3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[Marky D]

After 2 years my lovely wife has given in and agreed to chickens (think she's after something expensive in return!!! lol). Ordered the coop yesterday (sorry not an eglu, couldnt quite persudae her to spend that much.....for now!) was delivered this morning and is now sitting proudly in back garden. Got the afternoon off work tomorrow to get all the necessary purchases then off to Hinchliffes to maybe purchase couple of chickens (i know the safe number is 3 but really worried with noise etc and as a beginner thought it safer to start with 2, plus we dont have huge garden). We are all quite excited, will be like xmas eve in our house tonight lol.

Any tips / advice would be grafefully received.

Thanks Mark.

[scarlettohara]

Congralutions - only advice is don't get 2 get 3, don't think one more will make any more noise and if the worse happens you won't have a lone chicken

[brambles]

Fabulous! .... how about 4 bantams?

[Marky D]

Crickey, i'm nervous enough with getting 2.... although got a feeling when we get there (me, wife and 5yr old daughter) we'll all want to choose one each!! lol

[Darren Beaumont]

From personal experience, if you get two, soon you will want more. I would say get at least three now and avoid going through the drawn out introduction process later on. Good luck, chicken keeping is very rewarding.

[Blue-DiamondChick07]

Maybe even 4, a nice even number don't worry, you'll have 10 by xmas, its a very addictive hobby! Wish I started it years ago. Enjoy your new Hens

[bennett]

def get 3 or 2 large fowl and a bantam. It is better to start with 3 than get 2 and try and introduce another later. If you only get 2 and something happens to one of them you end up with a very lonely hen Also my Pekin Bantam is very tame and will sit when you approach her so my 5 yr old daughter can happily pick her up without a peck. Good luck chook hunting

[Snoxy]

Congratulations

 

I originally had 3 Omlet girls and couldn't understand why anyone would want more...then a year and a half later that all changed and now I have 14...they are no more trouble to care for than when I had 3 honestly

 

Just love others to try the eggs my girls lay...it is very satisfying

 

Good luck whatever you decide...you will adore them

[Plum]

Congratulations. Your wife will love them - you'll be out of the house all the time

[Marky D]

Thanks for all your responses, really eggsited this morning lol, just got to get work out of way till dinner!!!!

The 2 large Chickens and a Bantam is a very interesting idea (the big ones wont pick on the little one will they?)

If I have 14 by xmas I would be a very happy man but probably a single one!! lol

[Egluntyne]

Congratulations ... I'm not sure I'd mix hybrids with a bantam at this stage of your chicken keeping career. It might work like a dream .... or it might be a recipe for disaster.

 

I keep my bantams separate a one of them picks on the hybrids something alarming.

[Seagazer]

You definitely need 3 as there are 3 in your family, you'll all want an egg each!

[goodinparts]

I'm just so delighted that in your household it's the bloke that longs for the chickens...It's been such a struggle to persuade my husband that they are a Good Thing, - and of my (uni aged) kids, it's my daughter that really gets the joy of them, while one son quite likes them and the other is indifferent. So I wondered if it was a mostly girly thing...

This is an old thread now, isn't it...I wonder who you got and how you are getting on with them. Hope it's all fab

[Sherbet]

Congrats on deciding to become a 'chicken daddy' I wish i had got 3 i have 2 ginger nut rangers from omlet (july 6) and they are adorable, they get on soooo well together, i just hope they live as long as each other! There doesn't appear to be any pecking order with them. Maybe i will introduce another after the winter. My OH is building me a WIR for them, so will have more room for another!

Good luck...and i am sure they will give you loads of fun for you & your family

 

Lynne

[helen1962]

I had three ex-batts to start with but one became a terrible bully to the other two so I let my friend have her. I stuck with two for the rest of last winter and they got on great so to be honest, there is nothing wrong with just having two. In April of last year I got two chicks, one a Black Rock and the other a Light Sussex. When one of my ex-batts died (my favourite) and the two chicks were old enough, I introduced them to Ruby the last ex-batt. At first she would bully both but the Black Rock not so much as stood up to her, just didn't flinch when she got pecked. Very soon Ruby got tired of pecking her it was no longer any fun because Brenda (the bold!) did not run off squawking. However the Light Sussex who is now head and shoulders bigger than Ruby still squawked and ran off so Ruby took great delight in chasing her. However now Wendy (the Wuss!) does not run either so Ruby is beginning to leave her alone too. They all get on but I have to admit that Ruby and Brenda get on the best and poor Wendy is often left out in the cold (twos company threes a crowd!)