Let's talk about free-range eggs

[Kazbah]

Janie - it's instinct to eat the chooks, and it's best to keep dog & chooks under supervision. We have an area in our yard that the dogs can't get into but the chooks just walk into without problem. It's like any dog interaction

[Jennifer13]

Our biggest egg was 100g - I took a photo! They've settled down to a slightly bigger than large size now. And because they lay daily we don't get any double-yolkers any more. But they certainly are tasty eggs. We didn't mean to keep the chooks, we just couldn't bear to give our chickens over the MIL after looking after them for a few weeks. We didn't expect them to be so friendly and interactive!

[tellytubby]

Wow I really think I must be a strange woman.... hahaha

We have 5 chooks.. and I must say... I can't stand the bloody things!!
They poop EVERYWHERE!! I mean... EVERYWHERE!!
If ds (9 months) is eating a biscuit they'll come snatch it off him and munch away.
They dig holes... soo man holes... Its like a puppy!!
They have a dust bath then come in my laundry and shake off!! !!!!
I don't have the heart to keep them in the coop, so they're freerange - like you wouldn't believe. A MASSIVE backyard, for 5 bloody chooks!

They do have their perks though - fresh eggs, & DD loves the freakin' things...

I had the opportunity to get rid on them once, but I couldn't do it.. As much as I hate them. I also love them

[Floweryfields]

Wow I really think I must be a strange woman.... hahaha

We have 5 chooks.. and I must say... I can't stand the bloody things!!
They poop EVERYWHERE!! I mean... EVERYWHERE!!
If ds (9 months) is eating a biscuit they'll come snatch it off him and munch away.
They dig holes... soo man holes... Its like a puppy!!
They have a dust bath then come in my laundry and shake off!! !!!!
I don't have the heart to keep them in the coop, so they're freerange - like you wouldn't believe. A MASSIVE backyard, for 5 bloody chooks!

They do have their perks though - fresh eggs, & DD loves the freakin' things...

I had the opportunity to get rid on them once, but I couldn't do it.. As much as I hate them. I also love them

Mine used to be a bit of a pain too - I ended up getting some wire and star posts and making them a run outside their house - this works great!

[Indadhanu]

LOL Livinthedream, I grew up on a dairy farm near Thornton so I know the details of milkers
We had chooks too, and my memory is making them stinky. Not sure why, but all I can remember is chook dust and sloppy poo stink, so I'm not fighting the chook issue. Hopefully I can swap my milk for some eggs eventually hehe.

[tellytubby]

Just thought I'd share... hehe

[Astrid]

Just coming in with a different point of view regarding ISA Browns and other hybrids. It is rare for them to live for 8 years, they are not bred for that, they are bred to pump out eggs under specific battery/cage conditions. They are bred for big industry, not backyards. Whilst they are lovely birds and do well in a backyard situation, there are some that do not. A heritage breed will last a lot longer and tend to have less health issues. ISA's can be temperamental things.

A hybrid, whilst it can be bred from, will not breed to. They are only a ISA etc at that particular point in the breeding generation, not before or after. You might be wondering why I am typing ISA in capitals, well it is a trademark. The average person cannot breed them, there are only about 6 hatcheries in Australia that do.

We have some ISA's, the first lot were the $2 chooks from the battery farm destined for pet food. They were a bedraggled bunch, but all survived and layed well in their short time. We only have 2 of the original 6 left and they are looking on their last legs. They are de-beaked and is just plain awful to look at. We have bred from them and oddly have not managed to produce any girls, yet the rooster with his own breed can father girls.

It puts me is such an ethical dilemma. I wont buy ISA's or any other hybrid from a hatchery, I just cannot support the people that supply the cage farms, but I do feel for the old battery girls (well not that old about 18 months) and wonder if they should have a chance of a good life.

[Jennifer13]

We got our original girls from the preschool egg hatching program and they are a free range farm who do the hatching thing as a side business. I agree I wouldn't just get them from just anywhere, as the lady at the farm said. I have noticed the RSPCA do have hens from time to time too.