[hillfooter]

Well done Victoria Plum for doing the research I 'm sure it will pay off in the end.  Silkies are lovely chx although not the esasiest to keep I'm sure you'll enjoy them.

Best wishes it will be addictive and I'm sure extra room will be needed soon
HF

[Lola]

Just seen this thread and wanted to add that i too thought about getting an eglu, but went for a wooden house/ run instead and i'm really happy i did. My girls free range when i'm at home, but are in their house/ run when i'm out. I have light sussex bantams and they are gorgeous friendly girls (except to my cats who they chase!) with great characters, i would definately recommend them. Good luck with the new chickens.

[victoria_plum]

Thank you so much Hillfooter and Lola!

It's great to hear Lola, after deliberating and researching for so long, that you also went for wood in the end.  I hope I will be equally pleased when it arrives and we are using it.

I'm so excited about getting the hens.  We chose them on Wednesday, all silkies, one cuckoo, one partridge and one reverse partridge.  They are beautiful, and I can't wait to get to know them.  

I don't know what kind of egg supply we'll get.  We don't eat a huge amount of eggs anyway, but I'm worried that as Silkies are known for broodiness we may not get that many.  Time will tell!  The main thing is that they are right for what we can manage and the space we have.  I don't mind giving them tlc etc, as long as they aren't going to run riot.  Do you like the bantam eggs?

How do you get your chickens back into their house?  I know it sounds stupid but I'm worried about how I get them back in if I need to go out.  The breeder has two old estate agent boards (made of that plastic stuff) which she rounds them into - which is all very well if you have them in a big cage, but in the garden?  I'll be chasing them all day!  Maybe I could move a low fence around the garden, to keep them contained.

[agingchick]

Chickens will do anything for mealie worms

[hillfooter]

Yes a treat bribe is the usual answer but don't overdo meal worms.  Use Poultry corn too in moderation.
HF

[victoria_plum]

I thought I'd use about two tablespoons mixed corn a day, between three sikies.  Then 'scrap' treats every other day, like a couple of bits of spaghetti or kitchen scraps.

I'm doing water on a four week rota - week one + apple cider vinegar, week two plain, week three + glove of garlic, week four plain.

That with their growers pellets, grit and a cuttle fish to peck at and hopefully they'll get all they need.

I'm saving the corn til evening, so hopefully it'll serve to get them back in the run when I need them too. Failing that breeder said just bribe them with a bit of bread if it's not corn time.

Fingers crossed eh?!

[tedsdad]

[quote author=hillfooter link=topic

"If you want lots of eggs and some interesting pets and aren't interested in the social side of chicken keeping choose hybrids.  They lay lots of eggs particularly in their first 2 seasons and make good pets too.  However if you want to keep chx as more of a hobby or want spectacular looking birds, or bantams, or want to breed birds, or engage in the social side of breed clubs, or get into showing etc then choose Pure Breeds.
  
I'm new to this forum,but I made a living keeping free range birds for many years as well as keeping Indian Game birds and a few lesser breeds for a hobby,and I've never seen such good advice for new poultry keepers so well put.I would always go for a hybrid first sooner or later you will probably find a breed you like,and meet people who breed them.
HF
[/quote]