real newbie wants 2 hens=advice please

[Ellasmum]

Hiya,

I would really love a couple of hens for eggs and to allow then to roam around my garden. I have some questions that you may be able to help me with.
Will 2 hens be ok on their own?
What breed for hens that are easy to handle?
Are they going to eat everything on the veg beds????
Any general advice would be most welcome before I come to any decisions.
I have a a medium size wooden barn type building that I was thinking of housing them in with obviously plenty of protection from foxes,rats etc.

Sam

[daisychook]

Hi
I am quite new to chook keeping, but my speckled sussex is an absolute darling. She has been through the mill (you will probably have read my posts over the last few days - dont be put off!!!), but she is like a little dog, follows me round, loves being picked up.
Its great. They do eat everything in site though, we had a lawn last summer, now we dont!!

Oh, and the eggs taste fab, nothing like the shop bought ones!!!
Enjoy chook keeping, they are great!
Daisy

[cotton54321]

Hi
2 hens will be fine but 1 hen on its own does get lonely which is why people often recommend 3 (incase 1 dies and the other is left alone). We have had to divide the garden for them so they don't eat all the veggies as they do eat anything and everything. If you are buying for egg production, hybrids are best and I haven't had any hybrids that aren't friendly little things.
I hope you get started soon - one warning though - they are rather addictive!

Mel

[Birdie Wife]

Go for it Sam, hens are great fun and watching them in the garden and outside is so entertaining. They will eat some things in your veggie garden (eg. lettuce, brassicas) but most of the damage is done through scratching up the ground looking for grubs. They are great at the weeding, but can't really tell the difference between a weed and a precious veg seedling! Once plants get a bit more grown up they are generally safe from scratching but it's still a good idea to separate the hens from the veg until early spring when you can let them wander round picking off newly-hatched slugs and overwintered grubs.

As for breeds, the various Sussex are good, Marans are also generally quite docile. I'm sure there will be lots of breeds that would be suitable for you. Have a look in your area and find out what's available. Bantams tend to be flightier and lay smaller eggs, but some are very friendly indeed and many people keep them just as pets. As you want hens for eggs, hybrids are often fantastic layers so you might want to consider that, but generally speaking (and it's a big generalisation) the more mixed the parentage, the less tame the bird (okay, setting myself up to be shot down there!!) having said that, a lot of the time it comes down to personality and how much time you can spend with the birds to get them tame.

[Ellasmum]

Thanks so much to all of you for the advice....oh I am so tempted.
I will give it further thought and let you know what I intend to do.
If I segment the garden, how much do they need to be happy in? I know its a tough question but garden is an odd shape!!
Also are all of your neighbours ok with chucks...no complaints????
Sam X

[Birdie Wife]

General rule of thumb is at least 3 square feet of outside space per bird (not including the space the coop sits on), 1 - 1.5sq ft inside the coop per bird. It doesn't sound like much, and it's not really, at least for the outside space. Try and give them as much as you can! For inside space, it's actually better to try and stick to the rule of thumb because if there's too much space in your coop, they can get chilled in the winter months if you get really cold weather.

[TPeers]

I have two hybrid hens in a traditional triangular ark, a 2' coop with 4' run, the construct being 4' wide, the run area is (allowing for the sloping sides) 4' x3' = 12 sq ft, which technically should be enough for 4 hens - talk about standing room only! It is noticable that my two want out when ever possible, but it is just about ok for them.

I let the hens out most evenings to have a rampage in the garden, they come back very quickly when the corn ration comes out!

I am building a larger hen house which will have a coop area of 3'x2' plus a nest box end 1'x2', and the run, which is under the coop, will extent to a total of 10'x4', this, in my view, should be sufficient for the hens when we are away and they can't come out and play!

I might even be tempted to get a couple more, although from what I have read it may be difficult to introduce the new comers.

That would give them a confined area of 40 sq ft for 4 hens, or 10 sq ft each - more that 3 times the acceptable minimum.

I do have a fairly large garden, it being an older style of house, but this sort of houseing is secure from foxes and can be moved, so you could save your lawn to some extent by moving the entire contraption once a week on a three week cycle to give a little recovery time!

Since you mention a barn type building, you could make two runs either side if this is feasable and use each run for a few weeks, then rest it and use the other run for a similar time.

If you are going to let them roam unsupervised remember they can fly, and that to be safe from Mr Fox your fences need to be over 6', and solid at the bottom so they can't dig under.

On the count of noise - I have had my neighbours - one of whom is blind and relies on his hearing - asking if the birds are there they are so quiet! I really wouldn't worry, just don't get a cockrel, which you don't need for eggs, and there will be no problem.

Only other thing I can think of - if you can have somewhere dry for the food!

And use rat proof containers for the feed store!

They are captivating, addictive and a great stress buster - go for it!

[Ellasmum]

Thanks TPeers, great advice. I am sooooooo tempted!!!
Just got to get neighbour on side to feed if I am away.
Sam

[Birdie Wife]

TPeers, if you want to get a couple more hens I'd say just go for it, introductions can sometimes be tricky but so long as you don't try and introduce just one to the flock, you can save a lot of hassle. If you put the new birds in the coop at night, everyone will be a lot calmer too.

[kirsty b]

We started with 4 hens, then OH went and got 3 more. Kept them in sight of the originals, but out of pecking reach for a few days, then I put them all to bed in the same coop on the 3rd night and tthey were much friendlier towards each other. (followed advice I found on here)
Still a few squabbles occasionally, but all have settled in quite nicely and laying like mad.
Kirsty

[TPeers]

TPeers, if you want to get a couple more hens I'd say just go for it, introductions can sometimes be tricky but so long as you don't try and introduce just one to the flock, you can save a lot of hassle. If you put the new birds in the coop at night, everyone will be a lot calmer too.

So if I moved the 'old' birds to the new house, and put the 'new' birds in the ark next to them for a day or two, and then somehow transfer the 'new' birds to the new house one evening. That should work to minimise the stress and so on?

I know they will still need to work out the pecking order thing - but that should reduce the major squabbling to minor stuff?

Sounds worth a try - TOH wants 'his own' hen - to be named Henn Gloddle (Glenn Hoddle - don't go there! ) (probaly a Buff Orpington) - and I get an Araucana - lovely blue/green eggs. Haven't decided on a name for her - I shall wait and see what she is like.

Thanks for the advice

Terry

[SuzieP]

Birdie Wife said Once plants get a bit more grown up they are generally safe from scratching

Don't you believe it - mine take off like harrier jump jets to attack new growth on even established shrubs! The only thing I've found that they don't eat is rosemary. I've moved all my fruit bushes over to the allotment and have had to put wire frames round my pots to have any colour in my garden - even then they managed to get in and decided to make my biggest pot their dust bath! I've got a gravel area that they love to scratch in and have to sweep it all back every night.....

but - I love them Best thing I ever did! Go for it - just be prepared for a slightly ragged looking garden - but they more than compensate with their delicious eggs and funny antics.