Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi All

I'm new to the forum and new to chicken keeping. My family and I just rescued seven chickens from a farm where they had been used for commercial laying (free range organic) but at one year old were destined to become dog food or similar.

We adore having the girls and have been so amazed at how rewarding it is. I read a lot before getting the hens and we purpose-built a run to contain the coop. They seem happy enough and are producing eggs. I feed them on layers pellets and also give them mixed corn containing shell bits.

My question is to do with all the products on the market - there seem to be so many! Which ones are essential to have around to maintain healthy birds and which aren't? I was planning to buy a red mite powder, some sort of worming product and some kind of disinfectant or organic equivalent to clean the coop. Is this sufficient?

If anyone has any recommendations on good products I would be really grateful. Thanks.

Debbie

Hi Debbie, Welcome to the vine,
It's lovely that you have rescued seven chickens

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Red mite powder - yes
Wormer - yes. Many on here use VermX and rate it quite highly.
Louse powder, Disinfectant, better to get an agricultural grade one, I use Paramitex which I get from the same place I get their food.
You could also put a garlic clove or two, or some apple cider vinegar in their drinking water, this acts as a general tonic.

Lovely to hear of some more hens being given a good home.

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updated 14 May 2008

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Thank you for your responses, I will buy all the necessary straight away. In the last day or so it seems that two of the hens have gone off the lay so I need to establish why and treating for worms, lice and red mite seems a good place to start.

Debbie

Don't go out and buy everything. Just be sensible. I have been keeping chickens for about 20 years and I can honestly say I have only ever bought some red mite powder about 10 years ago and I think I only needed to use that once or twice. I don't believe really in using anything chemical on my girls, there are many natural ways you can use. I always recommend to newbies to make sure you give plenty of proper food, a constant supply of clean fresh water and clean their housing out very regular. Then you should rarely have any problems. I am pretty sure that I have never lost a chicken in 20 years due to illness or disease.

A great tip is if you can, build your chickens a sandpit, mine love it they are often in there burying themselves in the sand. The sand gets in and under their feathers and gives them a really good cleaning.

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"It is a cliché that most clichés are true, but then like most clichés, that cliché is untrue."

Hi. where would I go to get some chicken/hens as I am new to this and would love to have a couple. I hear that rescues from battery farms are good as they were bred for being docile. I have cats too so large chickens maybe a good idea, they are good at getting pigeons!!

If you are interested in re-homing battery hens try the Battery Hen Welfare Trust. They have regionally based co-ordinators and lists of upcoming rescue dates.
Or you could try googling a local directory of breeders based close to you.

Whichever way you go, chickens are immensely rewarding.

__________________
I'd rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion.

http://hollandsroadparadise.blogspot.com
updated 14 May 2008

www.bradleyroundtwo.blogspot.com