WOOHOO!! i think we are finally getting chickens on saturday!...what do i need?!

[aaaaaaa]

Ive been talking about getting chickens for so long, i bore myself

but now the playhouse is all patched up and i think ive found someone who can let us have some pekin bantams

any advice for new chicken keeper?

i need to put in a perch and laying boxes (do they need to be dark??)

ive been reading about the deep bedding method, where you dont need to remove soiled bedding!! sounds a bit too good to be true...does anyone do that? ordered the diatomaceous earth anyway

i also need a feeder and waterer. WHAT ELSE?! WHAT ELSE?!

very excited!

In the bottom of our coop we have put cat litter trays with wood shavings in as the metal was going rusty, wood will rot. All you have to do to clean them out is lift the tray out, empty it and refill, much better than trying to scrape the mess out. Chickens do poo a lot. I feed mine with veg peelings that I cook, we have had eggs nearly every day for the last four years. Are you doing a run as well, our run has plastic sheets for a roof but wire sides so the chickens can have daylight/ sun.

i eventually want to make a run...but for now i was just going to let them out into the garden.

plastic roof for run is a great idea. i want to make a fold away run , as i wouldnt want it up all the time

my neighbour suggested putting lino on the floor of the run, so it can be easily clean and also replaced...i thought that was a good suggestion

what kind of chickens do you have rabbits?

The most important thing is to keep it secure from foxes, rats, cats and dogs. Don't underestimate their desire to get at your chickens.

Hope you don't want anything in your garden, they will eat/dig up you lawn/plants and poo everywhere. Are the wings clipped ? They will fly into your neighbour's gardens even with 6ft high fences. Also have you thought about foxes ? I have the common brown chickens.

Did you get them ?
How is it going ?