Omlet cube and run

[mcfee2]

After eight years of debating, I'm going to pick up a second hand Eglu tomorrow and start my new chicken life...

 

I've been reading on here for a while, and am so excited but nervous at the same time. I took my kids to look at chickens this afternoon but the chap dismissed all the beautiful types of chickens we have wanted and said the warrens he sold were the best option as most docile and best layers. I know it's mostly about the eggs... but if these girls are going to join our family I'd like to be sure that we get it right first time and I don't live to regret our choice.

 

So... getting to my very first question (most likely of many, for which I apologise in advance) ... which breeds are best for first timers and why? And are there any recommendations where I can get them from? I've scoured practical poultry and the Internet and harangued friends, but I'm still no clearer!

 

Thanks in advance, I'm looking forward to developing the addiction that seems all around here!

[Jenthelibrarian]

Hi!

 

Just a year ago we were in the same position [it's our first 'heniversary' next weekend ]

 

As beginners we settled for hybrids. We chose one Warren, because she looked like a proper 'little red hen' and got a black rock/Pepperpot-type hen so we could tell them apart! The Warren laid her first egg next day and has hardly missed a day since.

 

Pure-breed hens will live longer and lay less regularly, the hybrids are bred to be reliable egg-laying machines and [mostly] won't go broody on you. They are also hardy and friendly.

 

You don't say the ages of your kids, or where you are....but -

We bought from a small-holding [Widget's near Reading] where the hens were outside in spacious runs and picked cheerful, confident-looking girls. I had thought I fancied a Bluebell, but these were the shy more nervous birds at the edge of the crowd. Personally I wouldn't choose on looks alone.

 

Whatever you eventually choose you will be besotted, of course

 

You will also get loads of help, no question is too daft for the lovely friendly people on here, so let us know who joins your family and how you all get on

[L Marques]

After eight years of debating, I'm going to pick up a second hand Eglu tomorrow and start my new chicken life...

 

I've been reading on here for a while, and am so excited but nervous at the same time. I took my kids to look at chickens this afternoon but the chap dismissed all the beautiful types of chickens we have wanted and said the warrens he sold were the best option as most docile and best layers. I know it's mostly about the eggs... but if these girls are going to join our family I'd like to be sure that we get it right first time and I don't live to regret our choice.

 

So... getting to my very first question (most likely of many, for which I apologise in advance) ... which breeds are best for first timers and why? And are there any recommendations where I can get them from? I've scoured practical poultry and the Internet and harangued friends, but I'm still no clearer!

 

Thanks in advance, I'm looking forward to developing the addiction that seems all around here!

Hi there i think that pekin bantams are adorable i have two ,had them since september and do not regret a thing.One started laying eggs back in january and has now gonne broody and she is sitting on eggs i am gonna have chicks i am so excited.good luck with all.enjoy your chickens

[Olly]

Welcome to the forum. If you look in the FAQs there's a thread called Where to buy Chickens - or you could just Google 'buy hens in (Essex)' or wherever and see what comes up. If you'd like to give an indication of where you are roughly, other people might have some recommendations.

 

This is a question that's often asked, and I don't think there is any right or wrong breed - individual hens can have different characteristics anyway. Since these hens are going to be living with you for the next three or four years, we hope, I'd choose ones you like. Warrens are fine (I've just got two new ones myself ) but its nice to have a mixture of breeds.

[mcfee2]

Thank you for the replies so far, I guess I was trying not to go on too long, but missed the important bits! Kids are eight and ten and love both the cat and guinea pig we already have, but they're a bit timid themselves. We live near Nottingham, so we are going to try hens4pets tomorrow and see how we go. I just don't want to get it wrong (can't think where the kids get their scaredy cat nature from!)

[Luvachicken]

After eight years of debating, I'm going to pick up a second hand Eglu tomorrow and start my new chicken life...

 

I've been reading on here for a while, and am so excited but nervous at the same time. I took my kids to look at chickens this afternoon but the chap dismissed all the beautiful types of chickens we have wanted and said the warrens he sold were the best option as most docile and best layers. I know it's mostly about the eggs... but if these girls are going to join our family I'd like to be sure that we get it right first time and I don't live to regret our choice.

