vetty82 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Hi, We're considering getting some chicken for our medium sized town based garden. I haven't a clue where to start and love the look of the Cubes, but OH does not like the look of the price. Have talked to a few members of the family and have been met with quite a lot of negative comments such as: "OOh you don't want chickens, they attract mice and rats" "You might get bird flu" "They have sharp beaks - they will peck the children" (My kids are 7 and 4) "who will kill them when they get ill" So currently my mind is a bit of mess - don't want to spend loads and loads if its something we're gonna have problems with, but love the idea of some chickens and some fresh eggs. Worked out today we spend around £300 a year on eggs, so I think after the initial outlay of cube then we might save some money on eggs. I'd love some pointers, some advice on getting our first hens, and general reassurance that it will be good for us! Thanks Vetty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larkspurs Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 We've only just started out too with 2 hens and have to say we haven't looked back! Our initial advice is go for it! As for the cost, is the cube what you want? It can house up to 10 but the eglu houses 4 so maybe start with that? With the cube and a lot of hens you can start a little side income that can pay for feed and other little add ons, in fact you can do that with an eglu and only 2-4 hens... so how many would you like? "OOh you don't want chickens, they attract mice and rats" The feed will if it's left out overnight but then again people who feed birds do exactly the same. We bring in the feed every night after the girls have put themselves to bed in the eglu and store it in a metal bin in the shed. "You might get bird flu" Not really likely. The correct question though is "The hens might get bird flu". If there is an outbreak in your area you just keep the hen run covered and disallow free ranging until DEFRA give the all clear. This is to protect them from the wild birds flying overhead and around..If birds do get infected you need to seek advice obviously. DEFRA don't require you to register your hens with them if you keep less than 50 hens. You can register voluntarily if you wish to recieve outbreak notifications. "They have sharp beaks - they will peck the children" (My kids are 7 and 4) Your kids will love them by the way. I've personally found that hens eating out of my hand is surprisingly gentle but this is something you need to experience yourself. "who will kill them when they get ill" The vet is an option of course! Overall though I'd say go for an eglu, 3 or 4 hens and start off that way. We started with 2 because we were terrified of upsetting neighbours with noise but have since regretted that and want more! They are so quiet to what you expect and definately in comparison to a dog! Downsides are poo collection but it makes excellent compost and you'll have lines of neighbours wanting chicken poo for their gardens - and eggs for the kitchen! We've already had two enquiries! We've found that the last couple of weeks we've had them have been so rewarding and we don't look upon them as egg factories we see them as loving pets. It's amazing how they endear themselves to you and we can guarantee that your family will feel the same way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Hi, you have to get them. They are the easiest pet you will ever have. I got ours when my children were 2 4 and 5 and none of mine have been "pecked". The chooks might try and mug you for food, they might trip you up if you let them free range but they're not vicious at all. Mine (and all the neighbourhood children ) LOVE feeding them and picking them up for a cuddle. (You might want to bear in mind that your childrens poplularity will increase TENFOLD once their friends find out they have chickens!) I back on to farm fields and have had my hes coming up two years and have NEVER had a rat or mouse problem. The cube is expensive but it can hold a lot of hens. If yo uare looking at a wooden house and you add on the feeders drinkers roosting bars etc you're actually normally not that far behind Omlets price, and the Eglu and Cube are SO much easier to clean (have had a wooden ark, an Eglu and a Cube.) And Larkspur is right, why not start with an Eglu and three hens? It is so self contained and neat and it looks funky, personally I wouldn't bother with all that dragging it round the garden every few days, you just end up with lots of semi-bald patches in your garden. Find where you want it to go and leave it there, put it on some paving slabs and you won't even have them turning it into a mud bath. You can limit any free ranging and therefore limit the damage to your garden, with three point of lay hens, before long you'll be getting 2-3 eggs every day, they taste like nothing you will EVER buy from the shops and you will be entertained to boot. Not that I'm biased, but if you hate it you can sell the lot and as Eglus hold their prices SO well, you'll get virtually what you paid for it back. (Then once you've sold it you can put the money towards your cube when you've become addicted and start wanting more hens!!) Why not go and see one in the flesh so's to speak, they truly are a fab modern and funky, easy way to keep chooks! (I should be on commission! ) BeckyBoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electricbarbarella Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 go for it, the children will love them, mine do and they are 2 and 5 so can be a bit rough with them. rats, we keep all the feed in a metal bin and have never been troubled. be warned that they are very addictive, we have a cube with 6 chooks and are getting more very very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vetty82 Posted February 1, 2009 Author Share Posted February 1, 2009 Thanks so so much for all your replies!! I feel much more confident now, especially with answers for the relatives. No doubt I will be back soon with more questions - you guys have been so helpful - thank you. Vetty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Hello Vetty & welcome to the forum . I too have a medium sized town based garden and have 3 girls in an eglu. I've never regretted it and agree with everything the others have said . I take the food in every night and have never seen a rat (the occasional mouse, granted, but we had them before anyway). If your OH wants to treat it like a business and recoup some of the cost, perhaps a cube & lots of hens would be better as then you'd have enough eggs to sell. I never really have enough to sell only having 3 hens but then I've never had to buy an egg in 18 months! You can phone Omlet and ask if they have any reconditioned eglus - they knock £40 off the price & you get a virtually new eglu and new everything else. Have you had a look on the forum for photos of eglus and cubes? That might help you decide. There's also a Visit an Eglu Owner section and Omlet Courses if you'd like to see one in the flesh and get an idea how easy chickens (and elgus) are to look after. Good luck with your decision - it's all very exciting (I remember the feeling!