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Chicken keepers

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Original poster

Thinking of keeping chickens. . .

31 replies

Lollypopzmummy · 22/03/2008 23:10

I don't think I've entirely convinced DH but still the thought has been running through my mind a bit of late so thought I'd ask a few questions so I'm armed!

Where's the best places to buy hens for laying?
What type of feed would you suggest?
Best types of coops etc?
Average cost of keep per month?
Expected laying abilities?
What to do if you then want to breed? (I.e: Do you then buy a cock or can you take one of your hen's to a breeder and use theirs?)
Is there anything else that I've left out that I'd need? (do you keep them in a different type of coop during the winter etc? Would you insulate the coop during the winter?)

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
justhavingamoan · 22/03/2008 23:12

i dont keep chickens so cant comment on most things, i was considering it but th thought of foxes eating them and the fact they encourage rats didnt seem tempting.

Original poster
Lollypopzmummy · 22/03/2008 23:30

Yes, we're sort of in the country a bit here (only 3 miles from the city centre but it's very much a country city IYSWIM) but I'd love for our girls to grow up with some animals and having them get their hands dirty and get involved in a bit if husbandry seems like essential life expierience to me.
A friend of mine grew up with goats and says that it's amazing growing up with an animal that is more interesting than a cat or dog (nothing against cats and dogs mind you!)

I'm prepared to get Dh peeing in the garden (and would even take a trip to the nearest zoo for some lion poop, good day out for the girls would imagine too!)

If you'd seen my compost heap I think chickens are nothing in the way of attraction to rats compared to that!
Besides we don't appear to have much of a rat problem, despite the river being close by, our nasty compost heap and the neighbour's wood pile (nice warm cosy home for them, you'd think)
x

OP posts:
justhavingamoan · 22/03/2008 23:34

you sounds quite well prep'd then.

i would love to do it, but my dh is not in total agreement!

tortoiseSHELL · 22/03/2008 23:36

Where's the best places to buy hens for laying?

Find a reputable breeder near you - what sort of area are you in? (north/south/east etc)

What type of feed would you suggest?

Either layers mash or layers pellets. Layers mash is more interesting for them to eat, and can help prevent some types of boredom behaviour, like feather pulling but layers pellets are tidier.

Best types of coops etc?

You can either get a plastic eglu type thing or a traditional wooden one. If you have foxes then they probably need some sort of enclosed run.
Average cost of keep per month?

The main costs are the setting up costs - cost of wood mainly. After that they're very cheap - just the cost of the food really.

Expected laying abilities?

Depends on the breed. A modern hybrid will lay about 320 eggs in their first year.

What to do if you then want to breed? (I.e: Do you then buy a cock or can you take one of your hen's to a breeder and use theirs?)

You could get your own cock, or you could buy fertilised eggs if you want a specific breed.

Is there anything else that I've left out that I'd need? (do you keep them in a different type of coop during the winter etc? Would you insulate the coop during the winter?)

We just leave them in their normal one, don't need any insulation.

Original poster
Lollypopzmummy · 22/03/2008 23:53

jham Yup I've still to convince my DH. He's just said to me (I was peeking at coops on Ebay) "not bad, but we're not getting chickens are we?" (was that a question?!! really?!! )

tortoiseSHELL We're in Salisbury, there is a breeder a few miles down the road and their website looks ok this is their site

Thanks for that, you've been very helpful It all sounds pretty cool, will bear you in mind in the future if I'm allowed to get them . Have been reading a few of the other posts on this subject (so have seen you pop up a couple of times ) and will keep reading and gathering info, make sure I'm all clued up before going ahead
Thanks again x

OP posts:
ska · 23/03/2008 08:52

lpm - i come from Salisbury (tho left eons a go) do not get a cockerel if you have bneighbours, they will hate you. you can always get fertilised hatching eggs. i love the website you link to, and may visit when i next go 'home' to see my dad. i hope you rdh agrees

BoysOnToast · 23/03/2008 08:55

weeing in the garden and lion poop you say? these deter foxes, do they?

