loads of questions

[pickledtink]

Having finally got the new Garden transformed into producing veg and some fruit trees planted.
The chicken house. run , enclosure is also all ready.
Went to a good place and chose some possibles , bought feeder , drinker, wood shavings to scratch about for covered run and sawdust for inside house. However suddenly I realise I don't know how thick either should be laid or how often changed etc. Got big bag of straw for nest boxes and will buy layer pellets and a little corn for treats.
Also the bloke who converted the shed has made a great perch and lots of different level shelves but said the nest boxes should go on the floor. I'm doubtful about this . Shouldn't they be a foot or so off the floor on the shelves?
Help please!

[MaureenHall]

In the run you need about 3" deep - the chooks will chuck it all over the place anyway (that's why they're called chooks )

Yes the nest boxes should be lower than the perches, the chook feels more secure to lay her eggs there. If you have them high up, they'll lay eggs on the floor in all the poop

[pickledtink]

Thanks. I'll do just that and put the nest boxes on the floor for starters. The shelves are different levels all over the place with plenty lower than the perch anyway.

Seems to be some disputes about whether sawdust is best for inside the house. What would people recommend?

[davefromthechipie]

sounds like you got it all sorted pickedtink Your know when to change it inside it will smell , if you have say 2 to 8 hens a clean out should be one once a week in the next box if they are pooing/sleeping in it . Still cant give you a time (some birds poo little in the house some alot ) just clean it when you see it needs it

wood Shavings are done about min 2 inch to about 4 inch and shouldnt need changing evey week but you should pick the poo out when you can .

as for the nest box A high box could make your girls sleep ie poo in it , different level shelves/perches is good aslong as its not over the next box or again they will poo in the nest box

In theory that is lol some of mine still sleep in the nestbox and poo meaning more cleaning for me

[MaureenHall]

Not sawdust, it's too fine and can cause respiratory problems. Go for dust-extracted wood shavings, or Easi-bed or Hemcore or something along those lines

[davefromthechipie]

Thanks. I'll do just that and put the nest boxes on the floor for starters. The shelves are different levels all over the place with plenty lower than the perch anyway.

Seems to be some disputes about whether sawdust is best for inside the house. What would people recommend?

cant tell you as never used sawdust but wood shavings must be cheaper and do a fine job in my view

[pickledtink]

Thanks all. Off to get them on Thursday so don't want them to turn their beaks up at their new home!

[Pumpkin Becki]

As Maureen says, woodshavings are best for the nestbox. Its nice and soft for the eggs to 'land' in and as the chooks are less likely to kick it around too violently (unlike straw or hay), your eggs shouldn't get broken accidentally that way either. It is also thought that hay or (more particularly) straw in the nest box can provide ideal breeding grounds for the pesky red mite, so it is best avoided in the house altogether. I was told to use flat sheets of newspaper under the perches for the birds to poo on during the night, this can then easily be changed daily/every couple of days, scrumpled up and put on your compost heap. Its a win/win situation.

[pickledtink]

Well they're here and seem to have settled in pretty quickly. I let them come out of the boxes inside the coop in their own time and by 9pm they were all in a row on the perch and have been out on the run scratching about today.
There's a Coral, Maran Cuivree, skyline and Black tail.
Now I wonder how long before I see an egg.....

[RedThorn]

congrats on your new girls, won't be long before it feels as if they're always been there! Oh and the obligitary pics please

As to the eggs, the girls will bless you wit hthem lil treats in their own time Do you know how old they are? That way someone with more knowledge than me can hopefully give you a clue...

[pickledtink]

Thanks . I think they're about 14 months as someone said you pay a £1.00 per month and apart from the skyline they were £14.00 each. The barn/ pen they came out of had eggs in the trays so some of them must be laying.
I'll have a go with the camera phone once we get a bit of sun but I've never ben able to get my pics up on this site.

[HayleyB]

Oooooohh more posh birds, enjoy they are addictive and time wasters - you'll watch them for ages

[pickledtink]

Just an update on the ladies.
THey are allowed out in their free range area now as they've been laying for weeks. Little blue or green from the skyline and a white from the coral. Can't figure out whats going on with the other two. I get one brown egg a day for sure but most days it's a medium sized brown then every 2 -3 days a massive double yolker that's huge. I have no idea if it's just one brown egg layer doing it or they take turns or something. anyway they have definitely become very tame and relaxed so who cares. I love watching them taking their dust bath all snuggled up together.
Thanks for all the advice. It al worked a treat.