[rugbymad40]

Okay, we have read all the mighty Munty has to say - and the advice is very good and in plain english - with a norfolk accent.
We have found a source of coop that is 6 foot by 9 foot with a box of 3 x 3 which is 12 inches off the ground for under £200.

So to the questions:-

Can you mix Bantums with larger hens?
Do you know of any hens that lay blue eggs - they are popular in our village shop and could offer an income stream to help support the birds?
Who much grit do they eat and how is this fed?
Can we extend the laying season by adding a lighting system in the coop?
Does the chicken manure need seasoning before we put it on to the lottie?

I am sure there will be more questions as our scheme progresses.

Rugbymad40

[Aunt Sally]

Can you mix Bantums with larger hens?
I know some hen keepers who mix the sizes but you have to be careful that the big girls dont bully the little ones.  Ensure they have enough space to get away from them and more than one feeding station

Do you know of any hens that lay blue eggs - they are popular in our village shop and could offer an income stream to help support the birds?
Araucana lay blue/green eggs

Who much grit do they eat and how is this fed?
I give it ad lib in a feeder to my girls and they snack on it whenever they feel the need

Can we extend the laying season by adding a lighting system in the coop?
Yes you can, ther's probably lots of info out on the internet (and in Mynty's head)

Does the chicken manure need seasoning before we put it on to the lottie?
Some people say it's too strong for flowers but OK for veg. but I play safe and add it to the compost heap

Goo luck with your plans and I know you will love keeping hens
 

[WG.]

Do you know of any hens that lay blue eggs - they are popular in our village shop

Duck eggs are often blue.  Are they big eggs that you've seen?

[sorrel]

Araucana's lay blue eggs (though they arn't normally prolific layers) although I get one egg every other day at the moment off of mine.

Your can prolong the laying season by adding artificial light (i personnally prefer not to) - however if you choose hybrids - they only stop laying for about 2 to 3 weeks per year.

I dont mix bantums with large breed chickens (but if you mix them from day 1, them i cant see why you would have problems.

I buy a mixed grit (has oyster shell and everything in it and I just leave it in a container in the pen - mine just hangs on the netting) - the chickens help themselves - just make sure you top it up when its running low.

Dont forget you cant (officially) sell eggs commercially - all sorts of weird rules and regs.....

[Luther]

Rugbymad,

I have 6 large hens - 2 warrens and 4 welbars, who mix well with 6 Barbu D'Anver bantams. 2 of the bantams are cockrels.
During the day, they roam free on our plot, and are locked up in separate arks at night.
As groups, they tend to keep 'themselves to themselves' and on occasions when they do come together, when taking cover from rain under garden tables, etc......they behave themselves.
There is occasionally a bit of squabbling when I dish out some treats, such as mixed corn, but this is no worse than sorting out the kids!
There is no on-going bullying, and if anything, the bantams seem to 'rule the roost' if there is any bother between them.
All of my birds were introduced to each other at a very young age......I had the Welbars and the bantams as 'day olds' which I think has helped.

On the subject of blue eggs.........Cream Legbars lay sky blue eggs.

Cheers

Luth

[Foxy]

I  agree with all above from Aunt Sally   -I have a mixed flock bantams/hybrids which was very challenging as the bantams were introduced after - if you get them all together there shouldnt be any probs -but when you introduce new birds to an established flock they have to sort out a new pecking order and that can take some weeks and in the first instance be vicious.
With regard to eggs in winter -young hens will still give you some eggs -older birds less -Hens only have a finite amount of egg cells so be stimulating laying in the winter you will reduce their egg laying life span -ie stop laying eggs earlier-this is how commercial eggs are produced -personally I prefer natures way!!  

[The Chicken Lady]

I have a mixed flock of bantams and larger birds. They roam free in the day and return to their own cotes at night. I only have a problem when I introduce new birds for the first 5 -6 days. I have Cream Legbars which blue eggs every other day but only in the summer. My warrens lay eggs all through the winter. Some of the other pure breeds lay periodically through the winter.

[djt]

i have just got my first chooks,and mixed 3 dutch bantams (tiny) with 5 large breeds. the mainproblem is stopping the dutch bullying the big ones!  also ,got a cream legbar pullet that should lay blue/green eggs once she starts

[The Chicken Lady]

My Cream Legbar has just started laying again on Friday. I have two lovely Wedgewood Blue eggs from her.

[muntjac]

hope they came seperate days chicken lady   if not u wanna sell her lol

[The Chicken Lady]

Yes - one Friday and one today

[muntjac]

pictures please  

[MontyTom]

Just to add to all of the other good advice; a commercial lighting system to give hens a longer day is called a Rooster Booster - auto-detects day length and adjusts its own timer to suit, I think.  Not cheap.  It is easy enough to rig a lighting system up to a timer though.

Glad someone mentioned the cream legbar for blue eggs as well araucanas.

[muntjac]

personally i think artificial lighting isnt needed in  back garden operation we have enough battery hens in this country without bringing it into the small flocks folks    

[Aunt Sally]

personally i think artificial lighting isnt needed in  back garden operation we have enough battery hens in this country without bringing it into the small flocks folks    

I agree, I feel the most natural of lifestyle you can manage is best