BoysOnToast · 23/03/2008 09:07

ooh that link is great! i live not far from there either... now strongly tempted to call eglu and cancel the chickens they are bringing me (not the cube, i will still need that!)

i want the ones with the speckled brown eggs, and the blue/green eggs, the white eggs... ooh, theres all sorts.

tortoiseSHELL · 23/03/2008 09:08

BoysonToast - if you want more interesting chickens, then don't get them from Omlet - they only supply the brown hybrids and a black hybrid (similar to Bovan Nera).

BoysOnToast · 23/03/2008 09:08

can you get 6 different breeds do you think, or are they better in at least pairs?

tortoiseSHELL · 23/03/2008 09:09

All different is fine!

BoysOnToast · 23/03/2008 09:10

yes, i ordered 3 each of the miss pepperpots and gingernut rangers - just seemed easiest as theyre all vaccinated and at point of lay etc... but i think youre right; i should cancel them and get more interesting birds.

BoysOnToast · 23/03/2008 09:11

x-posts - really?? all differnt is good? lol

ingles2 · 23/03/2008 09:22

Boys I've always had a motley crew of breeds and sizes and they're fine together. I admit my gorgeous but pathetic blue polish has always been at the bottom of the pecking order though. poor thing...

BoysOnToast · 23/03/2008 09:30

lol - gorgeous but pathetic. thats me innit?

ingles2 · 23/03/2008 10:05

LOL Boys..
Don't know if you've ever seen a polish but there's some photos on here

ska · 23/03/2008 10:06

we have always had a mix having first started with 2 pekins and 2 sablepoots. lovely friendly birds but not great layers after their first year! we added 3 new all different bantams a couple of years later then 2 hybrids and now just have a great big jumble of whatever takes our fancy (often stupidly s, we need to get eggs to at leastt pay for the food!). but i am trying to be better this time we restock - 2 hybrids to lay all year, 1 maran as i love the eggs, 1 orpington for their cuddliness, 1 pekin, 1 silkie and 1 of whatever takes my fancy - maybe blue eggs? 2 ducklings and 2 goslings to come in around a month and we have enough i think!!!

ska · 23/03/2008 10:07

we had a bantam that had a german name that i cant remember who we always called tufty even tho her real name was tomato ketchup(dont ask). for some reason i always called her 'he'

BoysOnToast · 23/03/2008 10:11

hey i was right, that does look like me!

BoysOnToast · 23/03/2008 10:13

ska, that sounds like a great collection.

oh i just cant wait to get started!

ingles2 · 23/03/2008 10:16

Even though I've got mainly marans now, I've got to recommend buff orpingtons. we hatched this buff orpington cock from an egg and he grew into the most enormous monster you have ever seen. I'm not joking he was twice the size of my cocker spaniel and could hardly support his weight. BUT he was the most friendly, soft bird. I could just walk over and pick him up and he'd purr!!!! He died last year from old age.

BoysOnToast · 23/03/2008 10:18

aw ingles, thats lovely! (and a bit sad, obv)

ingles2 · 23/03/2008 10:23

I know... I've GOT to stop getting attached to them or I'll never be able to eat them

BoysOnToast · 23/03/2008 10:25

[wicked] so you do plan to eat some too then? will you look at my hatching thread pls? i am v interested in having eaters as well as layers

Original poster
Lollypopzmummy · 23/03/2008 21:34

Ska: Yup, we were discussing the noises etc today and I had to actually argue that it was cockerels that crow at dawn (someone obviously wasn't on the ball today!)

BOT nope just thought it'd save on water ! Apparently they do (got told about the lion poo from an animal rights activist, and the male urine tip was on one of the other "chicken keepers" threads)

I love that you guys are as excited by chickens as I am (thought I had gone a bit doolally for a bit there, DH is very uninterested ) I think I'd definitely like 3 different types (Ingles2 love that polish one!) Do you think I'm really shallow to want the pretty white or black ones (I'm not totally clued up on the breeds yet, just been looking at pics, and our neighbours at the back have a white, a black and a brown)

I'm not entirely sure I'd be able to eat them (maybe if I can find someone local who'd be willing to kill/pluck them, humanely of course!)

I've managed to convince Dh that it'd be easy enough to make up a coop etc (we've got a stack of palates in the garden that we could make a coop out of before actually getting the hens. . . it could be a nice project for him ) Anyone here ever made their own coop/chicken house? Would be good to get some tips

OP posts:
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