SarahGlymond Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 HELP !!! I need help guys im ready to choose which chickens I want I have found I lovely breeder although ill probably buy at POL We went to see the chickens on sunday and I have kind of fallen in love with gold partridge pekins but as that's quite a small chicken the breeder advises you don't mix small and large chickens. I was hoping for eggs all year round so hybrids are perfect and im a sucker of a traditional warren chicken but I was hoping to mix prue breeds and hybrids as I was told hybrids will stop laying after about three years so I don't want to have a run full of chickens with no eggs Can anyone give advice on whats a good mix of prue breeds and hybrids ? How long on average do hybrids lay for in there life time ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Pekins are feisty little souls and providing you introduce them carefully they should be OK with bigger breed chickens, I'm not sure, however, about mixing them with hybrids as though charming in themselves and very good egg layers for your first few years, hybrids can be quite mean to other chickens. I guess the real question is what sized eggs (Pekins only lay little ones, though the yolk in proportion to the white is usually quite large), and how many would you need. I get eggs all year round because my 2 Silkies lay in the winter. From my total of 10 chickens,in the winter months I get just enough for my own breakfast (from said Silkies) and then about now I get a complete glut of eggs which keep me, the dogs and the neighbours all well fed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahGlymond Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 Thanks shabby chic totally off topic but your picture shows a lovely house is this a henhut buy any chance I was pretty much sold on the eglu cube and was going to order today but stumbled across the henhuts in a magazine and now im in turmoil again is it wooden how easy is it to clean and do you get red mite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Thanks shabby chic totally off topic but your picture shows a lovely house is this a henhut buy any chance I was pretty much sold on the eglu cube and was going to order today but stumbled across the henhuts in a magazine and now im in turmoil again is it wooden how easy is it to clean and do you get red mite No it is a Granary from Flyte so Fancy. I was lucky however and got the 3ft version from the original designer before they sold the design to Flyte. It is plenty big enough for my 10 banties. I think that the Cube and plastic housing in general would be easier to keep clean and red mite free as there are no real 'corners' and all can easily be washed out and dried. However I love the old fashioned look - not called Shabby Chic for nothing So far (big touch wood) I've not had red mite. I put this down to me leaving the door open and taking the perches out during the day whenever it is sunny to give it all a good airing; and also to a bi-weekly clean when I remove absolutely all the aubiose and give all inside edges and corners a lavish puffing of DE (available from Omlet shop) Here's a bigger picture of the outside with door open to show you what I mean And a load of girlies taking shelter inside it in the winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahGlymond Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 Its lovely thsnkyou x xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hard Boiled Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Hi SarahGlymond, I am new here and yet to get my chickens as I am waiting until I've moved in August, but as a first time chicken keeper (I've been wanting them for years but covenants in deeds prevented it!) I've been researching chicken houses quite obsessively! I couldn't find much info on the HenHuts so I emailed them today and this is their reply - "Thanks for your enquiry. I apologise for any gaps in the info on the current website. It is a temporary site which we are using whilst our e-commerce site is being constructed. We use sustainable softwoods and a very high-grade external solid hardwood ply for the main panel construction due to its high weather resilience and heat retaining properties. We do, of course, also treat the timber with four coats of rubberised treatment also for added waterproofing and colour. I should mention we are now offering a choice of twenty colours for your Henhut! The Henhut Barn model dimms are (internally) H=1000 x W=1100 x D=1000 (externally) H=1470 x W=1100 x D=1000. Although this is our largest Henhut 'off the peg', we have made larger Henhut bespoke designs for customers to specific size requirement. We don't actually have any internal pictures at present but we will address this asap. Basically, the internal space is a clean box with no internal joins or awkward spaces which have been removed during the initial CAD design stage. Not only does this keep the inside clear of spaces for nasty beasties like redmite to hide in, it also means you can just open both doors (using our door opening kit) and sweep the used litter stright through. We use these ourselves as we HATE cleaning out chicken houses . We give our customers different roost options as standard. You could have one pole (running from front to back each side of the door) or two poles (one each side of the door). We can also supply 'stadium' perches that are removeable but we find that our customers just order new poles as and when needed which we supply at a small charge." I hope this info helps you in your decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hard