beanie said:
I have some questions
1. Housing. I have decided that the best thing for the hens would be to have a walk in run and coop. I will let them free range as much as I can when I can supervise them but I just think with the rabbit, the girls and the fact there are a load of cats near us and whilst I know mine are too lazy to bother with chickens another cat might not be. Also the risk of foxes too. Does that sound ok? Iobviously don't want to be cruel. I would make sure the run would be bigger then what it needed to be ie 2 chickens in one recommended for 4 etc./
I only have wooden hen houses and arks. Eglus are overpriced and while ok for a couple of chooks, are not really what I consider decent housing. Yes they are easy to clean but so is a wooden hen house once you get into a routine with it each week.
What you are considering sounds great to me. It will cope with 4 full size hens no problem. Its what we do and then have a larger area around the house and run fenced off so they can range round that if we go out. When we are home I open that run and let them free range totally. Also hens do tend to like room in the hen house. Some of ours like to perch high, others lower and a couple in nest boxes. An Eglu does not give hens much choice.
The wire I would check if its weld mesh or chicken wire. Weld mesh is much stronger. Although you could always invest in a roll and put it on yourself.
beanie said:
I understan d that wooden houses are more difficult to clean re red mite but it just looks more spacey and nicer.Ideally I would love an eglu cube and walk in run but I am not going to be able to afford that.
I don't like felt on hen houses but see its now advised as a precaution against avian flu
It can be a real pain to combat red mite etc as they hide in between the wood and felt and so you cannot kill them off so easily. However, saying that with the right care and management you can keep on top of things. I hve mine made to order and have wooden sloping roofs on mine. Mine are more ark like
beanie said:
2. Chickens. I have taken on board what you have said about ex batts and will probaly get some at a later date when I have had more experience. But the choice of chickens has baffled me. I obviously want eggs but I also want the girls to have pets, and everything I have read suggests that bantams would be better as they tame easier. I noticed you had a bantam Sherlock, what is your experience of this and what breed would you recommend??
I keep all bantams as my pets. Any large hens/cock birds are purely for meat.
For pets for children bantam wise I'd say Pekins are great. They are cuddly, very friendly and become very tame. They also, because of their fluffy feathers look bigger than non fluffy bantams, so are a bit more off putting to cats. They also cannot fly or get more than a foot or so off the ground. They can from a standing start get up to the top of my run (about 3.5 foot) but its not pretty to watch
However, they are seasonal layers and only lay in spring and summer and can go broody. You'll only get 60-70 eggs a year from them and they will of course be smaller than normal eggs.
Also bantams like Light Sussex I like. Not too flighty, hardy birds. I am not sure but I think they lay a bit more than Pekins.
O and Dutch bantams, a true bantam breed. I have a pair, so hen and cock bird like these (but mine are nicer, the cockerel I have is stunning)
However there are pretty much bantams in all breeds so its really a case of taking your pick and looking round.
This lady is a friend and breeder of numerous breeds and has some pics and info on her website. Have a look at some of the chooks on there and let me know what sort appeals and I shall give you a bit more info on them if I can.
http://www.brbpoultry.co.uk/index.html
For large hens again I like Light Sussex. They lay all year round (except the moult) and egg production is good. I also like Copper Marans (but harder to come by) and cuckoo ones and they are good egg layers also. I adore Brahmas as they are HUGE but so cuddly. However two of those would fill your hen house and run
I also like Wyandottes as their plumage is lovely to look at. They have a bantam of the breed also
Plus the large hens are good egg layers.
If it were me, I'd have a mix. I'd get two large hens for egg laying, like 2 light sussex or Marans and then get 2-3 bantams, all of the same breed, like Pekins for pets for the girls. And little eggs come spring and summer
Although be aware some breeds can go broody and you'll need to break them of this.
I'd try to get all young birds, pullets if possible, and get the bantams first and let them settle in and then get the larger hens once the smaller ones are settled.
Feel free to PM me if you've any questions
I've loads of tips for red mite prevention etc and also in general care for chooks
sorry.. if you want to google pekingbantams i have had loads and loads of help from there... like sherlock said the most common illnesses for poultry is red mite ( which are those tiny little blood sucker spiders we used to squash on the walls when we were kids) sour crop ( which frikking stinks) and egg bound.. which is the most difficult one and oftern results in death..
