Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[ScottishMike]

I'm very, very interested in getting an Eglu and two hens, but cash is tight. So, before I take the plunge I'd appreciate some advice from you folks

 

Not counting the cost of the run, and the chickens, what are the maintenance costs?

 

How much feed would I have to buy? How long would it last for with 2 hens? How much in the way of 'kitchen s"Ooops, word censored!"s' can I supplement the feed with in order to reduce the amount of feed?

 

I've browsed the forums and seen mention of meal worms, crushed oyster shell etc - what is the cost of these things? How much do you tend to get for that? How long will one lot last??

 

Any other 'real world' advice that will affect my wallet much apreciated!

[Leicester_H]

Hi

 

Costs will vary, but I can tell you my costs for 2 chickens in an eglu.

 

1. Feed - we buy organic layer pellets. £7 (I think) for 20Kg bag - lasts approx 3 months (ish).

 

2. We use Aubiose in dropping tray. Approx £7 for large bail - lasts about a year !

 

3. We use bark chippings in run. Homebase 3 bags for £10 - lasts 4 months

 

4. Extra grit - £1.50 bag lasted about a year

 

They love dried corn as a treat - obviously optional - £4 lasts 4(?) months or so.

 

I did buy some red mite powder as I spotted a few in the eglu - this is relatively expensive at £10 but will last 'forever' in the amounts I used (but it may go off ??)

 

Think thats about it for essentials - may need some medicinal items if hens require - can't predict that.

 

H

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Hi, Mike . Don't know if you want to go to a Hen Party or not but I've been thinking about hosting another one, just haven't got round to it yet. If you were keen, I might think of setting one up!

 

You can spend a lot at the beginning if you want but there are really only a few essentials. Other things you can do without or just buy as and when you need them.

 

Other than pellets, mixed corn and mixed poultry grit, I would say the essentials are Flubenvet for worming and Diatom powder and/or Red Mite powder. They all last ages - I bought mine a year ago and still have loads.

 

I also use garlic powder, bokashi bran, apple cider vinegar, dried mealworms, Stalosan F and garden lime. It's your choice whether you get them or not really.

 

The only things I really have to buy now are:

 

bedding (used to be Hemcore but my supplier (Drum Feeds just off the Sheriffhall Roundabout on the Edinburgh bypass) isn't stocking it any more so I'll be changing to Easibed which I think is well under £10 for a bale. One bale lasts me 3 months.

 

mixed poultry corn - under a fiver for a huge bag (I'm on my 2nd bag in a year)

 

pellets - under a tenner for a huge bag (probably lasts 3 or 4 months)

 

I get my poultry grit online - it's about £5 for a huge tub. I've only bought 2 in a year, I think.

 

As far as I know it's not advisable to give them s"Ooops, word censored!"s instead of pellets as the pellets are designed for optimum nutrition for laying purposes. They might not lay as well if they didn't fill up on their pellets.

[sparkysmum]

Hi Mike , Glad to hear from another Scot I think I read somewhere that typical costs are 10p per hen per day. However the "extras" do mount up - supplements, tonics and vet bills. Having said that you do tend to "absorb" a lot of the costs as you do with other pets and if anyone nearby has hens you could share the cost of items which last a long time (if you go ahead with your hens I would be happy to )Hope this is of some help. If you look at the Omlet shop this will give you some idea of the cost of "extras" Best wishes Allison

[Ain't Nobody Here]

If you look at the Omlet shop this will give you some idea of the cost of "extras"

 

Good advice, Allison, but do bear in mind that the Omlet shop tends to be quite pricy - you can almost always buy the same stuff cheaper online .

 

(Hope you don't mind me adding that .)

[Mrs G]

Ref the wood chip, we use this in the run and surrounding area, but have found a friendly arborcultralist nearby - all the trees he cuts down he turns into wood chips, he had a huge pile of wood chip and is letting us just go and help ourselves as and when we need. It's just a by product of his work so he doesn't mind if we take some of it off his hands. Might be worth phoning a few local arborcultralists and seeing if any of them might let you do the same. We also got a few pieces of trunk which we are using to lift our strawberries and a few other plants out of the reach of the girls!

