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[jan_novice_chicken_keeper]

Still a while to go until my 'surprise' eglu and chooks are delivered, but I want to be ready for them. Normally, I would do lots of research first, but time is quite short as I didn't know they were coming, so I'm hoping for some guidance. There seems to be an awful lot of different equipment/feed additives/feed supplements/chicken essentials available! I want the girls to be happy and to be able to keep them healthy from the start.

 

Other than the eglu, run, feed, shade etc. that are coming, what else is it useful to have? Which items would you not be without?

 

Thanks for your help,

 

Jan

[xScrunchee]

Hi Jan,

My Eglu and hens are coming next Tuesday and I didn't have a clue what to get so I ordered the all weather shade, garlic powder, verm-x, citricidal, mite powder, chicken spice and grit!! Mmm, maybe I got a little carried away but I thought that it's best to cover everything in one go. lol (Plus saves on postage then I'll have time to find a supplier in my area).

 

I'll probably find out now that I don't need half of what I ordered but better to have too much than not enough

[Cinnamon]

Hi Jan & congrats on your new flock

As far as I am concerned,these are essentials ..................

 

Eglu full shade

Chicken pellets

Garlic Powder

Grit

Chicken Spice

Apple Cider Vinegar

Diatrom

A good food storage bin & scoop

Spare roosting bars set

 

Most of these you can get from Omlet,& they should send them very quickly.

 

 

[Tina C]

Spare roosting bars are my number one tip.

 

All of the above are good but don't get too carried away or you will spend a fortune!

[Guest]

A comfy chair, and a large cup of coffee to drink, while you sit on the aforementioned comfy chair, watching, fascinated by your new chickens - they are the two most important items you will need!

 

Oh! And a pair of crocs for the early morning door opeing in your pyjamas, and a camera, because we're a nosey bunch here!

[Cate in NZ]

I'd ditto Shona I have to say. You really don't need a lot to keep your chickens happy and healthy, food, water, shade and somewhere safe to sleep at night, and then comfortable things to make it easier for you to care for them and enjoy spending time with them.

All the extra bits and pieces can get a bit expensive, and they're not particularly hard to get hold of (most horsey places stock them) so I'd suggest buy them as you need them .

I may sound like a careless owner here:oops: (I hope not) but I've had chickens for more than 2 years, including ex batts and I've not got 1/2 the stuff in that's in some essentials list

[feemcg]

A cleaner (for your house, not theirs ).

[chickenlass]

A cleaner (for your house, not theirs ).

 

LOL ... I take it us new chicken keepers are going to be too busy keeping house for the chickens to bothered with domestic chores?

 

I'll have to tell Hubby to get his own Tea/washing etc from now on...I'll soon be on chicken watch.

[Basset]

Hi,

 

My most important "Must-Have" for new chickens is loads of tit-bits and treats to help you make friends with them, and to get them used to coming up to you and being fed by hand!!!

[Sarah71]

Hi,

 

My most important "Must-Have" for new chickens is loads of tit-bits and treats to help you make friends with them, and to get them used to coming up to you and being fed by hand!!!

 

I agree, but mine are too friendly now, those beaks don't half hurt And the little so an so's go to bed but come running out again when they see me coming before I can close the Eglu door But love 'em to bits though

[Helly Welly]

Most important is a camera so we can see lots of lovely photos of your chooks

[Olly]

aubiose - must-have.

garlic - stops the poo smelling!

spare roosting bars - makes life easier.

 

that's about all! buy the rest as and when you need it. You can improvise feeding things, spare drinkers, toys, etc and you will soon find out where your local horsey or farm shop is for the rest.

 

Camera - definitely!

[chelsea]

I agree with most posters on here -

 

aubiose/hemcore to put in the run

Poultry spice - to put in their food for tip top hens

spare set of roosting bars (less than £7 from omlet)

we have the winter and summer shade

Diatom to prevent beasties

Barrier redmite powder - to sprinkle to prevent redmite (smells lovely and lasts for ages)

Grit/eggshell for chickens to munch on

 

----------------------

 

we have also collected along the months (not essential at 1st though)

 

Bottle of shellstim (this helps harden the egg shells if you get soft shells)

Tub of Flubenvet (wormer, we worm ours every 3-4 months)

 

We have a box of miscellanous chickeny bits in the garage which we have added to....nothing overly expensive....but everything seems to be packaged in large amounts so it lasts for ages.

[MisHapp]

I think you need Red Mite powder as an essential and some good disinfectant/cleaner for when you clean out. I know a lot of people use Ecover - I use Virkon S once in a while as it kills all known beasts and nasties - LOL!!

 

Poultry Grit is important too.

 

A large metal dustbin for storing food - imperative for keeping away rats.

 

Enjoy.

[theherd123]

A good wrinkle cream to help disguise all the lines created by the hours you will spend laughing at the chickens!

Edited May 2, 2007 by Guest

[Christian]

I agree with the others -

 

Spare roosting bars

Aubiose (couldn't live without it)

Barrier mite powder (get those nasty b$gg*rs)

 

Enjoy chicken keeping, you'll never look back!

[Rhapsody]

Long- handled washing-up brush to clean bars

Spare bars

large sun/rain cover

I use Bedmax in roosting box/litter tray/ run

Cans of sweetcorn (to make friends)

Good luck!

[xScrunchee]

Looks like I'll have to phone Omlet and add spare roosting bars to my order before Tuesday. OH will be pleased! lol

[jan_novice_chicken_keeper]

Thank you this is really helpful. I've written a list of a couple of things to ask DH to add to his order (spare roosting bars is top of the list)! He is chuffed..... (especially as he also told me he'd ordered a green eglu, unless I really wanted a different colour and I have completely fallen in love with purple....)

 

Seriously, I am very grateful for all the help. I read an article about a basic first aid kit for chickens the other day, which ran to 40 odd items and I was a bit panicked!!!

 

Less than 3 weeks to go - I can't wait!

 

Jan