[Tigerwren]

  :wacko:Hi all, I am completely new to the site and to keeping chooks!  The coop and run arrive Monday and I pick my babies up on tuesday!  I am so excited, but after spending the last few evenings reading all of the posts, I feel that I don't know where to begin!  They are pols and I think I am getting three (house holds four, had thought two originally, but now my two boys want three).
1. The choice of hen are as follows Bluebell (which I think are beautiful), Black Rock, Speckled marans or Warens.  Which do you recommend?  I have two young sons and the hens are for them too...
2. Do i need to put oyster shell in?  or is this just when they begin laying?  They will have a 3m run and will roam around the lane and garden.
3.  What is the best wormer and de-licer?
What is the best bedding?  I will be keeping them in an Eglu and am not sure what is the comfiest for my little ones??

Thank you for any suggestions!  This is not a spur of the minute decision - have been convincing my husband for the last 6yrs!!! But now I feel a bit nervous and want to get it right!  Sorry if I have written anything daft!

[PaulineM]

Hi Tigerwren
Welcome to the site 
I got my first hens at the beginning of August and I know how you are feeling but believe me in a few weeks you will learn soooo much! 
I got 5 purebreeds and 1 Isa Brown. Three of the purebreeds still aren't laying, one went broody and one has moulted so she isn't laying, thats leaves only the Isa laying and they are so cheap to buy the breeder through her in as a good luck penny!
Definitely get at least three as if one dies it will leave two remaining, hens don't do well on their own. Get as many as your coop will hold as this helps to keep them warm over the winter. Be aware that your new girls might not lay until the spring but they might lay over the winter.
Buy the grit and oyster shell mix and let them have access to it straight away as they need the grit to grind up their food.
Flubenvet which is available online or from a vet is the best wormer and frontline for kittens is the best delicer.
I use all bed in my coop, I think its the same as easibed.
If you search in the box at the top of the page you will find more detailed information on most subjects.
I would recommend using a delicer straight away and then start with the flubenvet, just to be on the safe side.
Good luck and keep us posted. 

[CluckyChicken]

Well, this is just what I think would be best- I'm not the most experienced, but I hope I can help  

The breed: You need to decide what you want the birds for.  I'm guessing its eggs, so you'll want a prolific layer, but you also want a friendly one for your boys (no better Christmas present in my opinion!)

Bluebell Chickens: The Bluebell hen is an autosex hybrid developed by Meadowsweet, (hence sometimes called a Meadowsweet Bluebell) by crossing Maran & RIR. As a hybrid it cannot breed true and its eggs/chicks will revert to type according to the cockerel used to fertilise them. So they are not pure breeds, but hybrids produce the same number of eggs over fewer years. They lay light/pale brown eggs, about 300 eggs a year.  They come in Large fowl and Bantam

Maran:  As mentioned above, they have given their blood to the Bluebell, and are completely pure bred.  Marans are prolific layers, laying the distinctive 'chocolate brown' egg is you select the right colour bird.  They lay approx. 250 eggs per year. Cuckoo Marans are probably the most common of the breed and come in standard, silver and gold colours. There are also black marans, black copper marans, white marans, wheaten marans and blue marans amongst the other many colour variations.  I have a Cuckoo Maran, and she is amazing.  We get an egg a day from her, and she has only missed 1 day since she started laying 12 weeks ago- a little star!  

Black Rock: Again, a hybrid, so will lay the eggs in a shorter amount of time.  The Black Rock hen is an extremely attractive bird, predominantly black with variable amounts of chestnut colouring around the neck. She is very productive, laying up to 280 eggs a year in ideal conditions.  She is bred from very special and uniquely selected strains of Rhode Island Red and Barred Plymouth Rock from a single hatchery in the East of Scotland.  The breed was stabalised in Scotland, and there are some chicken breeders who arn't selling you what you think you are getting.  So look around and make sure they are definately selling you what you think you are getting.

Warens: The ISA Brown or ISA Warren - is a hybrid chook - a combination of pure breeds, bred together for a specific purpose. As far as I know, Warrens are what you and I would know and recognise as birds used as battery hens.
They are a lovely docile medium brown/ginger bird and an excellent layer - bred for maximum egg production. They are ideally suited for free range conditions, and for small gardens and you should get approximately 325 brown eggs per year.  Warens are a very ‘people’ friendly docile bird, ideal for the first timer and for people with children. They love interaction with us humans. You will always have company if you start digging in the garden with a Warren.......they appear from no-where and literally sit on the shovel waiting for a worm!

Hope this helps with the breeds- will post again on your other questions

CC xx

[CluckyChicken]

Thanks PaulineM, saves me having to write more!  Took the words straight out of my mouth.  Please keep us posted on what happens Tigerwren!

CC xx

[orchardlady]

Welcome, welcome. You will find lot's of people on here that are informative and helpful and we won't laugh at 'silly' questions. I started keeping hens over 15 years ago and started with three Warrens and still keep some to this day (of course not the original ladies) they are as said friendly, forgiving and will give you a bountiful supply of eggs. The other breeds you mentioned are also excellent choices.

You worming question has been answered but if you have any problems re dosage there is plenty of info here or just ask. I mention this as the instructions can be a little wearisome!

I like to use Aubiose as bedding it's highly absorbent and easy to handle. It is sold at most good feed merchants.

