the vicars wife Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Hi, My chickens, eglu and run are arriving tomorrow (yippee!) to our garden in east London. I'm totally new to keeping chickens, and actually we've never even had a pet. I'm just wondering if any of you experienced keepers would give me some top tips to make sure our hens start our healthy and happy, we care for them properly, and they don't get eaten by our bold London foxes. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennym Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Welcome to the forums, and to chicken-keeping! I am also in London, and I got my 3 ladies in May. The first thing I'll say is, if they have food, water, grit, and an eglu and run, they will be absolutely fine. I imagined all sorts of horrors in the first few days/weeks, and was so scared I'd need something I didn't have - I was all "OMG I don't have any cider vinegar/DE/wormer/purple spray (insert any chicken treatment here!) and THEY ARE GOING TO DIE". Well, they didn't, and everything I worried about was just normal stuff for point-of-lay chickens checking out new surroundings. You are, however, absolutely right to be worried about foxes, especially (IMHO) the bold London variety. Try to place the eglu and run on level ground and then peg the run down with tent pegs, especially if you see any of the skirting rising up a bit on uneven ground. We relocate our run once per week and peg it down each time. In the next couple of weeks we're going to choose a winter location for the run, secure it well, put down some edging and fill it with wood chips - hopefully this will prevent the run from being a mud bath all winter. Use the search facility here on the forums, and skim through the FAQs when you have some free time (if you aren't busy gazing at your hens in wonder!). Most anything that happens to you will have already happened to someone else. If in any doubt just post on here and you'll get advice and/or reassurance. Good luck, and enjoy your new friends! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Welcome to the wonderful world of chicken keeping /watching I was the same as Jennym, we have had ours since June and they have changed our lives totally to the point where you become to some people "chicken boring" I had all the same thoughts as Jennym and probably more , I was scared , excited , had we done the right thing? I would not change them for anything ...So I have no back garden left ,so my herb garden has gone ..Do I care not a jot I have 3 girls 2 and 1 and they all get on well together.My husband built a WIR and so they are secure while we are out but when we are in they run around as much as possible. This is the best forum ever with so many great people always willing to give advice..so don't hesitate ,ask. I live in Bucks with a very small garden with a house that backs on to a wood..Foxes not seen one yet but always on the look out. Good luck . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JS1 Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Good luck - chickens can be addictive! My top tip (as ever) is to have more than one feeder and drinker available while the pecking order is being sorted out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Welcome to the forum. Firstly, you have done the right thing in ordering an Eglu - provided it's set up properly, and the run skirt is either pegged down, on slabs, or weighted with a plant pot or two, your hens should be safe from foxes. You will certainly have foxes in East London! I can still remember the day my Eglu and hens arrived, Roy from Omlet put one of them down on the ground and she immediately started pecking away - ooh, just like a real hen, I thought, and then realised they WERE real hens and that this was it! They know what to do, and as long as they have clean water and pellets they will sort themselves out - I wouldn't even worry about grit at the beginning, the pellets will have some in. I also wouldn't be too concerned about the pecking order if they are all arriving together from Omlet, they will probably sort themselves out fairly easily. Keep them in the run for the first few days, and try to get them used to treats being accompanied either by a special dish or a call or both - that way, when you do let them out, they will (in theory) associate that dish or that sound with treats and come back to the run easily. Well, that's the theory, anyway! Enjoy your hens - it's so exciting getting your first ones, and even more exciting when the eggs arrive! How many are you getting, and what colour is your Eglu? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 You'll be fine. I'd go with the above advice, and all I'd add is that for them to become tame and follow you around/jump on you etc, just give it time and keep hanging about with the hens, giving them treats etc. Over time you'll get to know each other and you'll all get on just perfectly. As the hens get closer to laying age (about 20 weeks or so) they'll get even easier to handle! I only let mine free range when I'm physically in the garden with them. Oh, and they'll be fine over winter also - they cuddle up in the eglu to keep warm. If it snows, put a bit of vaseline on their combs & wattles, but other than that, they'll sort themselves out (warm, but not hot, porridge mixed with water goes down VERY well with hens on a cold day) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the vicars wife Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 wow, thanks for the advice so far. it's reassuring to hear that other people were as excited as i am before their girls arrived. the 'OMG they are all going to die!' comment really struck home and echoed my anxieties exactly so it's nice to hear that others had the same worries and have found them mostly unfounded. to answer a question- i'm getting a miss pepperpot and a ginger ranger. just the two as one person i met who kept chickens for years strongly recommended even numbers. sounds like three may have been ok though? any thoughts? i guess i can always get another one (or two!) in due course. i think becoming a chicken bore is quite likely! i let my nearly five year old pick the colour of the eglu- a red classic. can't wait to see it. thanks again for the tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Hi and welcome to