Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[satay]

Satay at least the chooks evens it up a bit. We had 4 sons, 1 male dog and male rabbits.
We don't have the rabbits anymore and only 2 sons at home now. With 18 hens I'm not out numbered anymore.

Thanks everyone for all the advice on the ducks, I have somewhere to start now. We have a raised coop and perches and I didn't think they would go in it from what I'd seen online. I thought I'd better ask a silly question than make a silly mistake. Hubby will build them a sort of shelter.

The chooks do help even it up for sure .

 

[Anniebee]

Hi, all -

I'm actually american, but I may be moving to Australia in a few years, and so by the time I start raising chickens, it will probably be there.

I have a question about chickens in Australia: does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for the friendliest hens there, who are also good layers? I'm looking for particularly friendly birds, and I've been given several suggestions, but all by americans, and I don't know what kind of chickens are common to Australia. Any ideas? I know some people have told me that just paying attention, petting, talking to them will be enough, whatever breed... but I've heard some other opinions, too, so I'm not sure what to believe. Thanks!

Sessa

Welcome Sessa - glad to meet you.

The only thing I could suggest ( because all chickens can be aggressive, especially if they don't like another hen of another breed perhaps ) .... is that you begin with several of the same breed ( say Rhode Island Reds ) at the same age, and all should be happy in the hen house. Later on, if you have enough room to separate a few out ... perhaps introduce a couple of other breeds, ( same age to one another ) see how they go with the RIR's - or whatever breed you chose ) and if that doesn't work - keep the RIR's together and the others separate - - -and let THEM sort it out themselves. I am by no means an expert, but have had an aggressive chook, which was not pleasant, so separation was the only thing to do. Most often, if different breeds ( from what I have learned ) are purchased at the same age, they usually sort themselves out nicely - a few punch-ups, but nothing serious. More people here with larger flocks, would be able to advise more. Good luck - and welcome when you arrive here.

Cheers ........

 

[Anniebee]

Sorry about your chook. I'm not a fan of cats.. Bloody killing machines without much of a purpose in my opinion. I mean native cats is totally different but feral introduced cats or domestic cats that people don't keep in..

I adore cats myself, have had about 16 of them over the years, and now another new youngish ( almost adult ) tabby. HE Benny, I would not trust at all. He eyes off the girls out of a window ... but they are much bigger than he is, and would give him a run for his money - most likely would hurt him. However, I have no intention of finding out.

I have always had my cats indoors at night - and supervised when outside. Our council ( Yarra Ranges ) is very strict about indoor cats at night - and so they should be. Hefty penalties occur - cats are supposed to wear numbered collars 24/7. .... saves the cats from being hurt by marauding feral cats too. As for locking up chickens. I would never not do so. From day 1, they have been locked into their coops at night without fail - we have many foxes in these parts too. If I ever forgot, I think I would have a major conniption until I could get home and see that all was ok - then lock them up. Hope I never find that out either. Best to be sure than sorry.

Cheers .......

 

[Anniebee]

Oh no the dreaded feather pile
Such a horrible feeling, I don't want to lose another one of my Araucana's so badly that I only let them out an hour before dusk at the moment and walk around with them.. Not what I wanted and NOT what they want. They are very cross when I leave the run of a morning and shut them in again .

[/QUOTE]

If that is how it has to be - at least your chookens are safe. Having to go to work is a problem ... especially where pets are concerned. They can miss out on a lot - but then there are weekends ( weather permitting ) ... and as the days get longer, your chookies will enjoy more time out of doors. Locking them up at night ( as mentioned before ) is the absolute ONLY way to make sure about their safety.

Cheers ...

 

[Anniebee]

I found her at 4.30 this morning. She had been killed but I'm not sure what happened. Paul said this morning that last night bear was barking at the fence, so I think a cat was there. I'm hoping the cat did it and bear rescued the chook and left it in the doorway of the patio for us to find. He hadn't eaten any of it. So now I'm going to have to find a way to shut off their coop at night. The bantams and medium sized hens are in a 8' enclosure and solid coop because I was worried about them. Because my Sussex are huge I didn't think they'd have a problem and the last 2 years we've had chooks in all the 4 coops in the back and only the main one is secure and we've never had a problem. Enough ranting now.
I hope everyone else is having a great weekend. I'm going to candle my first lot of eggs today and see how they are. They have been in a week.

