[Abacus]

When we first thought of getting our hens we did the usual and asked around amongst our friends if they knew where we could get some and a friend of the OH came up up with a name & number so we gave him a call. Yes he told us he had POL Hens available, full vaccinated etc for £4 each which sounded like a bargain to us so off we went in Molly to get them.

After some trundling round the obscure back roads (and a little swearing) of Northern Ireland we arrived at what was obviously a battery farm but decided to have a look anyway and we were shown into this large shed with loads of hens jostling for room in it.

Anyway, despite the shortage of space they did manage to clear a large area around us and stand there looking straight at us... there must have been 200 of them. I was starting to get embarrassed at all the staring when OH pointed down at my feet where three hens were attempting to stand on my boots & peck my trousers. Ater a couple of minutes of looking at each other into the carrier they went! Next problem was choosing a final one and while I was running my eye over the flock taking into consideration size. plumage, suitability for egg laying etc this tatty looking specimen fought her way forward from the back of the flock and came and stood right in front of OH. Of course it was love at first sight and that is how we got our four hens and saved them from a life in a cage..

[Jeanette]

I took a long time thinking about what i wanted and how many before i got them. In the end i was lucky to find a very good chicken farmer who really new about her girls so i always go there for any more that i want.

[Beano]

I was going to do it the sensible way and get POL from a reputable breeder.  BUT!!
My brother had just inherited 15 chickens after one of his neighbours died. His family had come round to sort his belongings and did not know what to do with the chickens. Since they spent most of their time in my brothers garden anyway, he had them.
He knew that I was after 3 chickens and I picked three up from him one evening.
Now at the time I knew little of chickens. One was broody and one never layed a single egg, I think she was pretty ancient. She died after a year and I was given another one. My brother had no idea of their age or breed. He only knew that they were at least two years old. Now I've had them for two years (and love them to bits) and I eventually got two POL.  I can't imagine ever being without them!

[min200]

I had fancied keeping chooks for a couple of years but didnt have the space.  Then we moved and the room became available

I helped a hen rehoming charity one weekend and brought back my first 4 exbatts.  One died quite quickly and about a month after they were back into full health (so 6 months after I got them) Mr Fox came a hunting and dug a 7 ft tunnel to get to them and ate them in the run. 

A hard lesson learnt so I ended up with a coop and run built like Fort knox and got some Jubilee Orpington chicks, then a polish bantam, then more ex batts and now have 16 chicks (Light Sussex Bantams and Seramas) oh and George the Serama cockerel!

So, as you do, I went from wanting a few chooks to having loads of them! 

[bantam novice]

  always be prepared to want to expand your flock!  I have a friend who keeps poultry who helped me source mine from reliable sources and let me have some of his excess birds to look after.  I started with three and now have six bantams!

[PaulineM]

Hi
Where abouts in NI are you?  
I'm from Ballygowan/Saintfield.
We had a similar experience, phoned a guy and yes he had all the breeds I was looking for, until we arrived and he had only one which was POL the rest were all a year and a half and moulting (nice friendly helpful guy tho) so I was very pleased with myself for saying thanks but no thanks.  

Ended up with 6 mixed breeds, whom I could write a book about.  

Next 2 came recommended, but like you it was a small scale battery farm complete with battery cages (although very clean) these 2 girls I feel picked us as one leaned out of her cage and the other was in the same cage as her. She is still very forward and forever getting into scrapes.  
These 2 were POL and are brill girls, I also feel like we rescued them from a battery farm but before they had to spend their lives in a cage.  
 

[grinling]

Bill wanted to give up his allotment, so I took his chickens on.

[ManicMum]

We'd been discussing and reading and internetting and thinking that maybe in the spring..... then a colleague said she was moving and hadn't managed to rehome her chickens complete with nice coop, feeders, drinkers, feed & bedding - so all it cost us was a couple of bottles of wine!! 

3 weeks now and they still haven't rewarded us for all the TLC with eggs but only with plenty of entertainment & greed!

