Where to buy chooks in Herts/Beds/Essex?

[chicken slave]

I think we all must be in the same boat, I am new to the site as well and have just received my chicks last week they are now about 2 weeks old.
I have read alot on the internet as well, I'm really confused on disease control as my little ones have not been vaccinated to my knowledge and I don't really want to fill them full of chemicals if I can avoid it.
We are building a coop and run this weekend (well I am OH probably supervising), musn't complain he always does the digging when asked.
I found getting the chicks quite simple as I was in a pet shop getting things for my dogs and noticed the advert. As I am quite impulsive I rang them straight away then paniced about a brooder pen and heat lamp etc.
Any advice on what they will NEED to keep them safe and allow them to flourish is greatfully accepted

[Eyren]

Hi chicken slave! I haven't owned chicks myself but I've read a lot in books and magazines and on the net, so...

I have read alot on the internet as well, I'm really confused on disease control as my little ones have not been vaccinated to my knowledge and I don't really want to fill them full of chemicals if I can avoid it.

Their starter food (chick crumbs) is usually dosed with a medicine against coccidiosis, a serious illness that kills a lot of chicks. Apart from that, vaccination isn't really essential for a home chicken owner as you won't likely come into contact with other chicken diseases. My pekins have been vaccinated, my wyandotte hasn't, and they've been equally healthy.

Any advice on what they will NEED to keep them safe and allow them to flourish is greatfully accepted

Apart from the pen and lamp, they just need chick crumbs and a shallow dish for water (emphasis on the shallow, as they can drown in anything deeper than a couple of centimetres of water). At 4 weeks you can offer budgie grit (or special chick grit) and fresh greens (something tender like lettuce).

When they reach 6-8 weeks they will need grower's pellets, then at 16-18 weeks you should move them on to layer's pellets (which have more calcium and thus ready their bodies for egg-laying) and regular mixed grit.

That's about it, really - chickens are simple critters, they don't need much apart from food, water, and space to potter around and scratch

[Lemon]

Don't be intimidated by big chickens. Like some other species, a lot of the biggest ones have the most placid temperaments (think Jack Russel v St Bernard). My big Cochins (now many years gone alas) were the friendliest chickens I ever came across, especially 'Cuddles' the cockerel.

I know they're supposed to be the soft friendly docile breeds but I can't help but get scared by their huge size even if they are big bundles of fluff!!!

It's like big spiders! I'm terrified by them but can cope with the smaller ones!!

[Hilary B]

Lemon I guarantee if you had ever met Cuddles you would not be worried by big chickens<g>
The medium sized ones tend to be the best layers.

[Becca]

I was slightly nervous of my chickens for the first few minutes after I got them, they seemed bigger than I anticipated somehow (I have 3 lovely ex-batts so they arrived fully grown if not fully feathered ) but they are 3 big softies who'll follow you anywhere for a handfull of corn Can't plug the north london hen rescue enough btw if you fancied taking on a few rescued hens..? North London Hen Rescue From Stevenage I think you're probably quite close to 2 of their pick up points, either the north london site or Bishop Stortford (where I got mine from a very lovely woman called Debbie )

[Lemon]

Thanks Becky

When I went to buy feed from the horse/pet store, I saw advert for Stagenhoe Chickens about 7miles from me. I gave chap a call y'day and he said he had different hybrids available.

I collected 2 this morning and got a Lt Sussex X (she's flappy and very NOISY! ) and a RIR X (like ISA/goldline - they call her a 'Hertfordshire Honey' such a sweet name!) - she is lovely, well behaved and placid!

I did email N.London Hen Rescue and haven't heard anything. I have spoken to BHWT - a lady in Essex but am on list. Now house is finished (after 6wks! ) and run almost complete - we've decided to go ahead and get them. Was supposed to be enjoying watching them this week on my week off, but have been making chicken run instead!

We intended to get ex-batts but have been waiting some time now. They didn't seem that keen as we hadn't had chickens before.

Anyway, will see how we get on with first 2 girlees!!

[angelat]

hi lemon,

we are in poplars, you are not far from me. i have got my coop and run (its one whole unit) from albany pets on ebay. good strong house, although hubby has customised it a bit. its built now and am choosing chickens on sunday, to pick up in 2 weeks as am having fencing done in garden for them and want to be totally completed before they come. my sister has hybrids so am going for them. hubby wants a white one, i quite like the brown or black, not sure of the names!! still learning. think this site is great. i will prob get the feed etc from thornes, at least initially.

keep in contact, maybe we can visit each others chickens!!!!

angela

[Lemon]

hi lemon,

.... my sister has hybrids so am going for them. hubby wants a white one, i quite like the brown or black, not sure of the names!! still learning. think this site is great. i will prob get the feed etc from thornes, at least initially.

keep in contact, maybe we can visit each others chickens!!!!

angela

Hi angelat,

If hubb wants a white hybrid, I think there are probably several different options. We have a Light Sussex hybrid (meaning father was Light Sussex and mother was something else) she is mainly white, few black tail feathers and a few black grey markings on the ends of her hackle feathers (feather at back of neck). The ginger/brown one is a Rhode Island Red hybrid and she has a few white tail feathers and the very tips of her hackles are white and her chest is a warm golden honey colour.

