[Under The Hill]

We are getting our chickens tomorrow, 3 in total, from a lovely farm near us that specialises in selling chickens to the public to keep at home.  So I am sure they will be able to answer lots of the questions we have!   But just in case I forget to ask - could you help me out!   My daughter and I have cleaned the chicken house and all the feeders etc with water and chicken disinfectant.  My questions are

1. the bottom of the house is about 2 feet square, do I need to put bedding down, and should I make a separate nesting box there too? Or is it ok to let them lay anywhere in this 2 foot square floor?

2. I have been given some feed by the friend who gave me the chicken house, run etc.   There is one bag of rabit food and I am not sure how old it is but it does have a bit of mould on top, an inch below is fine.  Do you think this would be ok to give them if I cleared the mouldy bits away.  And is rabbit food ok to give chickens?  There is another bag of grey pellets which seems to be specific chicken feed and this is not mouldy at all so I presume it is fine?  Both will NOT be over two years old as she only recently got rid of her chickens.

3. and last but not least any tips for choosing our chickens tomorrow!

Many thanks
 

[snow white]

Assuming that you are being honest here,  if that is all the space available then three hens will be a bit of a squeeze.  Have you done any research at all?  They need a perch and a nesting box, which could be a cardboard box.  The nesting box will need to be about a foot square.  You normally need 8inches of perch per chicken. You don't state how big the run is.  Each chicken needs about a square metre run minimum.   I would put dust free shavings at the bottom of the coop and straw in the nest boxes.  Change both weekly.  I would not give them rabbit food.  In fact chuck both foods away.  Chickens are delicate creatures and giving mouldly food may kill them.  Get layers pellets and store them in a dry rodent free place.  As they are your first chickens and you don't have much space, I would recommend warrens or isa browns.  Small brown hens.   And please do get a book or look on the internet about keeping them.

[ghost61]

I agree with Snow White - ditch the food you have been given and quickly find a local supplier of layer pellets or mash.  Ask the farm what the birds have been used to and get those.  They may be able to sell them to you.

Not sure of your set up for the hens.  The bottom of the coop under the perches doesn't need much a of a layer of cover as they will only poo in that as they sit on the perches above - assuming that's your set up.  Nest boxes are a must.  Space in the run is a must.  Water containers and feeders are a must too.  Don't use bark chippings for the floor of the run.

As to choosing your hens, you probably need to decide on which breed you want as Snow White has already suggested.  As to choosing a particular hen, you'll be lucky if you can as it will be up to the provider to catch them! 

Again as Snow White has said please please please do some research beforehand.  You probably have and are just panicking!  You can get good advice here.  Please make sure your hens have been vaccinated too when you buy them.

[Under The Hill]

Hi,thanks for the replies and I have been reading two different books from the library and I think perhaps I am not explaining myself very well regarding the space aspect.  Or I hope so!  I am also getting confused with coups, runs etc and not sure which is which or if they are the same. 

I have an area of about 10 feet by 8 feet which is a strong chicken wire cage with a slanted congregated plastic roof.  And I have laid chicken wire level with the outside and buried it 2 inches to stop the foxes I hope?!  Then inside this is a perch 2 1/2  feet long and a coup (?) or wooden hutch thing (not sure of the proper name) which is about 3 1/2 feet high and 2 feet square with two doors.  It is off the ground and does have a perch inside.   I am assuming this is what I shut them into every night?   My questions about this is the space at the bottom of raised house/coup - do I create a separate nesting box on the floor of this ?   

And now I am a bit worried as are you saying that this house/coup is too small for 3 chickens?   The person I got it from kept 5 chickens ! 

One more questions - as although I am reading the two books neither makes clear the difference between run/coup/house - when you shut them in at night, would I shut them into my wooden house inside the run or just inside the run ?

I will chuck away the food I have been given and buy from the farm I am getting chickens from.  They sell everything including the dust mite powder and I know they will spend time talking with me tomorrow.  As I said they specialise in selling chickens for people to keep at home and have a great reputation.  They apparently have about 15 different point of lay hybreds for sale so I will just see which ones are friendly. 
 

[joyfull]

chicken wire is made to keep chickens in but is not fox proof, for that you need galvanised welded wire mesh so you should change that as soon as possible.
Personally I wouldn't use straw as the hollow tubes are a great hiding place for redmite.
The coop is the house so what you have is big enough for 3 birds,they need about 12 inches of perching space each although you may find they squish up closer together especially in winter.
3 hens will be ok with just 1 nest box between all of them.
Chuck the rabbit type food that has gone mouldy - mouldy food can lead to sour crop or other illnesses.
At night shut both the coop and the run - foxes are very cunning and if they get into the run they will get into your coop.
Finally good luck and welcome to the wonderful world of chicken keeping

[grinling]

Piccy of set up would be helpful.
I would go to your local feed merchant (yell/thomsons) and get a bag (20kg) layer pellets. Best kept in a metal bin, otherwise little 4 legged creatures will snack.
Are your water and feeder containers hanging or on the ground, hanging is best and can be at a height to stop mice.
Currently I have 2 chicks and mum in a separate house/run so they get spinach and brassicas at the mo.
Useful thing is corn mix  (I buy 3kg) and put some in a tub, shake the tub, they get corn treat. Very useful when they stray to bring them back to the back garden or even to be able to lock them in their run area if needed.