Never kept a chicken in my life - complete beginner - any hot tips? And what books are helpful?

[SallyJayGorce]

Will have a paddock in the country in July. Changing our urban lives? Experienced chicken keepers - where do I start? And what are the drawbacks too?

Sorry - we are changing our urban lives - no question mark!!

Sal, can you give us any more info - like how much is the budget? How many chooks do you fancy? Are they just for eggs, or meat or pets? Do you have a breed preference?

It's a doddle, once you're set up.

Well - just those questions show how much I have to learn! The main reason is for eggs but we have three children (aged 5,3, and 1) and would like the hens to be suitable for children to collect their eggs etc - not pets exactly but reasonably placid. I wouldn't rule out having them for meat at all, but though we'd start with eggs and see how we go. I don't know much about breeds and wondered if you could recommend a good book - there are several but a recommendation from someone who already keeps chickens would be good.

We want to provide enough eggs for ourselves and our holiday cottage ideally - so around 20 a week I guess - more is not a problem but less would make it a bit pointless to have them. The budget is flexible - we are moving house and juggling several things but the chickens are a priority so we cam tailor the budget at this stage.

Cochins are good layers, placid, excellent meat birds, cannot fly, are lovely pets and look cute.
There are many other breeds which lay more eggs but some of them are less placid imo eg Black Rock (miserable sods, good layers)
Leghorns (good layers, very flighty )
Isa Brown (short lived, brilliant layers, quite calm)
Orpingtons (good layers, good mothers, calm but massive)

There are many threads here on setting up a hen run, diet, water, good hygiene etc.
Good luck!

Thankyou - this is a good resource for sure. Sounds like you have a thing for Cochins. I will investigate. Definitely don't want any miserable sods. How short lived is short lived in a chicken? Hope they last longer than the goldfish we just buried after a week. Poor sods.