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Chicken keepers

Meet others keeping chickens on our Mumsnet Chicken forum.

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Original poster

Top hen tips

19 replies

OhWesternWind · 30/03/2011 08:37

Who's up for sharing their number one all time top hen-keeping tip?

Mine is Bokashi bran. I put it in with the pellets in the feeder and sprinkled in with the bedding and the smell from the poo is almost completely gone. Miraculous stuff.

Looking forward to picking up some great advice from you all

OP posts:

Punkatheart · 31/03/2011 10:35

Garlic powder in their feed - reduces smell but most importantly has fantastic help benefits. Similarly, apple cider vinegar in their water - get it from a pet shop NOT the supermarket, it has to be the industrial stuff. Deters green mould but also makes their gut hostile to parasites. I also keep some Gentrix digestive settler powder for new chooks or when they get sloppy poos.

Really though the top tip is that their poo gives you a fantastic indication of their health. They should be artistic - solid and white a white top. Like a cup cake topping.

(I feel a bit queasy now!)

MollieO · 31/03/2011 15:17

Well I've learnt something today. I had no idea that chicken poo was white. Makes it easy to spot on the grass!

Punkatheart · 31/03/2011 15:21

Well not completely white - just a white top. The white is urine and so if you see a runny pure white thing - that's not good. They poo and wee at the same time - so busy!!

MollieO · 31/03/2011 15:24

I will bear that in mind when we eventually get chickens. So far we have an empty coop and run but no chickens as it's apparently the wrong time of year to buy POL chickens!

nickelbabyhatcher · 31/03/2011 15:55

is it???
i've just bought 3.
and the farm we got them from still had 1400 to sell.

but they were 20 weeks instead of 16

where do you live?

MollieO · 31/03/2011 21:31

Berkshire. After pure breeds in case ds wants to show them. Contacted three breeders (one in Berks, one in Oxfordshire and one in Wiltshire). Only the Berks one has replied and told me I'd have to wait until July as it's the wrong time of year.

Punkatheart · 31/03/2011 21:55

Why not go onto the Omlet forum for some advice. We bought ours from Yorkshire only a week ago....

MollieO · 01/04/2011 10:30

I'll have a look. Aren't you in Berks too? Yorkshire is a long way to go. What breeds did you buy? Ds is very keen on getting at least one that lays blue eggs.

nickelbabyhatcher · 01/04/2011 11:19

he needs to look for Araucanas is he wants blue eggs.
specialist website

MollieO · 01/04/2011 11:55

He wants a Cream Legbar, a Lavender Araucana and a Silver Laced Wyandotte. Chose them off the breeder's website. I'll have a look elsewhere but I'm keen to get them from the same place if possible so they are all introduced to our chicken coop at the same time.

nickelbabyhatcher · 01/04/2011 12:08

yes, that's a good plan.

Punkatheart · 01/04/2011 14:39

Yes, Yorkshire was a long way! We wanted Croad Langshan and we bought them from the lady who breeds and shows them. Pinky plum eggs and since they have settled, we are up to our eyes in eggs. Our established girls seem to be competing...

MollieO · 01/04/2011 15:19

Aren't they pretty? Did you have trouble introducing them to your existing flock? Like the look of them but want to get a mix of breeds rather than three the same.

Punkatheart · 01/04/2011 17:21

I have one white and one black. They are so tame after less than two weeks that they just let me pick them up. Intergration is ongoing - they have a wire separating them from the others (a Light Sussex and a Speckled Sussex). I have tried freeranging them a little but my huge Speckled has attacked one - so I am taking it slowly. I love their eyes - like teddy bear's eyes....

brambleschooks · 01/04/2011 17:49

I got my purebreeds from Wernlas in shropshire. My giant blue cochin is currently in the broody house and will have bantam silver laced Wyandotte eggs put under here tomorrow.
Excited!

MollieO · 01/04/2011 17:57

How does that work? Won't she worry when the chicks grow up to look nothing like her?!

Punkaheart I assume you have two chicken coops as well as a segregated run?

brambleschooks · 01/04/2011 18:09

It'll be fine. Some hens have been surrogate mums and hatched ducklings!

brambleschooks · 01/04/2011 18:11

Punka, one of my flock integratings took 6 months! Usually it takes about three weeks- son is on hand with a water pistol.
I'm going to have to re merge my broody girl with the flock once all the mothering is over.

Punkatheart · 01/04/2011 18:36

Yes we bought a wooden coop and we already have an eglu. Just as well, as they are really not ready to be one flock yet. I can well believe the six months! I think that really, this is how long it takes! The little white croad wants to be with me all the time, hiding behind me, eating from my hand, jumping on my lap. I am astonished how bonded she already is....I once had a gingernut ranger who was equally as sweet but it took longer.

I have a water squirter but my Speckled Sussex is the Jean Claude Van Damme of chickens - it makes no difference to her aggressive advances!

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