[dizzylizzie]

Hi , i would like to echo Foxy...that hen house is rubbish and if you are looking for a cheap option you should not buy that...it may seem cheap, but it will fall apart in 6months time, you will be paying out fr a coop again!
As regrds gathering the basic equipment, the list that the people have kindly supplied you with is the minimum. As for needing a small mortgage, hens are not the cheap easy hobby/pet people think they are im afraid. You do need to have things for them, if you skimp, their health will suffer. You also need to be prepared for illness/injury.
 for 2-3 hens i would get
 2 ceramic dog bowls, £8.00
 2 feeders, £10.00
20kg bag of layers pellets, £6.00-£10.00
20kg of mixed corn,£6.00-£9.00
Large bale of dust extracted sawdust,£8.00
poultry grit£1.50
oyster shell £1.50
Disinfectant (jeyes/stalosan) £10-£30....lasts forever tho

in my firs aid kit i have
baby asprin
purple spray
wound powder, household flour will do just as well
rescue remedy
sore muscle rub
baytrill
metacam
critical care formular
flubenvet (wormer)
frontline(crawlies)
vasaline,

i also choose to use the following
poultry spice in the food
apple cider vinigar in water
i give one of my hens a grape rolled in limestone powder as her eggshells were a bit on the thin side....
people use different things in different combintions, but the things mentioned above are the BASIC things needed for keeping hens, if you are looking not to spend that much, then maybe put off getting them until finances improve 

[neil9797]

Thanks again dizz. Unfortunately I've already bought the coop it so I'll have to make do with it for now. Any suggestions for strengthening it? I also get the message about cost of kit; I must admit I'm shocked!  :blink: I just hope the materials last a long time. Anyway, it's got to be cheaper than a dog eh?

[dizzylizzie]

and much tastier things come out their bottoms

[neil9797]

I do hope so. 

[Bonniebean]

When I decided to have chickens I didn't really think about the total cost before starting up, I tried to build everything up over a few months so it didn't hit too hard! Because of the cost of the particular run I wanted I reckon that with start up items, food, coop, run and hens I probably spent around £700 in total! The run was important for both security and the fact I sit in the dining room and look out on it so I wanted it to be a feature.  I did actually cost out diy but the difference was not enough to make it worthwhile. Now I am going to extend another 10 feet x 6 feet when the weather gets better to include a tree and shrubbed area, but I will do that myself with wood I have been given and weld mesh I bought a while ago.
I only have four hens but I love 'em to bits!!!