon when I moved house again. I only intended keeping 2 or 3 for eggs but now have my own little DEFRA registerd poultry farm.

Mine all have access to grit pots with a mixture of grit and oystershell and my broody gets mixed grain when sitting. Umm... OOPS! Make that 'broodies', I now have another one sitting.

Laura_D_3

nykmedia wrote: »

LauraD - is your little Silkie hen still sitting on the eggs?

Nope she stopped when we built her a giant new chicken coupe obviously realised she had far more fun things to do like digging up the roots of my ancient giant trees!!!

Laura_D_3

Evening all I'm after more chicken help :eek:

We have 3 black rocks (approx 2 years old) , 1 buff sussex (approx 1 year old) and 3 silkies (approx 6 months). The black rocks have had the luxuary of their own house and run and the silkies have been in with the buff sussex, all of which have been next to each other. We give them as much time in the garden as possible; however after our neigbours cat viciously attacked one of the black rocks which ended up in a vet trip, staples and a £100 vet bill we haven't been as keen to just leave them whilst we're at work. So a couple of weeks ago we made a giant chicken run, the chucks had all shared the garden together on numerous occasions just slept seperatly. As part of the move to the new run both houses went in, they still sleep in their separate houses as before however run around together in the day.

They do bicker a bit, and the black rocks had big issues with the buff for quite a while - I blame it on a jealousy complex (me and the buff spent a whole summer sat on the swing seat whilst the others stared on enviously) And after the cat attack one of the black rocks had to live in my house for about a month whilst she recuperated so she thought she was the favourite it all gets a bit out of hand between the two of them at times - very upsetting :eek: Anyway they seem better now. But the neighbour has advised me the black rocks are now going for the silkies when I'm not around. I have seen them try it on but the silkies are usually pretty good at slipping away from them (sprightly little things). The neighbour told me I should separate them, but it looks just like the usual pecking order issue to me. All of the chickens are still eating, drinking and laying me eggs so am I right to not be upset by this or is there something I should be doing - help please cause now I'm worried I'm an evil chicken keeper and my little babies will be mentally scarred for life by the attempted abuse they are now facing

chickenkorma

Sorry- warned everyone I'd have lots of questions.... Our lovely new house has arrived & we've almost built it...! I'm hoping to pick up our new family on Saturday but just wanted to reassure myself with anyones experiences- is it fine to make the flock (if 5 count as a flock- it's gone up from 3 already!) up of different breeds or would they be happier having a few the same- I'm drawn to Bluebelles, Black Rock, Speckled, Sussex & Cuckoo- any views?? The house is apparently fine for 5 large birds, or up to 10 small.

Looking forward to any tips?