Backyard chooks

[sunshine_sieben]

Thank you for your input, ladies.
I think I might try the renting option first. It probably costs as much as setting one up anyway, but it feels like less of a commitment. Might ask on freecycle if someone needs a babysitter for their chooks while they are on holidays or something, that way it would be free...

I would certainly talk to the neighbours before getting chooks to make sure they are fine with it and to talk to them about any concerns they might have. The promise of free eggs might get them on board. It might also be easier if I tell them we're renting first. So they can get used to the idea while knowing it's only temporary.

With regards to the dog, I'd probably keep the chooks seperate. Another one of my concerns is chook poo everywhere... Don't want the kids covered in it constantly when out and about. Dog poo is pretty easy to pick up. Chook poo is a completely different issue. Yes, i know, it's a great fertiliser, but i just can't help my poo-phobia :-)

I was thinking if I keep them permanently, I will get one of those portable chicken tractors. That way I can take the whole thing kid and caboodle to a friend if we go on holidays...

[~Kim~]

lol I was going to suggest a chook tractor. We're looking at one of those.
For us rats/mice and snakes are a huge issue but we live in the desert where they're an everyday thing for us anyway.

[sunshine_sieben]

Ok, this is going to sound really silly. With a chook tractor, seeing that they have some shelter and also some fresh ground to scratch on, do you need to let them out every morning? Or would the occasional run about be enough?

Also, what breed would you suggest? I want them for both, a pet for the kids AND for the eggs. I heard that Bantams and Silkies are best for pets, while other breeds are better for laying performance but not so good as pets. Or would a mixture be the right thing? Maybe a couple of Silkies for the kids and a hybrid or something like that for the eggs? Or even an ex-battery hen? What do you guys think.

I just love BellyBelly, no matter what you wanna know, there is someone here who can help. Such a wealth of information.

[christy]

Hi There! Another chicken lover here

1) The kids would love it
Yep, no doubt about it. My DD2 reads to the chooks, gives them baths in buckets and tucks them into her bed

3) bug and weed control- like I said previously they got rid of our wandering jew issue

Now my concerns
1) rats and mice
We had rats come by now that we have chooks... but everything is sealed so they come and check it out and leave....they've never come inside the house.

2) rats and mice attracting snakes - eeeek
Yep, we have had one snake come by... a diamond python who took up in our roof for a little while. I loved it! We have diamond pythons around here near the bush and once the snake went into our roof, the rats disappeared and haven't returned. The snake left as well.

3) we have a lab, not sure how he'd go with them. He's pretty placid most of the time, though
We have 2 dogs and 2 cats, no issues what so ever wtih the chooks.

4) The Gold Coast City Council does not allow backyard chickens on blocks less than 800 square metres - grrr
Ours doesn't allow roosters but is okay with chooks...

5) Will I have the time to look after them?
Our chooks take around 30 minutes total a day to look after, we have a coop that is movable, so we don't necessarily clean it out much, we pick it up and move it. The nesting box gets replaced once a week or so. Our biggest job is sweeping the door step as well and cleaning off the chicken poo from the doorstep.

HTH!

[sunshine_sieben]

Thanks Christy,
I wouldn't worry about Diamond Snakes (they say 3 out of 4 homes here have one in their roof), but the thought of a Brown Snake or something like that being in my yard makes me queasy. I didn't grow up in Australia, so am scared to death of the not-so-friendly residents of this otherwise fantastic country.
And as mentioned in my OP, I just have to convince DH that they won't attract droves of rats.

ETA:
Also, what do you guys do with chickens that have stopped laying eggs?

[sunshine_sieben]

Oh, and there's a place in Brisbane, called City Chicks where you can rent or buy them. For rental they have either Pekin Bantams or Hybrids. They have many more varieties for purchase.