New keeper

[Suechooks]

I have laying hybrids including ex-batts.The Black Rock is the smallest and one of the best layers. I also have an Amber Link who is quite small and lays prolifically (every day since last March). Different breeders call them by different names but the Black Rock is black with brown neck feathers and the Amber is white with a few amber flecks. Warrens (the brown / gingery jobs) are good layers too and quite small
Poultry Spice is a vitamin supplement.
Most people who use additives have ex-battery hens who tend to need that extra bit of care due to their previous existence.
Theoretically the layers pellets give all they need much like a complete dog or cat food.
Hope you find what you want! You'll be buying the Eglu cube before you know it!!

[Hans Mum]

OK. What's poultry spice?Truedat!

Its a mineral supplements that you can give to your girls either on porridge in winter or if you put some oil on their layer pellets you can add some to them, i give it to mine because they're ex-batts and theyve just come into moult, so its just a precaution

Plus, one of my cats is an unstoppable killing machine, and so although I know he won't actually kill the chickens, I do think he'll do a good job of stirring them up. Will have to buy a powerful water pistol.
I also have a killing machine, he tried to stalk the girls but one of mine made such a noise he didn't try again!

one of my cats is a killer too, he lost his first battle with the girls and avoids them now, he does sit on top of the run but goes nowhere near them and if he meets them when they're out in the garden he runs the other way, they also let the dog know who's boss!.

as others have said dont worry too much they are quite resilliant and you are going to enjoy them.

[Glutton4...]

I will soon be the proud owner of a couple of chooks, so expect to see me in here asking tons of questions!

We decided to go with an Eglu in the end, because although they are very expensive the ease of cleaning was appealing!

Anyone got any starter tips which they wish someone had told them before they got their chickens?

Get a shed not an eglu - it's not big enough, once you've got Chooks you'll want more!

They did say this but I didn't listen lol!

[Crundy]

Get a shed not an eglu - it's not big enough, once you've got Chooks you'll want more!

I did think about that, but I think I'll force myself to stick to a few for now and 'upgrade' to a nice shed when we move to a house with a bigger garden.

Aside from the number you can keep in them, how did you find the Eglu?

[RedThorn]

don't worry, three will be fine inside the eglu, I've had 6 cram (their own choice) in and still had space for more to sleep however that said, I actually have 2 eglu's and we have 5 girls (Nando passed away recently). I have 1 as a giant nest box and 1 they sleep in. The nest box 1 is a rabbit eglu and the tray just lifts out . (I ended up with 2 for �70, given 1 and then had a bonus with the other)

My girls do not stay in the run though and have a 100ft garden to free range in. I am looking at making a permenant walk in run that will be big enough for them and the sleeping eglu and either use the nesting eglu or make a nest box, not sure yet.

G4 predicted I'd have more girls before easter and she was right bear that in mind....

I love my girls and wouldn't trade them, however think about what veg/plants you want to protect as my rasberries have not survived the onslaught, my rose bush ended up devoured including the new stems, my chard and perpetual spinach joined the veggie plot in the sky etc....

The only downer I'd say about the eglu is it's beeping awkward to get inside the run to clean etc and a pain to move if you want the girls to have some more grass. You'd be amazed how quickly they can strip the section of land bare!

Another point, you cannot (well not that I've come across anyway) fit and automatic pop hole opener/closer on it. Which I suppose is not a problem if they're in the run all the time, but if they freerange like mine, I have to get up at sparrows f#rt every morning. Week day's is not a problem as I'm always up at sparrows anyway, however weekends can be annoying.

Oh and by the way....chicken poo sticks more than they show in the videos but they are easy to clean.

[Bephlam]

I have three cats...one of which is a prolific hunter. He kills anything that moves, but...LOVES the chickens. Whenever they are out he's with them...he even eats out the same dish as them when they're getting their treat. I really wouldn't worry about the cat and the birds...they'll soon puff up and give the cat a fright.

Dogs, on the other hand, they need supervision...I also have three...and my LurcherXBedlington was dodgy at first...but now, they all get on great!!

You'll be fine, no matter what...but...you will become as addicted to chook keeping as us!!

[Crundy]

Oh, will I need to clip their wings? The breed we're looking at is a medium sized hybrid, which seems to have a lot of Rhode Island Red in it. I presume they arn't good flyers, and we have 6' fencing all round the garden. We do have a low tree in one corner, so I'm going to saw off any lower branches to stop them climbing up and over.