Chooks (chickens) have been domesticated for many centuries. They originate
from the Malaysian rainforests so they love to free-range. Chooks are such easy
animals to care for, can make great pets for children and are a valuable
resource for the organic gardener.
This
is a picture of three of our five girls.
Chooks are such a fantastic
asset.
Once you have them, you'll never want to be without them.
Talk about multi talented!
Some of the benefits of keeping chooks:-
* they supply you with beautiful, fresh eggs - daily
* your left overs will never go in the bin again (reduces waste)
* provide you with an excellent fertilizer base
* they dig over the soil (so you don't have to)
* they reduce insect numbers
* provide you with live entertainment
You’ll need to check with your local council to find out their
regulations.
Some councils won’t allow you to keep any poultry,
whereas others will — some even allow roosters.
Basic
requirements
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Dry, fox
proof shelter
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A safe
place to lay eggs and hatch chicks (if you have a rooster)
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A roosting
perch off the ground (allow about 20cm per bird)
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Layer
pellets (or crumble for chicks) should make up the majority of their diet.
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Kitchen
scraps are great for variety
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Wheat, corn
or other grains should be offered occasionally, but not form the majority
of their diet
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Birds have
no teeth; they swallow small pebbles or grit to grind down their food in
their gizzard. They must have access to a supply of grit for this purpose.
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Never feed
your girls chocolate, coffee, avocado or rhubarb, as they are all toxic to
chooks
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They must
always have access to clean, fresh water.
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If
you don’t plan on letting your chooks free range in a garden area
during the day, they will be much
happier if
you
provide them with an
outside run where they will be able to scratch at the ground, indulge in
a daily dust-bath and enjoy the sunlight.
I lock my chooks up from sunset to about
midday
. This way they’ve almost always laid their
eggs by then, so that I don’t have to go on a daily egg hunt! Old
grass-catchers from lawn movers make great laying boxes – just the
right size and they also offer ventilation.
Chook Manure is a great base for a liquid
fertilizer or to add to your compost
heap. You never use it fresh though, as bird manure also contains their
urine and will burn your crops.
To make a Liquid Manure, place aged chook manure in a porous bag in a
bucket and fill the bucket with water. After about three weeks or so you
can use the water on and around your plants, diluted to look like weak
tea.