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 This is the place to get your questions answered! I found people who didn't know about chickens were very negative, and made comments like the ones you've had; however lots of other people were very positive, and they were mostly ones who had kept chickens themselves or grown up with them. I am just coming up to my second henniversary of chicken-keeping. I have not had any rat problems, mice were in the garden anyway before I had chickens and they will be in your garden and your friends and families' gardens too! Mine did peck - out of curiosity, not vice - when they were younger but as soon as they matured and started laying this stopped being a problem. Anyway, although it is painful, they don't usually draw blood! I've had far worse damage from an over-playful cat. And during this time, I have only lost one hen - I took her to the vet. Go ahead, you won't regret it and your family will soon be converted when they see the chickens and taste the eggs. I haven't bought an egg for nearly 2 years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I can't add much to the above posts re husbandry issues but I would like to say that hens make the most endearing pets ever. Mine free range all day and are real characters.They are no problem to look after. This morning we had three eggs which we had poached on toast for breakfast. They were still warm when I cracked them open. Forget all the food you see slurped and rolled round the judges mouths in Masterchef. A fresh egg breakfast from your own chickens is heaven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 (edited) I am only in my first year of hen keeping, but I haven't looked back and loved every minute of it, they thrill me to bits. You can go small or larger scale depending on whether you choose eglu or cube, but I would suggest that if you feel you would want to add more chickens over time go for the cube as this allows you the space to do so. People told me this waaaaay back and I said no no I will stick with the eglu, the eglu is fine for me, that didn't work :lol: I;ve just bought a cube! Good luck with whatever you decide. Edited February 1, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Go for it and ignore the prophets of doom. It doesn't sound as if their advice is based on experience. Chicken keeping is a super hobby, with the added advantage of the most marvellous, humanely obtained eggs. Rats are everywhere anyway, you just may find that they are attracted to the food, but with management that shouldn't be too much of a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewhitehouse Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Go for it! I'm still a newbie (picked my girls up in September) and I've never regretted it. Just to reinforce a couple of points from the other posts: The eglu is a doddle to clean - I tip the contents of the poo trays (just paper lined) straight into the compost heap every morning - 2 minutes. I then give the eglu a scub out every Sunday - an hour. I bring food in at night (and water) and replace every morning (OH is paranoid about rats!). I love to have them peck food out of my hand - doesn't hurt but might be a bit sharp for littlies (my own 12 year old pre teen steers clear). I've just lost one hen which of course is upsetting. But vets are very good and are there 24/7. My chooks are the most undemanding, amusing pets I've ever had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyknickers Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I know how you feel. So much so that I havent told anyone, as in friends and family, and the only people that know are my husband and those on here. I know if I told my mum and dad they would say we were made and try and talk us out of it so we are just going to tell them nearer them time that its coming. I started off thinking I would get an Eglu and standard run and now ordered a cube and 2m run with three chooks! This site is brilliant. Hope you make your decision and enjoy it!!! Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLK69 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Hi, Listen to your heart - what does it say? There was very little in the way of positive comments when I mentioned keeping chickens - humff what a lot of hassle, rats, the children will stop eating chicken etc etc etc. OOOh and the best who will look after them when you goon holiday - the fights that causes, to see who can play at chicken keeper while we are away. Now they are here, I get the occasional 'your bonkers', said with a smile! I went straight for the cube as I wanted loads of space for my orginals and now I have 7 plus 2 foster chickens:-0) Chickens make you happy - and I would recommend ex-batts as well, my experienc eof them has been tht they are the most friendly easy to keep chooks d apprciate their freedom - and 12months on I still get 4 eggs a day out of 5 exbatts. bless them Chickens are the best pets EVER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 have been met with quite a lot of negative comments such as: "OOh you don't want chickens, they attract mice and rats" "You might get bird flu" "They have sharp beaks - they will peck the children" (My kids are 7 and 4) "who will kill them when they get ill" Hi Vetty, We all worry about those same questions at first. I did and even when I had my eglu on order I panicked and worried if I had done the right thing.... 2 years later, chickens are the easiest pets I have ever had.... and the funniest. Rats - are attracted to food. Bring feeders in at night, don't put cooked food in compost bin, clear away fallen apples etc. Bird Flu - yes in the back of my mind....... but it is unlikely to reach a domestic flock and DEFRA quickly announce any outbreaks and you keep your birds under a covered run as a precaution. Sharp beaks - when they are young maybe, but they wear down and 2 of mine have chipped rounded beaks. Try tapping the palm of your hand reasonably hard and fast with the top of your fingernail and it's like that when you hand feed. Doesn't hurt at all but you can "feel" it if you know what I mean. My kids (12, 10 and handfeed my chooks no problem. Who will kill them when they get ill? - most of us on here ask for help on the fourm for ill chooks and get good advice on remedies to cure them. Or the vet will sort it out. In the rare event one needs to be put to sleep the vet can do it. PS. An eglu is a great start, small, compact for an urban garden and holds it's resale value very well if you decide it's not for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerrie Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Hello. I'm a newbie-only had my girls and eglu for a few weeks but they are fantastic and I wouldn't swap them. My kds who are 11 and 9 love hand feeding them and they are very gentle. Daisy can be a little bit hard with her beak but it's just because she's a greedy girls who wants all the food to herslelf and tries to eat too fast! I know what you mean about telling people. I didn't tell them until the eglu was ordered and yes I did get a coupld of comments beofre they came but even my mum likes to hear how the girls are every day and thinks the eglu is great. Also, a few of my friends have asked how chickens are too keep since I've had them and their also thinking of it! Having 2 cats and a puppy who we love to bits I can honestly say that chickens are the easiest and probably most amusing pets ever-expecially for kids! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
