[loosey]

I'm gradually making my way into more of the forums! This evening I'm off to pick up some hens  . A lady nearby has a lot and they are laying far too much for them, I called her and she also hasd a 8 hen house for very good money for sale. I'm very excited! The hens are a year old and all laying. Is there anything I should have ready?

They are currently living in the house we will be buying but I have bought (no way I'm trying to spell it ... the Domes@@?! earth stuff. Some poultry spice, the same feed they are currently having, shavings for the floor of their house and hay for their nesting boxes (would straw be better? I have both). I have feeders and drinkers ready.

There is a run attached to the house but I would like them tofully free range during the day ... should I leave them with the run for a few days and then let them out once they are used to us being associated with feed?

I know that the stress of moving may affect their laying for a while, are there any chickeny treats that might cheer them up after their journey?

How often do chickens need worming? And does anyone have any recommendations?

Last question ... I can't feed my pigs anything that has been in the kitchen ... is it the same with chickens (they are for eggs, not meat) or can they have scraps?

Thanks in advance! I'm sure there'll be hudreds of questions to come!!

[BlueDaisy]

Sounds like you're all sorted!
I use shavings and choppped straw in the nest boxes, but I don't think the hens mind whatever.
Worm every 3 months.
Officially you're not allowed to feed kitchen scraps, but I suppose it depends how many eggs you sell as to how much common sense to employ here

[loosey]

Thank you! I'm very excited! We decided when we got the holding to only add one type of livestock per year, although I managed to persuade my OH into pigs AND ducks last year and am working on the sheep for this year too 

[plumseverywhere]

For cheering them up - mine love sweetcorn and pasta (of course I'd NEVER dream of giving scraps, oh no, not me hehe) they also like carrot peelings, sardines and various other things like that.
I always have a bottle of purple spray (gentian violet) incase one gets an injury as the others see the red blood and will go for it big time 
enjoy them! I love ours to bits, they are good stress therapy.
I was going to go for one type of livestock a year too but poor hubby has gone from just rabbits and cats to the addition of hens, goats and now sheep too lol

[Eastling]

How exciting! my OH is looking into chickens at the mo so will follow the thread with interest. Good luck and post some pics

[manian]

chickens are funny.....
spend loads of time watching them

isn't it strange how we all seem to plan 1 new "" per year
we have been here a year now and were going to do the same and already have 20 hens; on our 2nd lot of weaners and have turkeys laying well a(with 8 in the incubator- and hopefully for christmas!!) Bees arriving soon tooooooooo yay
would love sheep but not enough land
good luck
Mx

[loosey]

Manian, that's funny you should say that, I was literally about to post about turkey keeping ... my OH is under the impression that they are very hard to keep ... is that right or not?!

[manian]

well ....we have only had them for a few months now so i'm no expert.......
not hard to keep as such....... ( a bit like chickens)
easier to herd to put away at night than the chickens but they don't put themselves to bed and choose to roost on a fence next to the coop.
they can jump high...... we have one escapee who has decided to make a nest over the bridleway in a neighbouring field on the edge of stream/ditch.......we are trying to stop her at the moment but she is very determind
Bob seems to be doing his stuff but we will be candleing the eggs next sunday to check if we have any

[manian]

forgot to say we keep seperate from chickens but they do walk up and "talk" to the pigs
 

[loosey]

Ah yes, knew about the chickens and turkeys together but not sure about how I would be able to keep them seperate on our land ... our fields all kind of circle around each other! Maybe next year ... after the cows!

[plumseverywhere]

Maybe next year ... after the cows!

  LOL that's funny.  well, not long ago my hubby and I were thinking about Reindeer and turkeys!! I think it was the pre-Xmas buzz, we even considered growing christmas tree's and making wreaths.  But hey ho, I'm still here making soap with no xmas livestock at all. apart from a goat who wears tinsel on her horns one day a year