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Original poster

Chicken advice please

13 replies

Orangewall · 25/05/2023 10:18

Hi!

I’m looking for any hints and tips around hen keeping please! We are hoping to have 3/4 bantam hens in our garden within the next few weeks. I currently have a covered run and will hopefully have a nesting box/house installed inside by the end of the weekend. Our family always had standard size chooks while I was growing up but I’m new to bantams (looking at Pekin’s specifically.)

thank you 😊

OP posts:
CornishGem1975 · 25/05/2023 10:19

Not me thinking this was going to be a cooking thread.

CanYouSeeMeNow · 25/05/2023 10:23

@Orangewall
If you search topics there is a 'chicken keepers' section.

OrderOfTheKookaburra · 25/05/2023 10:25

Make sure you buy them at the same time from the same place and that they have been raised together. Saves in integration problems. Do NOT buy a couple and then another one or two later.

If you can, get a wire mesh bottom to the run/enclosure as well, to stop rats getting in.

As far as bantams in particular, I can't help, sorry! I have 2 Isa Browns (which are the biggest bullies ever) and 3 Australorps for the consistent egg laying, a cream legbar for blue eggs and 2 Silver double laced barnvelders because they're so pretty!

OrderOfTheKookaburra · 25/05/2023 10:25

CanYouSeeMeNow · 25/05/2023 10:23

@Orangewall
If you search topics there is a 'chicken keepers' section.

There is?

Original poster
Orangewall · 25/05/2023 10:55

@CornishGem1975 sorry not a cooking one!

OP posts:
Kam610 · 25/05/2023 10:58

Make sure they have access to grit or oyster shells for calcium. It helps make the egg shells firm.

Also as a PP said, try to get them all at once from the same place, it's a nightmare trying to integrate them together if you buy them separately.

There will always be one hen who is at the bottom of the pecking order, so don't be alarmed if you notice one getting pecked at. It's normal and they will sort themselves out.

I used to have hens and I absolutely loved them, they're such a joy to watch and have their own wee personalities. We have just moved so hoping to get some again!

Original poster
Orangewall · 25/05/2023 11:01

@OrderOfTheKookaburra thats great, thank you! These girls will be for pets, I understand bantams aren’t great for egg laying anyway. I’ve always loved chickens and have been waiting for years to have a secure enough garden to have them in.

Do you have any good resources to recommend around avian flu restrictions? As I’ve said, the coop is covered but I’d love to have them potter the garden while we’re in it. I understand restrictions have been lifted for now and from what I can see we aren’t in any exclusion areas.

OP posts:
Original poster
Orangewall · 25/05/2023 11:04

@Kam610 that’s good to know re pecking order, is it better to have an even number in your experience? I will be getting them from the same place.

With feeding - we used to give layers pellets and then additional calcium occasionally, do you recommend having the oyster shells out permanently?

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 25/05/2023 11:07

Read up on ways to stop hens being broody. Bantams are devils for going broody and it doesn't do them any good as they will sit for ages on infertile eggs and not eat or poo properly

OrderOfTheKookaburra · 25/05/2023 11:16

I'm in Australia so our restrictions are different, sorry! They are cute around the garden but I got very quickly tired of stepping in chicken poop so fenced them off and only occasionally let them roam when I can keep an eye on them. I had some netted raised garden beds in their area but the Barnvelders are absolute sods for breaking things down to get to greenery and also in climbing trees so I'm going to have to block them away from there as well I think, if I want anything to grow at all.

I'm at the point of getting a completely enclosed area for them as I'm tired of the pigeons and other birds getting to the food, and also to protect them from avian flu outbreaks and from getting mites etc from other birds.

OrderOfTheKookaburra · 25/05/2023 11:18

Oh and if they go broody, apparently they ca pick eggs up under their wings and take off with them. I let my broody hen raise 4 chicks (slipped day old hatchlings under her and took her eggs away).

But otherwise you will have to break the brood by turfing them off the eggs etc.

Kam610 · 25/05/2023 11:23

Orangewall · 25/05/2023 11:04

@Kam610 that’s good to know re pecking order, is it better to have an even number in your experience? I will be getting them from the same place.

With feeding - we used to give layers pellets and then additional calcium occasionally, do you recommend having the oyster shells out permanently?

I always had an even number, as I found that if one was being pecked at, they would tend to stick around one of the other hens who wasn't at the top. But I guess as long as there's more than 2 or 3 then it should be fine.

I always left a dish of oyster shells out permanently for them, more so during the bird flu lockdown as they weren't out free ranging. If they are roaming around then they should be OK to just get occasionally as they should manage to find grit in the ground but depends on the type of ground they will be out on I guess.

Kam610 · 25/05/2023 11:25

Oh another thing, hens LOVE to have a dust bath. If you can, set out a large tray with dry dirt, or if you have an area in your garden for them to roll about in that would be fine. It helps keep their feathers clean and keeps parasites away.

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