 

So... getting to my very first question (most likely of many, for which I apologise in advance) ... which breeds are best for first timers and why? And are there any recommendations where I can get them from? I've scoured practical poultry and the Internet and harangued friends, but I'm still no clearer!

 

Thanks in advance, I'm looking forward to developing the addiction that seems all around here!

Hi there i think that pekin bantams are adorable i have two ,had them since september and do not regret a thing.One started laying eggs back in january and has now gonne broody and she is sitting on eggs i am gonna have chicks i am so excited.good luck with all.enjoy your chickens

 

I agree with how lovely pekin bantams are - I now have 3, as well as 2 wyandottes and a buff plymouth rock.

They are cheeky little characters and I love the way they bustle about.

I would definitely go for them again.

[counturchickens]

We're not too far away from you, I'm sure hens for pets will give you some good advice. We have ex batts (warren type hen) and they're all really friendly. We also have a couple of columbines, which lay blue eggs but they're more flighty so not so good for beginners - that said we love them anyway!

[good_egg]

We love our pure breed girls. Really like the fact we have 4 very different looking girls. You can achieve the same with different hybrids but the longer life (hopefully) of pure breeds attracted us and also we didn't mind if they didn't lay an egg everyday. Good luck with whatever you choose - I'm sure you will love them and so will the kids.

[Egghead68]

I would choose pure breeds over hybrids because they live longer and have fewer egg-laying problems.

 

I love my pekin and recommend them but be warned they can be quite noisy!

 

Silkies are also adorable but prone to Marek's disease.

 

A friend of mine loves his salmon faverolle - they are a very gentle cuddly breed.

[daxigirl]

Love my troupe to bits and as you see it's a mixed bag (2 different houses & runs), mainly selected for egg colour and I wants from the chicken encyclopedia.

 

My mum bought herself 3 warren types last year and they were friendly from the get go and lay at least 2 eggs a day, with a lot of the initial efforts being double yolkers. She loves them to bits (even though she moans about her garden being destroyed) and wouldn't want any others.

 

The chicken world is out there so pick what you fancy but I'd stick with LF or Bantams as a beginner don't mix them.

[torgrosset]

I started my chicken keeping with 4 ex-bats, however my parents have always had chooks so I am used to having them around. I've got hybrids at the moment - 4 ex-bat warren types and 2 POL's a bluebelle (who is proving to be very placid) and a black rock type. I also have 3 others on the way - a cuckoo marans and a light sussex in my friends incubator waiting to be hatched any day and a 3 week old cream crested legbar chick - all 3 will come to me at POL. It depends what you want hens for. If it's for a placid bird that lays lots of eggs then I'd say get a warren or hybrid type - last year I was getting 4 eggs a day with the occasional 3 eggs a day from my 4 ex-bats. I think you'll find that everybody has their own opinion on what they do/don't like. My daughters (aged 7 and 9) have a hen each - Roxy and Toffee - and they've made them very tame and friendly.

[Chortle Chook]

Someone who sells just Warrens is bound to 'push' Warrens

 

As you will hopefully have your chooks for a long time I'd try your very best not to go with the first you come upon, even if you eventually go back to them. Warrens might well be lovely and the girls you get in the end, however what I'd really recommend is that you try to visit something like an agricultural fair where you can actually see different breeds. There is nothing quite like actually having them in front of you to see what breeds grab you and you will also be able to talk face to face with the breeders. When I first saw some different breeds, I was amazed by how different they were from the pictures in books. For instance Orps are simply huge and Pekins really little.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Hi! Welcome to the magical world of chook keeping

 

I started with 3 "bombproofs".....a Goldline (warren), a Bluebelle, and an Amber star....essentially I had to have healthy, easy to look after birds who would settle in with our 3 Labradors, 2 children and any number of other variable children & visiting dogs at that time!

 

They were wonderful girls , now sadly departed , but I have since gone on to add to my flock ....just a little ...with home hatches, purchases, gifts, ex-batts & adoptees (Daxigirl, Mavis has settled in well, very chatty & now taken to escaping into the main garden with a couple of other minxes!)

