Where do I begin?

[cheops]

Hi everyone. I've decided that I'm gonna keep several chickens, maybe up to ten. To me it seems a win win situation, healthy eggs, a good life for the chickens and the pleasure of observing and looking after them. I have have a good read through other posts and gained much needed information but I have so many questions hopefully some kind people reading this will try and answer a few. Firstly where is the best place to buy some hens. Ive looked at several sites and the prices are quite high and vary quite a lot from site to site. Anyone suggest the best place for both quality and cost. I would like to buy a couple of hens and when one gets broody would like to give her half a dozen fertile eggs to brood. Apart from increasing my stock the pleasure of seeing her hatch and look after a family must be enormous. My other main question is - I have at the back of the garden a garden shed which I intend to give over to the chickens and build a run around it which I can walk into. Sturdy posts and chicken wire ok?? Obviously I want to give them as much room as is possible so I was going to include the weed free bed in front of the shed. In this bed are my goosberyy bushes and currant bushes. I'm now having second thoughts about this and not include the bed as from reading posts I think [which I didn't think before ] that the hens will decimate at the lower regions of the bushes both leaves and fruit. Is this correct? If so its either move the bushes [not a great idea for the bushes] or make the run smaller and not include this bed. In front of the shed the run will include a young cooking apple tree which has set fruit for the first time. I don't envisage the hens destroying this tree?? Sorry this is so long winded but I do need to plan and get things right before I embark on the project. Thanks all in anticipation.

[chris]

It'd help if you could give us an idea where you're based.. even better would be if you update your profile to put your location in, it'll show in each post so we won't have to ask each time.

Broody wise - it's not for the faint hearted. Have you thought what will happen when 60% of the chicks hatched are boys? When they reach maturity, they'll start to crow. They may even fight.. 7 cockerels crowing, if not fighting each other is going to take some careful planning on how you'll look after them. alternatively you could cull them and eat them, but it's not an easy thing to do when you've no prior experience.

Places will vary in terms of price due to the conditions that the hens are kept it. I found out after, the place I got mine from is a battery farm - I was disgusted. They cost £6.90 for hybirds (good layers, tend not to go broody). You'll pay more for well reared hens in good environements. You'll pay more again for pure breed hens, who aren't as good layers.

The hens will eat anything green (within reason) that they can reach. Mine have stripped my gooseberry bush, entirely.

Free range guidelines are 1m2 per bird, if I remember - but picture it.. just over a 3' square per bird isn't that much room - obviously the guidelines are aimed at commercial environments. How much space do you have to offer them?

Chicken wire is ok, but if you live where foxes are (most places), they'll be able to bite through it. You'd be better if you want them secure by buying weldmesh - thicker wire, smaller gaps will mean it's stronger, more rigid and a fox/badger can't get it's teeth/claws into the gaps. I've bought 0.5" x 0.5" weldmesh from hillsofdevon.co.uk - it's not as cheap as chicken wire, but it's many times more secure - and it'll last longer too.

You'll get what you pay for in terms of materials, and stock.

I don't want to dampen your ideas, but really I think you'd be better off doing some more research and planning the area for your chickens better rather than jumping in at the deep end.. sure it sounds great on paper, but do you have people that can look after them when you're on holiday? Are going to be prepared to go and give them fresh water/smash ice out of their water 3/4 times per day in the deep dark winter months?

I'd personally say don't aim to get a broody and hatch, plan out the area (either move the bushes, or get less hens depending on the run size). Patch up the shed, treat it with creocote for red mite prevention. Get some supplies in, such as worming powder, red mite prevention/treatments, general supplies, feed, feeders and drinkers - prepare the shed by adding perches, get some bedding in - build some nest boxes, or create an area that's not under the perches (a general rule of 3 birds per nestbox is acceptable - you may find they all use one though.. I've three that squeeze in all at the same time ).

Is the run on soil/grass? You'll probably have to lime it to neutralise it after a year or so - it's toxic when applied so you'll need to keep the hens/cocks off the area... or replace the ground in there. My run is concrete floor wise, built with 3"x3" posts, roofed (to keep foxes out!), weldmesh and covered with wood chippings which will be changed every 3 months when I worm them.