 

Just an idea, might be able to save yourself a little bit more

 

Also you might be able to sell any excess egg to friends and family, tempt them in with a wee box of four and the difference will have them coming back for more

[sparkysmum]

Good advice, Allison, but do bear in mind that the Omlet shop tends to be quite pricy - you can almost always buy the same stuff cheaper online .

 

(Hope you don't mind me adding that .)

 

 

Of course not ANH The other thing to bear in mind is that if your hens are regular layers you might not have to buy eggs again - in fact you might even make a small profit Do let us know what you decide Allison

[Sandychick]

It is deffinately the initial set up costs that mount up. When they first arrived I seemed to be spending loads on odd things like bedding, red mite powder, grit etc. But once you have these things, they do last for ages. In the last month all I have had to buy is a bag of feed for about £8 and I won't need to buy anything else for a few weeks.

 

If cash is tight (as it is here!) I would reccommend costing up all the extras before you get them and just add it to the price of the chickens and run so you know what to expect.

 

Also, I would suggest thinking ahead on other things that might be needed such a any fencing or netting if you need to keep them in one area, or to secure the garden if they will be free ranging. My biggest single expense was an extention on the Eglu run - not essential but thought they would like more space.

 

If you want to keep chickens long term it is worth the initial costs - I'm sure the eglu is indistructable! Whatever you do spend initially, it will seem well worth it when the chickens arrive - they are very addictive!

[Scottie]

Hi there

 

I've never bought mealworms or oyster shell and still have the same tub of grit from 2 years ago (possibly I'm just a mean mum!). Our girls only get layers mash (£8 or so for 20kg) a handful of corn (£8 which will last for ages). I buy Easibed from a horsey shop in Stirling (just off the M9, near the big Mart) which lasts about 3 months. I did buy a big tub of Flubenvet (which I am happy to give some to you - my daughter has just moved to Falkirk), a big tub of garlic flakes and a big carton thing of apple cider vinegar, all of which I am more than delighted to share with you if you go ahead.

 

Let me know what you decide.

 

Sheila

[Daphne]

I just feel the need to say that although everybody is right, the set up costs are quite high (but ongoing its a lot more manageable ) the payback from the enjoyment is worth many times what you've invested. I compare it to what I might spend on clothes or going out or something else you enjoy and then I compare how much contentment it brings me. No contest

[RubyReckless]

It's worth deciding whether your eglu will move about your garden or whether you are going to keep it on one place. We build a cheap rectangular frame as a base from scaffolding boards and filled it with woodchips from the council (not quite free from a tree surgeon, but very cheap anyway). Others build some very impressive walk in runs. Chooks RUIN lawns. They really do!

 

We pay about £10 for a bag of layers pellets that last 3 greedy hens about 10 weeks. Grit is a couple of quid a sack and lasts ages and ages, especially if you free range them. My layers pellets specify that they contain calcium and that there is no need to supplement it. I do keep the egg shells, bake them and crush them just to make sure.

 

A 10kg sack of mixed corn was £7 and has lasted forever - they get a small handful between them in the eveing and vast spilled handfuls from the toddlers when my youngest's mates come to play. We'll probably spend 18 months with that sack.

 

The chooks get the crusts from the kids' toast, the apple cores, slighly sad looking grapes or other fruit my picky offspring don't fancy. They also have left over pasta in small quantities.

 

We have farmyard powder and louse powder, both of which have lasted well over a year and came in at about £8 total i think.

 

That's it, i think.

 

(waaay better value than a dog, she whispers controversially...)

[Kit]

I also use garlic powder, bokashi bran, apple cider vinegar, dried mealworms, Stalosan F and garden lime. It's your choice whether you get them or not really.

 

The only things I really have to buy now are:

 

bedding (used to be Hemcore but my supplier (Drum Feeds just off the Sheriffhall Roundabout on the Edinburgh bypass) isn't stocking it any more so I'll be changing to Easibed which I think is well under £10 for a bale. One bale lasts me 3 months.

