BrightonSteve Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Hi - we're getting our first chickens this coming weekend and I wondered what advice you would give a first-timer, especially about the first 24 hours they're with us, as we want to make sure they don't get stressed. They won't be free-ranging but will have a good sized mesh run with hardwood wood chip on the floor (if I can find a supplier - anyone know of one in Sussex?!) Two questions in particular: * Getting them home - I'm buying three birds from a reputable poultry farm in Sussex. Should I put them in one large box (with ventilation holes) or three smaller boxes for the journey home? * When I get them home, I've read somewhere that they should be put in the house with the door shut and left there overnight. Is that right, or does it only apply if they're going to be free-ranging? When should they have access to the run? Also, I've seen conflicting advice on whether I should be putting food and/or water inside the house at night (not just the first night) - some people think they need access at night, especially to water, but others seem to think they will just knock it over in the house and daytime access will be fine. Any thoughts? Thanks for reading this far - I'm excited (and very glad) to find there's a community online I can turn to with questions like these - I hope I'm not just replicating what's been asked hundreds of times before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loumabel Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Welcome to the forum, It is fantastic and I don't know what I would do without it sometimes, there is always fantastic friendly advice on hand and I am sure you will find is useful. I am pretty new to this chicken keeping myself and I am sure someone with much more experience than me will be along soon to give you advice but speaking for myself I would put all three in one large box for transporting as hens don't like to be alone even for a short time. I would not put food and water in their house as this is a bad habit to get them into and can attract Rats etc... With regard to a run, I have just ordered a Walk in Run from Aviaries4U and they are really well priced and well made. I have also seen some on ebay from Bay animal housing and they are also a good price and quick delivery. I hope this helps. Best wishes and happy hen keeping x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Congratulations on becoming a chicken keeper. As you are getting all your chickens from the same place you should be okay putting them in the same carrier. It is often best to collect chickens later in the day as when they go to roost that are more docile - not that I waited though. I'd put them in the house and after a short while (about 20 seconds ) let them have access to the run. I'd only have food/water in the run - they can last overnight quite well with nothing after all they are sleeping. It also means pests aren't attracted to the food. You may need to encourage them into the house at bedtime - some people shine a torch and they go towards the light. I 'guided' them gently with a bamboo cane. They soon get the hang of it. I would advise that you start as you mean to go on so let them out in the morning when you want to not when they demand. Mine are quite okay when I let them out at 7.30 in the mornings and this Summer holidays it has been 8 or occasionally later. What are you getting? Photos are required when they arrive too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Welcome to the forum - ask away, we've all been newbies and some of us still have loads of questions even now, I hope you'll find we are very friendly and pleased to try to help I lived in Brighton for more years than I care to remember so my biggest advice would be to make sure your girls are fox proofed in their house/run; I know how bad they are there As for taking them home, I'd put them in the same carrier, they settle down well in the dark and like the company. You don't need to give them food or water overnight. Personally I don't shut any newbies in their house. I let them roam in the house and run straightaway. You may find they don't know where their house is for the first night or two -chooks put themselves to bed as it gets dark. If you have this problem then put a torch in the house to encourage them in (it does work, honest)! Enjoy your new hobby, its very rewarding Oh well cross posted, but you might as well read it anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pips_pekins Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Welcome to the forum. You sound very excited and as Daphne has already written we have all been or are newbies so ask away (I am the latter so really know how you feel ). I don't leave any food, water or grit in either the run or the Eglu over night. Once the girls put themselves to bed, I shut the Eglu door and bring everything in. In the morning they have to wait for me to sort everyone else out and make a cup of tea! I then put everything back in the Eglu and let them out usually around 7.30ish. They are so funny as they watch me through the ventilation holes putting the Glug and Grub back in before I open the door. Mine stay in their run when we are out but do enjoy some free ranging time when I am around. Just make sure that the run is big enough for the number of chickens you are getting. I get Natural Hardwood Chips from B&Q at about £6 or £7 a bag. I usually get 3-4 bags for a 3m Eglu run. It is pretty good and every week I hose it down, rake it through, top it up if it needs it and sprinkle it with Stalosan F which makes it smell nice. I hope you will enjoy keeping chickens. What types of chicken are you getting? Don't forget, we want photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrightonSteve Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Thanks everyone for the advice- keep it coming! Is there anything you wish you'd known before your girls arrived? Our choice of birds keeps changing but I think we've settled on a Light Sussex, a Rhode Rock and a Columbian Black Tail, all from Martins Wood Farm: http://www.facebook.com/MartinsWoodFarm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 In answer to your question... How great it is having chickens and wish I had done it years ago...Wish I had taken the plunge sooner. They are such a joy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlisonH Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Hi, welcome to chicken keeping. I've had mine a a few months now and the forum is a great place for help and info. I put my chooks in my large cat basket to get them home. I then put them in the run as soon as I got home then they automatically went into the house at night. I don't put food or water in the house overnight. One bit of advice