 

My rabble have amongst others blue Orpingtons (adopted moaning minnies), cuckoo Marans (home hatch from friend's eggs), cream Legbar (gift) bantam Welsummer (home hatch from Redwing's eggs) Araucana crosses, assorted hybrids (gifts and adopted) 2 gorgeous batties...and my adorable Pekin cockerel Baby and his harem...I would never be without them now, can you tell?

 

As Daxigirl mentioned, until you are more experienced, I would also advise big OR little girls to start with...mine is obviously a vastly mixed flock, and if I didn't have Baby, I suspect the flocks would probably still be "big" and "little".... He keeps the peace beautifully & has been watched separating a s"Ooops, word censored!" between a Marans & a Pekin...Pekins are feisty but no match for a stroppy Marans!

 

Good luck with whatever you choose to bring home to your family, you will lose many an hour to simply watching & laughing at their antics...you will not have a show garden, unless you keep the girls behind a fence...but your life will be enhanced...I promise ....oh and you'll get eggs! Bonus!

 

And then there's hatching....oh my goodness maybe I should leave now....

 

By the way....you do not NEED a cockerel, Baby was a hand reared chick & as such I could not rehome him....he has become part of my merry band, and the neighbour has learned to live with his funny crowing! Fortunately I live surrounded by fields and only one slightly neighbour! X

[mcfee2]

Hi guys

 

So today we brought home:

Dandelion, a Black Star

Galax, a Speckeldy

And

Fuchsia, a Sussex Star

 

I looked at pekins and silkies and wyandotte (among others!) but I think I need to get used to looking after chickens generally before I take on more than I know what to do with!

 

Just pulled one of the garden chairs round, and I'm sat here watching them.

 

Thanks for all the replies, I am so glad I came on here. Everyone seems so lovely and helpful

[Egghead68]

Have fun with them!

[daxigirl]

Oh your gonna waste hours and hours watching them. Congratulations on your newbies.

[Chortle Chook]

Congratulations on your new girls. "Egg timers" will have a totally different meaning from now on as with your new hens time will stand still

[charly1979]

 

Just pulled one of the garden chairs round, and I'm sat here watching them.

 

 

Brilliant glad you got your girls I too spend hours just watching my lot usually with a camera to hand they are amazing, I love my cuddles and chats with them, I do get caught out by not realising the neighbour is in his garden im sure he thinks in barking

 

Have fun x

[mcfee2]

I've just come down from putting the kids to bed and they are tucked up in the eglu for the night. What wonders does day 2 have in store? How long should I keep them in the run before letting them out for some free ranging?

 

I can't believe how happy they have made me just in one day! I'll be delirious when they start laying!

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Leave them for a few days or a week so they get used to their new home...

 

Glad you're such a happy chook mama

[Minty_76]

Bit late on this thread. Not been on for a while due to this and that! Just waving hi from Bingham too! Glad you're enjoying your girls. Nice to know a fellow omletteer nearby!

[Saronne]

Sounds like you made a good choice! Enjoy

 

Saronne x

[carrotspine]

Hi all,

I too have very recently entered into the chicken keeping world. We picked up four lovely ladies on Saturday, a Warren, Blackrock, Bluebell and Sussex, named Gin, Curtis, Pop and Helen. I am absolutely love watching them peck and scratch around, and we've had two eggs already from Curtis, although her and Gin have had their wings clipped now to a escape attempt made on Saturday! One thing it has done is get everyone outside. I know the weather has been lovely, but sitting and watching them has been a joy, even the cats seem to like them! The only issue at the moment is bedtimes. Last night they all went in the eglu for a few minutes and then kept popping out again, no one seemed to want to make the first move! My husband ended up in the run with them to coax them inside. Will they learn to go in and stay in on their own? We're going away for the night next month and would like them to know what to do before then. I'll post some photos soon.

[chickanne]

Congrats on new girls - shame the weather is poor today (or you may think this is a bonus because you'll get something other than chicken-watching done today!

[Chortle Chook]

Hello carrotspine. Don't worry, your chickens will learn to go to bed and stay in bed. At first there is a bit of popping in and back out again as they sort out their pecking order because usually that determines who goes in first and who comes out first. The lowest in the pecking order comes out last or near to last in the morning, and usually (but not always) goes to bed early too. Also if it has been a lovely day chickens seem to be like children and show a certain reluctance to go to bed and stay there