[newchickenkeeper]

Hi

Firstly, hello I am new to the site and also to keeping chickens. I wondered if anyone could advise. I have deided to get some hens for the garden. I was thinking of two to start off with but the chap i am buying them from suggested 5. I think 5 would be too much for the garden which although is more than enough space, I also have 2 dogs and cats so want to section the garden off until they are used to each and I know that I can trust them together so going to be for at least a good few months. (dogs are tiny).

However, I am thinking of sticking to 2 for the moment but someone said that this isnt a good number because if (god forbid) anything happened to one, the established hen might not be as accepting.

I have opted for a Rhode Island and a White Leghorn. In your experience is two ok?

Also, I have a fence at the moment which is only about 3.5 ft high, having read online last night I think I might need something higher? One side is all pig wire covered with chicken wire and the other is hedge with chicken wire in it - if that makes sense?

I live in a very rural setting so they can walk about safely if they do escape (land is managed from foxes etc) but there is a cockerel next door and as I am a veggie, I would hate to find I had eaten a fertilised egg.

Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[ANHBUC]

Hello and welcome to the site newchickenkeeper.  Don't be bullied in to getting more hens than you feel you are able to look after.  People usually get 3 to start with as you say with only 2 one could be left on its own.  If however you are thinking of getting more once you are more experienced you are better adding 2 at a time to hopefully stop any bullying.  So starting off with 2 would be fine in that case.  If you are just wanting them as pets and the eggs are a bonus I would consider bantam hens which will make less mess but will still lay you some lovely eggs.  I fine them easier to handle and manage, some breeds are prone to go broody but you can also get that with large fowl. 

The cockerel will move heaven and earth to get to hens so if he is not in a secure enclosure you will be better making sure he can not get near your girls.  Some of my large fowl could fly up to a branch 7ft off the ground in their first year.  They put on weight in their second year so are not as flighty.

Do feel free to ask more questions as the more knowledge you have before you get your birds the better.  I am sure other members will add more advice later.   

[newchickenkeeper]

Hi

thanks for your reply and advice much appreciated. Yes this cockral chap is a rampant little thing. I hate to see him chasing the girls around in the field at the back of my house (quite burtual!) I will have to come up with some fancy measure to prevent him getting in.

I think I will stick with the two then and should anything happen which i pray it wont, the chap I am getting them from provides life long support and is also just over the lane from me so he can provide me with a companion if need be.

Very excited will have them the day after tomorrow. Could I also as, I am about to lay out their house with perches and nest boxes. I was thinking two next boxes about a foot / 1.5 ft off the ground with perches a litter higher in a 'ladder' effect. Would this be acceptable for them?

thanks again

[GrannieAnnie]

With only 2 hens, just give them one nest box.  Generally 1 nest box to about 5 hens, but sometimes they all try to get in the same one! 

Give them as much room in the garden as you can.  Recommended minimum run space 2 sq m per bird. 

Oh and if you don't want to start wing clipping,our hybrids could clear a 6ft fence when they were younger! 

[newchickenkeeper]

Thankfully these ladies are pre-clipped Im hoping if I make the garden interesting and appealing enough they wont want to wander.

I have provided a space roughly 20ft x 18ft for them. there are some shrubs, a small tree (ver small, about 5 ft) but very bushy for them to shelter under and a mix of lawn and soil for them to scratch about it.

I think I have got everything:

Water bottle, feed holder, grit, coop disinfectant, shavings, straw, some vegetables.

Is there any type of plant or flower posienous to them? Not that there is much there but they will eventually have the whole garden once they have settled and the cats and dogs are used to them. Im not exactly green fingered so only have some tulips and pansies scattered about - they dogs have pulled most of them up lol.

[newchickenkeeper]

Forgot to say to the post above about bantams..... I have chosen some slightly bigger ladies, only because of 1. the dogs and cats - thought bigger birds might be less appealing (although the hens are actually bgger than the dogs and cats   )

and 2. I can leave my patio door open a jar so that the cats and dogscan still come and go but the hens cant get into the house .....well, thats the plan, im sure they will get in anyway haha!!

[GrannieAnnie]

I think hens are quite good at not eating stuff that is poisonous to them, they say rhubarb leaves are not good, but ours don't touch them anyway, things like deadly nightshade, having a brain block at the moment, but someone else may add to the list later!

This link may be a good one to save to your favourites.  There is loads of info on here, all gathered by our members over the years!

