Newbie: advice needed

[sheena]

Have been reading the threads for a couple of days now, with a view to getting some chooks of my own.

So far, I'm half way to making a suitable home for some chooks, i've decided i'm going to get 3, and going no higher than 4. (I've read how they can become addictive, but am gonna have to remember my own strict rule).

Have been looking round to see where I can buy their food from, and have come up stuck. Pets at home only sell 5kg bags on their website, although I haven't visited the shop itself just yet. But am guessing you guys will know where I can buy it cheaper and in bigger quantities.

Also wondering which would be the easiest/cheapest way of obtaining said chooks, I have been researching my local area, and there is a place in Cambridge that sells POL at £12.50, i'm sure I could probably get them cheaper than from a breeder. But do I go for babies or POL? I'm excited about having fresh eggs daily, but I also want them to intergrate with the family as a whole "includes 2 rottie's who are going have to get to used to them".

Any thoughts or advice?

[davefromthechipie]

Have been reading the threads for a couple of days now, with a view to getting some chooks of my own.

So far, I'm half way to making a suitable home for some chooks, i've decided i'm going to get 3, and going no higher than 4. (I've read how they can become addictive, but am gonna have to remember my own strict rule).

Have been looking round to see where I can buy their food from, and have come up stuck. Pets at home only sell 5kg bags on their website, although I haven't visited the shop itself just yet. But am guessing you guys will know where I can buy it cheaper and in bigger quantities.

Also wondering which would be the easiest/cheapest way of obtaining said chooks, I have been researching my local area, and there is a place in Cambridge that sells POL at £12.50, i'm sure I could probably get them cheaper than from a breeder. But do I go for babies or POL? I'm excited about having fresh eggs daily, but I also want them to intergrate with the family as a whole "includes 2 rottie's who are going have to get to used to them".

Any thoughts or advice?

to find a place to buy food Best bet would be to just ask at the place you buy your hens from
If you can find one ! a freerange farm that sells eggs to local shops ,supermarkets ,etc ... go there and ask them they will sell pol and abit older for about £6.50 for warren chickens .
Id go for pol 1st but then thats just me .
good luck you wont regret it :P


did find this http://www.davidsanimalfeeds.com/poultry.htm not sure if this is close to you

[Nicos]

Farmers stores - or equine shops which sell feed will have it £6 ish for 10kg???

Don't get chicks - unless you want to have the fun of incubating your own- it's a 6month wait before they lay!
POL- they'd be better able to cope with the dogs ( more than one mouthful!!!!)....Actually- some breeds are difficult to sex at POL- and you may end up with a cockerel which won't be fun having to 'get rid' of him.

Ex batts are a good idea too- and you get instant eggs.

Good for you getting chooks!!!

...and welcome to the Vine!!

[sheena]

Thanks guys..

I'm really looking forward to my new hobby, had pndered on it for ages but always thought you needed a cock to get the eggs! (Don't ask! i'm blond).

Well i'm considering going to the local animal sanctury to get ex batt's, but not looking forward to the £15 a chook, but I spose it would be money well spent. Helping a cause aswell as helping me with hobby.

Might see if I can find some local farm's that may be able to supply aswell. I got a while before the run will be complete, maybe even 2 weeks due to funds not available.

Let's wait and see what occurs eh?

[Suechooks]

Thanks guys..

I'm really looking forward to my new hobby, had pndered on it for ages but always thought you needed a cock to get the eggs! (Don't ask! i'm blond).

Well i'm considering going to the local animal sanctury to get ex batt's, but not looking forward to the £15 a chook, but I spose it would be money well spent. Helping a cause aswell as helping me with hobby.

Might see if I can find some local farm's that may be able to supply aswell. I got a while before the run will be complete, maybe even 2 weeks due to funds not available.

Let's wait and see what occurs eh?

Have a look on Practical poultry Forum - in "Rescue and Battery hens" - there are usually notices about rescues. Mostly seem to be around the East Anglia area - not sure where Huntingdon is but maybe something there for you.
POL are usually around £10 each, Warrens (the little brown chooks) are even less. I'm not clear what you're expecting to pay £15 for? Surely not ex-batts? BHWT only charge 50p each and most of the others are little more.
Have a look in local free paper under Livestock and poultry or in Quids In.
You need to be really careful with dogs and chooks - they see them as prey and dogs are natural predators. I have dogs and would never have them together. You'll find threads on previous discussions about this.
Good luck and welcome to the crazy world of chookery!

[Glutton4...]

Hi Sheena, and welcome to the madhouse!

I'd contact your nearest BHWT (Battery Hen Welfare Trust) Co-ordinator - my ex-Batts were £1 each. Because of the 'addiction' thing, I then contacted 'Little Hen Rescue' in Norfolk for ex-free rangers, and they were £1.50 each. I had 8 from each, they laid from day one, and I've had no real problems with any of them, they are all still alive and thriving!

Having said that, I have just collected 4 Marans, locally, as presents for my Parents, at a cost of £16 each!

Good luck with them, they are worth every penny you spend, and every minute you devote to them, and more...

[raine]

Yep, my ex-battery's were also £1 each (gave a bit more as that was only donation) and they've been fab - laid from day 1 and, at the moment, are laying more than was suggested!

