[debih]

After 18 months of thinking about it, we have at last ordered our hen house which should be with us on Friday.  It will probably be another month before we are ready for our chickens as we are off on holiday in a couple of weeks so wont do much before then.

We are hoping to have 4 hens in a fenced off area which will be quite large and is currently very overgrown.   They will have access to the rest of the garden when we are around.  Can anyone recommend a good starting breed - someone has recommended Marrans (sp?).

Also - other than the hen house, fence posts and wire, what are the essentials that we will need please.

[compostqueen]

I think you'll find much of this information in the Poultry Section stickies on here

[shez]

Hi, good luck when you get them they are really fun to have, i have thought of a few things!
Drinker and feeders( i use plastic ice cream tubs for feeding mash in).
Jeyes fluid for cleaning out and a bucket- which once i put jeyes in i use for nothing else a scrubbing brush and rubber gloves.
Bedding! shavings and straw what ever you prefer.
A chick poo bucket to collect the obvious up in.
Mixed corn i use the supreme corn as it comes with oyster shell already mixed in. Mash or pellets which ever one you decide to use.
I made them a long perch in the run about 12 in off the ground so they can sit on it in the sun and clean themsleves. A dust bath area!
My basic medical box is vaseline, wormer, poultry spice, latex gloves.
And of course egg boxes!! im sure there lots i have missed but everyone is really helpful on this site and will let you know!

[GrannieAnnie]

I wouldn't recommend straw to anyone (sorry shez!).  It gets matted up more than shavings if you don't poo pick every day, and because it's hollow, moisture can build up inside the straw and get mouldy which can give chooks respiratory problems.

[joyfull]

I would suggest visiting a poultry show if you can to take a look at the hundreds of different breeds. If you can talk to the people there to find out about if that breed has any problems (some can fight). I chose my first birds because of how pretty they looked (actually went to find speckled sussex but got distracted and bought some other breeds instead). Even now I still look at other breeds and mentally add them to my wish list  

[craig1981]

you mention your off on holiday so i would suggest having a good relationship with the neighbours so they can look after the girls for ya when you next go away or do what i do and use a professional pet sitting company . Its just cost me £60 for a pet sitter making 2 visits a day for a week so is not that pricey . good luck

[debih]

you mention your off on holiday so i would suggest having a good relationship with the neighbours so they can look after the girls for ya when you next go away or do what i do and use a professional pet sitting company . Its just cost me £60 for a pet sitter making 2 visits a day for a week so is not that pricey . good luck

Fortunately the chicken sitting is already sorted - our neighbours have had chickens before and we looked after them whenever they were away so I am going to call in a few favours when we next go away