[Sparr0wman]

Hi everyone, I found this forum when searching for answers on google to my questions. thought i might find people to chat to as i think my wife is tired of me harping on about chickens. ( it took me 2 years to talk her into allowing me to do this.)

I'm building my own coop (4ftx4ft) with various reasons i decided to keep them in a run (8ftx8ft), and i want chickens for the eggs more than pets, although this might change if i get attatched. i know i need to feed them so i need food and feeders. but this is as far as i can go without further advise. their house and grounds should be ready in about 3 weeks for them to move in.
how many hens should i get? i want to increase my chancy of more eggs, but more important i want them to be comfy
Where should i buy my chickens from?
And when should i buy my chickens? i know i want point of lay but is there a time of year when these are available?
What breeds are recomended, i'd like a variety?

I might sound nieve i even feel a bit stupid asking these basic questions, these might even be choices i have to make on my own, but as non of my friends or family have experience i feel a little lost.
 i know i have come to the right forum as i have been reading for a couple of weeks. So, Please, if anyone hasn't allready fallen asleep from the long post, can you help?

Thanks Sparrow.

[Vember]

Hi Sparrow

Welcome to the Mad House

There is no such thing as a stupid question

Birds need an absolute minimum of 1 square meter per bird in their run. More is always best

As well as feed the birds will need a supply of oyster shell & grit available at all times, this helps give them extra calcium thus helps with their bones & egg shell production.

Chickens need to be wormed at least once a year, so it's a good idea to get some poultry wormer. I use Flubenvet there are others available but I find this is the best as it kills all types of worms. Loads of info on that & other important stuff in the poultry info pages here
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?board=13.0

Foxy has done a great post on hybrids (great egg layers) and pure breeds  here which is a very good read:)
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=31331.0

Also Babe has written out a list of who lays what in the pure breeds, this includes colour of egg and how many you might get per year.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=29685.0

Chickens are very addictive

Look forward to seeing you around and hearing how things are progressing with the house & run

Sarah

[Aunt Sally]

If they are staying in your 8 x 8ft run all the time you should give them as much space each as you can. 

7 hens would be obeying the 1² metre rule but I think 4-5 hens in there would reduce the risk of behavioural problems.

[andreadon]

Hi Sparrow!
welcome!

If you let us know where you are in the country, someone local to you might see your post and be able to recommend a breeder.

My most prolific layer is a hybrid called a silverlink (i think it's also known as an amberlink or a silver star) - she hasn't stopped laying since she started and hasn't slowed down through the winter. (about 320 a year...)
gernerally hybrids are bred to lay the most eggs. 
Another good layer is Bovans nera, who are supposed to lay 300 a year.
In theory, you should get about 6 eggs every week from a good layer.

[Sparr0wman]

Thanks for the replies so far, i think i might be making some final decisions
With your advice on I was going to opt for 3 hens but i might settle on 4 now, that's 1 each for the family. [is it 1 bird per sq foot or sq metre?]

Thanks for the links to, i'll start reading.

[arrowni]

Sparrowman I am new to keeping chickens as well. I have 2 hens and a rooster (pekins) and they are real characters especially the rooster. They are great for kids apart from my rooster doing a bit of pecking.

So far everything with my chooks seems to be fine but I have still much to learn and this forum is fantastic for all the things a newbie needs to know.

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi SparrOwman, and welcome!  1sq ft is the absolute minimum space in the henhouse, and 1sq metre absolute minimum in the run, but like the others are saying, give them as much room to wander as you can.

There is an answer to probably any question you hae on here somewhere! 
You haven't told us what part of the country you are in, so we can't suggest any suppliers until you do!

[Sparr0wman]

You haven't told us what part of the country you are in, so we can't suggest any suppliers until you do!

Oh yeh, Manchester, (North).

[shiatsusu]

Hi Sparrow. It's soooo exciting getting your first chooks- you'll be addicted before you know it. We have 5 girls (one for each of the family) and the kids spend HOURS playing with them so I'm sure your's will too. One thing I've found useful is bark chips which we've put down in the run because the grass disappears fast. The chooks love scratching in it and it's also more hygenic. We let ours out to forage in the garden whenever possible too. I also give mine apple cidar vinegar in their water at the weekends to help with general condition and to keep worms at bay. There is a formula (which I've forgotten!) but I tend to splosh a dollop in and the girls are doing well on it.
We use galvanised feeders and waterers instead of plastic- HTB had experience of both and recommended galvanised. Sorry, I've rambled on a bit.. Hope some of that is useful.
Put some pics up when you get those girls

[Foxy]

Thanks for the replies so far, i think i might be making some final decisions
With your advice on I was going to opt for 3 hens but i might settle on 4 now, that's 1 each for the family. [is it 1 bird per sq foot or sq metre?]

Thanks for the links to, i'll start reading.

The henhouse should be 1 foot sq and allow 1msq  (or 3 foot) for the run,  per medium sized hen, although as Auntie suggests you would be better off with more space to reduce behaviour problems.

[Sparr0wman]

thanks foxy. Realised my size coop will seem a little cramp with 4 and little i can do as its nearly finished. So 3 it is for now.  ;)Although i can/will build run as large as my garden will let me.

[GrannieAnnie]

You haven't told us what part of the country you are in, so we can't suggest any suppliers until you do!

Oh yeh, Manchester, (North).

DARN!!  I could have sold you some of my Babcocks!!!!  lol

Just read your last little reply sparrOman, 4 chooks will be fine in a 4x4 house, after all, 4x4 = 16 sq ft!  But I'm not suggesting you put 16 chickens in there!!!! lol

[Sparr0wman]

I'm confusing myself here with how many I should have.
i understand the dird house 4x4 feet = 16 birds. but they are going to be kept in a run ( which is now 6x10ft (60ft sq) So how many can I keep?

I have laiod this out on the floor and 3 look like they would be comfy but if I can fit 1 more that would be great too
There is no room for expansion as this is going bettween 2 established bushes at the back of our garden. They may get a little leg room letting them out but onlly if somebody is there to watch them near our veg patch.

[GrannieAnnie]

Well if you say 60sq ft is 20 sq yards which is nearly 20sq metres, you've got plenty of room for 4 Sparrowman!

[Tessh]

Sorry Grannie Annie but your maths doesn't make sense.

Theres 9 square feet to a square yard so the answer is closer to 6 and a bit square yards.

(not arguing about the number of birds though  )

Tess