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Tony · Guest

Hi all,

My hen house is about to be delivered. I have bought a feeder, a waterer,
25kg of pellets, some mixed grit and a couple of bins to put it all in, and
some wood shavings. The orchard fences have been repaired. The chickens
are due to be picked up on Saturday. Basically I>m all ready.

But...

1: The chicken supplier has phoned to say the Black Rocks I wanted are not
available and would I accept Hebden Blacks. They said they were similar,
but this has thrown me a bit - I was all prepared for BRs! Can someone tell
me how these compare. I>m looking for an easy ride to start with so my
main concern is maintenance - are they as easy as BRs?

2: The hen coop I have ordered is suitable for 6-10 birds according to the
blurb. I have just read that too few birds means they won>t be able to keep
warm in the space. I have ordered 4 - should I order two more to bring the
numbers up?

3: Despite all the books, videos, leaflets and web sites I>ve looked at I
can>t find an answer to whether the drinker and feeder should be inside or
outside the coop or perhaps both. 'Constant water supply' suggests inside
but will the darlings go back in during the day? If inside, won>t they
knock it around and get everything wet?

4: I>ve read advice on keeping them inside the coop/run for x days before
letting then range so they know where they should live - this varies from 24
hours to 1 week!!!! What>s you advice?

5: And finally - the snowdrops and daffs are out - will the chickens eat
these? Also my missus has planted raspberry canes throughout the orchard -
will the hens eat these.

6: And really finally - the badger population has exploded around here -
rarely do I see a day without a new roadkill around here. They are
everywhere. Do they go after chickens? Very sweet to take the kids out to
watch at night but they are vicious buggers!

Many thanks for advice on such a long list of questions.

Tony

OTPS: If anyone uses the excellent free Berlin Uni newsserver at
news.cis.dfn.de, then it has changed its address - its now
News.Individual.NET. The auth details haven>t changed - just needs
repointing. Took me a day of scrabbling about to find this after using
backup news servers that just don>t do the job!

Jill · Guest

"Tony" <Rodney@10uk.net> wrote in message
news:c0slk7$1av5j3$1@ID-156344.news.uni-berlin.de...
[quote]Hi all,

My hen house is about to be delivered. I have bought a feeder, a waterer,
25kg of pellets, some mixed grit and a couple of bins to put it all in,
and
some wood shavings. The orchard fences have been repaired. The chickens
are due to be picked up on Saturday. Basically I>m all ready.
[/quote]
Sounds great - so exciting
[quote]
But...

1: The chicken supplier has phoned to say the Black Rocks I wanted are
not
available and would I accept Hebden Blacks. They said they were similar,
but this has thrown me a bit - I was all prepared for BRs! Can someone
tell
me how these compare. I>m looking for an easy ride to start with so my
main concern is maintenance - are they as easy as BRs?
[/quote]
I have never heard of good reports of Hebden Blacks. I have heard of folks
trying then but always returning to the Black Rock. Disappointing all round
seems to be the general view. But they are chickens so will not be any more
difficult to look after
If you try http://www.theblackrock.co.uk/agents.htm there should be a map
with all the bigger Black Rock rearers. See if there is another near you or
phone Peter Siddons himself to see if there may be a small rearer he knows
of in your vicinity
IF you are in teh south west at all Ben and Kathy have a pretty extensive
delivery range I believe

[quote]
2: The hen coop I have ordered is suitable for 6-10 birds according to
the
blurb. I have just read that too few birds means they won>t be able to
keep
warm in the space. I have ordered 4 - should I order two more to bring
the
numbers up?
[/quote]
In a small domestic coop that has well designed ventilation it will not be a
problem. It can become one with bigger walk in sheds that are grossly
understocked as its a large airspace to fill.
[quote]
3: Despite all the books, videos, leaflets and web sites I>ve looked at I
can>t find an answer to whether the drinker and feeder should be inside or
outside the coop or perhaps both. 'Constant water supply' suggests inside
but will the darlings go back in during the day? If inside, won>t they
knock it around and get everything wet?
[/quote]

We feed indoors only otherwise it gets wet - and most of the UK could have
that problem
We have drinkers outside

[quote]
4: I>ve read advice on keeping them inside the coop/run for x days before
letting then range so they know where they should live - this varies from
24
hours to 1 week!!!! What>s you advice?
[/quote]
It partly depends on where they have come from
We have found that birds that are used to free ranging during their rearing
can go out quite quickly - despite our caution of keep them in for 2 days
just to let them get adjusted ! we have heard of plenty of times when the
birds have been popped into the house in the evening and let out in the
morning. If the house has a run then we say the birds can go out into that
the next day.
If birds have not been free range reared then it can be a good idea to give
them a little more time to acclimatise. Barn reared birds can find the
transition quite daunting. But a week is overkill :~))

