4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Mumpty]

Can anyone advise on the various products I may need when I get the chooks? I've read about mite powder for the chooks and spray for the housing and vitamin suplements and vinegar and garlic and louse powder .........etc...etc...

Should I buy it all?

[Gallina]

You don't need any of it immediately, and some of it you will never need, so I would wait. Omlet supply the necessaries to start you off.

 

I have never bought anything of the things you list except garlic flakes, and I ended up throwing them all away. Grit is the one thing I would recommend, and get the tiny sort: mine wouldn't touch the bigger grit.

 

The only good reason for stocking up well is if you live in an area where nothing is available and you don't have a car; but even then you may never need the above items.

[Egluntyne]

Have a look at **this thread** on the same topic.

[Hen Watch]

Should I buy it all?

 

No.

 

I have amassed stuff over the course of a year and only when I needed it.

 

Essentials are layers pellets (which contain all they need), housing + water.

 

Nice to have = Garlic Powder (not flakes) to make their poo a little less smelly and Auboise to put in the nestbox, poo tray (and in the run in Winter). Both you can get from the Eileen Douglas Tack Shop.

 

Grit - mine get what they need from free ranging - I do keep a pot of grit permanently in their run but they consume much more in Winter. Don't need it on day one but nice to get some at some point. I bought 1 x 25kg bag of Mixed Hen Grit from Country Wide Farmers in Twyford for about £5 and it will last forever.

 

If you buy everything it gets expensive and you may not need it all. So you can get it as and when.

[Mumpty]

Thanks for the helpful advice. I've food, and grit coming from Omlet, so I'll keep them fed, watered, clean and hopefully no need to buy anything else jsut yet.

[Troy]

I would definately think about the garlic powder. You can get it easily from horsey shops. It will last for ages as you only need a little added to their feed. It certainly works on keeping poo smells down and its known as a natural blood cleanser and good flea repellent.

 

troy