What bird is right for me? 

When you start as a new poultry keeper one of the trickiest things you have to decide is what breed you think would suit you. There are a number of things to think about when picking a breed or species of poultry such as space available, size of coop, cost and eggs production. 

Please read through our list of breeds in the 'Breeds of Poultry' section. This will give you lots more information on the characteristics and needs of each breed. 

What age of bird should I buy? 

We sell our birds in the following age brackets, Chicks - unsexed (day old - 8 weeks). Growers - some sexed this is breed dependant (8 weeks - 16 weeks). Point of lay or adults - sexed, (16 weeks and up). 

If you're looking to get the family involved, have the set up prepared and can home cockerels/males that potentially hatch then chicks would be a fab idea.

If you're looking for sexed females or males and have the room to keep separate from older birds then growers are ideal. If you are starting out with your first few birds I recommend our growers. This gives you a chance to get them as friendly as possible and you can see them develop. Growers will be outside full time.

Point of lay or adult birds are ideal if you're looking for eggs as soon as possible and you don't have the space or time to be jumping from pen to pen. 

 What does a healthy bird look like?

Before every bird leaves our premises it is fully checked over. Every 2 weeks we go through every bird checking overall health, as well as keeping a watchful eye over them all the time. We recommend you doing the same once your birds are home. We check for the following on a daily basis : 

Bright eyes, good posture (no slopping backs or hunched over birds), the comb and wattle should be bright red on most breeds, check for lameness and make sure that they are their usual self. 

We always check for the following :

No mucus coming from the nostrils, check that the sinuses are not swollen or puffy, check their legs are smooth, the feathers around the vent should be clean, check through the feathers throughly for any signs of parasites. You know your birds, if you notice any change in behaviour don't overlook it, find out as much as you can and act as fast as possible to ensure the best recovery possible. Don't hesitate to contact us for help or advice. 

What should I feed my birds? 

Chickens = Chicks are feed on chick crumb till around 6 weeks then over a few days change there feed to growers pellets till 2 weeks after they are laying. Then move them onto layers pellets. If it is spring time and you plan on breeding it is very important to get your chickens in tip top condition and this is achieved by feeding on high quality breeders pellets. 

Guinea Fowl = I feed my Guinea Fowl keets on game bird starter feed for the first 5 weeks, then move them onto chick crumb till they move outside and you notice a decrease in their feed intake. Slowly stop putting down food and let them forage. Please note, this system only works if they are free ranging and have plenty grazing land to forage. They also love a treat of berries! 

Quail = I feed my quail chicks on chick crumb of 24% protein or higher, the protein is crucial to get a healthy chick. Once matured I move them onto a quail & partridge Layers Pellets.