#1: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-26 07:13:17 by Chookie
I e-mailed the Rentachook guy yesterday. Hoping six weeks of fresh
cackleberries will convince DH of the wisdom of keeping 'em permanently!
--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)
"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.
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#2: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-26 09:53:15 by HC
Love your theory.......hope it works!! LOL ;-)
Chookie wrote:
> I e-mailed the Rentachook guy yesterday. Hoping six weeks of fresh
> cackleberries will convince DH of the wisdom of keeping 'em permanently!
>
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#3: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-27 00:44:40 by SG1
Rentachook?????
"Chookie" <ehrebeniuk@fowlspambegone.com.au> wrote in message
news:ehrebeniuk-CF47CE.15131726082005@news-vip.optusnet.com.au...
>I e-mailed the Rentachook guy yesterday. Hoping six weeks of fresh
> cackleberries will convince DH of the wisdom of keeping 'em permanently!
>
> --
> Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
> (Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)
>
> "In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
> nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
> Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.
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#4: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-29 02:00:34 by eggs
In article <ehrebeniuk-CF47CE.15131726082005@news-vip.optusnet.com.au>,
Chookie <ehrebeniuk@fowlspambegone.com.au> wrote:
> I e-mailed the Rentachook guy yesterday. Hoping six weeks of fresh
> cackleberries will convince DH of the wisdom of keeping 'em permanently!
Couldn't help yourself, eh Chookie? I've been looking at that website a
fair bit myself. Technically, I think our yard is too small to legally
keep chooks, but the house on one side is empty and for sale, so I could
probably do it for 6 weeks before we had any neighbors to bother with
them.
eggs.
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#5: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-29 04:03:25 by Rod Out back
"Chookie" <ehrebeniuk@fowlspambegone.com.au> wrote in message
news:ehrebeniuk-CF47CE.15131726082005@news-vip.optusnet.com.au...
>I e-mailed the Rentachook guy yesterday. Hoping six weeks of fresh
> cackleberries will convince DH of the wisdom of keeping 'em permanently!
>
> --
> Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
> (Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)
>
> "In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
> nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
> Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.
Chookie,
Bought some chooks this time last year(10 of Isa Brown variety). The
sisterhood of the brown cackle is alive and well, although one died of a
prolapse about 6 weeks ago. They are funny to have around, and put out a
LOT of eggs...
Unfortunately, ours are REALLY free-range, and hang out in the garden around
the house during the day. We now have to keep the laundry closed (good
egg-laying opportunities there...), and have had to put up chicken wire
fences around smaller and more delicate plants. It is also important to be
certain all the doors into the house are always closed; they will find an
open door in a matter of minutes. We also have to do the regular inspection
to find the latest nest, as they seem to think that stealth-laying is a hoot
for all concerned. I keep note of where I see a brown figure sneak into a
distant shed, and go searching for the latest cache every few days... They
also have a penchant for inspecting newly arrived cars for any mechanical
defects. We did find 4 one day; roosting on top of the rear fuel tank of
the Landcruiser ute. It took some convincing to get the little dears out...
On the plus side, they are great entertainment, produce fabulous fresh eggs,
and eat mice when they have the chance. Isa Browns seem to be very friendly
as a breed, and it is rare to not have company when out in the garden. They
have been quite well behaved as far as putting them to bed in their cage at
night, but are busting the door down by sunrise in the mornings. Also,
without a rooster, they have been reasonably quiet. So far, only 2 have
gone 'clucky', which wore off after a few days of bloody annoying behaviour.
My only negative was the episode where I was wedged under the house; trying
to find out where an errant electrical cable ran to. Space was at a
premium, and lets just say I was filling most of it. Next moment, the chook
that was keeping an eye on me decided to try removing the little hair I have
remaining on my head. I started yelling,and waving a piece of wood around
in an effort to fend her off, but she would dance around my swings and have
another peck. I would have killed the little soul; given the chance... My
mother thought I'd been electrocuted, which would have been more pleasant,
in my opinion...
She was the same chook who decided to help me out when pulling the
weed-eater apart on the landing. I suddenly had a little head under my arm;
trying to loosen those screws(I was trying to undo) up for consumption. I
suggested she might like to 'Have sex & travel' (F&*k Off!), wherupon she
gave me a disgusted look, and sidled back under the house to join the rest
of the sisterhood...
Weird animal...
I think they have been great to have, and did I mention the mountain of
fresh eggs??
Cheers,
Rod.......Out Back
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#6: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-29 05:03:55 by Terry Collins
eggs wrote:
> In article <ehrebeniuk-CF47CE.15131726082005@news-vip.optusnet.com.au>,
> Chookie <ehrebeniuk@fowlspambegone.com.au> wrote:
>
>
>>I e-mailed the Rentachook guy yesterday. Hoping six weeks of fresh
>>cackleberries will convince DH of the wisdom of keeping 'em permanently!
>
>
> Couldn't help yourself, eh Chookie? I've been looking at that website a
> fair bit myself. Technically, I think our yard is too small to legally
> keep chooks, but the house on one side is empty and for sale, so I could
> probably do it for 6 weeks before we had any neighbors to bother with
> them.
Campbelltown Council (NSW) says;
If chookyard s paved, must be 10 metres from any habitation,
if chookyard is unpaved, must be 15 metres from any habitation,
or in otherwords, how to not have chooks without banning them outright.
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#7: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-29 10:23:29 by Chookie
In article <N1uQe.13986$FA3.4131@news-server.bigpond.net.au>,
"Rod Out Back" <someone@IHATESPAM.BIGPOND.COM> wrote:
> Unfortunately, ours are REALLY free-range, and hang out in the garden around
> the house during the day. We now have to keep the laundry closed (good
> egg-laying opportunities there...), and have had to put up chicken wire
> fences around smaller and more delicate plants. It is also important to be
> certain all the doors into the house are always closed; they will find an
> open door in a matter of minutes. We also have to do the regular inspection
> to find the latest nest, as they seem to think that stealth-laying is a hoot
> for all concerned.
These chooks will be Isabrowns. I am hoping that if I only let them out after
I've put out the washing, that the eggs will be in the laying box and not
strange hidey-holes in the garden. Do they lay brown eggs?
--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)
"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.
Report this message |
#8: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-30 00:20:10 by Rod Out back
"Chookie" <ehrebeniuk@fowlspambegone.com.au> wrote in message
news:ehrebeniuk-6E533D.18232929082005@news-vip.optusnet.com.au...
> In article <N1uQe.13986$FA3.4131@news-server.bigpond.net.au>,
> "Rod Out Back" <someone@IHATESPAM.BIGPOND.COM> wrote:
>
>> Unfortunately, ours are REALLY free-range, and hang out in the garden
>> around
>> the house during the day. We now have to keep the laundry closed (good
>> egg-laying opportunities there...), and have had to put up chicken wire
>> fences around smaller and more delicate plants. It is also important to
>> be
>> certain all the doors into the house are always closed; they will find an
>> open door in a matter of minutes. We also have to do the regular
>> inspection
>> to find the latest nest, as they seem to think that stealth-laying is a
>> hoot
>> for all concerned.
>
> These chooks will be Isabrowns. I am hoping that if I only let them out
> after
> I've put out the washing, that the eggs will be in the laying box and not
> strange hidey-holes in the garden. Do they lay brown eggs?
>
> --
> Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
> (Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)
>
> "In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
> nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
> Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.
Chookie,
They start out pretty good at laying laying all in the same place. As the
months roll by, however, you get factions that try laying elsewhere.
Probably due to chook politics, which is pretty serious, from what I have
seen.
Most of the eggs are pretty much identical in colour to the ones that come
out of the box in the supermarket. However, we do get some colour
variation, including the odd one with a faint purple colour. I have been
told (here in aus.gardens!) that eating mulberries will do this to a chook,
but we dont know why one or two will throw a purple one. Mostly the eggs
are a dark pink colour.
Biggest difference with our eggs is when you crack them open; BRIGHT yellow
yolk, and the whites are quite thick. Apparently, stale eggs are very runny
when cracked, but really fresh eggs are quite thick.
An article here we have on the freshness of eggs mentions how really fresh
eggs stay together in one 'lump' when cracked into a pan, where stale eggs
run all over the pan. It also mentions that most supermarket eggs are quite
stale by the time you buy them. Not so when the Sisterhood of the Brown
Cackle is on the job!
Cheers,
Rod.......Out Back
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#9: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-30 04:35:52 by slowly
"Rod Out Back" <someone@IHATESPAM.BIGPOND.COM> wrote in message
news:N1uQe.13986$FA3.4131@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> My only negative was the episode where I was wedged under the house;
trying
> to find out where an errant electrical cable ran to. Space was at a
> premium, and lets just say I was filling most of it. Next moment, the
chook
> that was keeping an eye on me decided to try removing the little hair I
have
> remaining on my head. I started yelling,and waving a piece of wood around
> in an effort to fend her off, but she would dance around my swings and
have
> another peck. I would have killed the little soul; given the chance... My
> mother thought I'd been electrocuted, which would have been more pleasant,
> in my opinion...
> She was the same chook who decided to help me out when pulling the
> weed-eater apart on the landing. I suddenly had a little head under my
arm;
> trying to loosen those screws(I was trying to undo) up for consumption. I
> suggested she might like to 'Have sex & travel' (F&*k Off!), wherupon she
> gave me a disgusted look, and sidled back under the house to join the rest
> of the sisterhood...
rofl! Too funny :)
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#10: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-30 10:20:30 by Chookie
In article <uSLQe.14796$FA3.11679@news-server.bigpond.net.au>,
"Rod Out Back" <someone@IHATESPAM.BIGPOND.COM> wrote:
> Biggest difference with our eggs is when you crack them open; BRIGHT yellow
> yolk, and the whites are quite thick. Apparently, stale eggs are very runny
> when cracked, but really fresh eggs are quite thick.
Yep -- the yolk of a fresh egg will practically sit up and beg. I've had it
with supermarket eggs, but I've also had it with the snails in the garden.
My Dad got a pair of ex-battery hens and kept them in the shed with the guinea
pigs. It took them a while to recover psychologically from being battery
hens, but they ended up pretty much normal (though as they had been debeaked
they weren't too good with getting snails out of their shells). One of the
guinea pigs developed a taste for layer pellets, to the chooks' annoyance. He
grew into one of the biggest guinea pigs I've ever seen! But can you imagine
cuddling a guinea pig who smells of layer pellets?!
--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)
"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.
Report this message |
#11: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-31 00:35:38 by John Savage
Terry Collins <terryc.bling@woa.com.au> writes:
>Campbelltown Council (NSW) says;
>If chookyard s paved, must be 10 metres from any habitation,
>if chookyard is unpaved, must be 15 metres from any habitation,
>or in otherwords, how to not have chooks without banning them outright.
Terry, think "high-rise". :-))
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)
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#12: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-31 05:41:00 by Chookie
In article <43127ba0$0$39178$c30e37c6@ken-reader.news.telstra.net>,
Terry Collins <terryc.bling@woa.com.au> wrote:
> Campbelltown Council (NSW) says;
> If chookyard s paved, must be 10 metres from any habitation,
> if chookyard is unpaved, must be 15 metres from any habitation,
> or in otherwords, how to not have chooks without banning them outright.
There was a reason I wanted a large back yard... :-)
Of course, that's the *official* chook run. That's where you shut them up for
the night or when you're away from home. There's nothing there to ban you
from having them free-range or in a chook tractor during the day (unless your
neighbours complain, but if you offer them the occasional fresh egg you should
be right).
<wondering if I have worked in a bureaucracy just a bit too long>
Anyway, assuming I get hubby on side, what breeds do people recommend for life
in a back yard with two kids? I am interested in having one chook that lays
white eggs so that we can colour them at Easter, but expect we will need 2 or
3 for the household.
--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)
"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.
Report this message |
#13: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-31 07:26:57 by HC
G'day Chookie
Have you thought about a couple of ducks? They don't scratch in the
garden and will eat snails etc as well as give you some eggs. A bit
dish for water (or small tub) sunk into the ground makes a good swimming
hole for them too.
Hard to see I'm a duck/goose person, rather than chooks?? LOL ;-))
Chookie wrote:
> In article <43127ba0$0$39178$c30e37c6@ken-reader.news.telstra.net>,
> Terry Collins <terryc.bling@woa.com.au> wrote:
>
>
>>Campbelltown Council (NSW) says;
>>If chookyard s paved, must be 10 metres from any habitation,
>>if chookyard is unpaved, must be 15 metres from any habitation,
>>or in otherwords, how to not have chooks without banning them outright.