Boiled Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I meant to add that I love the look of the HenHut, and the fact that it can be ordered with an auto door is a plus in my mind, but I love the cube too (although not keen on the ladder), and the fact that a power wash cleans it up fairly quickly is a big bonus. I need to decide soon - I've already started naming my chickens and I haven't got the yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntielizzie Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Ooooh the henhut looks lovely, as does Shabby Chic's painted house from FoF I wish somebody would come and paint my wooden henhouse for me (although it's not quite such a pretty style) - I wouldn't know where to start. I think it's probably something that should be done in the pre-chicken preparation/planning stage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I'm off now to look at the website for Hen Huts. I love a cosy looking coop it was one of the things behind me getting chickens. A bit like playing Wendy Houses My OH kindly painted ours to my requirements - to fit with the pink Grub / Glug that I had. He can be an Since the pictures we have painted the steps and also the inside of the 'front door' pink. I admit to loving it big time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 Oh just seen Happy Hen Huts How very pretty. Some lovely ideas there for painting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahGlymond Posted June 27, 2013 Author Share Posted June 27, 2013 Im still torn between a hen hut and a cube although I may be dragging the husband to nottingham (which isn't too far from us) to look at the hen hut I never knew keeping chickens would throw me into so many decisions !! If im gonna spend £800 I want it to be right !! and I want to love it as much as the chickens will ! I love the quaintness of the the hen hut but probably the practicalality of the cube I think im driving my husband made with chicken talk and changing my mind !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hard Boiled Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 If you do get to see a HenHut I would love to have some feedback on it please, I cannot find any write ups or reviews online at all. I'm down in Cornwall so it's a little to far for me to have a quick visit and there is no one in Cornwall with one for me to see it. I'm rather nervous about spending that much money without seeing it. The company were very quick in replying to my questions which was reassuring. I have a friend with a cube so I have been able to see that set up. Anyway, any feedback if you do get to Nottingham would be very gratefully received -many thanks ShabbyChic - the Happy Hen Huts look lovely - just like your granary house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahGlymond Posted June 28, 2013 Author Share Posted June 28, 2013 OF COURSE !!! happy to pass anything info on hoping to get this weekend or next so ill tell you all about it x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 I don't know if this would sway your decision at all . . . but I've had such fun embellishing my wooden hen house. There was the painting (pink steps included) and the addition of a little wooden hen to the roof and now I even have a board that goes across the nest box to block it off at night with a sign that reads 'Beware of the hen poop' (reminds me to poo pick when I open their door in the morning and take the nest box blocker away) Being serious, though, I'd think what sort of person you are: if you enjoy cleaning and fussing (I do ) then get a wooden house, but if you are someone who will want to get cleaning over fast, then get an Omlet house Cleaning day comes round awfully fast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahGlymond Posted June 28, 2013 Author Share Posted June 28, 2013 Thank you shabby chic !! I think I will go with the cube i really do love the idea of painting my wooden hen house and decorating it but i am definalty a clean and go kind of person and that's what i loved about the cube easy clean ! i know you can get stickers and stuff to decorate the cube so it will look kinda pretty i have seen a sign i want too on ebay "cluckingham palace" you have been such a wealth of knowledge thankyou sooooo much will definalty post pictures of my run once im done ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Stickers sounds a really good idea - embellishment without fuss on the cleaning front. When we eventually move house I think our hen coop will stay with this house and then I'll be getting a cube too. I was wondering if I'd miss personalising it but now I know what I'll do. Would love to see some pictures when you have them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne2 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Am I too late re: chicken breed comments? We have a trio of Pekins (ie two hens one cock) and they'e not the best layers at all - I'd suggest that you start with 2 or 3 hens, then add a further 2 in autumn; they do lay well in the winter when they are young but not after the first couple years. But beware... you might find that the number of eggs you THINK you want and the number of eggs you DO want are not the same thing! They are perfectly happy living alongside bigger ones (ie non-bantam) but IMO you need to make sure you add more bantams than you have big ones - they'll be at bottom of pecking order but no particular one will get picked on overmuch, assuming they've enough space. I'd honestly recommend you look at breeds based on temperament rather than egg-laying, if they're intended primarily as pets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
