afew chicken questions

[pink-angel29]

I will be getting my chooks tomorrow and was wondering what time i should let them out in the morning and what time to put them away at night.
also what treats can i give them ?
and are there any hints and tips that would be usefull??

many thanks

[RichmondHens]

When you get them shut them into the hen house for the rest of the day and night. You can put a little food and water inside the house but chances are they won't take it. THey will be too busy just getting used to their new surroundings and if it is dark in there they will just snooze. Then if they are in a small run you can let them out normal time the next morning (6.30 ish is when mine come out but everyone has their own routine). If you intend to let them free range eventually then do not let them do this for at least a week so they know where they have to return to.

They will go to bed when it is dusk as their instinct will tell them to find a safe place to roost when it gets dark. If they cannot find their way into the hen house that night then gently shoo them in or let them settle in the run then pick them up when completely dark and post them through the pop hole. They will have worked it out in a day or two.

Enjoy your hens!

[jessmorris]

There are a multitude of hen books out there if you fancy them - try browsing Amazon.................mainly because its useful to know the basics and essentials before you get to find out that your hens will have rules of their own anyway!!

[janeyo]

Treat wise, mine love in no particular order: strawberry tops, cucumber, tomatoes, grapes, bread or toast crusts, dandelions and other weeds, grass clippings, apples and most fruits, cooked pasta or rice (with no sauces on). Basically anything going slightly overripe or left over and they will eat it.

[jessmorris]

Treat wise - cheese comes tops! followed by worms and caterpillars! They also like apples, pears, cucumbers, bread and anything similar, hard boiled eggs, yoghurt mixed with mash......................They won't eat celery, brassicas.....

[pink-angel29]

Thanks for the advice........ whoop whoop only 3 hours to go untill they arrive

[Suechooks]

Not too many treats! They NEED layers pellets - balanced diet. They don't need treats but hey we all give them some! Just a handful of corn between them in the evening plus some greens hanging up to peck at is ideal. I put dandelions and chard/spinach/beetoot tops/cabbage/broccoli leaves in a wire hanging basket to keep them amused.
Enjoy your girls when they come!

[pink-angel29]

do i need to put any food and water in there coop at night or are they ok untill morning

[MaureenHall]

They'll be fine till morning. If you leave food and water in the coop they're more than likely to either knock it all over the place or poo in it

[pink-angel29]

i am now the proud owner of
1 blackrock
2 light sussex
2 maran
1 aracuna
(sorry if the spelling is wrong)

[Hans Mum]

i am now the proud owner of
1 blackrock
2 light sussex
2 maran
1 aracuna
(sorry if the spelling is wrong)

congrats on your new chooks

so where's the pics then...... its vine law we need pics of new additions

[chris]

So like... when the lay, and you get a glut of eggs - and you can't give them away what do you do with them? crack eggs - bin & crush shells back in their feeds?

Also, how long do freshly laid eggs keep for? Sounds daft, but I don't know if supermarket ones contain things to make them keep longer (i.e from feed, or what not).

[its hilly]

Yippee for you P-A. Another chicken addict in the making. Its great having different breeds and seeing where they are alike and where they are different.
I find that like most livestock it isnt what time on the clock that is important, its routine. If its most convenient to you to let them out at 8.30 rather than 6 or 9 or whatever then do, however they are like naughty kids and love to stay up late in summer. I usually put mine in around 4 in winter (they normally beat me to it) but at 9 in summer. I keep a handfull of something nice, or corn and throw it into the coop, and they dash in for it. Usually.
CM if you do a search you'll find various storage methods on the vine in general. Fresh eggs kept cool last me at least four weeks, and eggs to bake are better if at least a week old anyway. We like pickled eggs and i freeze beaten eggs for baking, etc. Some do get hardboiled and fed back, but mostly they get used.

[pink-angel29]

i will post some pics soon.
also with my chooks being on the allotment is there anyway to deter foxes one has already tried to get in (luckly it didnt) ive put slabs all the way around the coop and run plus mesh. im just wondering what else i can do

[sheena]

Sorry if this sounds crude, but if you have some gentlemen friend's... get them to pee in a bottle and pour it around the perimeter of the run, this I hear is very good. Also another thing to try is some human hair (from a hairbrush for eg.) placed in an old pair of tights and hung around the outside.
Foxes aren't supposed to like the smell of human's, contrary to latest news.