We've been adopted by 2 cockerels

[Twistle]

They appeared about a month ago. There's a (rescued battery) chicken farm down the road, who reckon they are most likely dumped ones. Can't fathom why anyone would dump them, as we have had plenty of offers to dispatch them. Anyway, we've been feeding them some chicken feed (a mix of seeds) once a day. And they seem quite happy. They mostly sleep on top of a fence, but go under our oil tank when it snows.

So. What to do next? We've been thinking of getting hens for eggs. So, should we keep one of them for company/whatever and "get rid" of the other (I'm an ex-vegetarian and my dh doesn't like chicken much, so not dead keen on this but heyho this is real life and I gather 2 cocks aren't going to enjoy each others company much longer, though they follow each other round at the moment). Is there a good/bad number? I think we only want about 2. I'm sure I've heard something about 3 or 4 being a bad move?

Is there anything we need to do for them soon? Like, do they need vaccinations or anything? The farm ones are vaccinated (which is why they can't take in dumped ones). Should we be feeding them anything else? Does something need doing for mites or somesuch?

Our garden's quite big, and while we don't mind the poo in winter, come summer we'd need to restrict them somewhat. What's a reasonable space to restrict them to given we have organic inclinations? I'm guessing they'd like access to the tree parts of the garden more?

And finally, we go away a lot of odd nights. I've heard in the past about henhouses that are raised off ground with a ladder for hens to hop/flap up out of fox reach. Are these for sale? A good/daft idea? Should we just get a house with a run and restrict them to that when we're away? If we're away longer I'd get someone to see to them, it's just for odd nights that's a pain.

And what's so much easier about Eglu's over wooden houses? Is it the cleaning?

Cheers for advice. We're enjoying seeing our boys in the garden so quite keen to get on with having hens.

And they're called Billy and Elliot, and are very pretty (white mainly, with black/brown backs, black tails and lovely red combs).

My 9y dd has 4 hens in shed with wire run when we're out and r let out if I'm home (v rural so fox risk). We move shed/run each wk to stop grass getting bald.Not much garden damage except they like to make a dustbath and don't let them near veg patch. Like kitchen scraps esp pasta. Try "keeping pet chickens" book by Johannes Paul and W Windham. Maybe dumped b'coz they're cockerels - don't lay!! Remember foxes are wily and hens are birdbrains so the fox will enjoy a good dinner if the hens are not secure.Try nearest fur n feather livestock market for more layers. We keep no cock b'coz a) harrasses hens b) don't want chicks c) disabled child can't run away from chasing cock - they can be agressive if they have hens to defend.

Thank you for that. Esp. book ref. Will probably get hens from down the road.