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"Chookie" wrote in message
... 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 |
#2
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In article ,
"Rod Out Back" 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. |
#3
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"Chookie" wrote in message
... In article , "Rod Out Back" 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 |
#4
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In article ,
"Rod Out Back" 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. |
#5
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"Rod Out Back" wrote in message ... 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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