[bluelou]

I am looking at getting 2 hens when i move, the garden will be small.

Would ex battery hens be ok to have?

This there a good book for beginners.

[rachelr]

The haynes manual for chicken keeping is good.

It depends on what you are getting hens for. If you want company go for ex bats they will give you hours of fun. BUT they can cost a lot in vets bills and some dont make it in the big world.

If you are after an easy life ish get yourself some hybrids. They are relatively easy to look after lay almost everyday and can be very cheeky lol


I have three ex bats and i get eggs every now and again. but i started with 5 and lost one almost immediately the other went a few weeks later

[bluelou]

Thanks.

I am wanting layers with low cost but the soft side of me want to rescue some ex-battery hens.

[Casey76]

ex-bats are nor for beginners.  They can take a lot of care and attention, and often have underlying problems, which can mean trips to the vet.

Ex bats are rescued, and should be seen as going into retirement,not a cheap source of eggs.  If you get any eggs, it should be viewed as a happy extra - but you should not get ex bats and to expect eggs - after all they are being disposed of because their laying life is over.

As a beginner, you would be better off buying a couple of POL (point of lay) commercial hybrids - red or black sex-links, which are hardy and beginner resilient.

[PaulineM]

Hi
I would definitely recommend the haynes chicken manual.
I would also suggest you go for 3 POL hybrid. Get 3 as if anything happens to one the other one won't be on its own.

[bluelou]

Many thanks for the comments.

Haynes manual on order.

I was looking at the moveable chicken ark, it says it houses 4 hens, do you think it will be ok for 2 to 3 hens?

[D]

Two or three hens would be fine in the arc. However I would recommend that you went for three hens, since in the event of getting two and one passes away you will have one left on its own which doesn't do the bird any favours since they like to be in company of other birds.

[daisy1990]

would agree with previous comments.  The ark will be plenty big enough for roosting (hens like to cuddle up close to keep warm)  bet you wont stop at three though, hens are very compulsive, we bought three last year and have four chicks on order! You also need to think about where they will exercise and how you will keep them safe from predators

[rachelr]

if you get hybrid point of lays they are not expensive and can be got for as little as £4 in some areas. I paid £5.75 for mine.

Rachel