BYC Member Interview - Aussie-Chookmum

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Aussie-Chookmum said:
Thank you for letting me know. I will have to have a look at that show.

I was surprised how different in temperament Labradors and Golden Retrievers were. I expect your mom's 2 were absolutely adorable.❤
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I am not sure what the differences are exactly but, I had never known dogs that were nearly as gentle. "Peanut" is calm and simply happy to be next to you. "Butter" is energetic and will do anything to get affection.
Butter and my little guy a few years ago...
20201206_072118.jpg

And Peanut...
20201206_072130.jpg


They're old men now but my mom worked very hard training them as puppies (both at the same time). I remember they were power chewers and diggers 😂
 
Madhouse Pullet said:
I am not sure what the differences are exactly but, I had never known dogs that were nearly as gentle. "Peanut" is calm and simply happy to be next to you. "Butter" is energetic and will do anything to get affection.
Butter and my little guy a few years ago...
View attachment 2438683
And Peanut...
View attachment 2438685

They're old men now but my mom worked very hard training them as puppies (both at the same time). I remember they were power chewers and diggers 😂
Click to expand...
Sounds like Peanut leans more toward the GR temperament and Butter behaves more like a Lab. From the pictures though their looks go in the other direction! They are very sweet. 🥰
 
N F C said:


Come say hello to @Aussie-Chookmum! She has been a member since April 2019 and comes to us from Sydney, Australia.

1. Tell us a bit more about yourself.
I was born and raised in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia.
Moved to the Blue Mountains (even further west of Sydney) almost 30 years ago and had 2 kids. (now 25 and 23 and still living with us)

We are surrounded by beautiful natural bush land and National Park with creeks and waterfalls in walking distance even though we live on a 1/4 acre suburban block.

I love native plants and animals. We have 11 animals in our family at the moment if you include our current flock. While the kids were still in school we did Puppy raising for the NSW Guide Dogs for the Blind which was very rewarding even though we had to say goodbye to the puppies when they were 18 months old so they could be trained. Of the 6 puppies we raised over the years, 3 became fully fledged Guide Dogs, one became a drug sniffer dog and 2 were unsuitable and were re homed as pets.

If I had the time, money and energy I would love to buy a large property and restore it to natural, local bush land. For now I make do with my own garden.

This is a native mint bush (Prostanthera ovalifolia) that I planted in my garden about 12 years ago. It smells heavenly and the flowers are a lot darker purple than they look in the photo.
View attachment 2436406

2. Why and when did you start keeping chickens?
I was buying "free range" eggs whenever I could but the only ones regularly locally available were from the same people who also sold cage eggs.

I thought to myself that the only way to guarantee that I was getting eggs from happy chickens was to have my own chickens!

A few months after, at a local market, there was a man selling a coop and chicken starter kit. He would supply two point of lay ISA Brown hens and the first few weeks of food and assemble the coop for you himself. My husband bought them for me as an early birthday present. So Henrietta and Rowena came to live with us.

The coop was this type
View attachment 2436408

That was seven years ago. The coop now looks like this
View attachment 2436411
It is still pretty sturdy but is overdue for a make over!

Henrietta and Rowena have crossed the rainbow bridge but we have since been joined by Tsuki, Deana, Zen (deceased), Alice, Edwina and Pepper.

I lost Zen to egg binding/fly strike so I was determined to get hens who lay different coloured eggs so I could tell when someone wasn't laying. Hence my currently mixed flock of Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, Araucana, Copper Marans x Araucana and Australorpe x Araucana.

Can you tell who is who?
View attachment 2436412

3. Which aspects of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
I love when you go outside and the whole flock comes running to greet you (and to look for treats!) And of course I love the happy eggs!

View attachment 2436414

4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
Alice is my favourite of my current hens (Shhh, don't tell the others). She is the most tolerant of being picked up and, because of the mop of feathers on top of her head, she can't see me coming!

Alice
View attachment 2436416

5. What was the funniest poultry related thing that has happened to you in your years as an owner?
My leghorn Tsuki is an escape artist. Once when Tsuki was a young hen and they were free ranging in the back yard she was nowhere to be found.

A friendly workman on a neighbour's roof shouted that if I was looking for one of my chickens, she had climbed the maple tree and flown over the other neighbour's fence!

Luckily she knew what meal worms were and I was able to bribe her back to where she belonged. Now I am teaching them to come when I call!

Tsuki
View attachment 2436418

6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
We have 3 dogs. One of whom is one of the Guide Dog puppies we raised and has retired with us. We also have 3 cats who don't get along with each other. So 11 pets at our house at the moment.

Stella the retired Guide Dog with Alice and Tsuki. Alice has pink Cetigren on her back to discourage feather picking.
View attachment 2436422

Tsuki with Lily and Stella
View attachment 2436424

7. Anything you'd like to add?
When I first got chickens I was mainly thinking of the eggs. I never realized how individual each chicken is and what great pets they make. Thanks to the BYC community I have learned a lot. Not just about keeping chickens happy and healthy but how to enjoy my chickens and their behaviours and quirks.

I like to sit with them and watch them forage and preen. Some people call this chicken TV. I find it so calming and relaxing that for me it is Chicken Meditation.

