Basics to get started please ......

[Bezzie]

Hi All

I've been rather absent since my first 'hello' and Q&A returns. Now I'm almost ready to get my first chooks. I've a second hand coop and run arriving tomorrow - HOWEVER, my reluctant hubby ("don't need chooks!") has intermittently been expanding on my original plans (closely cycled by "not interested" behaviour) and created a 15' x 8' spread of a run under some fantastic trees and bushes for them to play in. We've also kept two of the traditional old wooden 1000mm units from the kitchen and I'd like to figure out how to convert them into coops too, so that my second hand one with run can be for youngsters when I start rearing my own.

I've got a few more questions for you though if you will please:

1 What is my first basic shopping list to ensure that my new ladies are going to be fed appropriately when they arrive - I gather there's something about layers feed, grit and ten dozen other items ....?

2 Also, does anyone know where I can get hold of some Scots Greys in the UK (I'm based in Nottinghamshire)? Hubby has taken to the idea of having some of these because he was in the Scots Greys regiment - so this is a way of encouraging his further interest!

3 If I convert the 1000mm units into coops, what number of chooks would healthily be homed in this space?

You'll be proud of me. I've decided that if I'm keeping chooks, then they will be for laying and table (will take a few different breeds to get both options), and want to breed my own table stock as having the chooks will sustain two households - mine and my mum's because I want it to contribute to her health positively (she's one medical phenomena). So I'm sure I'll be back with plenty more questions and feedback as to how I'm getting along.

Will be truly grateful for any advice you can give me on the above folks.

Already truly grateful to the person who put up the story about the errant Cockeral that attacked the three year old ....... gave me a huge smile this morning!

[flower]

well, I keep my chooks in an eglu so I can't help you with the housing except to say beware of redmite which breed like crazy in wooden housing especially under felt roofing.
Get yourself some redmite powder straight away because once you get them, you need to act quickly.

food I can help you with
I feed my girls organic layers pellets. If not buying organic, check the ingredients carefully cos they put all kinds of junk in them.
I prefer pellets to 'mash' because it's less messy. The chooks chuck the mash about a bit to choose the best bits.
Also get some poutry grit, the pellets have some in but maybe not enough. It's dirt cheap so better to be safe than sorry.
Finally... oyster shell. Again, it's very cheap and contains the minerals required for eggshell production.
Those are the three things you need foodwise.

You can, if you choose, provide a handful or two of corn in the evenings and treats such as boiled veg peelings.
Providing a cabbage, strung up to peck at, keeps them happy, entertained and gives wonderful golden egg yolks.

watching them chasing a corn on the cob round the run is great fun too!
Have fun

[Millymollymandy]

All the above except I feed them wheat, not corn, as a late afternoon treat.

[CrazyParrot]

I may be useless with sheep, but I know a bit about chickens! hopefully this will help:

1. feed

If the birds are for laying you should get some good quality layers pellets. organic is best because you can guarantee that the ingredients are OK and sustainably produced, but if not look for non-medicated vegetarian feed (so you know it doesnt contain dead chicks or antibiotics which will get into your eggs). buy a special feed hopper (they arent expensive and all livestock stores sell them) and keep it filled with the pellets for them to pick at when ever you want. you can also get the pellets in a cheaped mash form (fed dry) which is good for hens in a run as its a bit more of a challenge to eat. it does get wasted and spilt often though.

scraps are great for hens, and give the eggs flavour. offer scraps in the afternoon though, so they will be hungry for the layer pellets and will eat them in the morning, you can give any fruit and veg that is edible to people exept avocado. dont give really rotten food, or raw potato peelings ect. that you wouldnt eat. cooked mashed potato peelings are good though, and you can mix it with the layer pellets.

unless the hens are free range, dont bother with mixed corn. it doesnt really give much benefits and is only really useful for getting hens to dig up areas (they scratch for the corn) or to tempt them back into a run. If you do feed it, give about a handful or so per bird per day.

2. scots greys

I'm not really sure where you get them from near you. there is a really good hatchery near aberdeen that probably sells them or will know where you can get them - I dont know the number though, so maybe you could just type "scots greys for sale" into google and see what comes up.

3. runs

I think that hens are only really happy when free range, but if you have to keep them in a run full time, try to allow a square meter per chicken. it seems quite a lot, but they are not happy squashed in. We keep six hens in a four meter square run, but let them range free during the day. I think that is the absolute maximum stocking density you can get without bieng cruel.


hope this helps a little!

[CrazyParrot]

eglus are cool! they do ones for up to 10 chickens now, which look really good. one of our hen house is on the brink of falling to pieces, so I'll try to save up for one of those!

more tips on red mite - you can get red mite powder from farm shops which I sprinkle around the walls and around any cracks or holes in the hen house every month. you can also sprinkle the chickens with it but I prefer not to. It just makes the hen house less pleasant for mites to move in, and helps to kill those that are there. that way you dont end up with dead chickens or no eggs, and you it doesnt get bad enough that you have to soak the place with insecticide solution.

[Bezzie]

Thanks everyone for coming back to me with so much. The coop arrived on Saturday and is much better made than I was expecting. Just a little more fencing around the rest of the garden to make it houdini-chicken-proof to the best of my ability, and then I can purchase my first batch of ladies.

