[daisy1990]

we are thinking of being first time hen owners and this site is a fantastic help, so thanks!  Can I ask what may seem a daft question?  We want three hens do they all have to be the same breed (we cant agree which breed we prefer!)
Many thanks

[sam on lewis]

I've got some rhode island reds, some white wynndotes some white sussex and I'm getting some black ones next week, no problem mixing them, but I keep them separate for the first 24 hrs, within the run so that they get chance to get used to each other, I have a small cage run and separate coop for this purpose. I even got some pre point of lay which are called growers here, they just need somewhere to get out of the older hens way during the day, they usually disappear under the coop when they want out of the rat race.

[Pretty Chick]

Welcome to the forums daisy1990  
No, they don't HAVE to all be the same breed.
I have 5 black rocks, 4 orpingtons, 1 seabright, 1 wyandotte, 1 rhode island red and 6 different coloured pekin bantams all together and seem to get along fine  

[daisy1990]

thank you both for your replies we are now the proud owners of three hens.  No doubt I will be needing further advice at some point!

[newatthis]

hello and welcome, only 3, give it time you will be adding more, i got 8 girls for my allotment and im thinking of adding more but we are only allowed 14 there so may be by the end of next month i might get my last 6, (better pick carefully which 1's)...

[Elcie]

Oh Daisy, I started with 3 a year ago.  I now have 11!  What type did you go for in the end?  Do they have names?

[nicky d]

welcome to the forum daisy, please tell us more about your girls, wot breeds did you go for and as eveyone says its law to post piccys, good luck with them     nickyx

[TeaPots]

I think its great you have your girls now    It wont be long before they have names and characters, and personalities that you will recognise and love. THEREFORE, please , PLEASE, PLEASE, I cant beg you enough, quarantine any new hens you get.

Have an area that you can separate one of your girls if ever one was to get sick, but mostly so if you get any new ones, they can be separated for a MINIMUM of 7 days (preferably 14) to make sure they have not got anything that can pass onto your girls.  So many people on here have lost loved ones from buying a new hen, its heartbreaking.

Good luck, enjoy and of course, I hope you NEVER get any of these problems.

xx

 

[daisy1990]

thank you all for your advice and interest.  One of the girls is a Moran, the other two are mixed breeds (one brown and one white) they are called Mulberry, Alessi and Prada (my daughter named them and as you will guess she likes the good life in more ways than one!) They have settled in well to their coop and run.  We would like them to be free range but we are terrified by the stories of foxes (we live in the country and have had one in the meadow where they live in the past) I am advised they will be perfectly happy in their home as it is large enough for six really, but it looks smqll to me!

[joyfull]

if they are in a run full time they need their run to be as big as possible ideally at least two square meters per bird.