New to Chickens

OK - it's been asked many times, but I find that you get some knowledgeable and helpful people on these forums, so here goes.

I have never kept chickens myself (but I grew up in a house with chickens when I was young). For years I have had the ambition to breed and keep chickens, but a mobile career and unsuitable gardens precluded this. I am now retired with a large garden in the country and can indulge myself!

So, where to start. The aim is primarily eggs for two, plus the occasional bird for the oven (and the pleasure of the company of amusing fowls). I would prefer something big and friendly like a Buff Orpington, but feel that I should adopt a sensible strategy of starting off with a few "rescue" hens. I am confident that I can build a suitable coop/run and provide a fox-free scratching area.

Advice gratefully received! (Salisbury area)

 

We keep chickens for their eggs and have 7, 3 blackrocks, 2 speckledy and 2 hybrid browns. They are usually regular layers (not that we have had any eggs lately cos of the weather and short days and because they are getting on a bit!) averaging 4 eggs a day. My brother in law keeps pure breeds and has about 27 of them, he averages about 7 eggs a week! (slight exaggeration but he certainly gets fewer eggs than us a week). If you want a regular supply of eggs then I would go for bog standard hybrids rather than fancy ones. Sorry I can't advise about eaters though

 

Hi there, if your after rescue girls to start you off you can find all the info you need plus rescue datails and how to get started and in touch with them at www.bhwt.org.uk

I shall be going to pick some new girls up on the 18th of this month

 

for eaters here's the site I've looked on for info

http://www.blpbooks.co.uk/articles/...hp?PHPSESSID=e8f416a775e58eef130da4a24bf92666

I am looking at getting a few if I can sourse some locally to me

 

Thanks Celia, I was getting worried as our three girls are not laying very often. One was late in moult so I knew the numbers would be down, but we're not even getting one egg a day. I should have realised that the cold and day length would take its toll.
Incidentally, another of our hens may be changing her sex! She's looking very fine with a magnificent collar of silver feathers and quite a pronounced upstanding tail. Last summer I made a short video of her, just after she came out of the henhouse in the morning. She stretched up and crowed. It wasn't a full cock-a-doodle-doo, but about two thirds. If you don't believe me have a look at this: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-383491/The-sex-change-chicken-crows.html It must be true because it's in the Daily mail!
Chris

 

Chickens kept in an all female environment can end up with the dominant one developing male attributes, going so far as crowing and changing sex. Happens more often than you might think.

Pure breeds will lay less eggs in comparison to hybrids, year to year, but will have a longer laying life than hybrids, who usually wear out after a couple of years (which is what they have been bred to do).

Prastio, if you are looking for a decent layer and something for the table, then why not try Sussex? These are pure breed, come in several colours (light, buff, silver), lay well, are friendly and if you hatch out your own you can raise any males for meat. You are advantageously placed to attend the Salisbury Poultry auction held once a month, where you can go for ideas and temptation!
I would not recommend Orpingtons if you want eggs! Despite their size they lay comparatively few eggs of smallish size, as well as the price being demanded of them these day being quite frankly silly! (I saw a pair of gold laced Orps selling at auction for £300 last year!).

Or as Jo says, get ex batts. They will love you for as long or as short as the rest of their lives turn out to be and reward you with eggs almost from the first day. They require a little more TLC to begin with but once they start regrowing their feathers and discover the joys of the outside world they turn into beautiful, naughty and irresistible feathered terrors!

Feel free to ask more questions. I could go on about chickens forever.

 

Sussexgardener

Thanks for the information about Orpingtons. They are big friendly beautiful birds but I wasn't aware that they were relatively poor egg producers. That's why I mentioned them on this site: there is always someone out there who is knowledgeable about the subject!

I have now registered with an ex-Bat site. I have resisted going to the Salisbury Poultry Auction as I am sure to be tempted and buy something unsuitable!

 

Don't resist! Just go and enjoy looking at all the birds in the auctions. If I can go and not buy anything, so can you! You'll get a great idea of different breeds there, but beware if you do decide to buy, unscrupulous "breeders" use these auctions to get rid of ill, old and past laying birds.

Loofah, good to hear you are thinking of getting chickens-everyone should have some, they are truly addictive! And if you are good at DIY then definitely build your own run/house as a lot of those for sale are not great, to the point of shabby, flimsy construction and very badly designed.

 

Do we get to see some plans/pictures?

Keep it simple. Chickens only need somewhere safe from predators, dry and draught-free for night time and a cosy nest box for eggs.
Make it easy to clean and accessible for you. There is nothing worse than trying to clean out a badly designed hen house in the pouring rain. And make all fittings removeable to give it a good scrubbing and avoid the dreaded red mite.

 

hi,
i too am new to chickens and plan on getting some for my allotment, i wondered what sort of size coop/run would be suitable for 5 or so small chickens probably rescue ones, i have saved an area of around 10'' long 7'' wide and as high as 6'' i want to give them as much space as possible any ideas on how many birds i could keep in this area (happily and comfortably) or would 5 be enough any ideas? also how large a coop for this no. of birds, i plan on building a raised coop so they have the space underneath to use too!

 

spadge, first make sure your site allows them( althought I'm sure you already have )

This is what my girls are housed in( for the winter months while I work on the outer fencing) and I currently have three in there soon to be another 4( the person I got it off had 7 in there at full capacity), there sleeping quarters with perch is up the ramp and there is a nesting box with seperator and detachable roof attached to the side of ther boudoir (so they have space underneath). the roof slants to the back, ground floor space is 8ft x 3ft and it's 4ft tall.



The space your offering them is enough for them, I guess a 2ft x 3ft bedroom with perch and nesting box would accomodate the 5 girls.

Have you tried.. www.bhwt.org.uk ? They have lots of info too


Well done Loofah, they're very rewarding to have, they eat your s****s, wreck your grass but give you the freshest eggs you'll ever have.

 

Give them as much space as possible for a run as you'll end up wanting to increase the amount you have!
There is an advised minimum roosting space per bird, but a lot of the books giving this advice are out of date as it was last updated in the 1970s. Chicken breeds have increased in size since then (Orpington being the most obvious example).

If space is at a premium, bantams are another option-being smaller, they need less perching and run space, but still lay eggs, albeit smaller. And you can get some great bantam breeds

 

Sweet Peas

Nice coop.

A beginner's question: As your run looks predator proof, do you need to close the door of the pop-hole at night?