 

Hi Being a total dimwit who is in a panic

 

my eglu arrived today, 3 days early (good job I was home)

 

please can you advise what you do with the above and high often. I have heard and read it a million time but simply cannot remember.

 

also when you say bedding is it for inside the eglu? I thought that I needed to put something in the box where they lay and also bokashi to line the droppings tray. I'm so confused!

 

thanks

Kit

[Willow]

Hi

Just to add you don't need to put bedding in the tray - it makes it a little easier to clean but you can use old newpapers. I didn't actually put anything in the poo tray and it empties ok.

 

If you have a largish garden to let them free range most of the day they get through less pellets (but eat your plants). I give them any leftovers from the kids lunches, and all other non-meat leftovers eg crumbs from chopping board, left over cereal, toast, rice, cooked potatoes. Mine love the outer leaves from things like cauliflowers hung up. I've never had a problem with them not laying eggs due to too many leftovers instead of pellets (although my kids do clear their plates so there's not that much leftovers).

 

You do need to worm them every so often but can probably split a tub of flebenvet with someone else.

 

I got a bag of grit in case but only use it for the quails as the chickens egg shells have been fine.

[ScottishMike]

All really good advice!! Many thanks everyone who has contributed

 

My mind is made up - as soon as A. I can persuade the wife it's worth the cash for the initial set up, and B. I can either find one cheap enough now, or just wait until the bank balance is healthy enough to pay full price, and we're off - the ongoing costs seem less than I had initially been anticipating, so it's only the setup costs, and the fact that I'll need to buy the bedding, feed etc all in one go at the start. Once we are up and running these things will presumably run out at different times, so it won't be nearly so painful from then on.

 

One other question - I had been planning to get 2 hens from the battery hen rescue lot - especially as Omlet won't supply their hens this far north - any other scottish hen keepers care to share where they got their chooks from? thanks!!

[abwsco]

Mike, can I just add that you should get 3 chickens and not 2 as they are a flock animal and should one die you would be left with a sad and lonely chicken. Infact I don't think the BHWT will let you have 2 chickens unless you were introducing them to an existing flock.

 

The other thing to realise is how addictive they are

[Ain't Nobody Here]

One other question - I had been planning to get 2 hens from the battery hen rescue lot - especially as Omlet won't supply their hens this far north - any other scottish hen keepers care to share where they got their chooks from? thanks!!

 

I would agree that 3 is a better plan.

 

I got my girls from George Ogilvie at Ballancrieff Mains Farm near Longniddry.

 

I got a Rhode Island Red, Columbine and Pied Suffolk from him. He had other breeds too.

 

Ballencrieff Mains,

Longniddry,

East Lothian.

EH32 0PJ

 

Tel: 01875 870238

Mob: 07971 60 70 34

 

http://www.eastlothianlivery.com/map.php?s=1

[eggypeggy]

100% agree.. start with 3.. We started with two and very soon you realise that you want more.. You can't add 1 to 2, it woiuld be a very difficult introduction. You can add 2 to 2.. but you might as well start with 3 in the 1st place.. plus the egg production drops off a bit in the 2nd year.. and you prob won't get an egg per bird per day, like you would in there 1st year.. so think about how many eggs you'd like.. and you can always give them away.. one of the perks..

 

The eggs are so good.. you'll resent having to buy bland tasting shop bought eggs..

 

With regards to the cost, we've managed to keep ours pretty low too.. We bought one massive bale of finely shredded straw, and I think it will last approx about 18mths.. I think I paid less than £10 for that.. it only goes in the nesting box for us. We don' put anythin in the poo tray. and the run is on gravel, so they don't need anything there either.

 

Other than that, we get them layers mash, and some scratch in the winter £2.50 a bag and corn in the summer about the same price..

They get anything Vegetarian from our food, lots of leftovers.. only in the afternoon, so they eat from there own food in the morning. This definately supplements what they eat as they free range too. I think a 20 kg bag of mash for 2 birds lasts about 3 months..

 

Like you said, once you are over the set up cost.. the general pricing for food etc... is very affordable.

