Thinking of keeping chickens...

sterile · Mar 2, 2012

Can anybody offer me advice on the following;

best chickens to buy for complete beginners to chicken husbandry?
how much space I will need to set aside for them?
how expensive and/or difficult are they to keep?

Many thanks :-)

Scrungee · Mar 2, 2012

I'll edit/update this post tommorow, as I'm just getting the basics in now

sterile said: ↑
Can anybody offer me advice on the following;

how expensive and/or difficult are they to keep
Click to expand...

From a previous thread (I'll update/ammend tommorow):

Scrungee said: ↑
Off the top of my head, for our 6 hens it's something like this:

Layers pellets 4 x 20kg @ 6.00 = 24.00
Straw for nest boxes 1 bale @ 2.00 = 2.00
Grit 25 kg sack @ £5 x 0.25 = 1.25
Louse powder @ 10.00 x 0.33 = 3.33
Red mite powder @£10.00 x 0.33 = 3.33

Total = £33.91

Extra for straw to run 12.00

You might pay more because we really shop around, plus they get loads of scraps, home grown stuff and even pests collected in a bait box whilst working on the plot. So, even allowing for a few extras (they will love you if you occasionally buy them some cheap, reduced grapes!) that's less than £10 p.a. per hen. Our hybrids cost 17.50 each (2 for £35, you can get them cheaper but we like the place we get ours from) and will live up to 2 years and lay for 18 months.

Don't start with 2, get them all at once to avoid any fighting when introducing new hens. Starting with the maximum capacity of 6 could give you 36 eggs/week to start with, followed by a lot of 'retired' hens in 18 months time, but starting with 4 or 5, then supplementing with additional hens after the first couple of casualties would help even out egg production.

And you will get great tasting eggs, wonderful pets and fantastic manure for your veg.
Click to expand...

sterile said: ↑
best chickens to buy for complete beginners to chicken husbandry
Click to expand...

Scrungee said: ↑
At first we bought pure bred hens, who seemed to go on forever after their egg laying days were over, so OK if you then want to eat them, but perhaps not such a good idea for a household that doesn't eat meat and wants eggs.

Hybrids don't last nearly as long but keep firing out eggs and enable you to get 'point of lay' replacements out of sychonisation with the originals going off the lay to maintain egg production through the winter. Didn't like the look of the likes of Rhode Island Reds as they look (and are used as) battery hens.

These were our latest hens http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/livestock/35452-four-new-hens.html
Click to expand...

Lolimac · Mar 2, 2012

Hi Sterile,
I'd read up on previous posts ....you'll find them interesting
I went for Hybrids and they've been cracking girls...my oldest is coming up 5,semi retired...still lays every other day or so
A safe and secure home for them is very important and a good diet....
There are pros and cons to keeping any pet but read up ,have a think...then go for it you won't regret it

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Thinking of keeping chickens...

sterile Gardener

Scrungee Well known for it

Lolimac Guest

Farewell, Noisette, we’ll be thinking of you”

Current thinking regarding mushroom on soil

Thinking of replacing this bamboo, what would you suggest?

I am thinking....

Thinking about redoing this lawn from scratch. What do you think?

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Thinking of keeping chickens...

sterile Gardener

Scrungee Well known for it

Lolimac Guest

Farewell, Noisette, we’ll be thinking of you”

Current thinking regarding mushroom on soil

Thinking of replacing this bamboo, what would you suggest?

I am thinking....

Thinking about redoing this lawn from scratch. What do you think?

Share This Page

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