Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[megalin]

* Hello everyone *

I'm new to chicken keeping and we have 3 ladies coming to a chicken obsessed home next wednesday!

I've been scouring this site for months and thank you all for the information!

We want to get a buff orpington, Polish and a RIR or other similar....

Now I've heard the Polish is a less hardy breed but i love them so much.... Do you think it would be misguided to get

one as a first chicken? ( Or indeed do you not think it's a good combination of breeds?)

Any experiences with these breeds would be welcomed....

The breeders we're going to have these 3 breeds, silkies and a range of bantams (not sure which, pekins i think, as well as others)

 

Also, I've got some Oyster shell but it seems to be in quite big pieces, are you meant to ground it up into a powder

and sprinkle on food or just offer it as is?

 

And should I give it to them from the get go or wait to see if we get any soft eggs first?

 

Thank you (sorry that was longer than I expected!)

Megan

[chick wiggle]

* Hello everyone *

I'm new to chicken keeping and we have 3 ladies coming to a chicken obsessed home next wednesday!

I've been scouring this site for months and thank you all for the information!

We want to get a buff orpington, Polish and a RIR or other similar....

Now I've heard the Polish is a less hardy breed but i love them so much.... Do you think it would be misguided to get

one as a first chicken? ( Or indeed do you not think it's a good combination of breeds?)

Any experiences with these breeds would be welcomed....

The breeders we're going to have these 3 breeds, silkies and a range of bantams (not sure which, pekins i think, as well as others)

Are you gettin all bantams? If they are they should be fine, although ive never had a polish.

 

Also, I've got some Oyster shell but it seems to be in quite big pieces, are you meant to ground it up into a powder

and sprinkle on food or just offer it as is?

They should always have access to grit, they need it for digestion. I just hang a pot of it in the run and they take what they want when they want it. Get some mixed grit though, it has all differents types, shapes and sizes then.

 

And should I give it to them from the get go or wait to see if we get any soft eggs first?

 

Thank you (sorry that was longer than I expected!)

Megan

 

Dont worry! You'll be fine, just enjoy your new pets and if you have any more worries/questions, well, you know where to come!

[PeckyBeak]

Hi Megalin, welcome to the wonderful world of chicken keeping.

Quite a chalk & cheese selection you have in mind. Some people will advise you to have similar types, but I have found that you can mix different breeds together without too much trouble.

I have a RIR and she is head chook, she rules the roost, but with a kid glove, she has a lovely nature and chats to me all the time. I also have a Gold Laced Orpinton who also has a lovely gentle and quiet nature. I understand that Polands have a friendly nature but are more of a high maintenance breed on a practical level. Their fancy head gear needs to be inspected and washed regularly to prevent parasitic infections. Also because the crest limits the birds vision, it may get picked on in a mixed flock as non-crested breeds may take advantage of it.

They are better with narrow-lipped drinkers to prevent their head feathers from getting wet, and should be fed pellets not mash as the dust can cause eye problems. Their egg count per year is also on the low side, around 120.

They do look stunning however.

Good Luck with whatever you choose.

[Plum]

How exciting. I understand orps and polands are prone to bullying so guess they would be fine together and Peckbeak seems to find RIR good so go for it

[Sue]

Hi there - you asked about grit.

 

It is one of those things that everyone has different ideas about so its a bit "suck it and see"

 

A successful poultry showman I recently spoke to said he had been keeping birds since the 60's and had never given them any grit at all ever

 

I personally like have oystershell grit on offer at all time. If they are on complete free range they will find their own sharp grit, but if they are penned I feel they need granite grit as well, and I personally would feed it in separate pans so they don't take too much of one or the other. I even give my day olds chick grit. So its one of those things

 

What I do feel is that the breed and more importantly the particular strain of whatever breed, will also dictate egg shell quality. And of course if you have rescue hens which have pretty well laid themselves out then poor shell quality can be a fact of life.

 

All the best and I just know you will really enjoy all of it

 

Sue

Dark Brown Eggs

[megalin]

Well thank you all for your replies!

I guess I'll just ask the breeders about the best option when I go,

Feeling a bit iffy about the polish..... Don't want to put any ladies at risk because of lack of practice so maybe I'll get one in the spring when we've got to grips with them!

I'll offer them everything I've got and they can take what they like.... Feel like I'm having babies!

The anxiety is setting in!

So excited, we're growing them some sprouts so they have nice fresh seedlings when they arrive

and stocking up on porridge.... Oh dear

megan