Deciding today whether to get chickens. Have I considered everything?

[StephTheChicken]

Hello everyone!

I'm new to this forum and I've never kept chickens before but have been toying with the idea for a long time now. I want them for eggs and as pets. During the last few days I did some serious research and today I'm going to visit a little farm that would potentially sell me a few hens so I want to make sure I've considered everything before I make my final decision (not taking them home today either way, need to get everything set up first). I would prefer to get only 2 but think I'd probably get 3 so they have more company.

• Garden: I live in a terraced house in the suburbs of London. Our garden is completely surrounded by a 2m high fence. The garden borders onto other gardens on all 3 sides which are all surrounded by the same type of fence as well so we're well protected from foxes and other ground predators. There are permanently shaded areas in the garden where the coop can be placed during the hot summer months.

• Breed: I decided on Buff Orpington as they're calm and quiet so the neighbours wouldn't be disturbed too much and since I have no prior experience with birds I would feel confident handling them without being attacked haha. They also don't lay too many eggs which is important since we're only a household of 2 and I wouldn't want eggs go to waste. (They used to lay around 300 eggs per year but breeders focused more on looks than productivity so nowadays it's more around the 200 mark I read). They're also winter hardy as winters can get rather wet and cold here.
  
  
• Personal circumstances: I currently study full time and work part time from home. My partner works full time. We have busy schedules but I spend a lot of time at home. We go on a 2 week holiday once a year but we have a very friendly neighbourhood community and our garden can be accesses without having to go through our house so finding someone to look after the hens should not be an issue. There are also paid pet sitting services available in the area.
  
  
• Necessary equipment: Coop, bedding, feeders, feed, grit and calcium, coop disinfectant
  In addition to the coop I will build an extended spacious run out of construction timber and chicken wire so the hens have protected space to roam when nobody's around to keep an eye on them.

• Possible issues: We have a cat and there are other cats in the neighbourhood. I don't know how high the risk is of them attacking the hens. Our own cat is very docile and doesn't play but I have no idea how he'd react to a bunch of big birds invading his garden. Will check with the seller if he would take the hens back after a few weeks if it doesn't work out.

Is there anything I haven't thought about that I should be taking into consideration? This is a big decision and i want the hens to be happy and have everything they need.

 

[Isaac 0]

Welcome to BYC!

Hens are very loud.So be perpared. Before and after they lay a egg they squawk very
loud in pride.Chickens need space also so a large run and free ranging will make them very happy.Personally i would never buy a coop you would be better off building one yourself.The feed you provided in the link is corn which will cause a nutritional deficiency in all of your hens they need Layer feed.

 

[StephTheChicken]

Welcome to BYC!

Hens are very loud.So be perpared. Before and after they lay a egg they squawk very
loud in pride.Chickens need space also so a large run and free ranging will make them very happy.Personally i would never buy a coop you would be better off building one yourself.The feed you provided in the link is corn which will cause a nutritional deficiency in all of your hens they need Layer feed.

The noise is one thing that I'll be asking the farmer about who I'm meeting today. I've never even seen an Orpington hen so can only go by what I've read online so far. Are they noisy at night too? During the day it wouldn't really matter too much.

About the coop - haha.. I think if I built an entire coop myself it'd look like something out of a modern art exhibition. That's why I decided only to build a large run in extension, that's not too complicated.

I have a different type of feed in my shopping cart too, was going to see what the farmer feeds them before committing. Also need to find out what kitchen scraps are good for them and which aren't. So far I know not to give them avocados.

 

[Isaac 0]

The noise is one thing that I'll be asking the farmer about who I'm meeting today. I've never even seen an Orpington hen so can only go by what I've read online so far. Are they noisy at night too? During the day it wouldn't really matter too much.

About the coop - haha.. I think if I built an entire coop myself it'd look like something out of a modern art exhibition. That's why I decided only to build a large run in extension, that's not too complicated.

I have a different type of feed in my shopping cart too, was going to see what the farmer feeds them before committing. Also need to find out what kitchen scraps are good for them and which aren't. So far I know not to give them avocados.

Hens go to sleep once the sun goes down.So after they get in they are pretty quiet.

Here is a list of treats you're not supposed to give them.

http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2013/02/toxic-treats-what-not-to-feed-your.html

 

[chicken4prez]

Unless you have a rooster mine are never noisy at night. It's just usually when it's morning and they haven't been let out yet. But I still can't hear them. When I'm outside in the afternoon I can't hear them at all. I would give the neighbours a lot of eggs just in case they don't like them. That's what we do with ours.

It sounds like you have everything ready though! Have you researched all the possible sicknesses chickens can get?

 

[StephTheChicken]

Hens go to sleep once the sun goes down.So after they get in they are pretty quiet.

Here is a list of treats you're not supposed to give them.

http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2013/02/toxic-treats-what-not-to-feed-your.html

Oh that's really helpful! Thank you!

I'll have to move my spinach and tomato planters somewhere safe in that case.

 

[Isaac 0]

Ive let mine in my garden and they know better.They stay away from those plants unless they have tomatoes on them!

 

[StephTheChicken]

Unless you have a rooster mine are never noisy at night. It's just usually when it's morning and they haven't been let out yet. But I still can't hear them. When I'm outside in the afternoon I can't hear them at all. I would give the neighbours a lot of eggs just in case they don't like them. That's what we do with ours.

It sounds like you have everything ready though! Have you researched all the possible sicknesses chickens can get?

Good point! I did read about sicknesses, yes. They're mainly at risk of respiratory diseases so I have to be careful with the bedding I choose (no cedar). Was also reading about mites but not sure if I should treat the coop with Diatom preventatively or only if necessary. In general the Orpingtons are very tough birds though apparently. My cat's vet is confident in dealing with chickens so if anything happens I have a place to take them to.

 

[User395221]

I think you've thought things through very well. They do yell and carry on when they've "done an egg", but it's not an annoying noise as far as I'm concerned, and it doesn't go on and on. They just make their egg announcement for a while and then go back to fossicking for bugs and stuff.

You will NEVER waste eggs, no matter how many your girls give you. Somebody will want them (or in my case, ask me for them).

I would definitely get 3 instead of 2. If (when) something happens to one, the others will still have a friend and won't just suddenly lose everybody they know.

 

[GranolaGirl72]

Hens are very quiet at night so no need to worry about that. My buffs make a bit of an announcement when they lay but not as loud or as long as some of my other breeds. Do you know how old these girls will be when you get them? Age will play a roll in how many eggs they produce, 18-24 months about the peak laying age. 2-3 is a great number as with your climate you do not have to worry about them getting too cold.
I agree with MasterOf above, you need to look for a layer feed. It has around 16% protein since they do not need to pack on weight like a meat bird does. There can be calcium in the food as well, mine has just under 4% but you can give oyster shell free choice in a separate container. Loads of sites on the internet for anything that they should not eat, but the list is small.
As far as disinfecting the coop, I have never done that as opening it to the sun and air works for me, but you do need a plan for composting or discarding the waste that they produce. I would recomend you look for something like PDZ for under where they roost, it acts like kitty litter making the process of cleaning very easy.
Good luck with your new flock!