Feed wise can cost from £7 upwards for a 20kg sack. A general rule is that an adult hen will eat around 125g of pellets each day, if that helps you work out costs.

When you are ready/wanting to get them make sure you have a look at the hens, where they are, their behaviour - check them over (check their crops aren't empty - unless it's first thing in the morning and they've not eaten - that could be a sign they're off their feed for whatever reason), are their eyes, nostrils and legs/feet all in an ok condition? Feathers ok? Any signs of lice, mites? etc

There's some great books out there, many are recommended in numerous threads - if you haven't already I'd take time in reading the stickies too

They're great to have, the eggs as you say are amazing and a real addition to gardens in my opinion - good luck!

[chris]

Oh, if the apple tree branches are low enough for them to jump/fly up into they may decide to roost in there, rather than the shed.. If your run isn't as fox proof as possible, it is entirely possible they could be taken by one in the night!

I have a few dwarf fruit trees - my chickens have stripped the lowest branches of leaves and developing fruit I've since moved the trees out of the garden that they're in.

check out the haynes chicken manual too - apparantly it's a great book.

[gillian62]

I started off with 3 hens last year, and now have 14. I love my chickens and wouldn't be without them. This is what I have learned in the past year or so.

I read as many books as I could - use your library, they can get books in from other libraries for you if they don't have any chicken books for a small fee.

Not all chickens will lay every day. And there will be periods when they all won't lay very many eggs - I am only getting about 6 eggs a day at the moment. Hybrids are your best bet for eggs, they are pretty regular. If you buy breeds of either large fowl (normal chicken size) or bantams (smaller breeds) they don't usually lay daily, although there are a few exceptions. Try and find a local breeder or feed merchant and they will probably either have hybrids or be able to point you to someone who does. Hybrids are usually cheaper than breeds.

Hatching eggs - isn't always the fun you expect. Chris is right to say remember that usually at least 1/2 are cockrels!! Our silkie has hatched one this year, and it looks like the little one is a boy, so that is going to be hard when the time comes to let him go. Also if they are females you will then need to wait probably 20 - 25 weeks, almost 6 months before they start laying - and today you need to think of the cost of feeding the little ones up to that point, when you aren't getting any benefits.

Cost of feed - this has gone up consistently since I started, another 50p this week, so that has to be taken into account too.

Saying that, I wouldn't be without them. They are all individuals with different personalities. My husband says I look like the pied piper when I go into see them. The eggs are the best ever, 'priceless' as the adverts go, and I am able to provide eggs for family at times too. The chickens are loved by all the family and are great to watch (much better than tv most days).

All the best, you won't regret it.

[Flummery]

Wow, you've got some comprehensive answers there already. I would just say that there was a blackcurrant bush in the area where we let our chickens free range and they ate all the fruit the first year and managed to kill it outright the second!

[paula.berriman]

Hello

Im a newbie chook keeper and i decided to rescue some ex battery hens. We have 6 girls and i gave a donation of £20 for the lot. I was very lucky that they had most of their feathers so didnt look 'oven ready' and after a few weeks they have settled in nicely. We built a chicken run and coop from scratch and we used good 8ft fence posts and chicken wire to cover. The only word i will say when using chicken wire is TENSION. Without good tension on the wire your can end up with a saggy looking run. We just took our time and got it done. The run is just over 6ft high and its a walk in enclosure which is great if you cant have your girls free ranging all over.

We plan on putting some rasberry canes in the run but keeping them protected until they start to bear fruit and then the girls can make the most of the berries on the lower branches.

I have attached a photo of the nearly completed coop (i dont have one of it finished).