Thornes (£13) in Letchworth have hybrids as do Woodside (£12-£15) nr Slip End Luton.

Black hybrids may be black rocks, mainly black with sometimes a green sheen to the wing and back feathers, they may even have copper/ginger to their chests.

For feed, I would try GJW Titmuss in Wheathamstead, nr Lemsford.

Happy researching!

[fairy]

Hi Lemon and Angelat... (Herts chicken keepers crew!)

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back on here! I got lots of chickens! My first 3 were from North London Rescue - as above.

I then bought 5 in total from Stagenhoe Farm - great chickens! Really recommend them. They are all so funny, happy and the farmer and his wife are very lovely people, who can;t do enough to help. Think they were £13 but they are FULLY innoculated! All hybrids, 2 x light sussex with something else? and 1 x brown and gold mix and another blue/grey - bluebelle. Can;t remember the exact name of the others! She did mention that they were thinking of selling bantams, but I haven;t heard anything yet.

I also got 2 from a lady who lives in Welwyn - she has a small holding at her house, one was a pure breed Black Wyndotte - who is very gentle, timid and is bottom of the pack, although much bigger than the others (cost £20+ I think), and a Goldline, who is still rather noisey and a right little rascal! Think she was £12 or something? Neither of these were innoculated though.

I am changing my chickens over to Mixed split corn - it's about £7 a bag from 'Wideserve' animal feed place, just outside Welwyn/Codicote. I decided to change the feed as I found out the pelleted feed has animal fats in to keep the pellets together, and I was trying to keep them vegan. I obviously give them lots of veg and mash up peelings etc.

Hope all is going well with your chickens?!

[Dane End Dolly]

Hi guys

As i am just outside of Stevenage - yes guys the Hertfordshire mob are taking over the grapevine - we got our 6 chickens from Thornes, 2 white and 4 brown, we got our coop made from Kevs Coops in suffolk, the quality was better than any we had seen. Our chooks mainly eat pellets and we give them corn, cabbage, broccolli, porridge as daily treats in the afternoon.

Kxx

[Eyren]

I am changing my chickens over to Mixed split corn - it's about £7 a bag from 'Wideserve' animal feed place, just outside Welwyn/Codicote.

Giving them nothing but carbs will make them fat and cause laying problems - it's a false economy. If you want regular eggs, you need to give your hens more protein than is available in mixed corn. Either give them some layer's mash (it has no added oil), or mix in some small pulses such as split lentils.

I decided to change the feed as I found out the pelleted feed has animal fats in to keep the pellets together, and I was trying to keep them vegan.

Are you doing this because you are vegan? Chickens are omnivorous, like us, and will eat worms, slugs and pretty much anything else they can get their beaks on - I have seen mine jumping and snapping at flies! They will even kill mice given half a chance (mine did once!).

I obviously give them lots of veg and mash up peelings etc.

That's fine, as long as they are getting their proper food as well. Our gardens just aren't as rich in protein-filled bugs as their natural habitat would be...

[Aiki BRi]

Hi guys

As i am just outside of Stevenage - yes guys the Hertfordshire mob are taking over the grapevine - we got our 6 chickens from Thornes, 2 white and 4 brown, we got our coop made from Kevs Coops in suffolk, the quality was better than any we had seen. Our chooks mainly eat pellets and we give them corn, cabbage, broccolli, porridge as daily treats in the afternoon.

Kxx

Hi I am from letchworth so it looks like the Herts mob is growing, Thornes is a good place for getting chickens from although I cant seem to find a website for them but they do sell quality chickens, although their coops do look a little expensive, food wise purple paws pet products is good for feed Purple Paws Pet Productsas they deliver free to SG6 and only charge £3.00 delivery to North herts great news for us Hertfordshire people.

[Hilary B]

I'm having trouble understanding why a vegan would keep chickens, and commercial layers pellets may contain non-vegan ingredients (almost certainly will), but no way will they contain anything meat based since responses to the BSE scare made it impossible to produce feed for grazers in the same factory as any feed which uses any ingredient derived from any sort of carcass (with the possible exception of fish).

[Lemon]

Hi I am from letchworth so it looks like the Herts mob is growing, Thornes is a good place for getting chickens from although I cant seem to find a website for them but they do sell quality chickens, although their coops do look a little expensive, food wise purple paws pet products is good for feed Purple Paws Pet Productsas they deliver free to SG6 and only charge £3.00 delivery to North herts great news for us Hertfordshire people.

Hi Aiki,

Thornes website (or more like webpage)
Thornes Garden Nursery

I love spending a sunny afternoon there just watching the chickens! Yes, we agreed the coops were expensive so hubb decided: "Build it and they will come". We designed and built our hen house and run last summer.

Foodwise though, I think GJW Titmuss are hard to beat for prices.
They do all other poultry bits and pieces too - feeders, drinkers and grit.
POULTRY

Where do you plan to get your hens from?

[lettucegrow!]

Hi, another Stevenage resident here. I got my hens from Stagenhoe Farm,Whitwell.They are very helpful and they've been happy,healthy,hens!! Jo is happy to answer any problems and give advice when needed,which I found very reassuring.I get my feed and stuff from G&M Growers near Sandy. Good place for mooch about.We always come away with all sorts of stuff( all of it essential!) as it's a nursery and farm shop too.