The Garden Girls

[Gardenhousewife]

After reading others diaries this looks like a fab way to record our first adventure in chicken keeping, hopefully it'll make for interesting reading in years to come as we get to grips with our new additions.

We have recently moved to a new house which had an exisiting "dog jail" This is now converted to a coop and enclosure thanks to my wonderfully cleaver husband Our house is called the Garden House, hence all the referrences that way! lol

After scrubbing out and disinfecting the coop, it now has a nice new roof - complete with small porch (ie overhanging roof!) - two nest boxes and a poop deck. Hubby is putting up a perch today and then we're good to go. I took myself off to Pets At Home yesterday to indulge myself in some chicken shopping, so we have a 1ltr feeder, 3ltr water, layers mash and shavings for the coop. I'm planning on using newspaper and shredded paper on the poop deck/floor as I can get plenty from work.

Now all we need is Saturday to come so that we can meet our new additions, 3 ex-battery hens coming to us from a charity they were rescued by.

As a complete novice to keeping chickens I'd welcome any advice/tips/etc anyone is kind enough to take the time to give me.

Oh, and we don't have names for our girls yet so any suggestions on the front gratefully received too.

Suzie x

[Mo]

..... and a poop deck.

You seem to realise the main fact of henkeeping life

Oh, and we don't have names for our girls yet so any suggestions on the front gratefully received too.
Suzie x

Surely you will want to see them before you name them.

[perchy]

Ooh how eggciting, you will love them, they are such characters, as for names, have a list of about 10 then when you get to know them they will fall into one of the names, some go for dear friend names, some off programmes they like, some chicken related, nugget, tikka etc you get the drift, just a little word about the shredded paper, it is good and alot use it but it can get very wet, and one of my hens ate it see how it goes, you could certainly use half and half, ask any questions you like no question is a silly one, I can assure you I have asked them all

Oh and get some housework done now as you won't have time when they arrive, you will be chicken watching

[Gardenhousewife]

Oh and get some housework done now as you won't have time when they arrive, you will be chicken watching

We have a HUGE HUGE garden, so since we moved in the house work has gone to pot anyway!! lol I've already told hubby that if it's nice I'm not doing housework, it'll just have to wait until it's raining

Thanks for the advice re the shredded paper. I'll try it out and see how it goes, then if it's not working I can change quickly. Is there any other bedding you guys would recommend? Thanks for the tip re names, that's exactly what I'll do is make a list of some I like then see what they're personalities are like when they settle in.

I'll be honest, I'm bricking it at the thought of them coming home at the weekend - I just know I'll be up all night to check they're ok

Thanks guys, all help is gratefully received

S x

[Mo]

Take your time with them when you bring them home.
Put them gently into the coop, let them find their own way out in their own time. Yes it's frustrating if they don't come out and you want to see them, but if they find their way out and know the coop as home they are more likely to find their way in again to roost (but don't expect them to go in till it's almost dark - not very early this time of year).
And even if you plan to let the free range to ruin your lawn & dig up your plants, don't do it for a week or so - they need to know where they are. We have seen people on here who thought the new hens would be grateful for a nice garden to roam in, so put the exbats there straight away. Of course they flew over the fence.
They will be confused at first, strange place, strange people. So they need leaving alone.

It will be no time at all before they come running at the sound of the back door (cupboard love), or perching on top of the coop to look you in the eye when you are mucking out.

Enjoy them.

[Gardenhousewife]

Thanks for the advice Mo. The place who are rehoming them with us advised me it can be up to two weeks before they're happy to wander out without being scared, so we'll just play it by ear and let them decide what they want to do. They have some mad dogs to meet too, so I'm sure they'll be happy to have the run fence between them until they get used to each other (my big dog presses things with his nose to see if they squeek, that's his way of meeting new things and since my sisters dog squeeked the first time he did it he thinks that's what you do now!!)

I was talking about the girls to my mum and dad last night, and it turns out my great gran used to keep chickens My dad suggested putting a roof/net over the top of the run as a roof, what do you think? Is that a good idea just to make sure nothing gets into them? It wouldn't be hard to do, so if it's something I should do then we can get it done tomorrow no problem.

I've started a list of names I quite like too, so far I have one list that are all related to red - Scarlett, Amber, Ruby etc - and one related to flowers - Fleur, Rose, Daisy, etc. Once the girls settle and we can interact with them a bit I'm sure they'll pick their own names out.

S xx

[Mo]

A lot of us do have a roof. If your run is high enough so that you can walk upright when mucking out it is a good idea. If the walls are lower it is essential as they will hop out (flock net is sold 4 ft high and keeps some but not all hens in) - but you will curse it. Even if you think the walls are high they can hop unto the top of the coop etc, and then over.
But once the roof is on they can't fly out to escape, so you need to keep checking your fences / doorways etc.

Most on here think dogs and hens should ALWAYS have a fence between them. A dog may mean no harm, but hens are easily scared (to death, sometimes) and things can happen so quickly even if you are there.