Bonus chicken pictures:

Deana
View attachment 2436427

Edwina
View attachment 2436429

Pepper
View attachment 2436432

Deana, Edwina and Pepper foraging together.
View attachment 2436433

Alice
View attachment 2436434

Tsuki
View attachment 2436435

The End
View attachment 2436437



@Aussie-Chookmum

For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews.905602​
Click to expand...
I love your interview! And your dogs and beautiful chickens! Thanks for sharing! :love
 
Last edited:
Madhouse Pullet said:
I was wondering if that was the case.
When you did puppy training, did you work with both GR and labs?
Click to expand...
Yes. In general we found the Labradors more boisterous and confident and the Golden Retrievers quieter and more people focused but less confident.

As a family, we preferred the GRs. The Guide Dog Association seemed to get a higher rate of success with Labs though.
 
drumstick diva said:
Loved your interview, I visit the Aussie thread often, so you aren't a stranger to me. Always great to learn more about the member that is highlighted. :clap:clap:wee
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Thanks Diva. And thank you for directing me to the Aussie thread and ByBob's thread when I first arrived. They have been super helpful. 🤗
 
N F C said:


Come say hello to @Aussie-Chookmum! She has been a member since April 2019 and comes to us from Sydney, Australia.

1. Tell us a bit more about yourself.
I was born and raised in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia.
Moved to the Blue Mountains (even further west of Sydney) almost 30 years ago and had 2 kids. (now 25 and 23 and still living with us)

We are surrounded by beautiful natural bush land and National Park with creeks and waterfalls in walking distance even though we live on a 1/4 acre suburban block.

I love native plants and animals. We have 11 animals in our family at the moment if you include our current flock. While the kids were still in school we did Puppy raising for the NSW Guide Dogs for the Blind which was very rewarding even though we had to say goodbye to the puppies when they were 18 months old so they could be trained. Of the 6 puppies we raised over the years, 3 became fully fledged Guide Dogs, one became a drug sniffer dog and 2 were unsuitable and were re homed as pets.

If I had the time, money and energy I would love to buy a large property and restore it to natural, local bush land. For now I make do with my own garden.

This is a native mint bush (Prostanthera ovalifolia) that I planted in my garden about 12 years ago. It smells heavenly and the flowers are a lot darker purple than they look in the photo.
View attachment 2436406

2. Why and when did you start keeping chickens?
I was buying "free range" eggs whenever I could but the only ones regularly locally available were from the same people who also sold cage eggs.

I thought to myself that the only way to guarantee that I was getting eggs from happy chickens was to have my own chickens!

A few months after, at a local market, there was a man selling a coop and chicken starter kit. He would supply two point of lay ISA Brown hens and the first few weeks of food and assemble the coop for you himself. My husband bought them for me as an early birthday present. So Henrietta and Rowena came to live with us.

The coop was this type
View attachment 2436408

That was seven years ago. The coop now looks like this
View attachment 2436411
It is still pretty sturdy but is overdue for a make over!

Henrietta and Rowena have crossed the rainbow bridge but we have since been joined by Tsuki, Deana, Zen (deceased), Alice, Edwina and Pepper.

I lost Zen to egg binding/fly strike so I was determined to get hens who lay different coloured eggs so I could tell when someone wasn't laying. Hence my currently mixed flock of Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, Araucana, Copper Marans x Araucana and Australorpe x Araucana.

Can you tell who is who?
View attachment 2436412

3. Which aspects of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
I love when you go outside and the whole flock comes running to greet you (and to look for treats!) And of course I love the happy eggs!

View attachment 2436414

4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
Alice is my favourite of my current hens (Shhh, don't tell the others). She is the most tolerant of being picked up and, because of the mop of feathers on top of her head, she can't see me coming!

Alice
View attachment 2436416

5. What was the funniest poultry related thing that has happened to you in your years as an owner?
My leghorn Tsuki is an escape artist. Once when Tsuki was a young hen and they were free ranging in the back yard she was nowhere to be found.

A friendly workman on a neighbour's roof shouted that if I was looking for one of my chickens, she had climbed the maple tree and flown over the other neighbour's fence!

Luckily she knew what meal worms were and I was able to bribe her back to where she belonged. Now I am teaching them to come when I call!

Tsuki
View attachment 2436418

6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
We have 3 dogs. One of whom is one of the Guide Dog puppies we raised and has retired with us. We also have 3 cats who don't get along with each other. So 11 pets at our house at the moment.

Stella the retired Guide Dog with Alice and Tsuki. Alice has pink Cetigren on her back to discourage feather picking.
View attachment 2436422

Tsuki with Lily and Stella
View attachment 2436424

7. Anything you'd like to add?
When I first got chickens I was mainly thinking of the eggs. I never realized how individual each chicken is and what great pets they make. Thanks to the BYC community I have learned a lot. Not just about keeping chickens happy and healthy but how to enjoy my chickens and their behaviours and quirks.

I like to sit with them and watch them forage and preen. Some people call this chicken TV. I find it so calming and relaxing that for me it is Chicken Meditation.

Bonus chicken pictures:

Deana
View attachment 2436427

Edwina
View attachment 2436429

Pepper
View attachment 2436432

Deana, Edwina and Pepper foraging together.
View attachment 2436433

Alice
View attachment 2436434

Tsuki
View attachment 2436435

The End
View attachment 2436437



@Aussie-Chookmum

For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews.905602​
Click to expand...
Your girls look so happy in their world and mixing in with your lovely dogs.

Again I must thank you for your kind guidance too me with my own little ladies.

It's such a pleasure to have found you here. :hugs
 

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