[saffibaby]

Hi all, I will be taking delivery of two, maybe three pretty girls today (hopefully), I have been reading with interest some of the winter tips etc on here, thanks for posting guys....my question is this, when I bring them home, is it best to keep them cooped for a while to get them used to their surroundings gradually - like pigeons we have had, or is it ok to let them run a bit wild straight away?  We have everything ready and waiting for them. This is my first attempt at chicken keeping, so any help at all would be great...Thanks in advance! 

[Fisherman]

If you get them home mid to late afternoon I would put them in the coop overnight. Just this once you may want to put food and water in the coop after that leave it outside during the day and store it in a pest proof place overnight. The following morning let the chickens out and they will be fine. I would advise getting three, if you get two and one dies the other will be on its own which is not good. Make sure you worm them and treat them for lice as soon as possible.

You will enjoy them soo much and they even lay eggs as well

[bantam novice]

Welcome to the forum, Saffibaby, and welcome to the addictive world of chicken keeping 

I would agree with what Fisherman says; go for three and don't be surprised if you find you want more soon!

[saffibaby]

Thanks guys... I gathered it can be addictive  luckily we have a large plot at the back of our house, used to be a veggie garden in a former life, but is now overtaken with finches, pigeons (tumblers - not racers) and 3!! sheds (what can I say, my hubby is a firm believer that nothing should be thrown away - because you never know! so when your shed is full you buy another  ) ...measures 140sq mtrs, so maybe after a week or two more will arrive via the chook fairy 
I shall post often tho, so be prepared - I can chat for England too, so if I start to ramble just give me a kick 
I like these smileys 

[Heathcliff2]

Hi, Saffibaby, I just joined too. I'm new to layers as I've been growing my own broilers for a while (ever since I saw where chicken comes from commercially!). Fell in love with 2 broiler hens last winter though and decided to keep them for eggs.  Brenda and Audrey now lay plenty of eggs for me and my hubby and daughter, with enough to give my other kids the odd egg home with them and I now have 11 young pullets coming on!!! Anyone know any good egg recipes??

[rachelr]

yeah another chicken mad person welcome welcome. i started with 4 about threee months ago i now have 7 and would have more but I need more sheds

[PaulineM]

Hi
Welcome to our world!!! 
We all like to chat, its how most of us learn chickeny things 

[orchardlady]

Welcome, welcome Saffibaby. You will really enjoy your new friends. I think I need to beg to differ a little with Fisherman. Yes indeed put them in the coop for tonight but in the morning unless your area is very well penned off and is very easy to search in the dusk, I would keep your new ladies in quite a small area for the first couple of days. Just so they have no option but to go back into their coop at night. You would hate to loose them somewhere behind a shed because they are not too sure where to go the first few nights.

I tend to bring new hens home put them in a coop and allow them an area of about 12 foot for about a week. Then they have a penned off area of about 50 foot for another week or so and them they can range with my other hens. The timings vary according to how confident they seem. Often they come from a flock of hundreds if not thousands brought up in sheds and their confidence levels about the great out doors can be rather lacking.

Happy hen keeping

[saffibaby]

Hi, Saffibaby, I just joined too. I'm new to layers as I've been growing my own broilers for a while (ever since I saw where chicken comes from commercially!). Fell in love with 2 broiler hens last winter though and decided to keep them for eggs.  Brenda and Audrey now lay plenty of eggs for me and my hubby and daughter, with enough to give my other kids the odd egg home with them and I now have 11 young pullets coming on!!! Anyone know any good egg recipes??

Recipes hmmm  , I have some I will add later - good to meet you Heathcliff2 

Thanks for the welcome rachelr x

And to you PaulineM x

Thanks orchardlady too! xx

Gosh, so many chook keeper's! lol!

I am now the proud mommy of three Brown Warrens, all around the 6mth age, healthy, bouncing girls  They seem to be settling in really quick, very nosey, have been introduced to the dogs (a Border Terrier and Cavalier cross) without any calamities  :blink: I have fenced off a "play area", measuring around 10" square and let them forage for a while yesterday afternoon which they enjoyed tremendously , just been and let them into their run and they are feeding and drinking well - I am a happy bunny 
I am studying their personalities before naming them as they all appear to have different qualities  photo's to follow soon xx

[bantam novice]

Sounds like a great start!  Photos are always welcome on this site 

[joyfull]

have fenced off a "play area", measuring around 10" square and let them forage for a while yesterday afternoon which they enjoyed tremendously

I seriously do hope you didn't mean 10 inches square 
Welcome by the way.
For egg recipes try having a look in the cooking section of the forum and also take a look at this section for some of Vals recipes:-

http://www.allotment-garden.org/recipe/

[saffibaby]

have fenced off a "play area", measuring around 10" square and let them forage for a while yesterday afternoon which they enjoyed tremendously

I seriously do hope you didn't mean 10 inches square 
Welcome by the way.
For egg recipes try having a look in the cooking section of the forum and also take a look at this section for some of Vals recipes:-

http://www.allotment-garden.org/recipe/

Feet!! I meant Feet squared Joyfull 
And and and I HAVE AN EGG! perfectly formed! How good is that x

[joyfull]

stop braggin and lets have some photos of these chickens and the egg 

[evie2]

Hi Staffybaby and welcome, so how will you have your first egg, boiled, poached with toast soldiers?  Hopefully, because they're 6 months old, there will be a daily supply

[saffibaby]

Hi Staffybaby and welcome, so how will you have your first egg, boiled, poached with toast soldiers?  Hopefully, because they're 6 months old, there will be a daily supply

Poached, toast fingers - with a little marmite!!

Have added some photo's to the gallery, think they need "approving" tho
Had my second egg this afternoon...think I will be giving them away shortly  xx