Beaudyne

@soapdragon thank you! Yes the white one with the black collar is the white Sussex. The creamy one is a Cornish Blue and the black is a Rhode/Black Rock. The red is a Warren who is the oldest at 19 weeks. The other 3 are all 16 weeks. I know they are all still young so not expecting eggs just yet. Just was wondering about my routine about closing them up in a shed for 14ish hours and what I’m doing with food etc. Just checking I’m doing all that right and is 14hrs okay? 😊

So just wanted to ask if I’m taking care of my chickens right. I have 4 hens who aren’t laying just yet. I go out in the morning around 8am to open their door and loose them into the garden. I chose not give them a separate run attached to the shed as I wanted them to be free ranging all day. Come 5 o’clock ish when it gets dark they are usually in the shed so I close all their doors up and lock them in for the night. They don’t get access to food or water through the night and obviously don’t have a run to go into either. The shed is 6x4 so they have plenty of room to move about. When I open the door in the morning they run out as fast as anything and quickly go to the food and water. Is this normal or do they need to be having more water before I close them up. Is it too long from 5pm to 8am to be shut up? Any advice with be greatly appreciated 😊

@Luvachicken Thank you! It’s actually my grandfathers house. My husband and I moved in with him last year when we’d sold our house but hadn’t found anywhere to move to. He’s 96 and think he was quite happy to have some company again after 9 years without my grandmother. Plus my mom only lives next door on a farm so it’s been so lovely being back. We only meant to stop here for a few months. 19 months later....I got chickens 😂 and really settled in 🙈🐔 We are going to be making that door more secure over the weekend. It was just a temporary measure. But any suggestions on how to do that would be greatly appreciated 😊

Just interested as I’m a new chicken owner. What are you favourite/can’t live without chicken products that have just made your life with your chickens so much easier? 😊

@mullethunter thank you! My husband thinks I’m mad buying a shed, I searched high and low online for something that didn’t break the bank but still had to spend £200 for this shed-new from Forest Garden via tool station. But I wanted to have something big enough that they can move away from each other and also I’ve now got the excuse that we have plenty of room for more 🤣👍 he can’t say no x

@Luvachicken yeah was looking at that. But would like to build something a little bigger so chickens can shelter under it too. Maybe something more like this? Hope it’s not too difficult....will probably just drag my hubby into it, who took so much convincing to getting chicken but now LOVES them 😂

It was only in there 5 minutes and already perched on it 😄

@Cat tails thank you! That perch was all I had to begin with. Today I have put in an old wooden ladder on an angle from the bottom left corner to the top right with 5 steps to perch on. I had noticed that they were perching on the nest boxes because they were covered in poop 😅

I already have a 6x4 shed for my 4 hens that they have access too all day through their little door. But do I need to build them a rain shelter in the garden too? When the weather is bad (seems to be all the time atm) they run back in the coop but their food and water is outside. So was wondering shall I build one and put their food/water under it too? Thanks 😊

@Beantree thanks so much for your advice! Are the first eggs okay to eat, aswell If the shells are soft? I have been putting the Warren in the nest box to get her use to the area and she’ll stand there for a few seconds and then wonder back out. Do I need to buy any rubber/wooden eggs to encourage them at all?

Hey everyone, I’m new here and looking for some advice please. I’ve just bought my very first hens. 3 of them are 16 weeks old and the other one (Warren) is 19 weeks old. I was told the Warren is of laying age but I’ve already had them 5 days and still no eggs. Is this normal or am I doing something wrong? They have a 6x4 shed fully kitted out with 2 large nest boxes and a few pirches and a large enclosed garden to explore which they have now started venturing around a bit more and becoming more confident. They love the shed and will happily take themselves in and out throughout the day and are straight in to bed around 6pm when it goes dark. Any advice would be greatly appropriate 😊