 

The only thing else I would say.. which has already been mentioned.. ALot of people start with chooks free ranging garden, but if you have kiddies.. you will prob want them in a seperate area.. (Chooks poo everywhere in a small garden it'd noticeable)so maybe just have a look at the cost of seperating an area.. with the omlet netting or some chicken wire and stakes..

 

Good luck...

We have never regretted getting the chooks.. they are fab.. and my kids love them!

V

[Ain't Nobody Here]

garlic powder, bokashi bran, apple cider vinegar, dried mealworms, Stalosan F and garden lime.

 

please can you advise what you do with the above and high often. I have heard and read it a million time but simply cannot remember.

 

also when you say bedding is it for inside the eglu? I thought that I needed to put something in the box where they lay and also bokashi to line the droppings tray. I'm so confused!

 

I agree, it's really confusing when you start out .

 

garlic powder, bokashi bran & poultry spice (forgot that one!) - I just add a few big scoops of each to the big box I keep my pellets in. I think others add a teaspoon of each to a grubful. I don't put bokashi in the poo tray (it's a bit pricey for that IMO!)

 

apple cider vinegar - I add a squirt from a sports bottle to the glug each morning.

 

dried mealworms - used as bribery to get them back in the run.

 

Stalosan F & garden lime - when I rake out the run every 6 weeks (removing the top few inches of soil/hemcore) I sprinkle these down on the soil before putting new Hemcore down.

 

bedding - I use shredded paper in the nestbox and in the poo tray (along with a couple of sheets of newspaper & some citronella). The Hemcore is just used in the run.

 

Hope that helps .

[Egluntyne]

It is a bit overwhelming when you read the lists of things fellow Omleteers consider essential.

 

If you start out with the Eglu, a couple of hens, some bedding and layers pellets and add to it as things crop up or just take your fancy, you won't go far wrong.

 

I would suggest a metal bin to store feed in.....but that doesn't have to be new, just cleaned.

[sids mum]

Hi, we are newish eglu owners (got the birds in April) and have spent :

£16 on feed

£5 on a bag of grit ( which lasts for ever I think!)

£10 on a metal dustbin to keep the feed in - our neighbour has pigeons and a few rats so better safe than sorry!

?£30 on worming stuff - one squirt per chicken per day x 3 days x each month. I think it may outlast the chickens

£28 on 2 more chickens as the first 2 were so addictive

£5 on antiseptic powder as the new chickens weren't welcomed by the older two

£20ish on bark - they live under our apple tree approx 4m by 3m

£10 on wire to fence them in

£9 on posts to make the enclosure

 

In return they are as much fun as any other pet

I have constant demand for eggs which I sell at work for a very reasonable 50p for 4.

so far the 'chicken pot' has £14 in it which has paid for the feed eaten.

which makes them better value than my beloved black labs who cost £300 each, scoff £40 of feed a month and have cost ££££ in replacement cooker k"Ooops, word censored!"s ( dog ate them) stair gates ( on our 3rd as dog ate the first 2) and radiator valves ( dog ate 2 of those too . . .)

 

you do spend more at the beginning but you don't buy eggs which are £1.50 for 6 ' value' in my local supermarket.

 

I suppose you need to accept that any pet has costs, but at least these give something back.

 

Hubbie just said you may want to plant a tree as our chucks like the tree. he's also added that getting your chicken to live 70 years to take advantage of the tree is a different matter!

[Redwing]

Hi and welcome

 

I also have clocked the set up costs of keeping chickens so even though it will be a few more weeks before I can buy any I started to buy non perishable things now so that when I get the chickens I just need to pay out for the food. Its all been fairly reasonable so far, I go to an agricultural merchant for my things (tip: the prices in agricultural merchants dont always include VAT so double check or you get a surprise at the till )

 

Like someone else said its a small cost compared to some animals, our puppy cost us £££s and all of his stuff and initial vaccinations etc cost over £400!

[ruth1]

The start up costs - like anything are the worst- and that really depends on what you want. I went for a walk in run and cube so right away ouch!but that worked for me in my circumstances.