[quote]
5: And finally - the snowdrops and daffs are out - will the chickens eat
these? Also my missus has planted raspberry canes throughout the
orchard -
will the hens eat these.
[/quote]
ours do not touch the snowdrops or daffs but love raspberries - fortunately
they only get the lower ones :~))

[quote]
6: And really finally - the badger population has exploded around here -
rarely do I see a day without a new roadkill around here. They are
everywhere. Do they go after chickens?
[/quote]
YES
If you have not got a track across your garden now - make sure you do
everything you can to stop it becoming one. Once they are using a track you
can not stop them by law !!
They are becoming one of the biggest threats to domestic poultry - they are
strong adn obviously showing increasingly no fear.

Very sweet to take the kids out to
[quote]watch at night but they are vicious buggers!
[/quote]
Indeed - and thoroughly enjoy a chicken dinner :~((((

[quote]
Many thanks for advice on such a long list of questions.
[/quote]
Keep them coming

HTH

--
regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks; Housing; Books, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Holidays in Scotland and Wales
http://www.kintaline.co.uk
[quote]
Tony

OTPS: If anyone uses the excellent free Berlin Uni newsserver at
news.cis.dfn.de, then it has changed its address - its now
News.Individual.NET. The auth details haven>t changed - just needs
repointing. Took me a day of scrabbling about to find this after using
backup news servers that just don>t do the job!

[/quote]

Jay · Guest

"Jill" <farm@removethisbitkintaline.co.uk> wrote in message
news:XslYb.4637$h44.734131@stones.force9.net...
[quote]
"Tony" <Rodney@10uk.net> wrote in message
news:c0slk7$1av5j3$1@ID-156344.news.uni-berlin.de...
Hi all,

My hen house is about to be delivered. I have bought a feeder, a
waterer,
25kg of pellets, some mixed grit and a couple of bins to put it all in,
and
some wood shavings. The orchard fences have been repaired. The
chickens
are due to be picked up on Saturday. Basically I>m all ready.

Sounds great - so exciting
[/quote]
I remember my excitment as if it was yesterday

[quote]3: Despite all the books, videos, leaflets and web sites I>ve looked at
I
can>t find an answer to whether the drinker and feeder should be inside
or
outside the coop or perhaps both. 'Constant water supply' suggests
inside
but will the darlings go back in during the day? If inside, won>t they
knock it around and get everything wet?

We feed indoors only otherwise it gets wet - and most of the UK could have
that problem
We have drinkers outside

[/quote]
What sort of house have you got - is there a covered attached run? I have a
covered run area as well as outside (open to sky). This enables me to keep
food dry as it hangs from the roof (as does the drinker). Means that the
hens don>t have access to feed or water at night but this doesn>t seem to
have caused any problems.

[quote]5: And finally - the snowdrops and daffs are out - will the chickens
eat
these? Also my missus has planted raspberry canes throughout the
orchard -
will the hens eat these.

ours do not touch the snowdrops or daffs but love raspberries -
fortunately
they only get the lower ones :~))

[/quote]
My biggest problem seems to be the hens like scratching around the roots of
the apple trees and this has made me wary of planting raspberries and other
fruit in the archard area.

Regards
Jay

Jill · Guest

"Jay" <j_green156@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1077013793.5518.0@eunomia.uk.clara.net...
[quote]
I remember my excitment as if it was yesterday
3: Despite all the books, videos, leaflets and web sites I>ve
looked at
I
can>t find an answer to whether the drinker and feeder should be
inside
or
outside the coop or perhaps both. 'Constant water supply' suggests
inside
but will the darlings go back in during the day? If inside, won>t
they
knock it around and get everything wet?

We feed indoors only otherwise it gets wet - and most of the UK could
have
that problem
We have drinkers outside

What sort of house have you got - is there a covered attached run? I have
a
covered run area as well as outside (open to sky). This enables me to keep
food dry as it hangs from the roof (as does the drinker). Means that the
hens don>t have access to feed or water at night but this doesn>t seem to
have caused any problems.
[/quote]
Indeed - that is a better qualification - undercover.
Around here we get rain in most directions and horizontal !!! so indoors is
just better for us.
Our next development may have the possibility to have feed outside too.
It will be interesting to experiement with how much they eat at night if at
all

[quote]
5: And finally - the snowdrops and daffs are out - will the chickens
eat
these? Also my missus has planted raspberry canes throughout the
orchard -
will the hens eat these.