So sorry to hear of the loss of your chicken. It is always so nasty and upsetting. Perhaps it was a cat ... the feral ones' particularly are real killers - and that annoys me, as it is mostly people who just 'let them go' in the bush up here. Grrrr

Found a lot of feathers in the back garden a couple of weeks back. One feather denoted it might have been a very young currawong. No body found. Just feathers - and very young down feathering at that. I suspect a cat getting at a very young bird. Annoys me that people let their cats roam ... cat across the road roams around freely during the day - and we live on a fairly busy road. I dread the day I find it has been hit by a car. The owners don't seem to give a hoot.

............

 

[LuckysMum]

I have a variety of chooks together. when I introduce new girls I have a barrier they can see through for a few days then I let them free range together so far we have lost a couple of feathers but mostly they got on. At the moment in my big coop I have cochin, Andalusian, silkie, frizzle, leghorn, australorps, mixed bantams, Araucana, spotted hamburg, pekin bantam and Sussex chooks all living together. We had a heap more breeds happy together but over time I have managed to give them away as we had too many. I don't know if that helps Sessa, but most of our chickens were reared around people and we haven't found any of our girls aggressive, I do think we've been lucky though.

 

[K.Riggs]

I adore cats myself, have had about 16 of them over the years, and now another new youngish ( almost adult ) tabby. HE Benny, I would not trust at all. He eyes off the girls out of a window ... but they are much bigger than he is, and would give him a run for his money - most likely would hurt him. However, I have no intention of finding out.

I have always had my cats indoors at night - and supervised when outside. Our council ( Yarra Ranges ) is very strict about indoor cats at night - and so they should be. Hefty penalties occur - cats are supposed to wear numbered collars 24/7. .... saves the cats from being hurt by marauding feral cats too. As for locking up chickens. I would never not do so. From day 1, they have been locked into their coops at night without fail - we have many foxes in these parts too. If I ever forgot, I think I would have a major conniption until I could get home and see that all was ok - then lock them up. Hope I never find that out either. Best to be sure than sorry.

Cheers .......

I admit cats are mighty cute and if they weren't so destructive to the environment I would like them a lot more. It's not cats I have issue with just the damage they are allowed to do by owners. It sounds like you are doing all the right things which is very admirable

Yes I always lock me chickens in a secure coop at night and they are in a secure run during the day until I let them out at 5 pm and escort them around the yard until dusk. Their run is very big but it doesn't have the garden beds, compost pile, wood pile of best dust bathing spots like our acre they forage on. Poor chooks but for the best, two losses was enough.

 

[satay]

I have a variety of chooks together. when I introduce new girls I have a barrier they can see through for a few days then I let them free range together so far we have lost a couple of feathers but mostly they got on. At the moment in my big coop I have cochin, Andalusian, silkie, frizzle, leghorn, australorps, mixed bantams, Araucana, spotted hamburg, pekin bantam and Sussex chooks all living together. We had a heap more breeds happy together but over time I have managed to give them away as we had too many. I don't know if that helps Sessa, but most of our chickens were reared around people and we haven't found any of our girls aggressive, I do think we've been lucky though.

My main pen has many different breeds as well and big g too now. They all seems to get along ok mostly. There will be the odd scuffle over a scrap or treat but that's about it.

 

[satay]

So sorry to hear of the loss of your chicken. It is always so nasty and upsetting. Perhaps it was a cat ... the feral ones' particularly are real killers - and that annoys me, as it is mostly people who just 'let them go' in the bush up here. Grrrr

Found a lot of feathers in the back garden a couple of weeks back. One feather denoted it might have been a very young currawong. No body found. Just feathers - and very young down feathering at that. I suspect a cat getting at a very young bird. Annoys me that people let their cats roam ... cat across the road roams around freely during the day - and we live on a fairly busy road. I dread the day I find it has been hit by a car. The owners don't seem to give a hoot.

............

I am one of those anni who let my cat roam but he is also almost 17 and i doubt highly he would have the care factor to catch anything. Helps that I have free range chickens that he is terrified of. On the whole i do agree with you though. They can do alot of damage to the birds etc. Never seen my old boy leave our acreage but if i did catch him ever with a bird etc it would be inside for him.

 

[K.Riggs]

I am one of those anni who let my cat roam but he is also almost 17 and i doubt highly he would have the care factor to catch anything. Helps that I have free range chickens that he is terrified of. On the whole i do agree with you though. They can do alot of damage to the birds etc. Never seen my old boy leave our acreage but if i did catch him ever with a bird etc it would be inside for him.

Some are hunters and some really aren't, I'd think by now you would know if he was the killing type lol. Some people see the constant gifts of native birds on the doorstep as just a normal part of cat ownership which is terrible.