Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

scotal73

I have struggled to find good online supplier of chicken feed - found plenty places that are cheap until the postage is added on. Once that is done it's normally more expensive than our local farm/feed store.
I like the convenience of getting it delivered but not when the delivery charges are £5 a bag which seems to be the standard.
If anybody knows a cheap online retailer I would love to know what it is.

Frugaldom

My lavender Aracaunas have started to lay. Only 2 eggs so far but it's nice to see the blue in amongst the whites and browns. Both my ducks have laid their forst egg, too. Looks like I'll be busy baking and lemon curd/meringue making soon.

Also noticed quite a bargain if, like me, you use cider vinegar. Sa!nsbury's have it in lovely half size wine-type bottles that are ideal for recycling into sloe gin & vodka bottles for Christmas hampers.

bagpuss512

Hi
I'd really appreciate some advice from you all....
After a healthy summer, one of my hens is looking increasingly bedraggled as she's been losing the odd feather here and there for a week or so now. She's also looking much thinner than the others. I managed to get hold of her (as she doesn't like being handled) and her breastbone is razor sharp and very red. Also a bit bald underneath although feathers seem to be coming back. She's eating fine and lively, they all are! And wattle etc. is red and healthy looking but am just so concerned I'm missing something here. Could it be worms? As they free-range over the garden.
Thanks for reading this and any advice would be appreciated as i don't want to lose her over something I've overlooked and didnt want to randomly give them wormer if its not likely to be that!

Katharine

Yay Nyk blue eggs are cool! I reuse all my aspall vinegar bottles for cordials etc too. I can't imagine I've been so lucky but it looks like only the lavendar pekin is a cockrel so 5 hens, I really hope so then I don't have any spare, I can keep them all!

Bagpuss: Mine all look a mess at the moment too as it's moulting time of year. Hens tend to have a bald brooding patch underneath to help transmit heat to eggs/chicks, freaked me out the first time I saw it too. Both perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. They do tend to look thinner while moulting but the breast bone should not be sharp or red, is her poo normal, is she bottom of the pecking order?

Scotal: I've always found local farmers stores cheapest for everything, I can't imagine online would be cheaper with the delivery costs, and pet shops are never cheap. I'm planning to buy a bin and buy corn, wheat, barley, oats in separate sacks and mix together as it work out cheaper.

Frugaldom

That's brilliant news about your chicks, so few cockerels!

I have moulting hens just now, too, but they are moulting really slowly, so no bald spots other than the brood patches. I always think my lot feel skinny but I think it's just because I was used to rearing broilers originally, so they're really sturdy compared to freerange egg layers.

Katharine, our local feed merchant is now charging more for the corn than for the pellets and even they have gone up - last lot were £6.50 for 25kg, I'll be ordering more on Monday so will await that delivery and check prices again.

Katharine

£8.90 here but that's the cheapest I can find it!

tracyk

I haven't posted on this thread before but have really enjoyed reading it so wanted to contribute.

I've kept chooks for nearly 2 years & also have 3 ducks & I was talking to the gas meter reader the other day who also happens to keep chooks & he said every Autumn he goes & collect sacks full of fallen leaves for the chooks.

So, after yesterday's winds, we've just been out with some bin liners & have packed the car full of fallen leaves.

I dumped 2 sack fulls in with the chooks & ducks and they just looked at them - for all of 60 seconds - & now it's a mad free for all - they absolutely love it! :T
So entertaining - I just love watching them 'play'

bagpuss512

Thanks for that Katherine. I thought moult was more summer rather than autumn. Was just concerned because the others don't seem to be losing feathers at all. She's not down the pecking order - normally no. 2 out of the 4. There's some runny poo around but not sure who's! They're eating a lot more at the moment too - assume ready for colder weather. Was just concerned it could be mites or worms as things have read seem to point to both/either. Do you worm yours regularly and if so what with? Didn't really want to put stuff into them that wasn't required!

Love having my hens. They come in the kitchen now and they're so used to the dog that they just ignore each other now... They make me smile everyday!

Katharine

I have never had a health problem with my chooks in the year and a half I've kept them, they have loads of space and all apart from my rescues are naturally reared so have good natural immunity. The rescues had the problems associated with overcrowding and bordom but have come round brilliantly to free rangeing and looking alot better. The only thing I do is put cider vinegar and garlic in their water occasionally and clean the house with Jays fluid. I have the same opinion with all my animals and myself good lifestyle should guard against problems, I dont agree with pumping in chemicals as a matter of course. The only was to know whos got poorly poo ss to watch them, luckily I do so alot anyway. I have found moult to be an autumn thing with mine, although if they were born this year then they will not moult.

ljonski

Well you hope that it may never happen to you, but they have come -red mites.
ok, so over the weekend i burnt their house that i made from old pallets and torched the ground . cleaned the "hospital" with Jeyes - an old cabinet with glass door frontage and new bedding(temp accomodation). Got some ivermectin from ebay on order. Now to consider buying their new home. Managed to earn a £100 over the w/end on matched betting- so willing to buy possibly this in the next week or so.
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Overlap-Apex-Shed/invt/543343

i need space in which i can hang the feeder and drinker, i possibly might put a tarpaulin over it and bricks inside to weigh it down. need to put a better lock onit.
I would like people comments on it. Does the panel think this is good value for money ? i dont want an egloo as it is too small and also i wish to put artificial light in it over the winter. I have 4 hybrids (53 weeks old) and they have my garden and next doors to forage in during daylight.

On 2nd thoughts i might buy a ready made hen house on ebay and still have £20 left over

Thanks
lj