[terrier]

Battery Hen Welfare Trust

Go for Ex Bats, you know they deserve it.

[lizzylemon]

Hi Sheena,

I'm just up the road from you and the Chook place you're talking about is 2 villages from me and where I got mine from. I was going down the rescue hen route but ended being let down a couple of times (getting them direct from the battery farm is tricky) and the OH was getting frustrated at having an empty coop so we went there and I've been really happy with the POL hens.

We have a mixture of the Goldenlines (lay every day) an Amber (every other day) and a Nera (who is very haphazard in her laying habits and currently has an impacted crop which I'm massaging on a daily basis).

Also near us is a place called Alans Ark, Soham, Ely and you can pick up everything you need there in big quantities to give you breathing space to find somewhere more local. Its quite cheep (sorry), 8.50 for a 25kg bag of layers pellets, red mite and louse powder is about 5 quid a tub and they supply horse stuff for the bedding.

PM me and I'll give you directions.

[Rhode Runner]

Hello Sheena, I thgink possibly the nearest place to you is Davids Animal Feeds High Street Brampton. It's not somewhere that I have used but is closer to you. The website is:-

David’s Animal Feeds, Cambridgeshire UK, Poultry feeds and supplies

What birds are you thinking of getting? With over 100 breeds to consider and then all the different colours there are certainly a lot to choose from. Consider first what you require:-

1. eggs....then certainly consider Hybrids. If you get a mixture they will lay you eggs from white to very dark brown. Some even lay blue/green eggs.

2. Pretty in the garden.... There are lots of pure breeds that are very ornamental. Especially some of the bantams.

3. Pets....some breeds are friendlier than others

4. breeding....will you keep a cockerel. Do you have children.


I would advise against Ex batts for your first birds and would try to find a breed that suits your situation.

Have a look here there are pictures of lots of different breeds.
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html or
Chicken box

Click on the box "breeds parade" and have a look at all the breeds on the left hand side.

When you've decided what you like I'll try and source them for you. If you havr e any other questions just P.M. me

Allan

[sheena]

Well things are looking up, managed to get a load more materials today to start building the run... just got posts to get tomorrow and it should be all hands on deck.

Can't remembered who asked what, but I don't intend to breed (I live in a pretty built up area and the neighbours have said they don't mind me getting chooks, but said they would kill me if I got a cock).

It was actually Wood Green Animal Shelter who were supposed to be charging £15 for the ex-batts. But I found a place in Chatteris that is selling chooks for £5... but I think I like the idea of the ex-batts more as I would like to know that I am helping the rescued one's. Looks aren't important to me... as long as they do their job of supplying scrumptious eggs, they will be safe from the table (cos I don't intend on wasting a single bird). It's gonna be so hard, cos I know i'll get attached... but who knows, I might even turn veggy after this. lol

I'm not sure on breed yet, I was looking at the Light Sussex, as they can be a dual purpose bird and apparently sweet natured... but who knows at this moment.
OH wants to have different colour one's so he can tell them apart, but have read that if we keep to the same colour, it should be harder to become too attached to a single bird.

Thank you kindly for the help with supplies... 8.50 for 25kg! What a bargain? Pets at home £3.99 for 5kg, won't last me long and will work out way too much to feed them in the long run.

I'll keep you posted on the run, and how we coming along... including welcoming the new arraivals to our home when we get them.

[dozey1]

Get ex bats they are wonderful, i have had my girls since October and it is great seeing their feathers grow back, Little hen rescue is doing a rescue in April, why not contact them and complete an application form. You won't regret it. Mine would have been dog food or chicken pies by now.

[sheena]

Today as been an eventful day to say the least.
Didn't quite make it to getting the run up, too windy and when I tried I just got frustrated when the screw wouldn't go through the wood (didn't make the pilot hole big enough, and no-one to hold it for me). Had a bit of an emotional turn, and lost my rag with it. Luckily enough it's salvagable.

All calm now, as I managed to achieve what I wanted when OH decided he would help instead of watching me make a tit of myself.

Have enquired about the ex-batts, although not sure if I will get accepted or not. Is there any such criteria you need to meet before hand? The next rehoming day for my area is this saturday!!! :yikes: Although i will be ready by then, I don't think they will let me rehome at that short notice, surely?

Had a looky round today instore at pets at home, and they got the layers pellets in there at a decent price (£9 odd for 25kg, although the organic one with omega 3 etc is £16.99 for the same quantity) Does it matter which one?

One other thing... what exactly is the purpose of rings? I know pidgeon's have them for ID reason's, but why chicken?

Please pray the waether will be better tomorrow, and I should have this up (if the OH helps of course).

[RedThorn]

Congrats on your new hobbie Ex-batts are great and very friendly birds too.... you should see me walking around the garden with Noodle tucked under my arm lol

[di]

Don't know about the Pets at Home pellets,but some contain artificial colourings to make the yolks yellower.
We don't go for organic,but do try to steer clear of feed with colourings in.
We've had the chooks for nearly a year & are still looking around for the cheapest deal...be warned...as mentioned in another thread...there seems to be a real North/South divide when it comes to prices!So you might not be able to get it as cheap as some of the other peeps on here!....I'm not bitter!...really I'm not!