over easy Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 hi again. sorry more questions but new to all this and never thought i could get so excited over some hens, but as i am due my first hens next week i was wandering if anyone has any tips on how to make the girls feel at home once they arrive, also when they are let out to free range do they stick to their own garden or do they find the smallest gaps in the hedges to escape next door. do people lose them ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 (edited) Hello....yes they will find gaps and wander off. You need to confine them to the run for 5 days or so to imprint the idea of home on them. You can use Omlet netting to create "free ranging" areas for them, and move it about as the grass gets worn. If you want them to have access to all parts of the garden, then it would be a good idea to check all boundary fences, gates etc to ensure that they are escape proof! Edited January 21, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Don't worry, we all remember how exciting it was waiting for our hens! You are doing the right thing by being on here, reading as much as you can so you will be better prepared! They are naturally inquisistive and keen to explore, but best to leave them in the confines of their run for the first 5 days. Make sure they have food and water, but you could start introducing some treats in a specific bowl or container. They will soon start to associate the bowl with food, so that when you do let them out, rattling their bowl will have them running back to you double quick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
over easy Posted January 20, 2008 Author Share Posted January 20, 2008 ok thanks, the other thing is what is difference between layers mash and pellets or is it the same thing. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Mash is a bit like muesli, but very powdery. Pellets are the mash formed into little pellets. A lot of people say their chooks prefer mash but it just looks like grey powder to me. Mine are on pellets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
over easy Posted January 20, 2008 Author Share Posted January 20, 2008 thanks snowey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisnrob Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 If your chickens are coming from Omlet then I think that they are fed on pellets. Ours certainly had no qualms eating pellets when they arrived Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 If you are getting you hens with an Eglu, Omlet supply a bag of pellets. (20kg I think). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 It's perfectly natural to be excited (in fact, it's compulsory ). Just keep reading all the advice on here and you'll be fine. You pick most of it up as you go along in any case. Mash can be very messy, I've read, whereas pellets stay in the grub nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
