# Complete newbie



## cherylb (Jun 2, 2013)

Hi, I got two vorwerk chickens yesterday and know nothing about how to look after them! They are not in a normal coop. I use a small pen with a hutch on top at the moment, with intentions of buying a proper coop when I know it's all going to work out. I have a proper feeding and water tray and was advised to give them a complete meal, with grit and meal included. They are on my back garden at the moment but I feel they need more room, though I am worried about the several neighbourhood cats.
Please could I ask a couple of questions? (Quite a few actually)
They are apparently about five months old and will start to lay in a couple of months. Does this sound right?
They seem happy through the day and peck around happily but will never go up the stairs into the hutch. At night I'm picking them up and putting them into the hutch myself. How can I convince them to use the stairs? 

I'm sure I have a few more questions but will ask later lol.
Thank you for any responses.
Cheryl


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## mjs500doo (May 6, 2013)

They'll catch on to the stairs eventually. Since they're new, that's all you can do is help them out until they "know".

Hens lay anywhere from 3 1/3 months up till 7 1/2 months. The average in flock is typically 5 or 6 months. Eggs around the corner!


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## aacre (May 5, 2013)

I wouldn't worry too much about the neighborhood cats. The chickens will most likely take care of them if they should try to attack them. There are a lot of of cats in my neighborhood as well, and I've never had even one incident. 
As for the stairs, it may take a few days to get them to get the concept to use them, but with a little training (like you are doing), they will soon learn to put themselves "to bed". 
Vorwerks are a beautiful breed, I'm sure you will enjoy them! Welcome to the world of chickens!


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Hello and Welcome


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## cherylb (Jun 2, 2013)

Thank you folks. Another question, if you don't mind? How long should they be in their coop at night? Is there a certain length of time and should I be putting them to bed at the same time and back up at the same time each morning?


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## aacre (May 5, 2013)

Mine usually put themselves to bed at sunset and in the morning, I let them out at about 6:30 am. Every flock can vary but not by much.


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## mjs500doo (May 6, 2013)

I do not have the danger of predators at my location here, but at my last place of residence we did. There, I allowed them to head to bed, closed up the coop when sun was completely down and black outside. I opened it at sunrise in the morning. I found it easiest to follow DNR hunting regulations as they always have sunrise times listed! Lol I'm also an avid hunter and always have these on hand. 

At my home now, they have a small door off the ground and I only close the big door at night.


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## cherylb (Jun 2, 2013)

Well Mr Chicken and Violet (my 4 and 6 year olds choice of names) still won't shift themselves at night. It's like waiting up for two teenagers to come home! They still won't get in the hutch up the ladders. I'm having to still having to put them to bed myself. So I've given in and I'm putting the hutch on the floor at the weekend so hopefully they will just go in rather than huddling in a corner at night.


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