[Yolky]

Hello

I am new here. I don't know if this sort of 'hello' post is acceptable, I hope so.

I am getting at least 2 chickens on the 11th of July and a lovely red eglu to keep them in (I know people have different opinions on them but I have looked into it alot and I feel that this will be best for myself and the family) I have also ordered a roll of the omlet netting so I can allow them to free range alot. I may poss get another chicken if I can pursuade the husband to add the extra run onto my eglu order so the run is big enough for 3 (I don't feel the standard run is)

What do people think? 2 or 3 chickens? I have to say I was happy with getting 2 but people said that if something happened to 1 of them I would be left with a lonely hen and it is difficult to add another hen to the flock.

Also Aunt Sally I have shown my husband how you have set up your eglu as I think it is fabulous and he has promised me something similar


I hope you don't mind me pottering about your forum.

Ali  

[Yolky]

Also I was wondering how many eggs I could expect from 2 or 3 chickens a week. I was thinking about 10 eggs for 2 chickens 15 eggs for 3...is that about right?


I am definatly getting a Miss Pepperpot and a Gingernut ranger hybred from Omlet

[poultrygeist]

Welcome Ali. You can introduce yourself however and wherever you wish !!  
The only drawback is that a lot of the non-chicken/duck peeps don't frequent this corner and may not know you, but you can always nip onto the welcome forum later.

I don't have an eglu because we're too poor  :roll:  but they look and seem good and it sounds like you have all the pros and cons sorted so it's really a case of whether you want 2 or 3 and can persuade your OH to part with a bit more cash !  

I wish you well and hope we see you on here telling us how you're getting on and posting photos.

Rob  

[kattcottrell]

Hi yolky and welcome to the forum, nice to have another bristol member here, what part are you from?

As for the chickens, I would say 3 for the reasons you said, not sure how many you can get in a eglu though

[Yolky]

Thank you for the welcomes Poultrygeist and Kattcottrell.

I have been saving up for a while for the eglu, selling lots of second hand things and stuff like that  I did get the husband to put his hand in his pocket for the netting as that was an extra...it is another 47pounds for the extra meter of run. I think we are going to look at Nibbley farm this weekend to see what is about and I hoped that once my husband has seen all the lovely chickens it will encourage him to say ok.

I am over Kingswood way Katt. Three chickens is fine for the actual eglu but the standard run is only 2meters so I think that the extra meter is needed for another chicken. The only thing I am thinking is that the more chickens the more noise and I am not quite sure what the neighbours will make of chickens. I do have a largish garden (about 80foot) so plenty of room.

Luckily I am a stay at home Mum so I will be able to free range them every day as I can keep an eye on them.

I never thought I would be so excited about chickens

[kattcottrell]

Well nice to meet you, i'm over in the bishopsworth end.

Have you tried here for your chickens:
http://www.anniehallspoultry.co.uk/

She's a really lovely lady, lots of advise and she sells supplies too oh and she's not far from you.

let us know how you get on

[poultrygeist]

As you have discovered, Aunt sally is the true champion of all things Eglu, and she always says that the standard run is only suitable for 2 average sized hens.

Noise wise, we have 6 and they do get a bit vocal at 6am, but it lasts about 10 seconds until they get their beaks into the food and water.

You can open up at a more civilised time, as many do which would be less of an issue. They also shout occasionally when an egg is laid as if the world should be told about it. That would normally be anytime onwards from about 8am though. They're normally in bed before 9.30pm in mid-summer and this obviously gets earlier as the nights draw in, but wouldn't make any noise unless upset by something.

Rob  

[Vember]

Just thought I'd say Hi Yolky

Welcome to the Hen house

[Yolky]

My husband will be on 'opening up' duty as he gets up for work at half six/seven so I thought that would be a good time for them to get up.


Thanks for that link Katt, looks lovely there and not far away so will go by there on saturday too.

I love the look of the bluebelles and the light sussex. Which one of those are more docile and friendly with children.

[too many girls]

Hi Yolky, nice to meet you, i think you'll like it here, you'll make loads of friends and there's always someone on hand to give advice, i wouldn't worry about the welcome forum, ( i still haven't introduced myself, just jumped in) everybody's been really great and supportive and full of brilliant advice and ideas, sorry i don't know anything about about igloos, does everyone on this forum live in Bristol? or wales....................

[poultrygeist]

Must admit, we never went on the welcome forum either. I'm a bit of a stranger here too  :oops:

[Miss Bean]

Hi Yolky,

I'm new to chickens too... I was bought 6 at the weekend for my birthday! Hubby has made a henhouse out of my girls' old wendy house and a bit of rough land at the end of the garden has been fox-proofed with chicken wire and serves as a run.

The chickens make hardly any noise at all... well they're always chortling and in the last couple of days they chortle more when they see me! There was a big squawk the other day when they were ranging in the garden and the neighbour's cat paid them a visit... but so far that's it!

[richyrich7]

Hi Yolky welcome to the forums

Aunty's a big eglu fan I'm sure you will hear from her.  

[Foxy]

Hello Yolky! Welcome to the Henhouse,



 I'm not far from you either! I'm based in Westerleigh just a few miles away!
Its been mentioned earlier in the thread but Annie would be worth a visit. Her supply shop is open now as well.

[Yolky]

Thanks all. Loads of Bristolians here, that is great.

Will Annie mind me coming for a look tomorrow even though I wouldn't be buying any chickens till the 11th July?