Chicken bald back

[theherd123]

Ok this is what i have put in my shopping basket up to now!

What else do i need? (Apart from some chickens!)

 

 

Chicken Eglu

Chicken Spice - 450gm

Dried Mealworms 200 grams

Bokashi - Active

Mixed Chicken Grit - 1.25kg

Worming powder - 200grammes of Diatomaceous Earth

Organic Mixed Corn - 20kg Sack

Winter shade (2)

20 Omlet Egg Boxes

Citricidal 45ML (2)

Red Mite Powder - 500g

Garlic Powder - 500g

 

Your thoughts will be a great help to me!

My chickens will be arriving on the 4th Nov!

 

Also where do i get the tar from you put on featherless chickens?

[Guest]

Run clips - pack of 50+. You can *never* have too many of these!

[ali-s]

You will need a trolley for all that stuff

 

Regarding the mixed corn. A 20kg sack is enormous for a couple of chickens Seriously though they won't or shouldn't eat that much corn before the best before date runs out. I bought a 5kg bag of mixed corn at the weekend with a best before date which runs out at the end of November. The bag will probably last me into the new year and I have 6 chickens.

 

What about Apple Cider Vinegar? A tonic given in the drinking water once a month for 7 days. 20ml to 1 litre of water. Makes the chickens gut slightly acidic which worms do not like. The Omlet shop sell it, or from places which sell Horse supplies.

[ali-s]

 

Also where do i get the tar from you put on featherless chickens?

 

There is a Sticky in the Chicken Clinic section titled Suppliers of Health Products which should tell you where to get the tar from. (I tried to do a link to it but failed )

[The Dogmother]

WoW Emma, that's loads!

 

Sounds like you've thought of everything Hon. I'd offer to share a bag of feed with you, but I'm only halfway down mine, any other time you want to share though, just let me know; I can get Phil to pick it up from HQ and we can use it as an excuse to meet up for a gossip

[Cate in NZ]

It sounds as if you'll be well stocked for all eventualities with that lot Emma Seriously it'll all come in handy and is probably worth having, but if you wanted to save some money you hopefully shouldn't need the red mite powder just yet, especially since the weathers cooling down. You may at some point need some conventional louse powder (spoken as one who has spent the best part of the summer applying and reapplying powder to my lousy hens ), but again hopefully you won't need that in the first instance.

As far as the tar goes I think, and maybe someone will correct me, that it's more to deter pecking, if bleeding or broken skin is causing the other hens to peck the injured area I've never used it on any of mine, and Tilly poor lamb was very featherless when we first got her- still not exactly well covered, but improving gradually now

[Jools]

A nice comfy seat to relax and enjoy the garden with them when they arrive

[chelsea]

what about pushing the boat out and getting the inflatable egg cups!

 

They will be very handy to eat eggs in the bath with after you've cleaned out the eglu

[theherd123]

Thanks guys you are all so fab!

 

I have ordered my eglu!

Not letting you in on the colour til i get the chickens though!

 

grd - wont need the run clips as im building a 4m X 4m run for my little girls at the back of my garden! Thanks anyway!

 

 

ali-s - Have ditched the bag of mixed corn and bought apple cider vinegar instead! Good tip! Thanks for the one about the tar too!

 

Clare - Thanks for the offer of sharing a bag of corn, will take you up on that when i need one next! You must call round for a gossip & a peek at them when they arrive! (Will have a kitchen then so can offer you a cuppa!)

 

Kate A - Have bought red mite powder just in case but will buy some louse powder too.

 

Jools - I have the comfy chair already but will need a good blanket & a brolly as i will no doubt be out there all winter watching them!

 

Chelsea - I added the inflatable egg cups at the end of the order and clicked the 'checkout' button before the OH noticed!

 

Does anyone know where i can get little wool jumpers for my hens as i dont want them to be cold outside!

 

PS I cant knit for toffee!!!

[ali-s]

Its not knitted but will keep the rain off

 

 

[Nicola H]

Emma no problems i can knit just let me know their measurements and which colours would suit them best..................

 

Good luck with your Eglu hope you don't have to wait too long...

