[joyfull]

The roosting bar that was in mine was nowhere the correct size.
Agree with roughlee that on your allotment your coop will need to be more secure, I, so far only have a problem with rats and no sign of foxes (touch wood).
Personally I would hold off getting hens until you have got a very secure run built and a bigger coop (think along the lines of fort knox  ) or just have 2 hens but have the coop pegged open (I used a tent peg as mine kept swinging closed) so that they have access to a large run during the day. Have a look on your local freecycle sites - you may get a shed for free and keep this small one for an isolation coop. Make sure you treat whatever you use for mite before using it.
I know this isn't what you were hoping to read but it will be worth the wait in the long run. I made the mistake of buying one of these in my eagerness to get hens - soon went out and bought a second hand sheds. Learn from my mistake and probably lots of others on here.
sorry again for not being positive   joy  xx

[scabs]

B*ggeration.

Just given a shed away to someone on here too... 

Ah well, an expensive mistake - I'll try, but I very much doubt that I will be able to cancel now that they've take the cash...

If not, I will start with two, secure the run as it is and start building the big run asap. After that, I'm going to have to think again about accommodation...

I'm kicking myself here. 

[joyfull]

Don't kick yourself too hard, like I said a lot of us have made the same mistake 
1 of my hens is using mine like this to sit on eggs at the moment but after that it is going to be my "hospital ward" - which hopefully will not get used.
As soon as you get your two we want photos of course, oh and welcome to the world of chicken keeping .
As a newbie to growing veggies - buying stuff now (advised by peeps on the grow your own pages, to go in some raised beds that I have been given. So no doubt will make lots of mistakes myself in that department 

[scabs]

It's not all as carefree as The Good Life had us believe is it?!!! 

Thanks everyone for all your advice, I know I'll be asking for more!

[scabs]

Ok the coop has been delivered and we have decided to erect it in the back garden, where we can at least get a couple of birds and let them roam a bit until I have built something more substantial (and secure) on the plot.

Then, as has been suggested, I can use this one as a hospital coop...

I have been offered Wheaton Marans and told that they are good layers. I also read that they are not keen on being handled, is that a fair assessment?

Thanks again for the help, I just wished I'd run it by the forum sooner.

[joyfull]

They average 170 -180 per year - which is less than hybrids bread for laying - but they will lay for a longer period of time. I have a cuckoo maran that doesn't like to be handled but other peoples do, so each bird is different. Also have some french blue copper marans hatching today so don't know how they will be for handling   . Best get that run done soon as you will find hens are very very addictive - I started out with just 2 last August by October had another 3 then November another 2 and so on 

[scabs]

Oh blimey... 

From a purely laying point of view, what breeds are most productive?

I'm not sure he does hybrids...

[nzdunn]

I have two cuckoo marans, have had them just over a week now and at first they were very flighty but have spent everyday with them offering them treats and now they are starting to walk straight up to me, they seem to be turning into confident birds now, i reckon if you put in the time with them theres no reason why they wouldnt become tame and then you can work on the handling, id say its all about trust.  nickyx

[scabs]

It would be nice if the children could get them to feed from the hand, I must admit.

[joyfull]

Oh blimey... 

From a purely laying point of view, what breeds are most productive?

I'm not sure he does hybrids...

Grannie Annie on here does amberlinks and the ones I've had off her lay every single day without fail, but they will do this for a shorter period of time Her pols are also very cheap,
but as you are in manchester perhaps someone else may be able to help you out.

[Roughlee Handled]

Scabs
As Joyful said they may not produce many eggs a year but they will produce more eggs for more years.  A hybrid will lay eggs for 2 years 3 max and then thats there productive life over!!!  A chicken can live till its 9 years +

A pure breed chicken will lay for longer.

Start feeding a few meal worms to you chucks and soon you will have them eating out of your hand.
Only a few mind you. Fat chickens do not lay.

TOP TIP FOR THE DAY.
Chicken Training
When you are giving your chucks treats use a "key word" and keep the tone of your voice and how you say it the same each time,
I use "CHUCK CHUCK",....."CHUCK CHUCK",............"CHUCK CHUCK"
I then give treats.  It is very useful if you need to get them back in the run, need to get them in the coop......

Mine come running every time I call out "CHUCK CHUCK",....."CHUCK CHUCK",..."CHUCK CHUCK"
It is very useful. 

[joyfull]

I say tuckle tuckle tuck tuck - don't know why  but it works you should see them come racing, trouble is they also tend to try and trip me up as they get tangled round my legs  Fell over a few times !!!

[scabs]

 

Thanks for the advice, I shall start practising my chuck chuck and tuckle tucks and see what I'm more comfortable with!

I thought you'd get a longer laying out of hybrids to be honest, how long might i expect from a pure breed? I liked the looks of the birds he showed me, he has others though that he says are not far behind as layers, he says, so I'll ask to see them first.

My books are rather confusing regarding feed, one suggests mash and the other pellets as the base diet, though both say 'mix it up'... am I right to think I should offer a good mix of both and corn and just see what they prefer? Also, how often would you offer 'treats', scraps etc?

[joyfull]

I feed pellets ad lib, with a handfull of mixed corn about an hour before bedtime, Other treats they have mid afternoon if I have any. In winter when it's frosty or snowy they get warm porrige, readybrek or muesli made with water when I let them out. Don't give them too many treats as they will get fat and fat hens don't lay.

[scabs]

See, none of the books mentioned readybrek!

That's really helpful, thank you. 

I just want to make sure I have everything bought in readiness!