that might be helpful is to put any treats in the run or in a feeder as we were thrilled when our chooks starting feeding out of our hands but then they expected it and we couldn't even put our hands near to open the run without a being pecked. Also try to handle them as much as you can and it makes it much easier to check them over or pick them up when they escape if you need to. Good luck and be prepared for hours of time spent watching their antics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammy72 Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I've only had mine for a month but brought them home in a dog crate, I covered part of it with a towel and they settled down for the short journey home (15 mins or so). I lifted them in to their run and they promptly went straight into their house for the afternoon. I left them alone and they eventually came out into their run for some food in the evening. I kept them in their house and run for 4 days and they had some free range time at the weekend, albeit in a netted off area. They soon learned that their run and house are a safe place to run too if they get spooked by something. I don't put food or water in their house, would be hard as it is an eglu but they do go straight to their food in the morning when I open the eglu door anytime between 6.30 and 8.00am depending on when we get up with the dogs. The advice I would give you is to spend time sat with them and giving them treats near you and then out of your hand. Whilst doing this try to stroke them. I found that once they trust you they are easy to pick up which is very handy. Don't chase them and if they flap or jump away from your hand just try again another day. Mine have become tame within a month and yesterday they jumped on my back as a bridge across to a different area. Today I was rewarded with my 1st egg too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 a crisp box or a cat basket is fine to bring them home in if you're bringing them home in the evening then you could put them straight to bed but otherwise do put them in the house to start with just so they can calm down in the dark after their journey. They'll be fine and cool and calm down after about half an hour. You'll probably find that wood bark/chip isn't the best run material, it isn't absorbent but does get slimy. Is the run covered over? If so then you can get a rape straw type stuff or some other horse/poultry bedding for the run. It will be much more absorbent and can be easily raked over and replaced every few months or so. It does need to be covered though. No food and water in the house - they don't need it and they won't eat or drink in the dark. And if you ever need a chook-sitter my daughter (an experienced chook-wrangler) lives in Brighton! (She's called 'The Lurker' on this forum). good luck and enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 You asked if there was anything I wish I'd known before I got chickens. For me it was just how addictive they are. I thought I only needed three and yet that figure was blown out of the water in a few months. They seem to have some sort of hypnotic effect. Your choice of hens sounds great - a good mix. Oh and I was very nervous about having a hen go broody and now want my hens to go broody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Hi, I get my hardwood chips online from Flytesofancy. They have lasted for ages and are easy to rake over and disinfect every now and again, and they work very well in an uncovered run. Do make sure that you don't get bark as it is not suitable. Hens do not need food or water overnight, so you won't need to put any in their house. Have a great time choosing your chickens - you won't regret getting them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Hi - we're getting our first chickens this coming weekend and I wondered what advice you would give a first-timer, especially about the first 24 hours they're with us, as we want to make sure they don't get stressed. They won't be free-ranging but will have a good sized mesh run with hardwood wood chip on the floor (if I can find a supplier - anyone know of one in Sussex?!) Firstly congratulations on your forthcoming girls, and secondly, can I recommend some sort of horse bedding instead of the wood chip?....I tried the wood chip but it turned damp and smelly very quickly...I now use Aubiose, a hemp based horse bedding, which absorbs poo, and is compostable too...a big bale will cost you about a tenner, and I think it is a million times better than wood chip....others on here use hemcore or easibed which are also supposed to very good. as to your first 24 hours...just sit back and admire...you will quickly realise this is a much more expensive hobby than you thought...because you will also need...comfortable bench for chicken watching, flask or insulated coffee cup ...for chicken watching (or alternatively Ice cubes and wine bucket for weekends!!) ... WATERPROOF CLOTHING and then of course there are the things the girls need.. top of their list is Mealworms... second on their list is Mealworms third on their list is ....Mealworms when mealworms are boring..then fresh corn on the cob or a cabbage hung from the run is very acceptable ( we have a suspended corn on the cob screw in plastic holder which works very well for us) ...stand back and watch the swingball fun begin! Hope you aren't keeping hens to save money ... I'm really quite pleased now, that my eggs are down to about a fiver each Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henergy Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Hope you aren't keeping hens to save money ... I'm really quite pleased now, that my eggs are down to about a fiver each Only a fiver !!!! My husband always comments about the £ but I see them as therapy for a stressed out mum of 3 boys who needs little girls in her life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrightonSteve Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 Thanks again for all the advice, it's incredibly useful. Any views on using shredded paper as a bedding/nesting material in their house? I've been told it is easy to clean out, suitably absorbent and composts faster than hay or straw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 I use horse bedding such as hemcore/aubiose in the nest, i also use it to line the poo trays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlisonH Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I use Hemcore for the floor of the run and under the bars -it's very absorbent, especially in the run as the poo seems to disappear. I use paper shreddings in the nest although there always seems to be a trail of them across the garden for some reason but the chooks seem to find them comfy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
