Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[Electricbarbarella]

Just thinking really, I am between

getting 4 ex batts, hopefully putting them in cube and extension with mine eventually as they are out most of the time anyway.

getting some chooks that lay interestuing eggs.

Waiting till my babies (children) start school and nursery in 6 months and hatching some chicks to help with my broodiness.

 

And don't know if I should

Try and save up for an eglu.

get a random cheap coop and introduce new hens into cube when ready

get an eglu with no run so ex batts can only free range.

 

The possibilities are endless.

What would you fabcy doing?

[Tiggy]

I'm no expert but I'm sure someone will be along soon, but even the wooden coops are not cheap

[mrsallen08]

I dont think wooden coops are cheap unless you make them yourself (or have a handy hubby!) We have a big run for them at the top of the garden and we converted a wooden dog kennel in to a make-do coop! (its a very big kennel!) We are making a proper coop for them soon ready for autumn winter as the marans will be a lot bigger by then!

Chicks would be great to hatch but with equipment/knowledge you need may be a difficult option! even day olds need heaters etc to keep alive till they are a few weeks old. Again, I dont know enough to advise you!

Heather

[Egluntyne]

You need an Eglu with a run so they they can be put away safely at night, unless I am misunderstanding you.

 

If you go in for hatching, you need to either spend quite a lot on equipment, ie an incubator and brooder, or wait for one of your girls to go broody.

 

Plus there is the problemette about what to do with any unwanted cockerels.

 

A lot to be considered.

[Yolky]

EB I have been bitten by the bug but what I have decided to do is wait till next August. I have my three girls who are fab and provide us with enough eggies but I know that eventually they will not lay so much and so rather than getting a big flock now which will mean I will eventually have a large flock which not many eggs if I wait for a year then the newer girls will still be laying as the others are slowing down.

 

Waiting a year will also give me a chance to save up for another eglu too. I would like bantams and so I was thinking 3 banteenies in an eglu would be fine and I will prob let them live along side my existing flock rather than putting them all in together.

 

I would LOVE to do the hatching thing but there are lots of issues, the main one being what to do with any cock hatched (and as 60% of eggies are cocks there is a good chance of being a few). I don't know anyone who would want one and I couldn't dispatch them either. I may get as young girls as poss next time rather than pol just so we can see them grow.

 

I can spend the next year choosing exactly what type of batam I would like and finding a good breeder. It will also give me more time to learn about chook keeping as I am only a beginner (all be it an enthusiastic one)

 

Good luck with what ever you decide to do

[Electricbarbarella]

I already have a home lined up for any cockrels. Although iwas also planning on waiting until well into next year. I was also planning to wait until someone goes broody. I think are better done the natural way.

I love having my girls so much that I am just totally bitten, I forgot banties in an eglu is another option, i actually go to sleep thinking about how i can fit more in my garden.

I think I am a little chook mad, although dd told me that she couldn't get to sleep last night so she counted chickens.

[Yolky]

We have gone chicken crazy in this house too

 

 

I have an idea...hows about roofing your whole garden and making it one big coop Imagine how many chooks you could fit in then!!!!

 

 

Have you seen what we have been up to? My husband has been making me (well the girls lol) a new walk in run. I shall find the link to the thread....

[Yolky]

Here you go...

 

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30575

 

 

not finished yet but getting there.

 

Have you thought about building something like that and using your cube butted up against it for the housing. You could get more in the run then.

[Electricbarbarella]

wow that is fantastic.

I could just get an other extension, but then i would still need something to introduce them, was really thinking of ex batts but they would need to live on their oewn for quite a while to recuperate so temp cheap housing not an option.

See what i make from my egg sales.

[Yolky]

Have you thought about doing 'hen parties' once you have had the girls 3 months? That is a good way of sharing your love of hens and you will earn a little (I think you get comission) and you could save that towards another cube/eglu.

 

I think I will be doing hen parties as there seems to be no one at all in the bristol area doing them.

[Electricbarbarella]

I must say I have no idea what one of those is.

[Yolky]

Here you go...

 

http://www.omlet.co.uk/courses/courses.php

 

 

You have about 8 people round your house. You show them your cube, show them how you clean it etc. Then you tell them about your chooks and how you care for them and then they will prob have lots of questions for you. Give them tea and cakes (made from your chooks eggs ) and I think you get commission if anyone from your course buys an eglu/cube. I am not sure if you get anything for holding the party anyway (the guests pay omlet £10 to attend and omlet will send you a 'goodie bag' for each of them)