Lucas_Dad

Before we moved to Oz six over six years ago, I said I wanted a plot of land big enough to have chickens and a dog. We have the plot, but now I'm not sure I want the responsibility fo animals on top of the two other animals (7yo & 6yo boys) that I already have....

We've got to talking about chickens again though. Like the idea of the fresh eggs. Anyone out there got chickens? What the maintenance like? Costs? Is it cheap to get started? Vets? What do you to consider if you go away?

etc.... I don't know what I don't know.

Cheers

DeadVim

Amazulu

No. They attract foxes and snakes and are more trouble than their worth

Eggs are pretty cheap at Spudshed

spouse of scouse

Lots of pluses to keeping chooks. You know where the eggs are from and they're fresh, and it's great for kids to collect the eggs and realise that food comes from somewhere other than a supermarket. Down sides are the pen has to be kept clean or it attracts rats, and as Zulu mentioned you need a fox proof pen. Feed is very cheap and chooks love all the outer skins of veggies and this makes their eggs better too. If you go away you'd need someone to feed and water them, and collect the eggs.

If you've got the land I'd give it a go - your kids are just the right age to help with the care and maintenance. Be careful if they want to name the chooks though - I think I'm still traumatised after 'Brook-Brook' keeled over and ended up in mum's stewing pot

Dorothy

My daughter had a pet rabbit named Stewart (Stew for short), my sister in law had a calf they raised named Barney (every time she served beef it was "Barney burgers" or "Barney stew"), and my partner's daughter's in-laws have 2 turkeys called Christmas and Dinner

I'd love to have chooks, but living in the 'burbs we don't have the room. I love when we go to our son-in-law's parents farm and we bring home fresh eggs. I bake a lot and really fresh eggs make a cake so much better.

quoll

the troubadour

Yes kept chooks for a time when lived Down South WA and in two minds about them, but on reflection probably wouldn't keep them again due to reasons already given.
Although low maintenance, the coup still requires cleaning and mice were rather prolific at times. Only the occasional rat though, and the birds were allowed to wander within a fairly large area outside the coup which probably led to more contented chooks as well as good sized eggs. Quite a few double yolks as well.

Gordon Barlow

Beware of roosters, though! The bastards crow most of the night where I live, and I've never managed to hit one yet despite all the stones I've thrown at them.

SoCalDon

We have chooks and we're very happy with them, overall. They eat all of our food scraps but we also have to purchase chook pellets from time to time. We don't have vet bills as, if something nasty happens to them (chooks seem to find interesting ways to die) then we just get a neighbour to donk them on the head.

Roosters are a pain in the arse because they're violent towards the girls and are quite noisy. We always get rid of them as soon as they turn nasty. Laying hens will cost you about ten bucks each around here but we've never actually bought any because whenever a chook goes broody we grab a dozen fertilized eggs from next door and our population rises a bit. We have 13 chooks and a duck at the moment.

We have way too many eggs at present but I'll sell them for a couple of bucks a dozen or give them away. Four good laying chooks is ample for a family in my opinion.

Lucas_Dad

Thanks everyone

moneypenny20

We currently have six chickens. They're in a stalag coop that I defy any predator to get into Yes they encourage rats and snakes but our coop is far enough away that they don't get near the house and their feeder gets locked into the shed at night. The previous chickens were given free reign around the property but spent most of their time on the verandah and the husband got pissed off at having to wash the poop off daily so this lot are locked up although their run is pretty big. To set up costs a bit and I'm pretty sure we have the most expensive eggs in the world but they're sooooo much better than shop bought. I have no clue how old 'fresh' eggs are when they appear on the shelves but I know they're not fresh!

I wanted ducks but the husband wanted chickens again and as he's the cleaner and shit shoveller he got his way.

DeadVim

paulry

Its a good experience but on balance we determined that it is more trouble than its worth. If you have chickens you need to get a cat as well because chickens attract rats and mice. They also attract flies and smell a lot - especially after their run has been soaked by the rains. You also need to arrange for someone to look after them while you are away. Pluses include chickens make great composters - you can chuck in all those raked up autumn leaves, lawn cuttings, weeds and kitchen scraps and they produce good fertiliser. And its hard to beat home grown fresh eggs. Then of course you need to think of when they get old and stop laying. You'll be surprised how quickly you can end up with a coop full of barren old hens. A chook nursing home.