[eden]

Hello all, only just registered here but I'm very glad to have found this forum! I've been wanting chickens for ages and ages now but to be honest I'm a bit frightened!! I want to look after them properly and need to know exactly what I need for them, I know I need the house, feeder and drinker, grit, mite powder, pellets, fresh veg, nesting box, wormer, dust box, perches, a safe run. Now, my mate gave me a website to look at which listed all the things needed and it totally baffled me, there was all sorts of stuff that I wasn't at all sure if I needed for example cider vinegar, what's all that about?? I'm sorry if you guys have answered this question over and over again. I have read books and tried to work out what I need and don't need but I do need some help now before I get them. Many many thanks
eden

[babe]

umm hate to point out the obvious  :roll:  but food and water are pretty important  

oh and a ginham lined wicker basket for collecting eggs. and a bidet just outside the nest boxes with a pink fluffy towel to dry themselves off

[eden]

well, there was me thinking this was a friendly site and all I get is a sarcastic comment. Many thanks for your pearls of wisdom.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Think you've covered the basics ( far more prepared than I was, thank god ducks are such forgiving animals - they slept in the shed for a fortnight). Stuff like cider vinegar seems to be more of an 'optional extras' as far as I can tell. Don't bother myself but they do get poultry spice with their food. Probably makes no difference with they are completely spoilt.

[GrannieAnnie]

No No No Eden!  That wasn't a sarcastic comment!!!!   That was BABE!!!!!  She is a chicken nutcase, honestly!  Wait until you see her photo's of her chooks, they sit on pink fluffy cushions for their photo shoots!!!!!

But Babe is lovely, and she does grow on you, honest!!!!!!!  And she wasn't being sarcastic, but just pointing out that you hadn't mentioned food and water, although you quite comprehensively listed almost everything else!

There are loads of things you can give your chooks, apple cider vinegar being one, and garlic in the water, supposed to help get rid of the smell of ammonia, the vinegar is good for their digestion, but I only give it occasionally.  The main thing is plenty of greens, cabbage and dandelions to name but 2!

Oh and welcome to the madhouse, it's really nice here, honest!!!!

[FCG]

Hey, it's only a bit of fun. No need to get like that, Babs is one of the more knowledgeable people here.. but is certainly the funniest.

I compiled a list about the stuff i might want to buy for my chickens but haven't yet bought everything on this list. Take it as advice as i have only had chickens 4 days so i'm not a total expert by any stretch.

So here is Mike's Mixed Essentials...

>Oyster shell
>Drinker
>Feeder
>Layers Mash/Pellets
>bag of mixed corn for treating if you like. These are often found next to the bags of mash/pellets
>Wood shavings and/or straw,
>Disinfectants
>Grit (as well as oyster shell - oyster shell is for the calcium, grit is to digest food)
>kids play sand (they LOVE to dustbathe!! You can just use dirt and/or compost) It's ok to just use a hole in the ground as most do, but i've seen on these boards an excellent large home made (from pallet wood) dust bather
>Apple cider vinegar/poultry spice/electrolytes to go in the water (whichever you like) to improve digestion, and disease resistance etc
>Cod Liver Oil (good for condition, espeically feather condition)
>Treats like sweetcorn, mealworms etc. Basically anything you'll like to give them on top of their daily ration of layers pellets/mash

You may want to build up a 'Med Chest' for your chickens;
>vaseline
>wound powder
>sterile spray
>gentian violet spray
>poultry tonic
>spare syringes (No needles)
>louse powder (Add this to their dust bath if you like)
>Diatom (or other Red Mite Control)
>Flubenvet Wormer (or other) (add to food)

You'll need stuff for cleaning equipment;
>sterilising tablets (for sterilising plastic drinkers)
>scourers (for cleaning plastic drinkers and feeders)
>garden lime for treating their run
>Disinfectant for coop

Feel free to add to this folks.

[Kate and her Ducks]

To be fair Eden mentioned a feeder, drinker, pellets and fresh veg (hope you're not just getting that for the chickens, remember 5 a day ). I'm pretty new here and everyone is really friendly and there is lots of mickey taking and I don't think anyone would want to cause offence.

[Foxy]

well, there was me thinking this was a friendly site and all I get is a sarcastic comment. Many thanks for your pearls of wisdom.

Thats just Babe for you!!!!    

The original fruit and nut!

[FCG]

I just copy & pasted my list and added a little editing Kate, i didn't mean anything by it.

Like i said Eden you won't need everything in my list, but i would suggest saving it for reference.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Wow everyones touchy :shock:  I was posting mine at the same time as you Mike, hadn't read yours (I'm a really slow typist!). Just thought Eden had covered quite a lot. Must all be getting overtired :oops: . I'd better go to bed

[stamford]

OMG Touchy or what !!    Eden has left the building !!

[compostqueen]

ooooooooooooooh touchy or what. Some folk have no sense of humour. Not going to be much of a chicken keeper then  

Fluffy towel is not daft!  I used one yesterday for my chicken's bath. I admit though it wasn't pink  

[Kate and her Ducks]

Don't know about a fluffy towel but I blow dried one of my ducks once. She had moulted really heavily and had pretty much only down left. Came home to find she had sunk in the pond and was just standing on the bottom with her head and neck stuck out, soaked to the skin.  :oops:
Seemed the quickest, easiest way to get her warm and dry. Don't think she approved but she was very white an fluffy after

[babe]

well, there was me thinking this was a friendly site and all I get is a sarcastic comment. Many thanks for your pearls of wisdom.

this is a really friendly site, im sorry if i gave you the wrong impression

 

[Aunt Sally]

Give Eden a break boys and girls.  

We are hardly your ordinary run of the mill group of forum people that s/he may have been used to.  We are an exceptional mix of eclectic individuals with a lot to offer any enquirer.  I think Eden just misunderstood our style