Actually my query re the run was more in the line of they will have a run of 15' x 8' to access from the coop on days that I'm not around, and how many would this be suitable for. Otherwise, they will have a full half acre to roam during the day. I work from home, so most of the time I'll be here to keep an eye on them. Apologies for not being so clear. So by my reckoning, that's a fair few chickens for that run then! More than I'll be looking to keep anyhow

I'm sure I'll be back with more later. Impatience is nagging away on my right shoulder ...........

I went to the local store and got a proprietary cleaner, louse powder and red mite powder to give the coop a good spring clean before introducting birds.

Thanks again y'all. I'll keep hunting for the Scots Grey - they must exist elsewhere than just in Scotland.

[Bezzie]

Well, I been and done it folks. I've got my first set of lodgers. May have gone a bit overboard ... possibly bitten off more than I can chew for a complete novice?

Today I went along to a rare breed lady I'd found who talked my language - meaning she didn't freak out when I announced I was looking for table as well as eggs.

Hubby expressed himself negatively when he rang me to see what I'd done, and I was travelling home with 11 pullets and 4 cockerels (instead of the nice set up of 6 he was expecting). Ironically, since they arrived home, I've been allowed to do all the dirty work, whilst he's taken over completely on feeding and watering, and checking they're general happiness, and announced his morning routine for "his" ladies ........ what i it with partners?

So I'm happy to announce I'm now the proud mother of:
2 x Derbyshire Redcap + Cockerel,
1 x Light Sussex + Cockerel (and truly handsome he is too), then
8 x White Jersey Giant + 2 x Cockerel (think one of these boys will be Christmas Dinner)

- all about 10wks old, so on growers pellets for now.

They've relaxed and settled in really quickly, eating voraciously and taking their water well. They were reared in a deep litter shed, and took to having access to the outside run immediately, and it was fantastic to take a peek at their progress in the afternoon to see them all fluffed up and dozing happily in the first real sunshine they had ever tasted in a really contented pose. The Sussex Cockerel is four weeks older than the rest and has been 'mothering' them all very gently and is really passive and easy to handle.

The lady said to keep them growing on in the run for about another month before allowing them out to learn their free range territory, which is fine as it will give me time to finish off fencing on the boundaries - I've got half and acre for them to play with then.

The cats have been along to the pen to introduce themselves (they're accustomed to next doors chooks and the local pheasant breeder on the other side), and as they're good hunters, I'm happy that they'll give a sterling contribution towards vermin control with relish.

I know this is somewhat lengthy, and I wanted to let you guys know what you'd given me the confidence to achieve on this forum! I thank everyone who's chipped in, and going to chip in for the future cos I reckon I'll have loads more questions yet. You've all helped me wade through the conflicting literature and internet offerings with sound practical advice.

Cheers my friends

PS Guess I'll be leaving the idea of the Scots Greys alone just now since I didn't find any closer.

[Millymollymandy]

Congratulations, new mummy!

I'm sure you'll have loads of fun with them. Do you have some customers lined up for all those eggs you are going to be getting?

[Bezzie]

Yep - each time we mentioned we were planning to get them, people got excited to have eggs, and a client of mine owns a local country store has offered to send people to me to. Plus, the whole idea of having them is to support our own household plus my parents for eggs and meat, so there's a fair amount of personal usage to consider (I make a mean egg custard too - Marcus Waring may have made them for the Queen, but mine are tastier). Proof will be in the selling though - eh. If not, some of them will be for the pot a little sooner than originally planned.

Checked them all out this morning, and they're getting a little more blase about my arrival to look at them instead of scuttling off into a corner to peer back, so for less than 24hrs, I figure that's good as they're wanderin freely in the run and I can see easily if there's any stress or damage happening. Still eating and drinking well, and I'm being on guard not to congratulate myself too much too soon for a successful move.

[flower]

here's a tip for you.....

choose a noise and make it each time you give them a treat. (we make a high pitched boc-boc-boc noise )
Soon, everytime you make that noise they'll all come running towards you like a pack of mini dinosaurs....sounds mad, but you'll see what I mean

This will prove invaluble when you have to go out and need them back in their run quickly or if you see a fox lurking about.

Apart from anything else it's just great fun to watch

[ohareward]

That's funny. I say pock, pock, pock. The two languages must have the same backgound.

Robin

[Bezzie]

Hmmmm, that's clearly where I'm going wrong! I'm saying "Hello chaps", and generally talking to them. I've got a bad reputation with them already though because I got hold of them to put louse powder on them today as I moved them to their more permanent coops. Had to clip the wings of a few too as they're practicing flying and getting on top of the coops and I'm afraid of them getting out of the run too soon (and onto the road as I made the fence 6ft, but if they're on top of the coop it brings it down to 1ft!

As they're 10 wk old pullets on grower pellets, what treats are suitable, as the woman I bought them from said not to give treats at this point? And I would rather be able to train them as early as possible to going back to their coop (and enjoying seeing me too - I just want to be loved really).

Cheers

[Bezzie]

Whoops, forgot to say in my last bit - we had to laugh as the older cockerel (14wks) decided to let us have his morning greeting today, after being with us less than 48 hours.

We offended him by laughing cos he really did sound like a teenager with his voice breaking. He hasn't spoken to me since, though I expect he will tomorrow.