The Poultry Keeper

tupper · Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Derbyshire

Hi guys - how fantastic to find a forum on keeping poultry etc... I'm considering purchasing a couple of chickens to keep in our garden
mainly as pets and to supplement my growing family's breakfast requirements. I have a number of questions that I wondered if anyone could answer.

1. What are the best chooks for pets and eggs?
2. Free-range of the garden (mainly lawn) or a chicken coup?
3. Housing seems to be a hot topic so ark or eggloo what are people's opinions?
4. How many for a small/medium sized garden?
5. Any top tips

Cheers

Tupper Very Happy

Aussie Chick · Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:44 pm Post subject:

Welcome Tupper! Very Happy

Lots of people on this forum are great with advice, I'm sure they'll be along shortly.
1: I have two Maran pullets and don't have any experience with any other breed. They are fast runners and don't mind the occasional cuddle. So far they are friendly, they haven't laid yet so I can't offer any guidance to size of egg.
2: Up to you, mine free range and I just collect up poosies each day so they are not walked in!
3: I don't think they'll mind.
4: 4/5 for a family feed is my guess.
5: Top tips: Stay here long enough and you'll be mad like the rest of us!

Welcome and hope you get some chookies soon, its addictive!
Aussie Chick Very Happy

nigel · Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:01 pm Post subject:

Hi Tupper

Definitely - TO CHUCK

1. For eggs I'd definitely choose one of the hybrids, they lay far more eggs than pure breeds and start earlier. I have a a mixture of both. If I were you I'd take a look at meadowsweet poultry and see if you like any of them. I can definitely recommend the Bovans Nera, the WhiteStar and the Bluebell.
2. For me personally - free range, but mine are kept on the allotment where they can't do any damage. If you let them free on you lawn the will do some damage and probably eat a lot of your borders too.
3. Eglu are wonderful - IF you only want two hens. The only reason I've seen for people getting something once they've had one is that they need more space. I'm personally not a big fan of Arks. Have you considered on of the small houses with attached runs as an alternative. They are very competitively priced.
4. How many - LOTS Laughing

Seriously at least two, they are social creatures and need company, I'd say three. They should give you a couple of eggs a day.
5. Top tips. Cider Apple Vinegar is fantastic at a rate of 2%, very good for their health.

If you do decide to get chickens, you'll have loads more questions, I know I did when I was considering starting last year. Just ask away there's lots of practical knowledge here

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

hello Tupper and welcome to the board, hope you find it interesting ....and fun.
I think you have to aim for as large a house as you can fit in ~ because you might start with 2 or 3 hens but it will soon become more.
If you're looking for egg production then the hybrids, meadowsweet types are good layers (do a google for meadowsweet). Having said that I have a marans and orpingtons and they lay almost every day. The marans have lovely rich brown eggs if you're after colourful eggs as well. I used to have a cream legbar she laid blue eggs and was lovely and friendly. I have a couple of hybrids a bovans nera and a bluebelle and they are both very friendly. Also have pekins ~ they eggs are smaller, although the yolk is huge for the size of the egg and they lay very well.
I have a house for them to sleep in at night and a run for them in the mornings ~ just to make sure they eat layers pellets for the egg production, then in the afternoon I let them roam around the garden.
I started off with a house on legs ~ I think these are very useful because it means I can leave their food out under the house during the day even if it's raining. Also have the grit hung under there too.
Top tips ~ don't just get 2 ~ if the saddest happens and you lose one the remaining one will be very lonely so it must be 3. AND don't think it ends therem, they are very addictive. I started off with 4 ~ I've now got 13 and 3 chicks and 6 eggs waiting.
Most important tip ~ have fun ~ they are lovely to have around the garden

debcat · Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:13 pm Post subject:

Hi Tupper,
welcome to the forum
Think the others have covered about all of your questions
Debs

Deb_Moderator · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 3661

Hi Tuppers, and welcome. Very Happy

Remember, the only silly question is the one left unasked. Wink

NannyP · Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:27 pm Post subject:

They've answered most of your questions.
All I can say is Shocked

DON'T DO IT Shocked

It's addictive and I'll lay bets that by October you have more than 2 hens Laughing

