THE CHOOKS

Bill finally finished renovating the chook shed. We decided to renovate the old chook shed rather than build a chook dome (which would have been more practical for our gardening requirements, but means the chooks can never roam free) because it had so much character abd I really love the idea of restoring it.

Last weekend we took the children to get some chooks. It was a bit of an anti-climax actually. The guy we bought them off just picked five out a pen and roughly threw them into our cage.

I said to Bill on the way home, "These chooks are going to be so much happier with us."

We bought Isa Brown pullets. Pullets are young females.

Isa Browns are renowned for their 'prolific laying abilities,' according to the guy we bought them from. Our girls are a couple of weeks off the point-of-lay. So all going well they will begin producing eggs soon.

We have bought organic laying pellets as feed. There wasn't any organic laying mash available and nutritionally they are identical. Less food is wasted with pellets than with the loose mash. We are also giving them a selection of food scraps.

As a roost we are using an old low-boy wardrobe with straw in the bottom of it. They seem to like it in there. We have also placed a couple of perches up high near the roof so they at least stand a chance should a fox or snake get into their internal cage, in which they are locked in at night.

Bill is in charge of the chooks and the cats are fascinated by them.