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Millie-Annie

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Hi. I've got four silkie hens who free range around my smallish back garden. They lay eggs when they aren't broody. I also have an elderly rabbit, who shares the garden. The chickens think of her as a big brave, furry chicken and run to her whenever they get scared. She eats their corn and sunbathes in their dustbaths. Of course, four chickens is just the start.

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Hi all,

Paul and Andrea, fairly new to the art of chicken keeping from deepest south yorkshire.

 

We have three hens that free range, a brown Hybrid, a White Leghorn and a Blue Haze, Doris, Flora and Hazy-Jane... We are enjoying the experience immensely, not without our teething problems

(a Rooster in a hens disguise, egg-bound hens etc)

 

So looking forward to joining in the community...Hellooo !!!

 

PaulandAndrea

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Hello,

 

I'm new to the forum and new to henkeeping. I am in Fife (Scotland) and I recently purchased an Eglu Go and four pullets: two wyandottes (Oreo and Michoko), a buff sussex (Nougatine) and a silkie cross (Chouquette). They have settled in really well in their new home and are getting on great with each other, which is fantastic. I'm lucky enough to have a walled garden so they can free-range in the garden during the day and get locked in their Eglu at night. They are still too young to lay, but I love having them around. And I can't believe how fast they are growing!

 

I'm looking forward to chatting with you all and learning lots about henkeeping!

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Hi all,

I'm very new and dont even have any chickens yet! I've managed to pursuade my family they would be a great addition to our family with obvious egg benefits. Ive been off work a few days and read all about the omlet products and forums whether plastic is better than wood. We've decided to go with omlet, just need to find a bargain sevond hand classic somewhere. What I really want to know is are they really worth the money, really? I have seen other plastic hen houses, withnthe doodles being the prettiest and one on the web just called plastic hen house, which looks like the regular wooden ones you can get. What would be the best set up for a complete beginner? How much space / run length will three birds need. We'll just get the most common golden coloured chickens to begin with ( you can see I am a chicken novice!). Do they make loads of noise? How much do they cost, say feed, medicines etc, per month?

We all went on a course with hens for hire which was brilliant and even picked up a chicken, my first time, and feel a little more confident but still I am entering an unknown feathery world. I never felt like this last year when I got two kittens!

Thanks for any help an advice, I'll keep you posted with my chicken journey.

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I've got a (red) Cube and (pink) Classic. Started 3.5yrs ago with Cube and 4 hens from Omlet and gradually built up mixed flock, but fox attack just after last Christmas finished off my 10 girls. I missed them. Am currently re-stocking and have just 3 hybrids at the moment - White & Black Sussex and Bluebelle - though am hoping to introduce some pure breeds over the coming weeks. Primarily like my own fresh free-range eggs, coupled with different feather colourings. And then, of course, the different personalities and antics of the individual hen.

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Hi I'm Jen

New to keeping chicken but very excited. Built our eglu go 3m yesterday. Found it a bit tricky but it's all done now. Food and water ready and we're picking our 3 chickens up later. We're having a staffordshire Sussex, black rock and a speckledy hen. Can't wait. Any tips will be greatly received x our 3 children will love them. Just hoping my toddler doesn't keep opening the coop and let's them out!!!

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Hi all

Haven't been on for a while,

All our four chickens have been laying well, but we have a problem with one of the bluebells she been pecking the other three birds on their backs, we have tried pecking powder with no effect, she's the only one out of chickens that not friendly and has always been the same.

CAN ANYONE HELP

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Hi Im a newun to.

 

I have

4 black rocks.

3 light sussex.

1 skyline.

1 black sussex.

1 speckled maran.

1 warren.

1 blacktail.

1 blue haze.

 

Then there's the.

 

6 pekins.

2 seramas.

 

A tortoise, 2 cats 2 great danes and generally a foster here to,( I foster for a great dane charity) there's me my hubby and 2 children 11 and 8, looking forward to reading a lot of the posts, I have put one on in the chat bit as im looking for some advice.

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Hi and welcome to the forum. You don't need a huge amount of room to keep just a few chickens - how much space do you have? My garden is 9x9m for example and I've had up to 7 hens before (only 3 at the moment - will be off chicken shopping soon :dance: ).

My recommendation would be to have a read through some of the threads on this forum about coops, runs and space required. A lot of us have changed our set ups several times since starting our chicken journeys so can tell you what the pitfalls are and what will make your life easier!

For example, don't be fooled by the pictures on this and other coop/run manufacturers websites of chickens roaming pristine lawns in the sunshine :lol: Many of us have found the best way to keep our gardens intact is to place our coops and runs on a permanent base - either the Eglu run, or a walk in run (WIR).

