New to keeping chickens

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stanlmic

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New to keeping chickens
« on: March 01, 2009, 22:45 »
We're going to have a go a keeping chickens, Having never done it before its a bit overwhleming when you start looking for information. Basically I'd like to know whats the best number of chickens to start off with - I've heard 3 is a good number. Also what are the easiest and best breeds to start with ?. I'm planning to build a coop so any help on good design and best practice would be much appreciated. Any other advice to a true novice would also be appreciated. Thanks in anticipation

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cathangirl

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Re: New to keeping chickens
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2009, 23:12 »
Hello Stanlmic,
Welcome to the world of chicken-keeping.
My advice is to read as much as you can on the information given in the Poultry pages, plus library books.
There are bound to be folk along who can advise you on breed characters.  I have hybrids; they all have such different traits and are so amusing.
The number of hens would
a) depend on what space you have available
b) how many eggs you want per week, ( although that will also depend on what hens you eventually choose.)
For example, there is good information on breeds and how many eggs to expect in the Poultry pages, too.
Good luck,
cathangirl

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chasechicken

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Re: New to keeping chickens
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2009, 17:09 »
Hi stanlmic

I've just started with 4 (ex-batts) and again have no experience so can't really help on the chicken keeping side.

However, I too built my own house for them and can give a bit of advise on that.

What I'll first say is make sure you have lots of room to get in easily - I opted for a door half the length of the house which I thought would be enough.  But in practice (and I've only had the hens for two days) cleaning is quite difficult.  So, if you do something like mine, maybe make the door in a little larger, or if it's fairly low down make the roof detachable?  (although if they're in the house when you take it off it might frighten them?)

After some research on here, I found that you need to have a perch approx 2"-3" wide allowing for 20cm of space per hen (or more for a larger breed) and have it around 20cm off the ground.  I have mine lower at the moment as we have ex-battery hens and so they're not quite as agile.

The nest boxe(s) needs to be dark and raised from the main house - but not as high as the perch as they may sleep here etc instead (and poop)...

I haven't added this yet but need to - a slide out floor - even just some chipboard will do fine - they create a lot of mess and it'll be much easier to just slide out and wipe clean rather than have to scrub the main floor of the hen house by hand (if you have a small door like me then it is quite hard to reach the far corners.  Mine poop there too!)

It needs to be raised from the ground too if possible - mine is on some bricks but you may incorporate some legs into the design (part of the frame perhaps)?

They need fresh air, but not drafts - so have a vent with some mesh over it at the top.  Make sure it's well sealed because redmite can get in through any gap.

Um, that's all for now I think - feel free to ask more questions.  For some photos of my house go to www.rkins.co.uk/henhouse - it shows it from frame to finished product.

Good luck!

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Sparr0wman

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Re: New to keeping chickens
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2009, 18:03 »
i don't have any chickens yet but i'm building my own coop too. Chasechickens design is similar to mine although mine is raised using 3x3 for corner posts, and has flat roof. i think if you searched the web you could find som plans somewhere.

Chasechicken, my nest boxes are 12" off the floor, will this be a problem or do you advise that i drop it 10cm? i should have researched more, i saw some picks and kind of built it from guessing the sizes. That's the difference between a joiner and carpenter. ::) Nice drop door by the way!

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stanlmic

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Re: New to keeping chickens
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2009, 18:16 »
hi. thanks for the replys, much appreciated. The coop looks cool, and i guess the idea of a removable floor would be really good.

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chasechicken

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Re: New to keeping chickens
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2009, 08:38 »
Hi Sparr0wman - I'm the wrong person to ask really lol - if you're getting ex-battery hens then they might struggle but they can certainly jump a fair height so 12" might be ok for healthy hens.  If it's easy to drop then maybe not a bad idea - how heigh is the perch?  It's just that (from what people have told me on here) if the nest boxes are up heigh they'll probably sleep in there instead.  Of course, this isn't neccessarily a problem...

Good luck!

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c3

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Re: New to keeping chickens
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2009, 10:50 »
Hi i was a bit like you and have just taken the plunge, other half built our house and run. we got three chucks, one hybrid amber (piper) one cou cou maran (prue) and one silke (phoboe) collected saturday, went for 3 because every one said that if you loose one then you end up with an un happy chuck, so we compromised with 2 and a small one. so far so good, they enjoy being out in the garden and we got our first egg yesterday.
you'll enjoy them!!! :D
always remember when life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and salt and call me over!!

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andreadon

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Re: New to keeping chickens
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2009, 10:57 »
We put newspaper on the floor of our house - (and straw under that becuase they lay on the floor unstead of the nest box) - every morning I just whip out the old newspaper, roll it up, put it in the compost bin and put down new newspaper.
they like to read the East Kent Gazette, but in my opinion, the Sunday Times is better for a litter tray because one sheet will cover the whole floor!   :D

If you're worried they won't get into the nest box
my nest boxes are 12" off the floor, by the way!

then you could always put a ramp up to it, (put some little ridges on it to help them walk up it), then they won't find it a problem.  once they're used to it all, then you can take the ramp away.

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wafflycat

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Re: New to keeping chickens
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2009, 20:14 »
I've had two ex-batts for almost a year now. They were my first foray into the world of hens. I spent a few months gathering information on looking after hens and hen housing and reading up on such voraciously, before I took the plunge. I got two hens. Not having had hens before, I didn't want to get a lot and then find myself overwhelmed and not coping. I thought that if I started with a small number I would find it easier to cope - look after them properly - get to the know then hens properly so I could pick up on the signs of illness etc., early on.

Hens a re great! Hens are easy to look after! I would like a couple more, but will extend the area of the run before I do.

Ex-batts... can look *pathetic* when you first get them - mine did, and can require a bit of gentle TLC when you first get them, but boy, do they perk up swiftly, develop normal hen behaviours (which is lovely to see) and my two are prolific layers.

I don't regret for one second getting ex-batts and when I extend my mini-flock, I'll be going that route again.

I've found that the key to having hassle-free hens is cleanliness. Mine are checked over every day for signs of parasites. They are wormed every month (I use VermEx pellets), and the henhouse is cleaned every morning of overnight 'offerings' which go straight on the compost heap. Fresh water daily - fresh food daily - the henhouse & run have a 'serious' clean once a week. It takes a few minutes. Love my two girls to bits - such characters - the eggs being a delicious bonus. Once they stop laying, they'll live out their days as pets as I don't intend going into egg production in any major way - they produce enough for my needs as it is, with some I can share with my lovely next-door neighbours.

One thing I am glad of, is that the run I got for the girls has a solid roof - plus they have shelter inside - so the winter rain & snow has not bothered them - they've had a dry place to stay even when outdoors, and wildbirds can't get in.

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andreadon

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Re: New to keeping chickens
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2009, 21:43 »
One thing I am glad of, is that the run I got for the girls has a solid roof - plus they have shelter inside - so the winter rain & snow has not bothered them - they've had a dry place to stay even when outdoors, and wildbirds can't get in.


hear, hear!!
we started off with no roof and the best thing we did was over the roof - it stinks soooo much less!



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