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Post by gatsby on May 18, 2015 7:14:50 GMT 10
Hi,
I was at my parents (Rural small hobby farm (70 acres) - they have retired) on the weekend & a discussion about chooks & fresh eggs came up.
Mum has 4 chooks & another 6 chickens (too young to lay yet).
They suggested I should get a couple - so was thinking about maybe 3 chooks at my place.
What do you lot think about doing this?
My backyard is quite small - the back portion is maybe 15m x 5m & the other grassy area is 8x4.
I was thinking of a coup in the back & letting them out when I'm around or maybe a rough fence in the back area.
If they don't become a pest & destroy the garden - I could get about a dozen eggs a week.
If they are a pest then off to the farm with them.
Some issues I can see
Noise: Hen's should be OK
Smell: No idea - but only would have 3
Destruction: Hmm could be an issue - may have to fence them in
Invaders (aka cats): Well hopefully the dogs will accept them (if I get chickens & raise them) & the dogs will keep intruders at bay
Anything else?
Anyone done this or tried?
Any idea about breeds?
Thanks
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Post by bill44 on May 18, 2015 7:56:32 GMT 10
You'll soon find out if there are any rats in the area, they love chook food.
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Post by smokey on May 18, 2015 15:23:17 GMT 10
If you have a good set up with a concrete floor it is easy enough.
Once you are set up your kind of committed by cost alone.
They don't make a lot of noise and only really need a run. You can let them out but they will crap around the house.
I had them for a few years but stopped replacing them as there are too many foxes killing them.
I had a choice of lay concrete and spend $$ on a proper hen house with a protected run or call it quits.
Bloke at my Wifes work sells good eggs for $3.50 a doz so I pulled the pin.
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Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2015 18:01:37 GMT 10
G'day
We're down to 2 five yr old non layers and I was thinking that would be the last of it. But the wife has 3 hens coming from a neighbour who does the school egg hatching.
Oh well I certainly like the fresh eggs you can taste and tell the diference with fresh eggs. But it's always a case of drought or plenty as with most home grown things. One min you'll be giving them away and the next nothing when they are molting. Still there nice to have around and you have to withdraw there feed at night if you don't want to feed the rats. Just part of life..... Could be worse could be living in an apartment.
Regards dave
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Post by smokey on May 18, 2015 18:52:46 GMT 10
Some issues I can see Noise: Hen's should be OK Smell: No idea - but only would have 3 Destruction: Hmm could be an issue - may have to fence them in Invaders (aka cats): Well hopefully the dogs will accept them (if I get chickens & raise them) & the dogs will keep intruders at bay Anything else? Anyone done this or tried? Any idea about breeds? Thanks Some direct answers to your specific questions. Shayneh runs chooks in his backyard so could also give advice. 1) not noisey but can cluck a bit if they spot a perceived danger, Like an eagle or some other preditor. Sometimes they just have a clucking session for no aparent reason. They are quiet at night. 2) Smell is not too foul, Depends on how easy it is to clean the coop and how often. 3) Yes fence as they will roost and lay eggs in odd places, Poo on your deck and straingely look at you through the patio door. Creepy feeling that was. 4) Animals, That is an unknown. The dogs may go for the chooks or may not. Most cats would have a hard time taking down a chook however best to just keep the enclosure animal proof. 5) Breeds. I ran Brown Lomans, and some white leg horn type things. Brown Lomans are a commercial breed and lay heaps of brown eggs. Good friendly temperament. The White birds had larger, better tasting white eggs but just not as much of them. They were not as approachable as the Browns. You kind of just go through what ever breeds come your way. They don't last too long and just keel over, Five years is an old bird. |
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Post by shayneh2006 on May 20, 2015 22:17:52 GMT 10
OMG, i just went to post a lengthy reply to this one then pfffffft, GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr |
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Post by gatsby on May 21, 2015 6:06:06 GMT 10
Thanks for the replies, Shayne I know the feeling so annoying when a long post just vaporises. But please have another go.
When I get to a real PC, I'll put a link to the coop I think I'll get.
Cheers
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Post by gatsby on May 21, 2015 10:03:25 GMT 10
OK I've made the call to give this a go. Council requires a concrete or gravel floor so instead I've gone for an elevated all in one unit from ebay. Just a bit over $300 delivered flat pack. Need to work on the location & levelling, etc. I would have liked to support local products but can not put the dollars into it, nor a diy at anything like the price from ebay. I've attached a pict of the coop. Wonder how this venture will go.... Am looking at Isabrowns or Brown Lomans (are they the same?) but may have to end up with what's available. I do want ones that are good egg layers and are friendly . Cheers Attachments:
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Post by smokey on May 21, 2015 15:27:07 GMT 10
That's like the hen house I had, Id paint it and weather caulk it as mine did start to fall apart from weather. I just built a star picket/ chicken wire open run around it. Isa,s and Lomans are both good friendly breeds. A good feed is Barostok Gold or Golden yolk I think it was called. get a vermin proof tunn or plastic garbage bin with a good snap on lid to store the feed. Shredded office paper makes for free bedding. or a bale of hay lasts well. Youll also need one of those short fire place spades to remove the old bedding. might even get back into it myself  |
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Post by chrisg on May 21, 2015 16:56:57 GMT 10
I've been thinking on this myself but being in a rental, as friendly as the owner is, I was wondering about anything too permanent, what gatsby has found might well solve my problem. I do hasten to say I have not been near live chooks in over five decades but memory says they were easy enough to look after provided any predators could be kept at bay. My grandfather had a quite massive deep litter system that nicely supplemented his pension but we did get foxes. Grandfather was a reprobate but he was also a stunningly good shot, a marksman in his youth in the Army, as a few foxes quickly found out. Mind you his shooting location was a little odd - he'd prop his rifle up on the rear landing of the two storey house with a clear view of the chicken house and go to bed. If the chooks woke him up look out fox - was woken up to a gunshot and jubilant "gottim!!!" more than once  Cheers |
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Post by kiwiman on May 22, 2015 23:06:12 GMT 10
Hi Gatsby,
We have 8 at the moment--an assortment of pure breeds. An Isa Brown will lay it's bum off for a year or two and that will be it.
Pure breeds will give less eggs but lay for more years.
Must be locked away from foxes, we have lost dozens over the years. It just takes one night unlocked and you will lose the lot.
The eggs can't be beaten especially with home smoked bacon.
If you have mulch in garden beds then fence them off,it won't last 5 minutes.
Stewart
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Post by gatsby on May 30, 2015 15:55:27 GMT 10
Thanks for all the info. I can get hay from the farm plus feed, etc from the rural suppliers at Lithgow or Oberon - will be much cheaper than anyone in Sydney. Got to do some mods to the coop, - put a mesh floor in (12mm square netting),
- fix up some of the gaps (the coop was cheap & the quality reflects that),
- plus put a mesh cover above the coop as I think the birds will use the roof as a ladder into the neighbours
 Keen to get some birds now Cheers |
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Post by gatsby on Jun 21, 2015 9:06:07 GMT 10
My new pets. Had them a week now & they are learning about scratching, digging. Have got the coop figured as the sleeping place. The dogs are curious about them and don't chase - at least not while I'm around. They are still settling in.  |
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Post by smokey on Jun 21, 2015 10:40:22 GMT 10
Cool, They will keep you in omelet Look about ready to lay |
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