[cheops]

Well thanks for everyone who has so quickly offered advice and tips. And so comprehensive the replies I'm quite overwhelmed that people would take so much time to help another. Thanks again. I really don't mind the hard graft [smashing the frozen drink water etc] and yes have good neighbours for holiday times. I realised some hatched eggs would be cockerels but I thought they could be eaten though admittedly I shy away from the thought of doing the killing or cleaning the birds out. So yes, perhaps I'll initially at least just go for hens though if one goes broody I would feel sorry for it as it cannot achieve its instincts. As I thought you all have confirmed the fruit bushes will be decimated. Pity, I had a vison of them wandering through the bushes which landscaped their area. I am amazed to hear from you that a fox is capable of breaking through chicken wire. I live in Croydon area and yes like everywhere else we are coming down with urban foxes most of then looking very mangey and unwell. As a compronise could I use mesh for the first three feet off the ground then chicken wire or can the foxes climb and chew. Also do I need to roof over the run with chicken wire or is a fence 6ft high enough? Thx for approximating the cost of feed etc. It means of course the eggs laid are not free but the cost is excusable as the eggs are FRESH, better TASTING, and of course how can you price the pleasure of having the hens. I know the hybrids are cheaper AND better layers but I do like the look of some of the rarer breeds though on one site they were 40 pounds each - birds which were on the point of laying. The apple tree has no low branches so should be ok and as it grows bigger if they try and roost there i'll net it or something for a while. I will do more research, continue to read the posts here for I am determined to have a nice boiled egg in the morning for a change. The run will be on soil/grass. Size wise the hens will have about 6 sq metres which will be interesting for them as they will be able to wander behind and around the shed.

[RichmondHens]

As Chris says, do your research. 6 sq m is not very much room and what grass you have within that area will soon be gone. Hens are very scratchy and dig up everything. If you cannot offer any more space than that then you will need to plan a permanent run with a deep woodchip base that they can dig through to amuse themselves. Plan to keep only 3 hens in that space and get easy care hybrids that don't (generally) go broody. And chicken prices mostly are pretty reasonable. Chickens cost a fair amount to raise, whether hybrid or pure breed, so you should not expect them to be cheap. Ask around and get breeder recommendations rather than picking names out of the hat and take someone knowlegeable along to help you choose and hopefully your chicken keeping experience will be a happy one.

[petal]

Wow! its better than any chicken book on here for beginners! I second what everyone says - get 3 nice young hybrids- you can get some lovely colours and even blue egg layers. You are in croydon,? stronghold domain of the fox... I would get a v.strong! forsham style ark that you can regularly move around- whatever you get needs to be extremely tough. Avoid the idea of raising chicks for the first year - most of them will be male and your neighbours will hate you therefore!

[cheops]

Thx again to everyone. I do need someone to tell me if you need to 'roof over' with chicken wire a run even if it 5 or 6ft high. In other words can a fox climb up and over otherwise. Yes Petal, Croyon is a haven for foxes. I drive a bus in Croydon and if working late every road / street practically you turn into you see a fox some with mange so bad their tails are devoid of any hair.

[paula.berriman]

Cheops

I dont have a roof on mine (see picture on previous post) and as long as you put your chooks away before it gets dark you shouldnt have any problems. Fingers crossed. We are surrounded by fields and countryside and so far our girls have been left alone and the area shows no fox activity however: they will take the opportunity of an easy meal so make sure you lock your girls away!

[chris]

That said, people here have had foxes come in broad day light. If you can make the top of the run fence unstable (loose wire?) that'd help.

[Suechooks]

If you're in a "foxy" zone I'd definitely put a wire roof on the run. Urban foxes are far more bold than rural ones. A lot of vixens are hunting in the daytime now as the cubs are growing fast and needing more food. Remember a fox only has to get lucky once, you and your chooks need to be lucky all the time.

[BUFFS]

[QUOTE=Suechooks;858090]If you're in a "foxy" zone I'd definitely put a wire roof on the run. Urban foxes are far more bold than rural ones. A lot of vixens are hunting in the daytime now as the cubs are growing fast and needing more food. Remember a fox only has to get lucky once, you and your chooks need to be lucky all the time.[/QUOTEjust make sure the coop is off the ground,so no vermin can take up residence without you knowing,and eating their feed,i have slabbed the whole coop area since seeing one some weeks ago...