the forum before long you will wonder how you ever lived without them INMHO it is better to start with three hens rather than two as if for any reason you were to lose a hen you would be left with a lone hen and trying to introduce newbies to a lone hen can be a bit of a trial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammy72 Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 I had the shall I get 2 or 3 chickens dilemma but I am happy with 2 given the size of the secure run even tho' I have now extended it to 3m and they get let out when I am in the garden every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 For the 2m run, I'd say 2 hens is probably a realistic limit, but extended to 3m, 3 hens would be fine. It's a good idea to get 3 as, much as your hens should live for several years (about 3 for the gingernut, and 4 or so for the pepperpot), if one does die, you don't want the other being alone for very long, having 3 at least allows you to avoid that scenario. I'd get 3 - it's no more of a hassle than 2. It's probably worth saying that the gingernut and the pepperpot complement each others' personalities quite well. After a short time you'll find them curious about what you're up to and they'll follow you everywhere (especially the gingernut - they're an inquisitive breed). One thing that's useful to find is someone willing to look after them while you're away - friends/neighbours/family, or an pet sitter. Hens are low maintenance so that shouldn't be too difficult. Then you'll start thinking of more hens, and walk in runs etc... Oh, and enjoy, you'll love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunaKiw1 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 All normal feelings on your part! We had a Miss Pepperpot and Gingernut Ranger in an Eglu classic + 2m run and i think that is fine - 3 would be a bit crowded even with free range time. We did eventually get an Omlet WIR to give them more space. We had to have both PTS a couple of months ago and now have 3 and that's a nice number and will allow us not to have to worry about intros if one dies. We have a Fox Watch ultrasonic deterrent plugged into the garage by their run on all the time as we do have urban foxes around. I don't know if it works but we haven't had any foxes in our garden (that we know of!) and it gives us a bit more peace of mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Welcome to the forum. We too started with a and , they were both a lovely introduction to chicken keeping. Chickens are pretty tough and seem to cope well when new owners who are learning the chicken keeping ropes. I just had the omlet grub and glug and had no problems as it is all new to both of them, not like introducing new ones to existing stock. Don't forget to charge the camera, we love to see photos I am sure you will love your new girls. Any questions just post them and someone will answer, Omleteers are very knowledgable and helpful. Do you know when Omlet is delivering them? Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennym Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Don't forget to charge the camera, we love to see photos Oh yes, how could I forget that - pictures are much appreciated!! Can't wait to see your new girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 yep, I forgot to mention the foxwatch device - they work pretty well in my experience (better still if powered with the low voltage power cable rather than batteries, that way they don't run out of power!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the vicars wife Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 well, annabella (my daughter's gingernut) and miss speedwell (my son's pepperpot) arrived just after lunch (even though I gave omlet an old postcode which was miles away-obviously need more sleep!) to squeals of delight from the two children. i was totally unprepared for how excited they would be at the hen's arrival. i think they were even more excited than me. roy from omlet was great and really helpful- setting everything up was all quite quick and fun really. the kids and i were amazed at how soft our hens are- lovely! and they look so happy and healthy. i'm over the moon. we've probably spent at least two hours this afternoon just visiting the hens and watching them, finding snails, feeding them little bits of plant leaf. and, as i was putting the kids to bed, the clever hens just took themselves off to the coop and settled themselves in. their arrival really couldn't have been more ideal. so the obvious question is how long until we get eggs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Congratulations! Anything from a day to a month - you'll notice their combs going red, they'll start eating more and begin crouching if you hold a hand over them. You won't regret it, they are huge fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I remember getting my three hens at the start of the year. It really is exciting isn't it? You never know, you might get an egg tomorrow. Have you got any photos to share, would love to see your new girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the vicars wife Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 hurrah! two eggs today- both lovely, brown and delicious! they didn't last long. i'm so proud! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zakjon-98 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Brilliant! Eggs from your own hens always taste better, especially if your hens eat their greens. The yolks are so much brighter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the vicars wife Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 Well, the chickens have been settling in, with parties and trampoline-ing happening around all over them. It's been fab. I made the most delicious victoria sponge with some of miss speedwell's eggs. it was honestly the best sponge I've ever made! hurray chickens. I want to post their photos but I don't know how! they are lovely, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 See ...We told you so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Excellent. There's nothing like having your own eggs. I post pictures by uploading my photos to the photobucket website, then I copy and paste a link from there to use here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
