Just got my chickens ... ahh!

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lucy
I am the proud new owner of 3 lovely hens, however I feel much like I did when they sent me home from the hospital with my new baby .... where are the instructions?

I figure that they will mostly look after themselves, however I would welcome some advice from you more experienced guys out there.

I have them in a run which is approx 10ft by 6ft, fully enclosed with a wire base. They will be allowed free range of the garden once they have settled.

I have put a feeder inside the hen house, with a grain mix which I bought with the hens. Is this adequate or should I also sprinkle a handful of grain on the ground each day for them to forage for?

Also should I supplement this with other food, I gave them the middle of a cabbage a couple of days ago which seemed to hit the spot, any other advice.

Should I also be trying to handle them on a regular basis, I guess it is kind of essential to be able to catch them easily.

Any other general advice/reassurance would be gratefully received.

Mo
Enjoy them.
They get through a lot of water, and manage to make even more dirty, so you need to check that daily, or more.
I give mine layers pellets, but I don't know what you've been sold, maybe it's the same.

Wendy
welcome to the wonderful world of chickens.
Mine also eat pellets, as Mo says. They also love a bit of corn scattered during the afternoon and some greens of some sort, hangin from a branch or something just to give them something to do.
I can pick mine up no problem, they have a perfect recall also LOL.
Be careful, they are terrible timewasters.
Wendy

Richard
Hi Lucy,

Mine get 50/50 mixed corn and pellets. I put about 80% in the feeder and the rest I chuck over the top for them to look for.

I've found that it's the same one's who like to eat from the ground - the same with water, some lean over the bucket and othere stand on the edge and bend right down for it.

You'll soon get to know the habits and each ones characteristics.

Some run away from you, others don't etc!

Bye for now, Richard

Mo
When I need to catch one of mine I wait til dusk, then open up the arc and get her while roosting.
I've never had much joy chasing them round.
I've got one that gets out most mornings, at least she lets me put her back in now, then seems to stay in the rest of the day - first few times she did it we really had fun and games.

Jill
Hi Lucy
If you sit down with a bowl of goodies like worms, slugs, small snails etc, they will come to you. Mine will quite happily jump on my lap if there's a juicy morsel to be had. They will also fall asleep on my lap if stroked in the right way.
They will soon get used to you and you to them. As Wendy said - they are terrible timewasters!!
Jill

Lucy
Thanks everyone.

I tried the suspending a some greens from the top of the run, but I think the girls found it a bit scary! I put it down on the floor then and that was much better, it was gone the next day so I guess they enjoyed it.

Good tip about the food, will scatter some daily for them to forage for.

Am up there quite alot at the moment (wasting time!) so am checking water frequently.

Thanks again guys.

Lucy