@LozzyR
Come say hello to Lauren! She's been a member since March 2019 and comes to us from NSW, Australia.
Come say hello to Lauren! She's been a member since March 2019 and comes to us from NSW, Australia.
1. Tell us a bit more about yourself.
I live in NSW in Australia, with my husband and son. I’m a musician and composer with a passion for film music. I’ve played the piano for over 40 years and been composing for around 25 years.
2. Why and when did you start keeping chickens?
Almost exactly four years ago to the day. I got really distressed when I heard about the barbaric practice of ‘shredding’ and felt I couldn’t support the commercial egg industry by continuing to consume shop eggs. Hubby’s uncle is a retired chippy so he built us a run and we got two ex-battery ISA Browns, Lucy and Emily.
Lucy
Emily
We had them for about eight months when I found Emily dead on the ground one day, which was upsetting. So I went and got two more ex-battery hens from the same place, Henny-Penny and Chickie. I didn’t know anything about quarantine or pecking order, so I just put them in with Lucy. Luckily there were no health issues and they all just seemed to get on, no aggression at all.
A very vigorous dirt-bath!
After about six months, Penny ended up with EYP and I had her euthanised. I was very sad about this and decided I wasn’t getting any more ISA Browns. My next two came from a breeder as sixteen-week old pullets, Charlie the Australorp and Bessie the Barred Rock.
Baby Bessie and Charlie
I lost Bessie at about eight months of age, possibly to cellulitis (I felt like I was the worst chook-mum ever, I seemed to be losing a chook every six months or so!) So I had three for a while and then got three more from another breeder; Tegan the red Faverolle and River and Nyssa the salmon Faverolles.
Just chillin'
Not long after we lost Chickie to reproductive issues (after trying so hard to get her better) and then Lucy succumbed to (we think) cancer, she almost made it to five years old. So Charlie, who was bottom of the pecking order when she arrived, is now Alpha hen (and she’s quite the bully!), Tegan is 2IC, then River is at number three and Nyssa is bottom of the current tribe of four.
3. Which aspects of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
I love watching their funny little personalities develop, and it’s fascinating learning how smart they can be. Nyssa is bottom of the pecking order and seems to be the smartest; she shows initiative in finding ways to get to food without being harassed by everyone else.
4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
Probably Lucy, who I had the longest. She was a real mummy’s girl and loved hanging out with me, although she didn’t want to be touched or held. She loved to sit on the top back step of the house just to be close to us.
5. What was the funniest poultry related thing that has happened to you in your years as an owner?
There have been a lot of funny moments over the years, one that stands out was when I had Lucy, Chickie and Penny. Penny was off by herself under a tree, preening for about 20 minutes. Lucy and Chickie had been preening in a garden bed and then decided to have a snooze in the sun. Penny suddenly came sprinting over, almost as though she was late for the napping session!
6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
Two cats, Jasper and Mishka.
7. Anything you'd like to add?
Because of BYC, I have found some lovely people online and although we haven’t met IRL, I feel as though I can count them as my friends. They have been so supportive during the hard times and it’s wonderful sharing the good times with them. So thank you BYC!
@LozzyR
For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews.905602
For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews.905602
Is the one a Siamese? I love tortoise shell. Gorgeous.
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