Chicken bald back

[MaryHen]

Hello there!!

 

Well I went on a beginners chicken keeping course at the weekend run by claire the chickenwhisperer, after years of wanting chickens and admiring my friends. Claire put me as ease that its fairly easy; I'd read books which were complicated and was worried that I'd kill them off. Anyway, I reserved the 2 chucks that myself and hubby were holding; real characters, mine was gobby, nosy and slightly irritable, whilst the other was lovely and docile.

 

I've decided to go with a cube; I have 2 friends that have them and are very pleased. One of them had a wooden coop got a really bad infestation of red mite and then got a cube. I'm in negotiation with a supplier on a starter kit - I'm getting the birds from my local supplier who are fab (Cotswold chickens), so dont need them in my starter kit. they stock 'SMITE' powder and spray, is it any good? Also, are there any brands of Layers Pellets that arent that great?

There is also shavings and straw in the pack but I know a few people who swear by hemp bedding - what do people think?

 

I really cant wait for the weekend, when we can get set-up. I'm allergic to cats and dogs and dont have children so the ladies will be my pets and children!!

I just hope I dont kill them off!!

 

Aplogies for the essay,

Claire aka Maryhen

[Beantree]

Hi Maryhen. You don't need Smite spray until you have red mite. I don't know what the powder does. The 'own brand' layers pellets, or any cheap pellets invariably contain 'yolk enhancers' which are three permitted chemical colourants to make the yolk look yellow. If you don't mind that and GM cereal they are fine. My preference is GM free with no chemicals. Garvo, Smallholder, Dodson & Horrell and perhaps Marriages fit the bill, but they will be slightly more expensive.

 

Straw bedding is a haven for red mite. I find hemp too dry and dusty in Summer but use it in Winter. Summer is wood shavings.

 

Fortunate you are not allergic to chickens as well. We took 3 hens off someone local in an emergency, because their husband was chronically allergic. Just being downwind was enough.

 

I had to smile at Claire 'the' chickenwhisperer. Perhaps 'one of the many' is more appropriate.

 

Sure you won't kill them off. Perhaps spoil them a lot though.

[gavclojak]

Hi and welcome to the mad world of chicken keeping....

 

I use auboise, its impregnated so smells ok and helps keep the flies away, its also great for poop picking very absorbant, I use it in the cube trays and the nest box with a good sprinkling of Diatom to keep the pesky mites away.

 

The most important thing is to set up a good worming program, that will keep the worm load to a minimum. I also use a spot on to stop mites/bugs/tick's etc

 

Also I would go for the minimum of three girls, hens are flock animals don't do well alone and introductions can be problematic, if you were to lose one and have a lone hen you would have a little bit of a problem and besides that cube is way too big for just two girls

[MaryHen]

Thaks for your replies - definitely having more than 2, hopefully 6 but just reserved those 2 as we bonded with them.

 

I'm having really bad problems in actually sourcing a Cube - they seem like the scarlet pimpernel!!

So, if anyone knows where they have any instock I would be grateful - would consider a secondhand one too.

[gavclojak]

ah i thought you were just getting the 2 hens

 

I guess its obvious but have you tried ebay, gumtree and pre-loved?

[Chickabee]

I got my cube from omlet, if your lucky enough to live in the right area they put it together for you too. I'm currently using bedmax for mine. It's made from pine shavings, so smells nice. I use biodry as a ground sanitizer too, and diatomaceous earth, which is natural mite and creepy crawly killer. Can't wait til you get your girls, I'm guessing your photos will be lovely

 

Good luck

[Purplemaniacs]

I'm having really bad problems in actually sourcing a Cube - they seem like the scarlet pimpernel!!

So, if anyone knows where they have any instock I would be grateful - would consider a secondhand one too.

There are four on ebay at the moment but it depends on where you live and if you are prepared to travel.

 

I would happily buy second hand eglus and cubes other than some fading depending on the colours they age really well.

 

Chrissie