Newbie Question So Please Bear With Me

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ontombose

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Hi All,

As the title, so please bear with me.... Got a few questions which I thought I would ask prior to buying any Chickens and getting underway.

Been doing a bit of research but nothing like asking actual keepers.

Have prepared the Garden, got a fence of chicken wire so they cant escape anywhere and also a layer underneath where the Coop is going so as not to allow unwanded visitors in. I have the Coop and Run on order and only intend on keeping 2 chickens so have ordered a 5 bird Coop as thought the bigger the better. I have also brought the following:-

1. 3kg Food Container and 3ltr Drink Container
2. Disinfectant
3. Red Mite Powder (Precautionary Measure)
4. Bark Chipping for the base
5. Straw for the bedding

Not ordered any food yet as want to get an opinion, Pellets or Mash? probably personal preference but always good to get the pros and cons.

Is there anything else that I should get prior to purchasing the birds themselves?

Look forward to any suggestions and feedback.

Many Thanks,
Tim
 
Hi Tom and welcome to the wonderful world of chicken keeping - and to the Forum, of course.
Your preparations all sound good - which coop did you choose, can you post us a link? Good to have some extra room, as you say, sometimes coops don't actually take the number of birds they claim to cater for. Three might be a better number to start with, because when one day one of them dies, you won't be left with one lonely hen, and can then get another two at that point. Introducing a single chicken is always difficult and to be avoided if possible.
Pellets are better than mash as they tend to be less dusty and also the hens have to eat everything in the mixture, whereas with mash they will pick out the bits they like best and waste the rest. Also they can scatter and waste the mash more easily than pellets. Both sorts are made of the same stuff.
You might like to add a grit and oystershell hopper to your list, as they will need this to aid their digestion. Try to invent a way of supporting the feeder and drinker about 6-9 ins above the ground, either on blocks or hung from the roof. This will help prevent them scratching rubbish up into the food or water.
Do let us know more about your plans as they develop. Do you know yet what breed of birds you hope to get? Maybe some of our members can recommend a trustworthy supplier if you say whereabouts you live.
 
Hello,

I second Marigolds advise about getting 3 chooks, sadly when they die, its usually quick, so no time to find new birds before you're left with one sad lonely hen.
I'd also advise buying Diatom and treating the house liberally before you add the chickens. Stopping red mite moving into a house in the first place is always better than getting rid of them once in there and diatom is a good pre-treatment (you can also use in dust bathes etc to treat the birds)

Good luck :)
 
Hi,

Thanks for the feedback, took a while as I have been on holiday :-)

Here is the link for the house I have ordered and would welcome any feedback http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230889593434?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Grit Hopper is now on the list and have already got "Total Mite Kill Powder" which I think is the same as Diatom?

I should be able to hang the Water and Food Containers, good advise thanks.

I live near Stourbridge so would welcome some reputable suppliers.

Many Thanks
 
You get what you pay for Ontombose and I would expect to pay at least £300 for a decent coop. The link you gave is to what is probably a Chinese import -they don't last very long. The run is far too small -work on at least 2 square metres per hen. 4 square metres is ideal, less if they are free ranging part time and it depends on the breeds as well.
 
I second what Chris says about this coop. There's only one square metre of run space, whereas for 2-3 chickens you will need at least 6 metres. Its much better to get a free standing coop and put it in a run you build yourself, as then you can get in and walk around and clean it up and see to the birds. The run space needs to hold drinker, feeder, grit hopper and dustbath, and by the time you've put them in this one, there's no room for the birds to stand up!
Set-up costs for keeping chickens are high, a reasonable coop and a predator- proof run will be fairly expensive, but at least the birds themselves and running costs aren't too costly compared with many pets. If you don't give them enough space, they will be stressed and you will have issues with bullying, feather pecking etc, and the one lowest in the pecking order won't have anywhere to escape. If you kept them in this coop, the stock density would be the same as in battery farm cages.
 