[jinty1911]

I had wanted chickens for ages and then we went to visit my hubby's friend.  His next door neighbour had a big avairy and chickens in a run.  In the avairy were 3 beautiful young banties, that were exactly what I was looking for.  I hunted the internet looking for the same cross breed as them and couldn't find any.  As luck would have it a few weeks later said neighbour decided he wanted to build a brick aviary and asked my hubby to do the block work.  So Hubby ended up working for 2 days in exchange for my 3 lovely birds.  Was a good deal for me!!!      

[asd1]

I have wanted hens since i was seven, my best friends dad used to keep them and after years and years of begging I got none so I got my dads friend to build me a coop and I bought my dad three bantams for his birthday... They fell in love and so got three more this time ex batts, then i got my own house and missed the hens ..... Then one day i got a call from a friend saying she knew someone who was having to give up her four hens and everything that went with them due to a break up talked oh into it so off we went to pick them up.....and now i have six . Durin this time my older sister also fell in love with the chickens...she now has eleven

[Lindeggs]

I don't have my hens yet!  

I've wanted chickens for ages but our circumstances were never suitable (we are renting and were never allowed to keep them on our various leases).  In August we moved to a suitable home and I set about researching, then building a coop and run.

I decided on old-fashined breeds rather than modern hybrids but I've had awful trouble trying to get some.  I have only been able to locate two sources.  The first breeds show-quality birds and wanted $43 for each 8-week-old pullet.  I don't need show quality and can't afford $258 for six chickens!  So I moved on to plan B.

The second supplier keeps having various delays.  The latest plan is that I can get the pullets at 8 weeks old at the end of this month.  That's after six months of waiting and planning!  The anticipation is doing my head in!  

By the way, I have chosen Barnevelders, Barred Rocks and Light Sussex.  (Two of each.)

[izzy]

Looked on the internet and decided on Hen2go. They were very helpful and would definately return for a few more.

[jinty1911]

I don't have my hens yet!  

I've wanted chickens for ages but our circumstances were never suitable (we are renting and were never allowed to keep them on our various leases).  In August we moved to a suitable home and I set about researching, then building a coop and run.

I decided on old-fashined breeds rather than modern hybrids but I've had awful trouble trying to get some.  I have only been able to locate two sources.  The first breeds show-quality birds and wanted $43 for each 8-week-old pullet.  I don't need show quality and can't afford $258 for six chickens!  So I moved on to plan B.

The second supplier keeps having various delays.  The latest plan is that I can get the pullets at 8 weeks old at the end of this month.  That's after six months of waiting and planning!  The anticipation is doing my head in!  

By the way, I have chosen Barnevelders, Barred Rocks and Light Sussex.  (Two of each.)

Lindeggs, I so much cannot wait till you get your very own chicks.  I know you have researched and planned and waited for soooooo long.  You will need to post pics as soon as they arrive!!!   

[Lindeggs]

Lindeggs, I so much cannot wait till you get your very own chicks.  I know you have researched and planned and waited for soooooo long.  You will need to post pics as soon as they arrive!!!    

Thanks Jinty.  The people here are really the only ones who understand!  The other day one of my friends asked me how I managed to turn every conversation around to talking about chickens!  

Of course the minute I get them I will be taking photos and sharing them on here... once I can tear myself away from the coop of course.  

I think I will name one of my hens Patience. 

[Junie]

The old owner of our house, who lives just up the hill now, had not got his henhouse ready in time, so he kept his hens in ours until he was ready, to say thank you he gave us a few eggs every now and then, when he took them to their new home, he gave us 8 eggs, which we kept and went off to buy an incubator,  We got two chicks from those - typically 2 cocks

Then bought 6 light sussex 5 week old chicks so that they were all roughly the same size and yes you guessed it - 2 hens and 5 cocks

After a fox attack we lost the 2 girls, one of our chicks and 1 sussex cock.
So off to the market for 5 point of lay.

Then a couple of months later a friend had to move to South Africa so I gained 3 hens and 2 cocks!!!