ours do not touch the snowdrops or daffs but love raspberries -
fortunately
they only get the lower ones :~))

My biggest problem seems to be the hens like scratching around the roots
of
the apple trees and this has made me wary of planting raspberries and
other
fruit in the archard area.
[/quote]
I can understand that with them being so shallow rooted. We do not let the
chickens in our main nursery and fruit bit so cannot say. Its the wandering
fruit they get to have :~))
But I certainly know of quite a number of folks who have their birds in
their fruit cages
Maybe planting through old tyres or the like or incorporating a single year
mulch fibre in the planting would keep the birds from the your roots until
they get established. Sheeps wool works well too

--
regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks; Housing; Books, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Holidays in Scotland and Wales
http://www.kintaline.co.uk

Tony · Guest

"Jill" <farm@removethisbitkintaline.co.uk> wrote in message
news:XslYb.4637$h44.734131@stones.force9.net...

[quote]
"Tony" <Rodney@10uk.net> wrote in message
news:c0slk7$1av5j3$1@ID-156344.news.uni-berlin.de...
Hi all,

My hen house is about to be delivered. I have bought a feeder, a
waterer,
25kg of pellets, some mixed grit and a couple of bins to put it all in,
and
some wood shavings. The orchard fences have been repaired. The chickens
are due to be picked up on Saturday. Basically I>m all ready.

Sounds great - so exciting
[/quote]
It is!!! :-)

[quote]
But...

1: The chicken supplier has phoned to say the Black Rocks I wanted are
not
available and would I accept Hebden Blacks. They said they were similar,
but this has thrown me a bit - I was all prepared for BRs! Can someone
tell
me how these compare. I>m looking for an easy ride to start with so my
main concern is maintenance - are they as easy as BRs?

I have never heard of good reports of Hebden Blacks. I have heard of folks
trying then but always returning to the Black Rock. Disappointing all
round
seems to be the general view. But they are chickens so will not be any
more
difficult to look after
If you try http://www.theblackrock.co.uk/agents.htm there should be a map
with all the bigger Black Rock rearers. See if there is another near you
or
phone Peter Siddons himself to see if there may be a small rearer he knows
of in your vicinity
IF you are in teh south west at all Ben and Kathy have a pretty extensive
delivery range I believe

[/quote]
I am getting these from Cyril Bason (heard good reports) and they say these
are great hens - but they would, wouldn>t they. What is it about them that
are disappointing? They are meant to be the same as BRs but with darker
shells. I>m in a quandary now! I think I>ll give them a go but as I don>t
know what to expect anyway, I>ll be in the dark a bit.

[quote]
2: The hen coop I have ordered is suitable for 6-10 birds according to
the
blurb. I have just read that too few birds means they won>t be able to
keep
warm in the space. I have ordered 4 - should I order two more to bring
the
numbers up?

In a small domestic coop that has well designed ventilation it will not be
a
problem. It can become one with bigger walk in sheds that are grossly
understocked as its a large airspace to fill.
[/quote]
Good! Thanks for this. The house is from Fishers Wood Craft and seems to
have everything it should have.

[quote]
3: Despite all the books, videos, leaflets and web sites I>ve looked at
I
can>t find an answer to whether the drinker and feeder should be inside
or
outside the coop or perhaps both. 'Constant water supply' suggests
inside
but will the darlings go back in during the day? If inside, won>t they
knock it around and get everything wet?

We feed indoors only otherwise it gets wet - and most of the UK could have
that problem
We have drinkers outside

[/quote]
So your hens don>t have access to water overnight? Is that OK?

[quote]
4: I>ve read advice on keeping them inside the coop/run for x days
before
letting then range so they know where they should live - this varies
from
24
hours to 1 week!!!! What>s you advice?

It partly depends on where they have come from
We have found that birds that are used to free ranging during their
rearing
can go out quite quickly - despite our caution of keep them in for 2 days
just to let them get adjusted ! we have heard of plenty of times when the
birds have been popped into the house in the evening and let out in the
morning. If the house has a run then we say the birds can go out into that
the next day.
If birds have not been free range reared then it can be a good idea to
give
them a little more time to acclimatise. Barn reared birds can find the
transition quite daunting. But a week is overkill :~))

[/quote]
Good - These are barn raised so I>ll give them a few days.

[quote]

5: And finally - the snowdrops and daffs are out - will the chickens eat
these? Also my missus has planted raspberry canes throughout the
orchard -
will the hens eat these.

ours do not touch the snowdrops or daffs but love raspberries -
fortunately
they only get the lower ones :~))

[/quote]
That will please Jane. I suspected the lower ones would be gobbled - but it
should leave some for us! : -)

[quote]

6: And really finally - the badger population has exploded around here -
rarely do I see a day without a new roadkill around here. They are
everywhere. Do they go after chickens?

