Setting up

[lesleygl]

I have already been given lots of useful info regarding hens and keeping them by all of you, thank you.

What is cost of keeping hens after the initial outlay?!!

What sort of food would you recommnend and I understand that they need grit and or oystershell? I know that you can give them kitchen scraps

Probably a good idea if I buy myself a book!!

A friend of mine has chickens and gave me some eggs and I couldn't believe the colour of the yolks.

[Hans Mum]

costs are layers pellets (i pay £6 a sack) and it last my 8 girls about 6 weeks, these have all the nutriciants they need and you dont really need to give them anything else (although most of us do) my sack of split corn was about £7/8 (can't really remember) but i've had it ages and there's still loads left (handful just before bedtime) i dont put grit down as they free range a lot of the time and they get what they need that way, they'll be free ranging less in winter so will start to put it down again but ive again had a sack for 10months and its barely been used. & i give them porridge for breakfast in the winter but buy supermarkets cheapy range which is cheap, they also get lots of greens from the lottie, so i think the answer to your question is not a lot really

[Eco-Chic]

I've just set up and have bought large sizes of what I consider to be essentials and a few not so essential bits and bobs (my friends say I turn all new pet interests into a shopping opportunity Investment so far:

Coop & run (2nd hand eBay) £74.00
Delivery (wouldn't fit my car)£35.00
4 POL Orpington Blue Bantams}
Chicken Encyclopaedia}
Lge gravity drinker & feeder} £36.00
25kg growers pellets £6.02
5kg oyster shell grit £3.49
Large bale shavings £5.69
500g Garlic Powder £3.29
450g Poultry Spice £5.19
Crushed Charcoal £2.93
1Kg loose corn/seed mix £1.21
Plastic bird feeder £1.89
Litter Scoop £0.77
2 x SS dishes £3.38
60g Flubenvet £12.01
*5Kg Diatom £23.99
*5L Smite £17.99
*Keeping Pet Chickens £4.99
*Delivery £7.95
The Right Way to Keep Chickens £4.68
Chicken Runs & Veg Plots £5.45
Beginners Guide to Chickens £3.19
(Apple Cider Vinegar I have already)

I'm not totalling this up

I want to buy a length of onduline or type stuff to put over the roof as the torrential rain we've had in the past couple of days has made the interior roof of the coop damp and I want to devise a portable roofed run so that my girls can get out and about more when I'm unable to let them free range.

ps Not one of the above books has stressed the necessity of scrubbing and disinfecting the coops regularly although use of Diatom and Poultry Shield is advocated.

I think the Red Mite Sticky at the top of the board is far more informative about this.

[lesleygl]

Thank you Eco Chic that is great , very helpful. I will let you know how I get on next year

L

[Eco-Chic]

If the gels start laying in the New Year I may have quite a bit of growers left over as there are only three now (beastly dogs). You need to check the use by dates if you buy big sizes.

[frias]

If the gels start laying in the New Year I may have quite a bit of growers left over as there are only three now (beastly dogs). You need to check the use by dates if you buy big sizes.

The laydeez are eating more of the growers pellets than they do of their own layers. It doesn't seem to effect the egg production as we have more eggs than we can use.

[MrsC]

I think once set up than the cost is minimal really compared to the price good quality free range eggs in the supermarket, plus the comedy value from the chucks. I feed mine on layers pellets (£6.50 a bag) for 8 lasts around 5/6 weeks. Handful of corn in the evening and scraps, leftover pasta/rice. Boil up any peelings also. Also make them porridge with a few raisins (value brands) once or twice a week seeing as though it's getting cold and plenty of greens from the garden while free ranging and excess from the lottie.

[Snadger]

Coop and run from scrap timber for nowt. Forget about books..........waste of time. Bought and read three and didn't learn a thing.

Buy layers pellets in bulk (around here 20Kg bag for £4.99) and by flogging left over eggs and feeding greens from the allotment the cost is minimal.

I have 21 chooks and I reckon on under a fiver per week for feed! I get about £4.50 for eggs!

[elizajay]

I found books quite useful, but got them out of the library and ordered from the library any that weren't there, cost 25p per order.

[Eco-Chic]

I enjoyed reading the books but I've learned far more from this forum. If all I'd had was me book learnin' I would have been scraping up dried-on poo from the floor and wouldn't have thought about the efficacy of hot water, detergent, disinfectant and elbow grease.

[beulah59]

I learned more online than from books, but have a few anyway to show folk who house-sit for us from time to time!

[Eco-Chic]

Beulah,

I've just read your blog and envy you your lovely big run. Someone recommended the company in the link for making weather proofings. I wonder if the clear stuff would be suitable as a tarp for your run?

Light/Medium WaterproofFabrics at Pennine Outdoor - Outdoor Fabrics, DIY Clothing, Walking Gear and Sports