Chooks :)

[Lilli33]

We have Isa Browns. We had 3 but one recently died unexpectantly. We had them free range a fair bit early on, but they poo EVERYWHERE. So if you don't have a large space they don't need a huge run, and we keep ours contained now. (mostly) if they get out they will eat the vege patch, so I prefer that doesn't happen.

Kids love them, I love them, eggs are fab. Do it!

[achookwoman]

As you can probably tell by my name, I am rather fond of chooks.  I am the 3rd. Generation of chook women in our family., and there are 2 grand daughters coming on who also love them.  I have kept chooks for 30 years.  I have tried the lot from having beautiful rear breeds to the ISA Browns that I have now.   These are little egg laying machines.  We have our chooks on rice hulls,  this is cleaned out twice a year, bagged and kept for 6 months, then put on the garden.  Our chooks are fully enclosed as we have a lot of foxes in our area.   Every day II feed them scraps and greens from the garden.  They require very little care as we have automatic water and feed available for 2 weeks.THere are many small coops available. 
I would suggest one that is fully covered in wire so dogs and foxes can't get at them.  they make great pets if handled from young and fed daily.  The ISA Browns lay about an egg a day for 1 year,  and then either stop laying or continue at a lesser rate.  We don't keep a rooster as we have found some are too protective and can attack both adults and children. It is a good idea to keep out wild birds as they bring diseases that you don't want.  They also eat a lot of food.  I think Jacki French has a good book for people starting out.

[Meagan]

Chookie I knew you would respond at some stage   thanks.

[disgruntleddog]

The aggressiveness of roosters is largely related to the breed. Most of the roosters we've had are very docile towards us. We've had the occasional rooster who has tried it on with us but they were put down. Aggression towards us isn't tolerated and we also wanted to remove them from the gene pool.

Roosters are great to have tho. Roosters will sacrifice themselves to save the flock. They eat after the hens, find food for them and will even stave themselves to death so the hens can eat. Rooster chivalry is alive and well.

[Lilli33]

Yeah and thankfully the place we get our chooks is happy to take them back (and give to the neighboring Italians)  when we need new ones, so I can avoid the whole headless chook part (I have funny memories as a kid).

[RosieB]

We had chooks in Adelaide before we moved to Qld.
Grizelda and Matilda lived the longest and were quite geriatric when they finally fell off the perch.  They were rescued from battery farms at the 'end of their useful life'.  We got eggs from them for at least 5 years after we saved them and they layed intermittently right to the end..
They had full run of the garden and the cats and dogs were all terrified of them   
Kept the bugs under control and roosted in the fruit trees at night.  Grizzles loved chillis and would eat a few for breakfast every morning.  I think it warmed her up and reduced the arthritis.    
When we had a rooster we locked them all in at night.
The rooster always sat on the highest perch, (being top of the pecking order).  We found that by putting a perch up really high in he couldn't stretch up to crow in the morning so he stayed quiet until we let them out at a respectable hour.

After Grizzles and Matilda died we had some bantams move into our fruit trees.  Feral chookies?   They must have liked the freedom.
Neighbours complained and the council dog catcher came round to remove the noise.
It was funny to watch his attempts to catch two chooks.  I explained they were not ours, but I would be very upset if he trampled on my garden and veggie patch.  The chooks flew as well as any wild bird.  As soon as they saw him coming they went straight over the fence and came back when he left.

[achookwoman]

Rosie, love this chook story.

[judydawn]

Me too, thanks for sharing it with us Rosie.

[Meagan]

Well DH is happy for us to get chooks ( he is generally pretty accepting of all my crazy ideas  ) Yay!! I have been searching for coops and now just need to measure the yard and work out what size will fit. I would ideally like one the boys can go into but will be happy with any one really as long as it is big enough for the chooks.

[judydawn]

The boys will love them Meagan, photo please when it is all set up.

[disgruntleddog]

Make sure you get a coop that is easy to clean. We got an old kids cuby house for a chook shed. It's great except getting inside as the door was built for a 6 year old.
 

[Meagan]

Well I have found a place that sells coops locally.
 Thinking of this one
http://www.westpets.com.au/12-chicken-coop-wp001.html
Or this one
http://www.westpets.com.au/6-chicken-coop-wp005.html
Or this one
http://www.westpets.com.au/1-chicken-coop-wp001.html

It is really hard to get an idea of how big they are even though they give dimensions.

What do you chook owners think?

[achookwoman]

Meagan, get the largest that you can afford, and that will fit in your yard. You must be able to shift it around.  As they don't seem to have a base you would need to sit it on heavy wire mesh so that foxes or dogs cant dig under.  You can lift the lid on the egg box to get the eggs.  This is a good idea. 

[Cuilidh]

Meagan, do you know what wood is used in the construction of these chook houses and what preservatives / treatments have been use?  Are they toxic?  I don't know if that matters - Chookie, will the hens peck at the frame and ingest the chemicals in the wood?  It's just a thought I have had - I always seem to look at the negatives of everything, I guess I'm just cynical!

[achookwoman]

Meagan, do you know what wood is used in the construction of these chook houses and what preservatives / treatments have been use?  Are they toxic?  I don't know if that matters - Chookie, will the hens peck at the frame and ingest the chemicals in the wood?  It's just a thought I have had - I always seem to look at the negatives of everything, I guess I'm just cynical!

Never known them to peck at the frame.