YES
If you have not got a track across your garden now - make sure you do
everything you can to stop it becoming one. Once they are using a track
you
can not stop them by law !!
They are becoming one of the biggest threats to domestic poultry - they
are
strong adn obviously showing increasingly no fear.

Very sweet to take the kids out to
watch at night but they are vicious buggers!

Indeed - and thoroughly enjoy a chicken dinner :~((((

[/quote]
There is a track a couple of hundred yards away. I have seen them rip
pheasants apart - goodness knows how they creep up on the poor things - they
are not the most agile of creatures. This has been a strange year - we>ve
had swarms of horrible beetles that in turn brought the bats in. Then the
water started running low. Then the badgers decided that living with sets a
very short distance from each other was allowed after all - previously they
used to keep their distance from each other. Now the pheasant population has
exploded. I wonder what is to come next.

Tony

Tony

T

Jill · Guest

"Tony" <Rodney@10uk.net> wrote in message
news:c0suph$1b31p2$1@ID-156344.news.uni-berlin.de...

[quote]I am getting these from Cyril Bason (heard good reports) and they say
these
are great hens - but they would, wouldn>t they. What is it about them that
are disappointing?
[/quote]
From the experiences of others - we have never had them here
- health
- feathering
- shell quality
- egg numbers
- life span

They are meant to be the same as BRs but with darker
[quote]shells.
[/quote]
The parent stock may be similar in name but it is not the same as Peter
Siddons stock at all. They are much newer. The Black Rock has years of
breeding of grandparent; parent and youngstock behind them.

I>m in a quandary now! I think I>ll give them a go but as I don>t
[quote]know what to expect anyway, I>ll be in the dark a bit.
[/quote]
If you cannopt get any Black Rocks in the next month by phoning around or
waiting for Cyrils next batch I can understand your impatience.
Why don>t you ask Cyril if he has some younger Black Rock birds. If you get
them at around 10 - 12 weeks they will finishing their growing outside. They
do "so" much better this way. One bag of Growers pellets would do the trick.
They have little moults in the last 8 weeks and if that is done in response
to the outside world the quality of the feathering is outstanding. They also
get all the advantages of exercise and daylight while they are completing
the growing stages resulting in bigger, fitter birds with enhanced immune
systems. You can have the fun of sharing their development and should get
eggs sooner too.
Yes you will have to wait a little longer for eggs yourself but the
enjoyment of having the birds will outwiegh that and you will have stronger
birds to last you years to come.

[quote]
So your hens don>t have access to water overnight? Is that OK?
[/quote]
It has been here for over 12 years so far :~))
Other places we have had some in and some out with no noticeable difference

[quote]There is a track a couple of hundred yards away. I have seen them rip
pheasants apart - goodness knows how they creep up on the poor things -
they
are not the most agile of creatures. This has been a strange year - we>ve
had swarms of horrible beetles that in turn brought the bats in. Then the
water started running low. Then the badgers decided that living with sets
a
very short distance from each other was allowed after all - previously
they
used to keep their distance from each other. Now the pheasant population
has
exploded. I wonder what is to come next.
[/quote]
as you say - quite odd things all together
Where abouts in the country are you ?
Has the population dynamics changed a lot in the past 10 years - sounds like
your ecology is doing some interesting things around you

--
regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks; Housing; Books, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Holidays in Scotland and Wales
http://www.kintaline.co.uk

Mary Fisher · Guest

"Jill" <farm@removethisbitkintaline.co.uk> wrote in message
news:B6oYb.6290$Y%6.698220@wards.force9.net...

[quote]

Why don>t you ask Cyril if he has some younger Black Rock birds. If you
get
them at around 10 - 12 weeks they will finishing their growing outside.
They
do "so" much better this way. One bag of Growers pellets would do the
trick.
They have little moults in the last 8 weeks and if that is done in
response
to the outside world the quality of the feathering is outstanding. They
also
get all the advantages of exercise and daylight while they are completing
the growing stages resulting in bigger, fitter birds with enhanced immune
systems. You can have the fun of sharing their development and should get
eggs sooner too.
Yes you will have to wait a little longer for eggs yourself but the
enjoyment of having the birds will outwiegh that and you will have
stronger
birds to last you years to come.
[/quote]
I don>t know a tiny fraction of what Jill does about poultry but this seems
to me to be damn good advice, especially the fun part.
[quote]
Mary

--
regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks; Housing; Books, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Holidays in Scotland and Wales
http://www.kintaline.co.uk
[/quote]


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