When you get you new POL's home pop them in their house and shut the door. Keep the children away so no peeping and leave them there until the following morning. Open up their door to the run and allow them to come out in their own time. This is to encourage them that the house is a safe place. You may have to lift them gently in the first couple of evenings at bed time but they will soon get used to their new home. don't let them out to free range for a week or so just so they can gain confidence and acclimatise to their new environment.

Next Spring keep a sharp eye out for the dreaded Rd Mite. there are lot's of posts here to about his but don't worry it is a problem that can be sorted.

Most of all relax, sit back and enjoy your new charges.

[bantam novice]

Welcome Tigerwren    I echo what people have been saying and wish you the best of luck.  Welcome to the world of henaholics. 

There is a wormer called Flubenvet that is what most people here recommend

I would also recommend getting some purple spray (yes it is called that but is gentian violet).  You can get it from most horsy feed supply places.  There might be some squabbling over pecking order.  Don't get too worried about it; that's part of being a hen.  If the squabbling draws blood you will have to spray the purple spray to disguise the colour as hens will continue to peck at red.

I'm sure there will be more experienced people along to advise you 

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

Hi and welcome.  It is daunting at first when you start reading all the advice but you've done the hard bit and that's deciding you do want to keep hens and that you can give them the time they need to be looked after 

For first time hens, most people advise hybrids (Bluebelles, Black Rocks, Amber Ranger, etc, etc) and to be honest you can't go far wrong if you just want lots of eggs and pretty coloured birds.  You don't even have to get three of the same type - in fact, buying three different ones will make naming and identification easier! 

Another thing you might want to consider is egg colour - some hybrids do lay a blue/green/khaki egg and then there are the white egg layers, then all the different brown shades you can get.  Some pure breeds have beautiful coloured eggs but you will probably get less of them per year than the hybrids.

The best thing to do is speak to your supplier - they should be more than willing to chat "hens" with you and offer their personal preferences.  Also just go look at the birds and see which ones take your fancy.  I think all chickens can differ in personality so one person may have a very calm and placid Black Rock for instance, whereas another person's may be a minature Atilla the Hun Hen!

Invest in a good book - the Haynes Chicken Manual is a good one as it has good information with very clear pictures.

And remember, there is always this forum and the people on here are incredibly kind and knowledgeable - I've found that they have provided no end of information for all my queries.

Be warned though - it's highly unlikely you will stick at three!

[Debsie]

Hi, I have only had my girls for 3 weeks, like you spent 3/4 yrs convincing hubby. Now I can honestly say that I can't imagine life without them, I am completely head over heels about them. The house has sawdust on floor, barley straw in nestbox and wood chip in the run, I poo pick most days and the house gets a thorough clean out with poulytr shield and a dusting of diatom powder once a week. I also rake over the woodchips, the girls love it when I do that. Good luck I'm sure you will pretty soon be hooked!

[Fisherman]

I would recommend: -

Worm them using Fubenvet straight away then thereafter 2 to 3 times a year.
Treat them for lice using Frontline (search site for advice) and then thereafter 2 - 3 times a year.
Feed them good quality layer pellets.
Feed them greens daily i.e. cabbage, lettuce etc.
Feed them mixed corn about a 1 hour before they go to roost.
Don't be tempted to feed them anything else.
Ensure they have a clean supply of water.
Hemcore is good for bedding in the coop.
Make sure the coop / pen is predator proof.
Make sure the coop is waterproof and free from draughts.
Use Diatom in the coop to control red mite (search site for advice).
Clean the coop regularly using a good quality "poultry" disinfectant.
Keep an eye out for any ailments which sometimes are hard to spot.
Identify a local "poultry" vet should you need one in the future.

Take it one day at a time and enjoy

[francais]

One word of warning..................................they are addictive!!!

I started with two hybrids “just for the kids”  and a small house with attached run. Fast forward 12 months and I now have 8 ladies, I have hatched a batch of eggs brought off e-bay (re-homed 3 boys) and am now on my third pen - now a lovely fixed pen and have a 12 bird house!

You will love em, I do. My personal favourite on breed types is the wyandotte though

[compostqueen]

I've got an Eglu, as one or two others on here, and your birds will be warm and comfy in there. I like Aubiose bedding in the droppings tray (just a bit to cover the bottom of the tray to absorb urine) and in the nesting box. It smells lovely and I think it has citronella running through it which repels flies etc. It's easy to clean out 

[Tigerwren]

Hi!  A huge thank you to you all for your kind words and advice!! I have been busy!! I have gotten the hemcore for the bedding as the place close to us didn't have the Aubiose - will have to look for that - maybe online!  I also got the Flubenvet, lots of mixed corn and obviously the layer pellets!!  I got lots of other bits and pieces; purple spray, mealworms eyc!  I now feel a bit better, but it is completely addictive! You are all right!  I can't stop thinking about them and am sending the villagers and my family round the bend with my chicken talk! 
CC thank you for the info on the breed- will take that into consideration and think about it before we get them on Tuesday!  I now feel that four is too few!
It's been a long time since I was this excited, so thank you all again and I will post pics etc when they arrive!! xx:)

[CluckyChicken]

Keep us posted on what happens!  Will never forget my own excitement-I know how you feel!

CC xx

[compostqueen]

Don't give them too many mealworms will you. They are a special treat only 

[Debsie]

mealworms are a great treat for when you need to get them in the run and they are not sure if they want to go in!! although one of mine will only go in if I give her kale!!