considering getting chickens any advice

[Jax]

Hi guys,

Im thinking of getting some chickens in spring. Have you any advice? Im going to spend the winter researching, deciding which ones to get, sorting a coop etc.

[Suechooks]

Best advice is what you've already said ! Go for it!

[shirlthegirl43]

Go for it - I miss our girls every day

[bearded bloke]

First decide for definite exactly how many you want,then buy/build a coup for at least half as many again

[Glutton4...]

It'll take you all winter to read all the shall I/shan't I threads on here anyway. Go for it!

[Jax]

Thanks guys. I reckon three or four chickabidees would be right hubby says 6 but I want to start off small and build up. Im pretty set on the idea. One of my biggest concerns is that round here we have a pretty bad mouse and rat problem as we are in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by farmland and have a large bit of wasteland next to us. So keeping mice and rats away is a big concern for me. We had a bout of mice and the house and it made me so uneasy. Wouldnt want that again.

[The Large One]

i'm doing the same in Spring, going for 4 light sussex hybrids
was let down big time by a guy advertising on ebay supplying chicken coops or else we would have had them back in Sept so going to make my own now
as to rat/mice i think the thing that brings them in mostly is wasted/left out food so get yourself a nice storage bin to keep all the food etc in and thats half the battle

[chris]

My advice would be... do it, too

Great little things - watched mine daft as muck today, standing in the heavy hail, all huddled together..

Their run door is wide open, yet they still prefer to stand and be pelted by the bloomin hail! Decided to pick them all up in a bunch and put them to bed for the night

[chris]

Thanks guys. I reckon three or four chickabidees would be right hubby says 6 but I want to start off small and build up. Im pretty set on the idea. One of my biggest concerns is that round here we have a pretty bad mouse and rat problem as we are in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by farmland and have a large bit of wasteland next to us. So keeping mice and rats away is a big concern for me. We had a bout of mice and the house and it made me so uneasy. Wouldnt want that again.

In that case, go for three - as when you get the others (and you will ), it's a good idea to introduce newbies in a small flock.. most decent places will only let you have a min of three anyway.

[Prince of Durham]

Buy the best of everything you can afford. That goes for the chickens as well as their new house. As for breed of chicken, if you want eggs then get normal little brown hens. However if youre interested in a breed, I'd recommend Wyandottes. I'm sure others on here will have their opinions but for me Wyandottes are by far and away the best breed of chicken of the fifteen or so I've had. The Partridge wyandotte bantam being my favourite.

Good luck...

[petal]

Go for it- fresh eggs- you won't regret it. The main thing is that you get the best house you can afford. Actually my best coop is a converted b&q shed - its a doddle to muck out. I would recommend 3 lovely hybrids to start with, reliable egg supply and they are usually very friendly, curious birds. Decide on whetehr you will get electric fencing or a permanent high fence that is dug into the ground and high enough to prevent foxes jumping over.

[Snadger]

Do it!....................

[Newtothis]

As Snadge says

Do it!....................

I did last summer and got 4 different hybrids....never looked back!
Wish I'd started years ago.
Lots of help on here too.

[jessmorris]

I would say, get bantams. They eat far less, sh*t far less, yet lay as much (depending on breed), though the eggs are smaller. Wyandottes are nice, and so are light or silver Sussex....

[p54jes]

Go for it, If you know what you want shop around and you might get stuff cheaper this time of year!