[newbie chick]

Hello
we have decided to keep 3 chickens.
can someone give us some advice on the best place to get a coop and what breed to go for?

thanks

[smiler43]

Hi and welcome.  Think about the coop, what you want, external or internal nestbox, ease of cleaning etc.  Have a good look and decide for yourelf what you want.  My hubby made mine after we'd looked a pics of loads of them.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html  Have a look at the link to this site, tells you everything you need to know about chicken breed.  Hybrids are the best layers if you are wanting good layers.  Pure breeds are good looking and vary on the egg laying.  You could have a mix but try and get them all together, it can sometimes be difficult to introduce new hens to each other.  Get the amount you want from the beginning WARNING chickens are very addictive, you'll be wanting more.

[compostqueen]

what sort of hens you get depends what you want em for - eggs or meat
For most eggs, eg one a day, the brown hybrids are your best bet. They are probably the least expensive too at approx £7 each. If you get them from a reputable breeder they should be no trouble. 

This site has all the information you're likely to need so just get reading 

[chooknewbie]

welcome to the nut house...     you will get lots of help and ideas on here.  A lot of people seem to be building their own houses and runs... lots of pictures on here.. there will be someone along shortly who can point you in the right direction I am sure..seems to be that its a whole heck of a lot cheaper to build your own, and so I am told not too difficult... ( i am lucky, mine are on my lottie and are in a pre-existing building)...

[Jane-M]

I am about to issue my standard warning - your flock will expand. Really it will. I began in August last year with 3. Never ever intended to go above 5 (warning looks from OH when I commented that the lovely house he built would accommodate 6 or 7!) I now have 8 layers, 2 pols and 3 more to come next month.  I never meant it your honour.

Oh and the shed is being delivered on Sunday 

[andreadon]

hi newbie chick!

simple rules to keep the chicken gang happy - put your location on your profile because it means we can give you more tailored advice wrt houses, suppliers, food etc.
- and post any photos - of the coop, the run, the chickens, your first egg etc.
 


i recommend a silver link or a bovans nera.  both of which are reliable layers (practically every single day) and they look pretty too - silverlink is white-ish with browny fleckles (also called amber link or amber star) and bovan nera is black sometimes with ginger speckles. (but mostly black).  much more interesting looking than your standard red-brown girl.