Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

Gigervamp

Lol, we've got 3 silkies! They were meant to be all girls, but one has got bigger and now crows!

That coop looks about the same size as ours and we've actually had 14 girls in there occasionally! Their own choice, they play musical coops sometimes. At the moment in that coop, we have 3 copper marans and sometimes Duckypoos, oh, and the other night there was also a warren and a pekin in there too. Chickens tend to squash up together when they go to sleep.

Sussex and welsummers will be classed as "medium" sized.

Vaccination of chickens happens at a day old although not all breeders vaccinate. If you get 12 week old pullets, they *should* be girls, but as I said about my silkies, it's not always correct! However, the breeder should take a chicken back if it starts crowing.
The thing with getting 12 week olds, is that you'll be waiting quite a while before the first egg. Our first 3 were about 18 weeks old and didn't start laying until between 24-26 weeks.

They can fly, it depends on the breed how well. The heavier breeds only kind of bounce along flapping their wings frantically, but the smaller ones are pretty good at it! You could ask the breeder to show you how to clip the wings. Only one wing is clipped which throws them off balance if they try to fly. Having said that, I've found it didn't stop my legbars from getting up onto the 4/5 foot high compost heap.

Lordturpin

Hello friends !


I have inherited a new "Medium" size chicken coop from henhouseworld.co.uk, as you can see from the dimensions in the link above its not huge.

Its CH102 model, size "Medium" - 150cm / 70cm / 93cm

Sorry as a newbie I cant post a direct link though you can cut-n-paste.

I would like to have 2 hens that get out out most days, what breeds or size would you recommend, I would be looking to enjoy as many eggs as possible !

Many Thanks !

beebuzz168

Gigervamp wrote: »

Vaccination of chickens happens at a day old although not all breeders vaccinate. If you get 12 week old pullets, they *should* be girls, but as I said about my silkies, it's not always correct! However, the breeder should take a chicken back if it starts crowing.
The thing with getting 12 week olds, is that you'll be waiting quite a while before the first egg. Our first 3 were about 18 weeks old and didn't start laying until between 24-26 weeks.

We were thinking of the 12 week olds so they got used to being handled as young as possible, but I was concerned about us losing our initial enthusiam if the eggs didn't immediately arrive and given that we'll be getting in to the colder weather when egg laying reduces anyway, I think we would be better with the POL pullets now.

Thanks again - will give the breeder a call to find out about vaccinations.

ionahenor2

Hi Beebuzz and Lordturpin.

I'm getting excited for you Beebuz. I would recommend getting at least 3 hens in case you loose one. It isn't good to have lone hens.

The best breeds for eggs are hybrids. It might be a good idea to get in touch with the breeder you are going to buy from as well, to find out what they have so you can look them up before you go, This might help

http://www.omlet.co.uk/breeds/chickens/hybrid/

caitybabes

Hello all,

I have been reading this thread as a wannabe chicken-keeper for a long time but we've finally bought our own house and can now live the dream of having chickens. We've bought this coop and run with everything we should need to start out and was very proud of myself for doing the first big clean, disinfected and scrubbed it yesterday. I have been researching painting coops inside and out. Is it true that if you paint the inside it makes it easier to keep clean? (I hope so, because I put the first coat on the inside today) I also understood that painting/treating the outside protects it from the weather. I'm quite into the pretty cuprinol garden shades (but have found a much cheaper Wilko version).

Just wondered what experience other people have had with painting coops? (sorry if this has been discussed already, I haven't managed to read all the pages)

P.S. We're planning on getting 3 chickens from this place next week, once the paint fumes have had time to disperse, as it's really near to where we live.

Syman

Blimey, the chicken crowd gets bigger daily, welcome to all the new posters in the thread.

Caity, I was looking at the site you linked to the other day myself, also you could try www.rokers.co.uk. May be a bit nearer, and you can pop in at any time to have a look around.

Other than being swamped with eggs now that the schoolgirls are all laying, not much has been going on here. they are all very friendly and quite like being held, so when the kids are back we should be able to introduce them to aech other in small groups without much fuss.

beebuzz168

Ooh, Caitybabes, you must be fairly near me - we used to live in Woking, but are nearer Guildford now. I had looked on that website for birds but thought they looked quite pricey compared to what is offered elsewhere, but I guess you maybe get what you pay for?

I was thinking of getting ours from here http://www.wildcroftrarebreeds.co.uk/ We visited the farm on their Open Day earlier in the year and liked the set up though the choice is more limited.

Syman, your link didn't work for me, could you repost?

ionahenor2

You doing lots of baking then Syman or is it eggs with everything?:T

The two breeders have some lovely birds (big sigh) I feel morechickenitis coming on.

Hopefully I can get over it when I go to pick up some new girls very soon. I have invested in another eglu via ebay so will put the 2 oldies in there and new girls in the pyramid pen. (OH too busy to make our new one at present). I am tempted by some of the breeds I saw on the video Caitybabes.

I would love to get a cockerel but I'm not sure my neighbours would thank me even though they are not that close.

Syman

BB168 - sorted the link - www.rokers.co.uk

Ionahenor - I keep what eggs i need then give the rest away to the schools neighbours mostly. Good PR and all that sort of thing.

Thriftkitten

Babies are 3 weeks old today, I thought it was 4 but hey ho, cute as ever, boy can they fly though.... bantie sabelpoots.
Why oh why did i have the brainwave to put mum and babies back in the upstairs coop?????
I thought mum may be getting bored and so put them in the other coop that has the upstairs and attached run, since Rita and Primrose are now sleeping in a hutch in the plastic shed.
Mistake!!!!! bedtime consisted of mum flying upstairs and babies not following up the ramp!!! of course not they are only 3 weeks old!!!!
Mum frantic..... Babies frantic and 1 big mess.....Silly Thriftkitten, oh well I'm an amateur, after chasing 4 baby sablepoots and putting them upstairs with mum, I'm rotten, covered in poo and mud and will help them out in the morning and put them back in the hutch after i have had a good nights sleep!!!!! To answer my own question.... If it aint broke Don't fix it!!! Noggin!:rotfl: