Hi I'm new here!

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JayS said:
Just want to get some more info about place we can get our hens to our backyard!
We are live in Melbourne Australia, Southeast suburbs,
Breed or any recommended I'm open to hear :)

Thx guys!
Jenny
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WELCOME TO BYC
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FROM SUNNY QUEENSLAND.

Lots of Aussies on here & lots of good information, just remember there are a number of differences in certain breeds & products between countries & be country specific if what you're asking is important.

A good hatchery should be able to supply you with chickens but if you use a backyard breeder remember to ask if your chickens have been immunised, wormed & treated for mites/lice.

Here https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/categories/chicken-breeds.2/
you will find reviews of various chicken breeds & people's experience with them. It's worth doing this initial research as bigger birds generally eat more but don't necessarily lay more & there is a big difference between meat birds & layers & dual purpose.

Remember many of the birds bred for high egg production will often have short lives & can be prone to internal problems.

Consider the size of the space you have available. Chickens need 4 square feet per bird ~ you can get away with less if you have bantams & don't dismiss them. Australorp bantams lay a really decent sized egg, as do some of the other breeds.

I don't know what the hatcheries are like in Melbourne but a quick google search should turn them up. here's one:
https://www.abundantlayers.com.au/breeds.shtml

Also, as we head into winter, many layers have started their molt & gone off the lay so both birds & eggs are in shorter supply. You are likely to have a greater variety to choose from if you wait till spring, but having said that I like to get my new POLs in autumn as it usually means I am still getting some eggs through winter.
There's a few Aussies hang on my thread if you want to pop in & meet others from Down Under:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ribhs-dcoopage.1295189/page-1023​
 
BTW BYC has a large Aussie community that participates here as well as on the Australian threads. Aussies always welcome here. Our great member rjohns39 commutes :gigdaily between USA & Australia threads. I believe he has done work out there.
 
Hi Jenny, welcome to BYC! This is a great community with lots of support.

I have to agree with what @Ribh said ( I also hang out on her thread ;)). I would also caution against getting high-production breeds such as ISA Browns and Leghorns; yes, they give you lots of eggs, but one thing you might not be prepared for is how attached you get to them and when they die a couple of years later from reproductive issues, it’s quite heart-breaking. I now go for breeds for longevity, which tend to be purebreds rather than hybrids. I don’t know anything about bantams so you might need to chat to some others about that. Also, try to stay away from breeds that are super-broody, like Silkies, unless you are planning on raising chicks. I found a good breed chart on backyardpoultry.com, but finding breeders can be problematic.

Don’t let that put you off though! I’ve got a standard Australorp who’s a good layer, although I’ve only had her just over a year and she gets broody. But do a bit of research, chat to some other people and see what appeals to you. Good luck!
 

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