Thanks everyone!
I didn't know about the egg shell thing Christy...will make sure I start putting them around my roses too
Jennifer13..no big goanna's here, we do have a snake problem around so I will need to keep an eye on that.
I plan on letting them out during the day and locking them up at night.
As Jennifer13 mentioned re: the scraps was another reason for getting them too.
This is very exciting...I grew up in the country and always had chooks. It was such a long time ago.
Kazbah, we are hoping to get young chooks that have been sexed as I too want the kids to be able to handle them.
I have had a look at the book a chook website and another one called chook net. I am thinking the Australorps may be very hard to get, I really just want good layers that don't get broody very often, and of course no Rooster.
Thanks again everyone....think we may just fence off the vege patch and get a move on getting our chooks