[shehzadsheikh]

Hi guys
Looking for some advice on where to start. Children are driving me crazy to get some egg laying hens. Would anyone please tell me which is the best breed in egg laying hens; in nutrition as well as in quantity. Before our local Tesco loses an egg buying customer I want to make sure I get this right. So any advice will be welcome. I have searched a lot on googly but the deeper I go the more complicated it gets. Thanks in advance

[joyfull]

nutrition wise there is no difference between the breeds - blue eggs were supposed to be lower in cholesterol but that isn't true, in the 60's brown eggs were thought to be healthier and again untrue.
Do you want hens that will lay 5 or 6 eggs a week for 2 years then ease up or those that will lay 3 or 4 a week for about 5 years?
Do you want large eggs or smaller bantam eggs?

[Ice]

It would be a good idea to have a read of this before thinking about getting hens.  Lots of good information to be thinking about.

http://www.poultry.allotment-garden.org/

Why don't you pop over to the welcome forum and introduce yourself. 

[shehzadsheikh]

nutrition wise there is no difference between the breeds - blue eggs were supposed to be lower in cholesterol but that isn't true, in the 60's brown eggs were thought to be healthier and again untrue.
Do you want hens that will lay 5 or 6 eggs a week for 2 years then ease up or those that will lay 3 or 4 a week for about 5 years?
Do you want large eggs or smaller bantam eggs?

Thanks for your reply. Would prefer large brown eggs 5-6 a week. I think we need at least 3 birds to start off with. Would you recommend having same breed or a mix? We live in the city however have a large garden and would want the hens to free range. Thank you

[ANHBUC]

Welcome to the site.

If you are thinking of letting them freerange you need to think of how you are going to protect them from predators.  Best to read as much information as you can and ask plenty of questions.  It can turn out to be an expensive hobby if you are foxproofing a large area.  You need to consider who will look after them if you go on holiday.

The enjoyable part is choosing your hens but there are plenty of practical things to consider first.   

[helens-hens]

Another important thing to consider is do you have a poultry friendly vet near you in case a hen needs treatment. A list has been started on this forum: http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=26140.0

I have had my hens for about 2 years now and I think it is one of the best things I have ever done  but thits not all fun and games. When all is going well, hens aren't that time consuming but what they do need they really need e.g. being let out early, being shut up at night (at all times of the year), regular cleaning out & poop picking, food, water, protection from predators and so on.

Also do plenty research on where you are going to keep them - their house and adequately sized run (unless they are to free range).

There is a lot to think about but I think it is worth it. People are very friendly and helpful on this forum so always feel free to ask if you aren't sure. Another useful post with information is here http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=70229.0

Hope this helps

[kegs]

Here are two more informative threads.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=90890.0

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=89137.msg991928#msg991928

Best to get more than two chickens so one won't be left on its own, and try to buy from a reputable breeder with good standards of hygiene.  Good luck.

[shehzadsheikh]

It would be a good idea to have a read of this before thinking about getting hens.  Lots of good information to be thinking about.

http://www.poultry.allotment-garden.org/

Why don't you pop over to the welcome forum and introduce yourself. 

Hi
Thanks for the link. I'm trying to get used to the forum. Will do the introduction in due course as soon as I know my way around on this site. Thanks again

[shehzadsheikh]

Welcome to the site.

If you are thinking of letting them freerange you need to think of how you are going to protect them from predators.  Best to read as much information as you can and ask plenty of questions.  It can turn out to be an expensive hobby if you are foxproofing a large area.  You need to consider who will look after them if you go on holiday.

The enjoyable part is choosing your hens but there are plenty of practical things to consider first.   

Thanks for your reply. Our garden has a 6 ft perimeter wall. I was thinking that we can let them free during the day and lock them in a hen house (which I'm going to buy) during the night. Will this be practical or would you recommend a run.

[shehzadsheikh]

Another important thing to consider is do you have a poultry friendly vet near you in case a hen needs treatment. A list has been started on this forum: http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=26140.0

I have had my hens for about 2 years now and I think it is one of the best things I have ever done  but thits not all fun and games. When all is going well, hens aren't that time consuming but what they do need they really need e.g. being let out early, being shut up at night (at all times of the year), regular cleaning out & poop picking, food, water, protection from predators and so on.

Also do plenty research on where you are going to keep them - their house and adequately sized run (unless they are to free range).

There is a lot to think about but I think it is worth it. People are very friendly and helpful on this forum so always feel free to ask if you aren't sure. Another useful post with information is here http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=70229.0

Hope this helps

Thanks, good points. Will the hens need any vaccination and if yes how often? What do you do during winter especially during sub zero tempratures. Im thinking of buying a hen house and initial plan is to let them freerange, if it doesn't work, I might attach the run afterwards. How often would I have to do the cleaning? Thanks in advance

[ANHBUC]

Welcome to the site.

If you are thinking of letting them freerange you need to think of how you are going to protect them from predators.  Best to read as much information as you can and ask plenty of questions.  It can turn out to be an expensive hobby if you are foxproofing a large area.  You need to consider who will look after them if you go on holiday.

The enjoyable part is choosing your hens but there are plenty of practical things to consider first.   

Thanks for your reply. Our garden has a 6 ft perimeter wall. I was thinking that we can let them free during the day and lock them in a hen house (which I'm going to buy) during the night. Will this be practical or would you recommend a run.

A 6 ft wall would be no problem for a fox and they do strike during the day.  You could look in to building your own hen house as there is loads of design advice on here.  I have a coop with an attached run which has a roof.  Then this is enclosed by an electric netting fence so they have plenty of room to roam.  I am hoping to have a walk in run built soon which will have a roof so it will be really secure.  This will make it easier for Chicken Sitters when we go on holiday and easier for cleaning out.

You are doing the right thing in researching as much as you can.  You have also picked a really friendly site so you should get plenty of good advice and support.   

[kegs]

Unless your garden is the size of a paddock you'll find that chickens will reduce the grass to nothing, and eat every flower available, in a matter of weeks!  My 4 egg laying hybrids caused much more devastation than my Faverolles and Hubbards (table birds) who are kept in a separate part of the garden.

The hybrids had all been vaccinated when we bought them.  You will however have to worm them (I use Flubenvet) and de-louse them (I use Frontline kitten strength).  The Favs and Hubbards I incubated myself so they haven't been vaccinated.

Chickens can cope extremely well with the cold.  Their feathers provide effective insulation.  In extreme temperatures you might have to put down a pallet for them to walk on and a dab of petroleum jelly on their combs to prevent frost bite.

As for cleaning, that depends really on how many chickens you buy.  It's certainly advisable to poo pick every day and I put newspaper in their coops with a layer of bedding on top which gets replaced every morning.  Good luck with your research.