[NorthEssexsmallholding]

So at last I'm almost ready to get some hens, but I need to make sure I have everything ready.

do I need to treat the inside shed with anything before I get them?, I'm also reinforcing it with plywood. Will this need treating, and what with?

How much ventilation do they need?  Im going to block up the shed window but need to know how much to leave?

What red mite prevention do I need in place? 

I have water drinkers, and somewhere to put their feed.  They are fenced in with a 5 foot mesh fence, and I'm going to put an electric wire around the bottom and the top to hopefully stop foxes.

ANother thing, I read that when I get them I should leave them in their house for a day to get used to it before letting them out the next day, is this the done thing? 

I'm planning on getting some ex batterys and some other breeds, am I better getting the batterys first?  to give them time to recover before getting other POL hens?


Sorry theres so many questions but apart from having some free range chickens on a farm I worked on I have never had any of my own.  On the farm they just let them free range all over the place.

[SallyintNorth]

I remember doing my researches before getting my very first choox.  I remember the long-suffering pet / animal feeds shop man eventually saying to me, "Sally, you have read enough.  Just go and get some chickens.  You are ready!"

I didn't treat my houses with anything and was very lucky.  We did get red mite eventually but only after a couple of years.  I was also blessed in managing to fall upon breeders who didn't pass on scaly leg with their pullets.  Later in life I was given choox with scaly leg and discovered how nigh-on impossible it is to eradicate.

Ventilation is important and varies according to the weather.  So ideally a good air gap under the eaves (rainproof but not airproof) and a variable window opening (meshed to keep rats and foxes out) - eg, a sliding door on a chain or something.  You probably can't give them too much ventilation in normal summer weather and it has to get very very cold before they want the window shut right up - depending of course on the size of the shed relative to how many birds are in it, as they will perch close together for warmth as the weather gets colder.

Your fence and foxproofing plans sound fine.  You'll remember that grass shorts the electricity, so to keep checking the zap and strimming or whatever to keep the grass from shorting it out.

I have always put the new choox straight into the house and shut it up, letting them out into their run the following morning - maybe not too early but let them out by midday.  They have almost always just put themselves to bed the next night - maybe the odd one or two need finding and placing on perches (and some may not perch and need lifting onto the perches) but mostly if they got up through that door this morning they will go to bed through it tonight.

I have not had ex-batts myself but my feeling is that it is always better to get all the new birds in one go and mix 'em up straight away; introducing new birds to an established flock is never easy and there is always some unpleasant bullying of the newcomers.

Others will offer more - and better - advice but it sounds as if you have made very good preparations, so now just get your girls and look forward to enjoying them and their lovely eggs! 

[CameronS]

I personally have never had to treat my huts with anything but then this is just my expereince others are different.

I would get your "other breeds" first as Ex-bats (though very rewarding) can be very hard work, upsetting and stressfull and if you are a newbie to chickens the aybe not a brilliant first choice. I make sure my shed has as much ventalation as possiable as i have birds struggle with repiritiory problems from lack of ventilation.

as per the red mite, diatomic earth powder seems to be the favoured killer/prevenative(if thats a word  )

[Roxy]

I always leave my hens in at least three days after they arrive to make sure they know where home is. 

Ex batts can be bullies - being caged up with some other hens they have to fight for the food, and they still think they have to when they are free.  Pullets are usually a bit  timid, so watch they do not get picked on.

[doganjo]

I always leave my hens in at least three days after they arrive to make sure they know where home is. 

Ex batts can be bullies - being caged up with some other hens they have to fight for the food, and they still think they have to when they are free.  Pullets are usually a bit  timid, so watch they do not get picked on.

Just goes to show how things are different with each of us.  My light sussex were the ones who beat up my new ex batts!