[bucketman]

Hi All
With coup on the way here's all the ? for now
1 If I get 6 chucks how big an area do I need for the run ( they will be allowed out on the garden about half a tennis court when we're in)
2 Will they kill my lawn/plants when allowed out of run
3 when they kill every thing in their run down to soil do I put straw or anything down
4 Is this time of year wrong it will be mid Nov.
Till chucks get here with your help
rob

[CameronS]

As large an area as possiable for a run, but i think the min is something like 5sf per bird 


They shouldn't kill well established plants or the lawn when let loose, obviously new plants, or plants in loose soil are at risk of being scratted out

The size of run and amount of chooks determines if the kill everything, mine have killed everything but then they have been hens on the ground for years now, i don't put straw down but other do

I personally can't see why getting hens round this time of year is a problem, i quite often sell my oldies at this time, obviously i would recommend POL, which MAY be harder to find, but I'm sure something will crop up

[andy harris]

Mine have been in the garden for 8 months now and they love it.I put hay in there run and wood shavings .I would be very carefull of buying chucks this time of year cos a lot of people get rid of there chucks that have finished there lay.If you can get POL birds get them but ofcorse you would pay more for them...I got 4/8 week old birds last week for £4 each but they wont lay till next year but there is not a wrong time to get chucks if your carefull.

[bucketman]

Thanks for the replies. The coup won't get her till the back end of the month, the shop was out of stock. So I've got time to build a run. Would rather get POL chucks, but on this site people say cost will be about £5/6 per chuck, but on the web, prices seem to be about £25/30 per bird. Any ideas where you can buy them in the north Cheshire area.
rob

[doganjo]

You could contact the rescue societies (www.bhwt.co.uk)and get a couple of ex batts to keep any babies company.  They are usually good natured and would give you a few eggs over the winter if there is some kind of light in your coop.

[darkbrowneggs]

Ask around at your local feed merchants, and they may be able to tell you of any large "free range" or "barn" units in your area and if you speak to them nicely you can normally get "spent" hens or as others call them rescue hens for around £1 each.  They will have few feathers as they will be going into a moult but with a bit of TLC will re-grow feathers and go on to lay well for you

Buy more than you need as modern hybrids are bred for many eggs in the first 18mth of life, and a large percentage will have "laid themselves out" and will die early.

If you are in the midlands Cyril Bason does a good range of standard POL at reasonable prices - or used to - I see he no longer lists his prices

All the best
Sue
Dark Brown Eggs

[DJ_Chook]

If you are in the midlands Cyril Bason does a good range of standard POL at reasonable prices - or used to - I see he no longer lists his prices

I buy stock from Cyril Basons in Craven Arms. The last time I bought POL's I think I paid £6.50 for a 16 week old brown hen & £8.50 for their own breeds. ie The Bason White.

[andy harris]

I use a poultry market if you can if one near you i think it would be the best thing .You would expect to pay £5 a bird upwards depending whos there on the day.I was going to get some off the net but they wanted £30 p&p.Plus i think there more expencive.

[darkbrowneggs]

I use a poultry market if you can if one near you i think it would be the best thing .You would expect to pay £5 a bird upwards depending who's there on the day.I was going to get some off the net but they wanted £30 p&p.Plus i think there more expensive.

Maybe a poultry market is good for those who can judge a bird, but unless you are fairly sure what you are about I think it is risky.  You don't know where the stock has come from or what conditions it has been kept in, or (unless you are a good judge) its state of health and age.

And I am fairly certain that some people use the market as a dumping ground for stock they prefer not to own up to, a quite reputable breeder I was speaking to said he had a pen of birds which were egg eaters and he was taking them to market to get "shot" of them.

So my advice to a novice would be buy something very cheap from a commercial laying farm clearout, or deal with a know and reputable breeder of quality stock.  But of course that is only my opinion 

All the best
Sue
Dark Brown Eggs

[Sharondp]

I agree with Sue - you need to know what you're looking for in a market, so not ideal for a novice.

Poultry pages list suppliers by county: http://www.poultry.allotment.org.uk/poultry-suppliers/index.php

I have POL available at this time of year, so you should be ok 

[OhLaLa]

1) As much as you can let them have and let them free range as much as poss - but remember fox visits any time of day.

2) Depends on how many chickens on how much lawn. With regard to your plants, they will get in amongst the plants and scratch up tasty morsels, so again depends on how much range they have...

3) Again, depends on how large the run is, but usually, yes, they will raise it to the ground. You don't need to put anything 'down' but may decide on a few stepping stones in order to reach the henhouse if it gets a bit muddy in there. Def don't put straw down, besides anything else, it won't last five minutes.

4) This time of year not a problem, just make sure you have everything ready for them - cosy dry lodgings (a raised house is best - deters rats from nesting underneath, and gives the birds a shelter from the elements), a nice perch, a safe run (remember to bury the first 6" or so in the ground for added security), food, fresh water and hay/straw in the nest boxes.

    

[Castle Farm]

Hello Bucket.

Nice new coop and run eh!
If it's a cheap Chinese import cancel the order asap, as they are crap. They are flimsy and will warp and are a perfect place to get red mite in..(You'll get to meet some of these next summer).

Look at this like your getting your first car.

Nice new garage and drive, so what do you do?

1. Go down the scrap yard and get some clapped out old rust bucket that leaks oil over over the floor.
2. Go to a car auction with the slim hope of buying a vehicle that hasn't been clocked or chopped or knackered by more than 1 previous owner.
3. Go to a reputable dealer with good feedback from satisfied customers.

Leave ex batts alone, they are clapped out and carry all the viruses picked up in their miserable short lives, pumped full of god alone knows what to make them lay eggs and stay alive. The last thing you need if your a new keeper is a batch of these dumping contaminated excrement all over your nice clean ground.

Same as above for auctions and free- add papers.

Quality birds will cost you more up front, but in the long run you will save money.

Find a decent breeder (There are still a few about that won't rip you off) and buy some nice birds.

Buy them all from the same place at the same time and don't add to them from another place or you will get problems.

[Power Poultry]

No one is gong to like this But! if I could breed a pol for £5.50 I would be over the moon for this cost I dread to think the numbers and how crambed they must be and health???

I have done my sums as a breeder of poultry costs me double this to get pure breeds to pol with  heat and incy use I think we worked it out last year cost us £13.24 per bird with a free range life other thing to rember with hybrids you get 2 to 3 years of eggs with pure 5 to 6 work out the sums ??