Oh, I'm using an Ark at the moment for a Mum (Bantam) and 4 babies (6 weeks old). I would not want to use it as their permanent home and they get to free range all day. Eglu's are beautiful, but will not allow you to expand and we ALL expand, honest. I started out this time last year with 4 Large Fowl, I now have 3 Large Fowl, 3 Bantams, 2 bantam chicks, 2 pekin chicks and 4 more LF Incubating, due to hatch on Tues/Wed.
I will potentially have 14 instaead of my original 4.
Don't say I didn't warn you Laughing

jaydee67 · Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:34 pm Post subject:

RUN AWAY NOW WHILE YOU CAN!

Just kidding, I wouldn't be without my . - or their eggs. I started out going to have half a dozen hens - now have 11 big hens, 1 chick and a cockeral and the kids have 3 bantam hens and 1 silkie cockeral ( I don't count the 2 bantam cockerals that aren't staying here - honest they aren't!). Oh - and we have branched out into ducks - a couple of weeks ago we thought it would be nice to get 2 or 3 ducks from the eggs in the incbator - we got 6 ducklings and today picked up 8 more 4 day old ducklings.

You are letting yourself in for some fun, some back ache cleaning out the hen house - get a bigger one than you think you need - we have a shed and the best eggs you have ever tasted.

THERE IS NO HOPE! POULTRY ADDCITION IS CATCHING!

AtomicRooster · Joined: 20 May 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Hampshire

my self and chicken palace started out with 5 now have 26 Very Happy

pollypekin · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 183 Location: Kent

Hi Tuppers and welcome to the forum :lol:

I started with 6 hybrids (Bovans Nera) which lay every day :D Now I have 30 adults, plus 30 chicks and 2 broodies sitting on 18 eggs in total, due in 14 days time :shock: :lol:

I love them all to bits, wouldnt be without any of them :lol:

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

Hi Tupper,

Welcome to the forum,
You might want to look at http://www.poultrypen.co.uk/prices.htm

Prices start at £225 for the complete starter kit, including 3 hens, house, run, and some food etc

All the best
George

Knobby · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:51 am Post subject:

Hi Tupper !! Very Happy

worldor · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 110 Location: West Midlands

Hi Tupper

Go for it. I went for the Eglu and have never regretted it. I have three hybrids in there and they have loads of space. It is a doddle to keep clean. They freerange whenever I am here which is most of the time but always go back to the Eglu for a siesta. I have now expanded my flock and used an existing shed but if I could have afforded more Eglus I would have gone for them. Incidentally the new girls head straight for the Eglu as soon as I let them out. I can't imagine life without the girls now but they do sort of take over your life. We shall not have a holiday this year because we don't want to leave them. Good luck with your hens, your life is about to change for the better.
Chris

Fangs · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 10:12 am Post subject:

1. The Rhode Island Reds are lvoely birds, and are a lovely rich red colour. The sussex, light ones in paticular are very good layers, and very docile birds. They make wonderful birds, and are usualy fairly easy to come by. There are though more oclours of sussex, like the red, speckled, coronation and others.

2. Mine are in an enclosure when I am out, as I;d worry about them wandering off, or being got by a fox or sumthnig if they were to free range whilst I am not there. When people are at home though they are allwoed tp free range in the garden and in the enclosure.

3. You could buy an eglu, but frankily I wouldn't bother, For what they are they are rather expenive. You can get cheap coops for your birds, and of course the mroe expensive ones. You can also make your owb if your handy with wood, nails and a hammar.

4. Really you need about 3 birds. If 1 was to die then the ones left still have company. Having just 2, if you lose one for various reasons the other will become very lonely with out a companion. But you could probs fit 4/5 in your garden.

Hope this helps
Fangs

tupper · Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Derbyshire

Thanks for the advice - not that I needed this to really help make up my mind but hey ...to chook it is and I've decided to try and build my own chicken palace. Anyone know of any where I can find plans for a suitable chicken harem for up to 6 ladies?

I am also very disappointed that there are no chickens on Big Brother this year - channel 4 must have decided to go for a completely personality free show!! Very Happy

Tupper