Turtle Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Hi My family have been thinking of getting chickens for ages, but when we saw the eglu we made up our minds to get some . We have done some research and decided to do the package where you get the chickens with the eglu and to get the Gingernut Ranger, is this a good choice? We plan to get them within the month as we heard this is a good time to get them. If anyone has any tips or advice it would really help. Thanks P.S I already can't wait for the first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Oooo, congratulations on making the very wise decision to get hens. The gingernut ranger and the miss pepperpots are lovely hens. We have 2 pepperpots and 1 gingernut. They all have very different personalities to eachother but they are all equally brilliant. As for tips-just prepare yourself to spend the days/weeks/months or even years after they arrive constantly watching them, talking about them, buying things for them (little treats and stuff), dreaming about them, worrying etc. Non chicken owner people soon get bored of you bringing chickens into every conversation which is why we all spend all of our free time on here!! When your girls do arrive you have to take lots of pics as we all love to have a nose. Last but not least you will discover that you develop quite an unhealthy chicken poo studying obsession in the first few weeks but panic not, this does seem to phase out!! You won't regret it-they are fantastic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 welcome to the wonderful world of chicken keeping your life will never be the same again! They are such fun and a source of constant amusement. My top tip - use Hemcore/aubiose in the run (which is a horsey type bedding available from farm/horse stores in bales) it literally is a godsend and absorbs the poo's and wet and the chickens love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Welcome aboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Welcome to the forum. I would be lost without a spare set of roosting bars which I ordered at the same time as my eglu. I put the the new set in the eglu, then scrub the other set and leave to dry in the greenhouse. As already mentioned, Auboise (or hemcore) in the poop tray and nest box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Had my 3 girls for less than 4 weeks - addicted already! Top tips off the top of my head: spend loads of time on the forum, you'll pick up brilliant advice and ideas (and assuage any worries!) use hemcore in the run give them garlic powder - it really does stop their poos smelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktdot Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Any garlic powder or a special chicken type? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Any garlic powder or a special chicken type? You can usually buy a suitable large tub quite cheaply at horse supply outlets. Depends whether you have one near you or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 how exciting - you won't regret it! I would echo the three 'top tips' already on here - aubiose or hemcore in the run, a spare set of roosting bars, and garlic powder. I have two Omlet gingernuts and they are quite gregarious and outgoing, lay every day almost without exception, and have been tremendous fun. If I have one other 'top tip', it is - get three hens. That way if anything happens to one, you won't have a lonely one, and you won't have to go through the business of introducing a new one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I agree with Olly....get three hens.....for the reason stated Barrier Red Mite Powder is one of my "must haves". I sprinkle it in the nooks and crannies of the Eglu, in the Aubiose that I put in the nesting box, on the ends of the roosting bars and on the hens now and then as a preventative. It smells divine. Get your garlic powder from a "horsey" shop. Absolutely not garlic powder/granules from a supermarket.....different altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted October 4, 2007 Author Share Posted October 4, 2007 Thanks for all the tips, they'll all really help when the chickens arrive. Odd question but is the new purple eglu really purple, because we have heard it's a bit more like lilac? The tip with the bedding sounds like a good one so we will most likely get that. Garlic powder sounds a bit odd but we will give it a go too. Again thanks for all the tips and we will keep you posted for when our arrives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Hi Turtle I have a purple eglu and yes it's very purple - not a hint of lilac! The photo they have of the purple one in the Omlet shop is accurate. Do use the garlic powder in your girls food - it makes an amazing difference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Odd question but is the new purple eglu really purple, because we have heard it's a bit more like lilac? Its very,very purple - think Cadburys chocolate wrappers And I couldn't recommend garlic powder enough - its like magic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted October 4, 2007 Author Share Posted October 4, 2007 Thanks! That'll be the colour we get then. There was a bit of a debate over the colour at first but I think purple won in the end! P.S We also have a rather large pet rabbit, just hoping the chickens won't keep him awake at night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisa33 Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Hi & Welcome. Definately get three chickens and definately use garlic powder. You'll love having chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 P.S We also have a rather large pet rabbit, just hoping the chickens won't keep him awake at night? Rabbits are more nocturnal than most of us realise, so he will probably be up & about at night anyhow. The hens,once they go to roost become very doozy (great time to stroke & cuddle them) & if the Eglu door is shut then a bit of normal night time garden noise won't bother them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktdot Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Off to get garlic powder today! I use layers pellets in a food hopper. How much garlic powder do I use? They won't be smelling like a walking chicken kiev will they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 we actually put the garlic in their water - i don't think it matters but our girls love their garlic flavoured water I put about a teaspoon in a big bottle of water and dissolve it by shaking then add that to the glug and top up with plain water. we also have the equivalent of gingernuts I think and they are lovely, we have 2 and they're extremely nosy, follow us round the garden wherever we go, and if we're not in the garden jump onto the top of a cupboard next to the kitchen window and squark till we go back out!! can't recommend hemcore in the run highly enough, we struggled with daily poop picking as in the middle of summer we had bluebottles - next doors garden is infested and still is but since using hemcore and a flitrap they don't go near the chickens and there's no smell from them and it's so much easier to clean them out too. also great choice of eglu colour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I added lots of garlic powder to the box I keep the pellets in (along with bokashi bran & poultry spice, but that's another story! Do a search on here if you like ). I started out putting garlic powder in their apple cider vinegar (another search for you !) then added a splash to the fresh water daily but the garlic sinks to the bottom & I ended up throwing away half a glug every evening so that was a waste of time! I also add a teaspoonful of garlic if I'm giving them "tea" - usually pasta or sweetcorn or boiled spud peelings or other veg/fruit. I don't think you can overdose them on garlic - am I right ? And no, the hens, eggs & eglu don't smell of garlic at all - it just stinks when you're adding it to the food . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 is the new purple eglu really purple, because we have heard it's a bit more like lilac? I felt mine looked a bit out of place, it was so purple ... until my Jackmanii clematis flowered. It's a perfect match! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted October 4, 2007 Author Share Posted October 4, 2007 These are brilliant tips, we couldn't have got this much info from other sites if we tried! Really can't wait to get the and but we haven't ordered yet . Still it won't be long! Another question. We have read the tip about getting three , but are probably going to get two because our garden isn't very secure and they will not be able to free range very much. Do you think three would over crowd the run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I dithered about 2 or 3 (small garden, known fox presence, limited free-ranging). I went for 3 in the end after reading advice on here - if you lose one hen then you're left with only one and it can be hard to introduce a new hen. My girls get on really well & keep each other warm (& company!) The eglu is definitely big enough (they all snuggle up in a corner!) but I've just ordered the run converter as I feel the original run is a bit small. If you can afford it and have the space you could buy the converter at the same time as the eglu rather than buying it later and paying extra postage. I plan to move the run around (keeping eglu in the same spot) so they have different ground to scratch about in. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Hello! Get your girls a nice colour coordinated treat bowl which they wil go mad for when they see you coming with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