>
>
> There was a reason I wanted a large back yard... :-)
>
> Of course, that's the *official* chook run. That's where you shut them up for
> the night or when you're away from home. There's nothing there to ban you
> from having them free-range or in a chook tractor during the day (unless your
> neighbours complain, but if you offer them the occasional fresh egg you should
> be right).
>
> <wondering if I have worked in a bureaucracy just a bit too long>
>
> Anyway, assuming I get hubby on side, what breeds do people recommend for life
> in a back yard with two kids? I am interested in having one chook that lays
> white eggs so that we can colour them at Easter, but expect we will need 2 or
> 3 for the household.
>
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#14: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-31 11:07:44 by -db-
HC wrote:
> G'day Chookie
>
> Have you thought about a couple of ducks? They don't scratch in the
> garden and will eat snails etc as well as give you some eggs. A bit
> dish for water (or small tub) sunk into the ground makes a good swimming
> hole for them too.
>
> Hard to see I'm a duck/goose person, rather than chooks?? LOL ;-))
>
i second that. ducks are great. they are reasonably quiet and can be
good with kids. they'll certainly clean up the snails (the ducks of course)
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#15: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-08-31 12:41:52 by LindaB
Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)
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#16: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-09-01 00:40:18 by sustag
Chookie wrote:
ndering if I have worked in a bureaucracy just a bit too long>
>
> Anyway, assuming I get hubby on side, what breeds do people recommend for life
> in a back yard with two kids? I am interested in having one chook that lays
> white eggs so that we can colour them at Easter, but expect we will need 2 or
> 3 for the household.
>
Orpingtons / Australorps are big softies - relatively tame and very
docile and friendly. The eggs are somewhat tinted but can still be
coloured.
The others are right though about the ducks. Indian Runners are probably
the best for cleaning up slugs and are great layers too.
Ute
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#17: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-09-01 03:29:57 by HC
Show him the door!!!.........ROFLMHO ;-)))
LindaB wrote:
> -db- <widepope.at.email.dot.com@foo.bar> wrote:
>
>
>>i second that. ducks are great. they are reasonably quiet and can be
>>good with kids. they'll certainly clean up the snails (the ducks of course)
>
>
> Yeah, except it is family folklore about my brother next door, who had
> ducks, coming in to ask for a recipe for duck and broccoli soup. He
> said "It won't take long to make - the broccoli is already all in the
> ducks"
>
>
>
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#18: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-09-01 11:27:23 by Chookie
In article <43153fa7@dnews.tpgi.com.au>, HC <IHateSpam@home.com> wrote:
> Have you thought about a couple of ducks? They don't scratch in the
> garden and will eat snails etc as well as give you some eggs. A bit
> dish for water (or small tub) sunk into the ground makes a good swimming
> hole for them too.
My younger son is 3 months old, so he won't be drownproofed for a couple of
years. I thought ducks had to dabble their food, resulting in a fair bit of
mud around?
--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)
"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.
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#19: Re: Taken the Plunge
Posted on 2005-09-01 11:41:34 by Terry Collins
Chookie wrote:
>
> My younger son is 3 months old, so he won't be drownproofed for a couple of
> years. I thought ducks had to dabble their food, resulting in a fair bit of
> mud around?
Only just around the water. The problem with most duck yards I've seen
is that the ducks are caged into a relatively small area and of course
they pick all the green out of it, so it ends up muddy.
The "problem" is that they dabble other stuff, like soil in the water
and of course you have to occassionally dredge the water dish/pond. In
small yards, this means they tend to excavate near the pond.
speaking of Katrina, an uncle has ducks and of course he suck a whole
pile of bath tubs for the ducks. It would have been better if he had not
suck them the full way and put an outlet trench to drain them off.
Instead he now has to laboriously empty them each time.
and you need a ramp, in bath tubs, that they can not move, just incase
one falls in and can not get out.
but the duck and broccoli would be a major problem here. Of course, if
they like borage, or roddicio (sp?) or even spinach or comfrey, then
there wouldn't be a major propblem with sharing that. Not sure I want to
go back to fencing in all the gardens again (shades of free range
rabbits at one stage).
>
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