[Cinnamon]

Hi Emma,

I know that Omlet don't sell them,but a good sturdy feed bin, a decent scoop,a dustpan & brush & a nice lidded plastic box to keep all your chicken ger in are really useful.

 

Even better if you can get them all in pink

[theherd123]

Thanks for that Cinnamon!

(They might not be pink they could be purple, or indeed pink!)

Will get the bin etc at the weekend! Good tip!

 

Nicola thanks for the offer! Which colours are in this season? Is black the new black? Or are stripes in this winter?!!

 

Ali-s i hope my girls are more stylish than that chicken!

[Cinnamon]

Rubber gloves too.

And vaseline to rub on their little combs when it gets cold

 

Oh, and Aubiose makes a great lining for the litter tray & nesting box.

 

Tea tree oil in a water plant spray gun is great to spritz over the Eglu after a clean out, & Citronella is good to sprinkle on the Aubiose to keep the buggaboos away

 

A spare set of roosting bars is really useful too

 

Can you tell - I am a world class shopper

 

[Guest]

don't get too worried Emma,

 

you can do without most of the stuff...

 

out of your list - most of us build up the medicines on a "when it happens" basis - though it's comforting to know you've got it in advance...

 

I wouldn't have thought mealworms or active bokashi or two winter shades or tar are essential - I have never owned any of these items...

 

the grit isn't really necessary if thwey are going to freerange - they'll find enough themselves - mine have never had any extra grit and they seem OK.

 

Oyster shell can be useful, though.

 

vaseline - you probably have in the house anyway somewhere - and I'm not convinced that it's actually necessary... (in fact I've never done it, and when I suggested the idea to a bloke i know who has a field full of hens - he simply laughed at the idea!!)

 

you'll get egg boxes free with the eglu - but i find it's cheaper simply to ask people for empty egg-boxes - you'll be inundated...

 

some people use the apple-cider vinegar (or whatever) - but i don't think you need BOTH vinegar and Poultry spice

 

Shona is spot on with the sturdy feed bin and a decent scoop - they are essential!

 

 

It's great to hear you getting excited!! - the count-down has begun!

 

Phil

[chelsea]

Its not knitted but will keep the rain off

 

 

 

 

OMG....made my day...hilarious

[Karen & co.]

Can't think of anything else to add

 

appart from a cleaner, perhaps as you'll have no time to do all the boring stuff when the girls arrive

 

karen x

[theherd123]

don't get too worried Emma,

 

I am already!!!

 

I think because they are rescue hens im even more worried because i just want to give them the best chance i can. My biggest worry is about them getting cold esp as they will be lacking in the feather dept. when i get them!

 

I will get rubber gloves and i intend to buy some hemcore for the eglu tray & eventually the bottom of the run when all the grass is gone!

 

Thanks to all of you for your good advice.

 

Im so excited!!!

 

The next few weekends will be dedicated to completing the run - there is much debate going on with my OH at the moment!

[Paola]

Emma no problems i can knit just let me know their measurements and which colours would suit them best..................

 

That was my thought also

[Cinnamon]

Shona is spot on with the sturdy feed bin and a decent scoop - they are essential!

 

Phil

 

Ahem , that was me,actually

[The Dogmother]

Make the bin a metal one if you are storing feed outside or in a shed; keeps the rodents away.

[Guest]

Shona is spot on with the sturdy feed bin and a decent scoop - they are essential!

 

 

Not me Phil - far too sensible a thing for me to suggest - I have a home-made scoop made out of an old plastic milk bottle!

 

I think the best I could manage in this thread was:

 

pink....pink.....pink....pink....pink....pink....pink

 

[The Dogmother]

You'd get on well with Rosie then Chooks - she is all pink. Although less so now as she is getting older (phew). I can't understand it; I'm not the least bit girlie

[Guest]

Shona is spot on with the sturdy feed bin and a decent scoop - they are essential!

 

Phil

 

Ahem , that was me,actually

 

 

 

Sorry, sarah - i thought that sounded like the kind of sound and sensible advice you might give... (err....!!)

 

Phil

[Martin B]

I have eglu, chickens, grit, food, poultry spice (kindly sent to me) and a book I won on the Omlet raffle. Somebody advised me don't buy things you don;t need until you need them. With the Domestic Fowl Trust up the road, I didn't buy much!