by Anne StClair

Created on: May 30, 2009

I have raised free-range hens (and at times, roosters too) in my suburban backyard for many years now, and I can no longer imagine life without 'chooks'.

My first experiences with chooks were over 30 years ago now, when I helped an elderly lady who lived next door with her chooks. She taught me how to feed the hens, how to look after them, how to stop them being clucky, and how to keep them healthy. As a result I learned that chooks are fascinating and wonderful animals to have around.

Later on, I bought my own place and made sure I bought an older block that had a decent sized garden that I could split into two sections: one for free-range chooks, and one for a garden that was generally out of bounds for the hens. I found from bitter experience that chooks need to be kept out of the flowers and vegetables because they will scratch up any seedlings and devour every scrap of vegetables they love (such as spinach). I also needed a section the dog could go into without disturbing the chooks and stealing the eggs.

I built a trellis fence to split the garden into the two sections, and placed chicken wire at the base to stop them getting through. Then I erected a small shed in the chook section and fitted it out with nesting boxes (although I later found that a big nesting box works better as the girls like to snuggle in together and do communal egg-laying). The nesting boxes need to be clean, dark, and filled with fresh, clean straw. I also fitted roosting bars (but later found that one roosting bar is really better as it cuts down competition).

Having prepared the accommodation block, I already had some trees in the section, but I planted fruit trees for shade, food (for them and me), and spread bales of straw around for them to scratch around in. I then bought six hens at the point of lay, and the girls were introduced to their new home. They loved it! I quickly found they would fly up into the branches of the established trees, and even fly over the fence into the neighbour's place, and I would have to go on a hen-hunt. Fortunately, they were not caught by dogs or foxes, but I couldn't let them keep escaping. And so I learned to clip one wing of each bird so they are too unstable to fly.

Next, I bought a young rooster, naively thinking that the girls would be happier if they had a rooster. It is debatable, but they were not unhappy either. When my little bantam silky hen started sitting on a clutch of eggs, it was quite exciting to wait for the chicks to

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>