Anyone got backyard chickens?

[AndreaNg]

I'm thinking about getting backyard chickens. It would be great to get fresh eggs every day. But I'm not really sure where to start. Does anyone here have chickens and some advice? I like the chicken coop below but is it OK to leave the chickens in it all the time or do they need more space to walk around? I would be nervous about letting them out. 

[Jason]

Only 25 percent of the Workshop community would like backyard chickens according to our poll over the past week.

Feel free to keep the discussion going by replying below.

Jason

[BIM_Engineer]

@Jason you mean 4 people voted in the poll and only one would have backyard chickens?
Mate.. The average Battler & Punter doesn't really care about chickens

[Jackson]

@BIM_Engineer - my Mum and Dad have chickens and they're not the only people in their area who do. I think you'll find that interest in chickens depends a lot on the area you live in. I live in the inner suburbs of Melbourne so they're definitely a rare pet in my area, but I love dropping by Mum and Dad's place and grabbing some fresh eggs so I can understand the appeal.

[BIM_Engineer]

@Jackson
Maybe this website isn't reaching those that have chickens & considering Bunnings Doesn't sell laying pellets I doubt if it would be important to the stakeholders either.

my2c

[Jason]

Hey @Darren,

I saw this article and thought of you - https://www.domain.com.au/news/the-pros-and-cons-of-having-backyard-chooks/

Perhaps the Workshop community could give you some tips for keeping foxes out. 

Jason

[Aussie-Garden]

Reviving an old discussion, rather than starting a new one. Hope that's OK

I've never had much of an interest in chickens, unless it involved the letters KFC.

One of our daughters is autistic and she has had 4 chickens for a few years now.

We brought them over with us when we built and moved in year before last and I've found it quite enjoyable having them hang around and cluck away while I do stuff in the back yard. So much, that I have 3 Platinum Sussex chicks arriving this weekend. 2 for myself and one for my daughter.

The current chickens get locked up at night, but I let them out during the day to one side of the yard, while our 2 dogs have the other side. We have a large yard, thankfully.

I have a small orchard in the yard that is fenced off, so I've just finished a chicken coop there for chooks to hang out and scratch around in there.

Now keen to make a DIY feeder and water system for that coop. Was looking online and Bunnings has pretty much all the bits I need like poly, elbows, end caps etc... 

How is everyone else going with their chooks?

Do yours have names and come to you when you call them for instance?

Do you have a particular breed for any reason?

[TheSaltyreefer]

We have around 50 chickens and 10 roosters at anytime, perfect for eggs and meat we process our own regularly, easy to keep and easy to maintain

ours free range we have 4 paddocks that we rotate 2 in and 2 out, and then we use them for natural weed maintenance, they are better than any mower you could buy and we sell them also 

[Ginger60]

Hi Andrea I had this chicken coop & no you cannot keep them locked Inside this 24/7. Depending on the size of your yard they will get overheated & die.  I was on acreage. I also built a large pen around the coop. I put a layer of bird net over the roof of the pen & sewed it onto the chicken wire. This is to stop crows & hawks& goannas getting in. If you have a large grassy (not weedy) lawn you could build a chicken tractor & pop the birds in that for the day to forage & just wheel it from shady place to shady place a day. If you let them out to free range do it about 2 or 3 hours before sunset that way they put themselves to bed when sunsets. They need a high protein laying mix for egg formation & feather regrowth after malting. Collect egg cartons - 

[Jason]

@Ginger60,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. We're so pleased to have you join in the discussion and share your experience and knowledge with other members. Please don't hesitate to post anytime you have something to share with the community or need a hand with a project around the house and garden. 

We look forward to reading more about your projects and plans soon. Let me know if you ever need a hand getting the most from the site.

Thanks,

Jason

[mich1972]

We have 6 girls. They are in a ‘run’ and they sleep in a metal coop at night. They need to free range so I personally would not like them confined to such a small space. This coop is great for lock up at night but definitely let them free range during the day xoxoxo