Awful coop. You will never hear an experienced chicken keeper recommend one..I guess they make good firewood though.... ;)
 
The additional run sold to go with this coop only gives you 1.5 square metres so even with that added you don't have enough space for two hens. I think it's wicked the way coops/runs are sold leading newbies to think they have provided enough space for their hens. I can't remember which site it is where they state the manufacturers guidelines, THEN give the Poultry Club's guidelines for the number of birds for the coop which are quite different.
 
Just noticed you say "fence of chicken wire." Chicken wire will keep hens in but not foxes out as apparently they will chew through - I have no experience of chicken wire, just what I've read on this and other forums (fora?)
 
Couldnt agree more.. Have put this coop and run up today and quite rightly it is not big enough and even without any advise sense would have said that its not big enough. I clearly got the Square Meter and Square Foot mixed up or was a clever play on words in the listing.

The quality is not bad at all I do have to say, I am no expert but its better than I could have made. As I already have it I will have to make do however WILL be modifying it to add a larger run, just need to find a DIY shop open tomorrow.

I also feel I need to add that when somebody is at home the chickens will NOT be expected to be cooped up in this all of the time, they will have free run of the garden which I have already chicken freindlied.

Am I right in thinking that Weld Mesh is the most appropriate to make a run out of? better than chicken wire?

Does anybody know or recommend any reputable suppliers around the Kingswinford/Stourbridge area? We are probably going to go with 2-3 Bantams.

Thanks
 
Try somewhere like mole valley farmers or a similar country store or wholesale unit. They do all sorts of wire mesh options and you should find something suitable. Take a good look at the forum and lots of pictures of different runs before making your final choice though, as its good to get it right rather than spend years wishing....
 
Weld mesh is better than chicken wire Ontombose. It has a rigid structure so is easier to make into panels and is stronger. It is more difficult to cut though but doesn't leave sharp ends that can snag clothing or chickens. We use chicken wire for our runs, only because of the price. The doors to the runs are weld mesh for the reasons mentioned.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum from a forum fan and user.
Everybody knocks these houses/runs from China but if you look after them well, slight modifications etc. keep them clean, they can be re-cycled on ebay for more than you actually paid! If not more, then for a satisfactory secondhand price. I have done this three times.
My original one was large, and the one I bought to replace it (not checking the dimensions) was HALF the size, and so it seems they have remained.
But they are reasonably safe and attractive, and can so easily be sold on.
I wish you luck with your little flock, chickens are wonderful, two of my latest, ordinary brown girls, healthy and beautiful, are Lohmanns, and are so friendly they were out in the garden within the week and on my lap without an invitation!
I lost my entire laying flock of 12 to the fox last Autumn, so a secure pen is very important. I had thought that mine was until I saw the utter devastation, caused by him burrowing under my neighbour's fence.
 
Weldmesh if you need security.
I learnt to my cost that chickenwire is only any good for keeping chickens in - a fox can get thruogh it like tissue paper...
 
Hi Ontombose

Congratulations on your prep so far, I dithered and considered without actually doing anything, then my family surprised us with an Eglu and 3 chooks as a present which was brilliant, now I'm hooked! We now have 7 of the little devils - so watch out, they're addictive :)

In my short time as keeper I've collected - diatomaceous earth for mites, acv apple cider vinegar for their water, antiseptic powder for cuts and grazes, Vaseline for combs, a snuggle safe microwaveable heat pad for the winter, anti peck spray, lots of poultry housing sprays and powders (honestly never used those), but you seem to have most things you actually need.

I agree 3 hens is def better than 2. We lost one of the original hybrids which left the other two - who still have each other and are inseparable. I introduced 4 more recently to my other hen house and the introduction was a horrible process so another good reason to go for 3.

Good luck and look forward to seeing pics of your new girls when you get them. Enjoy!
Tat
 
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