Eglu's and cubes hold their value so you wont lose out if you find chicken keeping is not for you ( bet you want more chooks within a few weeks)

 

Practical poultry mag ( WH smith) has lots of Scottish suppliers at the back, Ive just discovered , I trooped up past Aberdeen for chooks because I didnt know any where closer at that time. But now it seems there are chickens everywhere.

 

The maintenance costs aren't that bad unless you need the vet.

A bag of mixed grit £6 lasts forever

Layers pellets £ 8.95 lasts my 7 girls about 3-4 weeks

Bokashi Bran £4.50 for 1 kg about 1 month ( never sure if i feed the right amount)

Bedding depends on what you use.

 

I also have Apple cider vinegar, citradel, diatomous earth( Ive spelt that wrong)and some citronella that i drop in the pooh trays.

 

And this website is invaluable

 

Good luck

[Milly]

After the initial start-up costs the follow-on costs are quite low (although we raised them quite a bit by buying electric fencing so the hens could free range all day while we were at work). The food lasts for months, the grit for even longer.

 

The first few eggs cost about £50 each but the price per egg comes down quite quickly once the hens get laying!

 

And as others have said, they can be quite addictive. We started with 2 hens.

 

Milly

[ScottishMike]

Well, lots of good advice

 

Now, my main 'blocker' is the wife

 

She's not warming to the idea - too expensive to set up, too much hassle to care for them (on top of jobs, 3 kids, 2 dogs. - she may have a point!), too much smell/dirt, and finally, she doesn't really like eggs!

 

So, I'll work away at her - slowly!

 

In the meantime I've bookmarked this thread so if/when I do win her over I can come straight back to it

[Valkyrie]

Hi ScottishMike

This is what we started with and OH wanted me to do costings (he has since done a much better job on his laptop ) But it will give you an idea. We got a cube because our girls are monsters, so needed more room. My first bag of feed has almost run out and I have started mixing in the layers pellets, so 3 Orpingtons took over two months to get through it - there has been a fair amount wasted - some of that was my fault though. This was in cell and column format, but doesn't transfer so well on the posting (although it looks OK on the preview), hence all squashed together.

 

Type Brand/Breed £ Supplier Amount

 

Housing Cube 629.99 Omlet

Chickens Orpingtons x 3 69.00 Wylye Valley

Cube extension 100.00 Omlet

Support arch 20.00 Omlet

Run clip spares 2.99 Omlet

 

Feed Organic Layer Pellets 12.99 Farm & Country 20kg

Organic Growers Pellets 12.99 Farm & Country 20kg

Organic Corn 12.50 Farm & Country

Oyster Shell 2.50 Farm & Country

Flint Grit 2.00 Farm & Country

Bedding Aubiose 7.60 Shapley Ranch Bale

 

Bokashi Bran 9.50 Wiggly Wigglers 2x3kg (£17 shared)

Citricidal 8.00 Omlet

Diatomaceous Earth 14.95 Omlet 1kg

Cider Vinegar 6.40 Farm & Country

Poultry Spice 3.32 Scats 450g

Stockholm Tar 5.49 Scats 450g

Verm-X 34.95 Scats 1.5Kg

Garlic Powder 2.98 Scats 500g

Red Mite Powder 7.80 Shapley Ranch

Louse Powder 9.99 Farm & Country

Fencing Posts x ? Dual purpose/anti dog

Wire Already had

Netting 129.78 Farm & Country 50m

 

Wood For gate and roosting bars

 

 

 

C£1105/£284

 

OH said that the cube was not really to be included really because if we ever needed to, we would be able to sell it, so would recoup (! pun not intended!) some of our losses. Other than that, fencing was a necessity to keep out the vicious dog next door so not included. I have just bought some more bits, but not updated it yet - mainly red mite powder and garlic powder (huge tub). The netting is electric fencing which will be used at our smallholding one day - dream on Kooj!

At the moment our first egg will cost over £1000, but if you exclude the cube etc, it is more £300 - beat that Tesco - although they just might at the rate things are going!

 

Hope this all helps.