Cube Mark One Run

[witzend]

I've just been trawling through the shop to make a list of things I need to buy for with my chooks get here.

 

I'm MEGA confused!!!

 

Don't mind paying a bit extra for a recommended product, but there's so many different products/makers/prices

 

Can somone point me in the right direction for what's NECESSARY, or USEFUL to have, or ONLY GET when needed

 

ALSO(!) garlic/cider/bokashi ............do you use all three all the time or some some of the time??

 

Flubenvet worming - where from?? presumably not needed for newly received chooks??

 

If it helps, there'll be 3/4 bantam/small chooks in a Classic with a 6' x 6' covered run on flagged area

 

Head spinning (again!) x

[Henchanted]

Personally if I was writing a list based on my experience and knowledge from reading here and other sites and books, so far, it would be quite short

 

ESSENTIALS

 

a) good house bedding like Aubiose (and Hemcore and the like) extremely good at soaking up anything damp esp in winter/rainy months- I use this inside the eglu mixed with DE (and occasionally a few drops of tea tree and or lavender essential oil) and in the covered run mixed with sand/hardwood-chips/gravel and DE and bokashi (to help break down the poo)

 

b) DE (diamaceous earth sold as DIATOM by Omlet) - every few days use- this kills mites/lice/most creepy-crawlies physically not chemically so is completely safe to use directly on the hens and puffed into any crevices of the house and dusted over the roosting bars etc and particularly good in the dust bath so they can clean themselves. You need a decent amount and be fairly generous at first, I got through the 450gm puffer bottle in 2 months but now I have the 2kgs from which I top up the bottle. Most other powders specifically advertised for red mite/ mites /lice contain this yet are often loads more expensive. Just be sure not to inhale the dust- not good for our lungs.

 

c) good grit, (the one mixed with oyster shell even better for calcium) - every day use -hens cannot process the food without this as it helps them to break up and digest whatever they are eating

 

d) Bokashi bran -every day use -excellent at helping the hens nutrition, providing good digestive bacteria and so their poo is less runny and smelly and I swear mine are often livelier whenever I give them an extra sprinkling for a treat

 

e) the feed your new girls are used to plus the feed you want them to eat so you can gradually change over to the one of your choice

 

f) if your hens are free-ranging then even if they haven't come with worms they are likely to pick them up from soil infected by other animals and birds- so Flubavet

 

USEFUL

 

g) apple cider vinegar- this is supposed to be good for their gut also and reduces the risk of them getting worms - I started off by using cider vinegar from Sainsburys but apparently this is not the same so I stopped and haven't seen its made any difference, I probably will get the ACV next time I go to a horse supplies store

 

h) possibly gentian violet (I have only used mine once) or another antiseptic spray to treat minor injuries

 

i) poultry spice - vitamin boost and appetite enhancer useful if your hens a bit off colour (I have only used this a couple of times, probably could have done without it)

 

j) mixed corn- for good quality treats

 

k) meal-worms for very very good quality treats

 

l) personally I hate the smell of the garlic powder and don't see the need if you use a good quality feed (never used it myself but smelt to high heaven used by another hen-keeper)

 

 

Hope this helps

[witzend]

cheers - it certainly lessens the list!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Have you seen the Shopping List for Newbies ?

[witzend]

yes, thanks, using it as a base but wondered if those will oodles of experience had found certain products working better than others

 

Should I get medications in 'just in case' or wait until I need them?

[chuckmum6]

I would have some nutridrops in just in case, this gives a boost to off colour hens also some anti peck spray is valuable. A good disinfectant for cleaning out the coop and I think Stalosan F is very good I use it in the dropping tray of my cube and from time to time in the run.