[Gardenhousewife]

A lot of us do have a roof. If your run is high enough so that you can walk upright when mucking out it is a good idea. If the walls are lower it is essential as they will hop out (flock net is sold 4 ft high and keeps some but not all hens in) - but you will curse it. Even if you think the walls are high they can hop unto the top of the coop etc, and then over.
But once the roof is on they can't fly out to escape, so you need to keep checking your fences / doorways etc.

Most on here think dogs and hens should ALWAYS have a fence between them. A dog may mean no harm, but hens are easily scared (to death, sometimes) and things can happen so quickly even if you are there.

Our run is about 7ft high, but I think based on what you've said I'll just add the roof to be sure, better safe than sorry I suppose. We live in the middle of the woods too, so I guess it'll prevent any birds of prey trying to steal our girls

In our old house our neighbour had three exbats and they were let out in the morning and wandered around all the houses/gardens as they liked. Harley (the big dog) thought they were great fun and wanted to play with them all the time - until they flapped and shrieked at him after which he was a bit scared and tended to avoid them although he was still fasinated by them. He's a chihuahua in dobermans clothing, and contrary to their very undeserved reputation he's a big baby who is scared of everything!! Our other dog is a collie who showed less than no interest in the neighbours chickens, so as long as they behave and don't need a row she'll ignore them (she thinks she the enforcer - if anyone gets into trouble she goes and tells them off and if anyone wanders off she goes to look after them) Don't worry though, they won't be allowed to mix for a long time and then only when I'm sure they're ok together and I'm there to keep an eye out.

Thanks again, it's great having a place to ask questions and check things out with people who know what they're doing.

S x

[KarenE]

Hi

Welcome to the diary section, great to see new adventures in chicken keeping! Ask away, we're only too pleased to help where we can.

I'd agree with the roof advice, helps to keep them secure and in the run. Definitely cover with netting or wire, and seriously consider getting a solid roof or tarpaulin on top of it - it will make such a difference over winter and when it rinse. A muddy stinky run is no fun.

[HenPen]

Hiya, and welcome to the diary section. As Karen said, we are all very happy to help if we can - chicken keeping raises plenty of questions, we know!

Definitely a covered roof is a huge, huge plus

Had to chuckle about your description of your collie as "the enforcer". As the owner of a 12yr old collie cross lady, I know exactly what you mean.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi , One warning I have learnt . Dogs -chickens and FOOD do not mix . I have to feed bread to my dog at the same time as the chickens . Funny flock of chocks with a big dog in the middle. Also dogs eat chicken poo.... follows them everywhere waiting for a fresh delivery . Can worry the girls .
Have fun and take it from me you will ask lots of questions and make us all laugh as memories will flood back from when we started it . Blimey I have only been with my girls and boys a year this month and I am sounding like a veteran.. A year seems like a life time of fun .
Bob

[Gardenhousewife]

Well, we picked our girls up on Saturday and brought them home. They were a bit nervy to start, but they seem to have settled okay now I think. They're hungry little monsters and barely stop eating!!! Lol

Can I just check a couple of things with you guys? Is it ok they're not coming outside much? I've been bringing their food out to encourage them and they don't seem scared to be out, just seem to like in their house. There are quite a few feathers lying about, is that okay? Is it normal that they're sleeping in their nest boxes?

Still no names yet. Can you tell me how to add pics and ill introduce them properly



Suzie xx

[KarenE]

Hi Suzie

Congratulations on getting your girls!

Firstly - you can't post pics up on DTL directly, as they would probably gobble all Richard's hosting space and cost him a fortune. So you'll need to open a photobucket or flickr account, upload them to there and then copy the link across. Richard's done a video explaining how to do this - it's what we all do here. Pictures are mandatory in the diary section!!

Richard's video - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=46297

With them sleeping in the nestboxes - mine do, they have never perched so I've given up. Some prefer perching, some don't. The only thing with sleeping in the nestboxes is that eggs can get a bit messy. Personally I don't mind that but it depends how messy they get. If it proves a problem, post back for advice. Obviously you'll have to poo pick from the nestboxes.

They're probably still acclimatising themselves to their new place and so may feel safer sticking to their house, which is a good thing as they have learned to already associate their house with security and this makes it far more likely they'll put themselves to bed happily. They'll venture out in good time - keep feeding them outside and they'll be fine.

About the feathers - couldn't say. They may be coming into a little moult, depends how old they are. Is there any fighting or feather pulling that you've seen? If not, then don't worry about it.

[Mo]

Sometimes battery hens that are to be culled or rehomed are not fed the day before. This puts them into a moult. It also affects egg production, though they may have a few eggs already in the pipeline ther may then be a gap while they regrow feathers, and settle in.

Mine slept in the nest too.

[Gardenhousewife]

Thanks for the wise words guys :-)
They haven't been fighting that I've seen, so possibly just stress or a moult then.

My first attempt at pictures, hope they work: https://www.flickr.com/photos/133494978@N07/19075042622/in/dateposted-public/

S x