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?board=13.0

Don't worry too much about straw, I know some people use it, but straw is apt to get damp and can harbour mites and/or mould spores.  We have used just shavings for years as we used to have a lot of chickens, but some of the other things like aubiouse and easi bed are good as they also compost down quicker than shavings.

Good luck with your new girls, it won't be long until you want more!  They can be very addictive!  We had 300 here at one time!   

[newchickenkeeper]

BRilliant thank you

My girls are en route as we speak - should be here in 10 mins - excited is an understatement!

[ANHBUC]

Looking forward to seeing photos of your new arrivals.   

[Kuikentje]

Hi newchickenkeeper, I'm new too, had my girlies two weeks now! I went for Dutch Bantams because they are so small I could have a few - five to be precise - I didn't want to have just two of anything for exactly the same reason as you.  I will look forward to seeing how you all get on.

[ehs284]

If they have the whole garden them you won't - two birds will turn an acre into a moonscape overnight 
Actually yours sounds good, they love having bushes about. Lawn? Ah? Inside our fenced-in area - they're free range but have an area bigger than your garden for when being wormed etc - we left an area for dust bathing and planted the rest with poultry grass / poultry pasture seeds and it is superb. It survives all their demonic intentions. Recommended.
They will try to get into the house! They are very cunning, you'll be surprised. I once heard a peculiar noise coming from the bathroom; it was from two hens stuck in the bath. To this day I don't know how they got in.

Don't forget to talk to them and find out their ways. Have routine gestures for good/bad. Ours know that a straight arm means go that way whilst an arm waved over the head means treat time. We have some who come to their name and all come to a whistle.

Best of luck with your birds; I'm sure you'll get lots of enjoyment from their company.

[nerdle]

So great to see you doing all the thinking - they will be lucky girls to have you!  I have three young bantams in my garden and I can't tell you how much pleasure I get from just sitting on my doorstep and watching them.  I (and others it seems) have a hen viewing bench but lately they sit on it to view me!!!!!

If you are fox and red mite proof you are there!!!!

[ANHBUC]

If they have the whole garden them you won't - two birds will turn an acre into a moonscape overnight 
Actually yours sounds good, they love having bushes about. Lawn? Ah? Inside our fenced-in area - they're free range but have an area bigger than your garden for when being wormed etc - we left an area for dust bathing and planted the rest with poultry grass / poultry pasture seeds and it is superb. It survives all their demonic intentions. Recommended.
They will try to get into the house! They are very cunning, you'll be surprised. I once heard a peculiar noise coming from the bathroom; it was from two hens stuck in the bath. To this day I don't know how they got in.

Don't forget to talk to them and find out their ways. Have routine gestures for good/bad. Ours know that a straight arm means go that way whilst an arm waved over the head means treat time. We have some who come to their name and all come to a whistle.

Best of luck with your birds; I'm sure you'll get lots of enjoyment from their company.

Thanks for that tip, I was wondering what to put in my free range area which is really bald now.   

[newchickenkeeper]

They are brilliant I've called them 'Tuppence' and 'Bramble'. Lovely girls. Did have a bit of a doo last night with my male cat but novelty has worn off a bit now with assistance of a water pistol . I fenced an area off for them to give them their own space for a week or two to allow them to settle but they were out within an hour this monring and have been checkingout the garden . Easy enough though as I work from home and my home office overlooks the garden so nice to see them.

I was a little worried last night as they decided to huddle into the corner rather than perch and one was forcing herself under the other one. I just let them be though and they were rarring to go this morning

I spent about 2-3 hours last night sitting in the pen with them and talking to them, moving around etc so they could become familar and did another hour and a half before work this morning (was just an excuse to play with them really haha).

I was quite excited to see if there was an egg this morning but there wasnt, but one of them is on an egg as we speak. (Can't tell who is tuppence and who is bramble at the moment )

I have just ordered some red mite spray, some coop disinfectant etc and some bits and bobs like mealworm treats etc but they love a banana and apple

I will upload some pictures, not too sure how to do it but will figure it out

Thanks again for your help and advise

[ANHBUC]

Mealworms are really cheap in places like Home Bargains.  Do feed treats as you would sweets to a child as they need to get all the nutrients from their feed.  Most people give treats on an evening when their chickens have had all day to fill up on pellets.   

As a new keeper you may not be aware that it is illegal to feed your chickens anything that comes out of your kitchen.  We have to be careful not to appear to be inciting people to break the law whether we agree with it or not or the site owners can find themselves in trouble.  Information about this from DEFRA is HERE