[Strumpet]

Dear All -
YIPEE!!!!!!!!!!
Today (less than an hour ago!) I became the very proud owner of 4 beautiful chickens!
I am new to the whole 'hen world', but have had very helpful advice to start from the farm where I bought the chickens. The trouble is, the more I think about it, the more questions I know I'll have. Is there anyone who can give me any extra tips- for a beginner- for happy, healthy hens?
We have a new coup with 10 foot run, and I plan to let them out in the garden (under supervision), when they have settled in.

[joyfull]

welcome, don't forget we want photos of your girls (it is the law on here  ).
If you have any questions don't hesitate to post these on the hen house section and somebody will be along to help 
Where abouts in the world are you?

[themagicaltoad1]

Hello strumpet and welcome. Just keep reading the posts and you'll learn a lot from here. We were all newbies once

[carolbriar]

Welcome Strumpet and happy chicken owning.  I have had my hens since November and have found this site to be excellent - full of useful information.  Also a good poo guide which you might find very useful as mine certainly have had all sorts.  I began to think they were ill until I checked against the pictures.  If you want a book which gives a lot of information a lot of members have bought the Haynes chicken manual (available on Amazon) which I also think is very good.  Look forward to seeing the pictures!

[Strumpet]

Thanks guys for the replies!
Day 3 and I'm amazed at how quickly the chickens are getting used to us! Especially Nursey - the biggest one - who doesn't stop eating and has already laid 3 eggs!! I've got a question: After the really hot weather today, we let them out for a small enclosed wander about this evening - it was getting a lot cooler and the wind had picked up a bit - and they all started getting a bit lively and one in particular started to race about a bit and go a bit bonkers. Do you think it was the freedom or the cool breeze? I'm a bit paranoid about mites and their health, so I hope it's nothing 'medical'. Once I've got the hang of this message board stuff I'll add a couple of photos - thanks again! XX

[min200]

I expect they were just stretching their legs!  Mine run around like nut jobs most of the time!!

[dizzylizzie]

sounds like a 'freedom' thing to me too

[Strumpet]

Our chickens have been with us now for just over 3 weeks and we have 3 out of four of them laying (I think!) This morning we found a new egg from a new layer - it was quite a small egg - but this evening we have just found 2 eggs, within an hour of each other that were laying on the ground and very soft/leathery shelled (one split open) - like a snake egg!! Is this normal? Is it one of the chickens with irregular egg production so that it's laying eggs before the shells have been properly formed? All the chickens look healthy and happy and have a good varied diet.

[Strumpet]

Me again - by the way, being new to chat pages and really backward with computer speak, I don't understand how to add pics or create galleries or do 'stuff' to my profile! Sorry, I know I'm dumb - but it looks complicated! Help!

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Strumpet, I wouldn't worry yet about your soft shelled and thin shelled eggs, sometimes it can take young hens a while to get it right, and even then they will have the occasional hiccough!

Only worry if they do it for a long period of time.

As to photo's and things, it takes a bit of getting used to, so take it  step at a time!

Have a read of the info on this link, it's a bit long winded for me to try to remember it all!

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?board=19.0

And Welcome!!!!