Eglus and other plastic coops might seem more expensive than wooden runs, but in the long run can be better value or at least less hard work. I've had wooden coops for the last 4 years, one bought from new and one second hand. Both have ended up warping and leaking despite liberal applications of wood preservative. Thankfully they've never succumbed to the dreaded red mite though. However, I've finally been lured over to the world of plastic coops! :lol:

 

If you have any specific questions about how to get started, then do post away and I'm sure we'll be able to help :D

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Hi all,

 

I am not new to the forum, i joined when I purchased an eglu classic in purple 2 years ago and never posted anything! At the time i bought 3 Pekins, one was buff smooth pekin called Ginger, the other two were black and buff frizzles, Clover and Nutmeg. They were great, however Ginger was my favourite one because she was the most friendliest, laid back, the only one ever sat on my shoulders while I gardens, she "helps" with the gardening! They all love running up to my back door when I got home from work, they were after their favourite treats, they love live mealworms.

Sadly I lost Clover on 8th may to unidentified illness and my beloved Ginger on 22nd July to heat wave. She couldn't cope with the heat. I went out and bought gazebos to cover the garden and to save Nutmeg who was also struggling. I brought Nutmeg in, put her on cool packs and had fans with mist going, downed friendly bacteria into her, and hoped for her to pull through, she was let back out after I got the gazebos. She was looking for Ginger and started to loose weight so I went out and brought home a gold laced Orpington (bantam I hope!) buff laced Wyandotte and a lemon millefleur (not sure of colour but were told this) sablepoot :) their names in order are Autumn, Saffron and Willow. Nutmeg would not have any of them in her eglu! She terrorises them! The young trio are petrified of them! Every night I put them to bed together and hoped for best, they are improving every day. Nutmeg is now the top hen of the pack and gets the food first! I have Nutmeg back :)

 

I also have a jack Russell who loves the chickens!!! And a 12 week old ginger kitten :)

 

My question is that the young trio is approximately 5 months (march hatch) and is finishing with their chick crumbs (last bowl) which Nutmeg had access to (she needs to put on weight) they also have layers pellets. I am wondering if growers pellets would be ok for all of them? Nutmeg is still laying. As its August I would like Nutmeg to be well covered this coming winter (last winter they barely had any flesh on them) hope you can help a bit. :)

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Just wanted to say a quick hello.

 

I don't have my girls yet, but the coop and run has been delivered, assembled and couple of coats of wood preserver applied (sadly couldn't stretch to an eglu). Hubby is in process of building footings for it so Mr foxy can't dig underneath, and also to help stop it rotting! Already planning on getting him to add a run extension as even though they will be free range much of the day it still looks cramped for 3 when they are confined to run.

 

I have been gradually buying the essential (and not so essential items) and hope to get 3 hybrids within the next week or two. I like the idea of a white sussex, a colombian blacktail and maybe a copper black or a speckledy or a bluebelle.

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Welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of chicken keeping! Lots of lovely people on here to help with any questions you may have. I am still a newbie myself, as only had chooks for a year but am learning fast. Very addictive pastime as I have found out! Enjoy your chooks when you get them. :)

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Hi new to the forum,

 

Just joined to look for more information on the Cube, we have 9 chickens.

 

3x White Star, 3x columbine, 2x Blue Bell and 1 Speckledy.

 

They have custom built pen that i built and a wooden coop.

 

We currently have an issue with red mite so on the bases that the wooden coop is starting to show signs of ware were looking at the plastic alternatives and are liking the look of the cube, my only worry is that it will be to small for our birds.

 

Also wondering if you can buy the cube without the pen as we would not require that part.

 

Many thanks

 

Andy

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Hi I to am a new hen keeper I have 4 girls Heather,Hillary,Hannah,Henrietta, They are all Hybrids. Hillary has started to lay eggs, she appers to be laying one small egg every day. The other girls seem to be a various stages of growth some developing a small comb and wattle whilst Henrietta does not appear to be developing either at the moment, I am finding this concerning as they were all purchased at approx 9 weeks old. They are all semi free range girls, They have a large run which i built my self and they are confined to that during the week untill i come home from work and theni let them out into a 100ft garden to roam free for a couple of hours every evening from about 4:30 to 6:30 and they they return to their run and coop for a good supper the then perch themselves up for their evening preen before taking themselves of to bed currently about 7:30. They are then locked in to their house untill around 6:30am before we leave for work and they are then free to roam their run for the day.

 

We have for the past week come home to find one small egg in the nest which we remove my issue is they do not at this stage seem to be getting any larger infact the last egg appeared actually smaller. Have wondered about their calcium intake they have two pots of oyster shell pieces which to my mind seen quite large for them to swallow, As result i have taken to crushing it up into almost powder form and mixing it up with a corn mix treat, They seem to Love that, But wondered if i am doing the right thing. They all appear very healthy and happy girls, As soon as they see me they start running up and down there large run and begging to be let out into the garden where i sit with them and they get a few treats and they have their dust bath and then peck away at the grass.

 

I consider they have a five star hotel life style but as a newbie i hope i am doing all the right things.

 

Anyones help and advice would be greatly appreciated

 

Dave, Dids53

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Hello, and welcome to the forum. Have a browse around the FAQs and use the search facility and you'll find loads of information.

 

You don't say how long you've had your girls or how old they are now, but they will start to lay some time around 20-24 weeks. Even though they are all the same age there could be three or four weeks between the first one starting to lay and the last one. Small eggs are common at the beginning, as are extra large ones, double-yolkers, soft eggs and so on - it's just because they are still maturing.

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