We have just decided to get some chickens for the first time. I'm researching chicken houses at the moment, does anyone have any tips? My friend's chickens suffer from the most ghastly red spider mite infestations if she doesn't plaster their coop in powder. Is it true this is not a problem with a plastic house such as an Eglu?

Plastic Eglu's don't suffer with red mite as there are no cracks/nooks and crannies for them to get in.

However, I've used wooden houses for the last 5 years and never had it....

Downside to Eglu's is the cost, plus in the normal ones, they only fit 3 hens in, and whilst the Eglu cubes fit more in, the prices are astronomical!

Also, they can get very hot in the sunshine/summer as they are plastic - not a breathable material...

I can talk to someone who rescues ex battery hens and see if she knows of any Bantams if you would like? RSPCA and other sanctuaries always have them..not sure what the breeding policy is though - but I suppose you can't spay or neuter a chicken can you?

I have used wooden houses since i started keeping chickens and have only had a problem with red mite once, which we sorted out. I personally don't like the eglus.

What breed of chicken are you looking at?

Slb, thanks but i can't see there being speckled sussex. (You do realise bantams are just a smaller chicken and you can gett all different breeds and they are not a breed in itself?).

Helen

No I didn't know that - chickens scare me I only know of the normal chicken - what you see in childrens programmes and most farms and Bantams - the white coloured ones oh and there were a few black coloured ones on the farm - not sure what they were..

I have a wooden chicken house and have had it for the past four years and haven't had a problem with red mite so far (fingers crossed!).

Farmyard chickens are usually rhode island red crossed with something else, I can't remember what. There are hundreds of different breeds and then you have those same breeds but in a smaller size - bantams.

The white ones are probably light sussex, which are pretty common. The black ones could be black rocks which are another hybrid but are very good layers.

On another note, one of my chickens has gone broody so have put some eggs under her.....fingers crossed...

Helen

So it seems red spider mites are not a problem for everyone then. That's good, because I would rather have a largish wooden house than a very expensive small eglu anyway.

Now the birds...I don't want prolific layers that will burn themselves out after 18 months. What breeds are good for steady egg production over a number of years?

Hybrids lay better than pure breeds, so something like an Amber Star, Speckeldy, White Star, Blackrock etc are a good bet... they should lay over part of the winter too...

Saying that, Welsummer, Maran, Cream Legbar etc (or most crosses of those) should also produce a decent number of eggs.

Stay away from Silkies, Polish, Orpingtons etc - nice to look at, not great layers and/or prone to broodiness....

Cheers, I will note them down.