Where to buy chickens in victoria

Can someone give me the contacts for a reputable place to buy two chickens for egg laying in my yard. Somewhere that has free roaming chicks and is in victoria, preferably melbourne?

 

Hi Shae,

We started disussing this on another thread and I replied with the following. (just to update any other readers)

Tamandco wrote:

Okay, so egg layers, free range, around Melbourne.

There are heaps of places your can get chooks from. If you don't mind spending a bit more, I'd suggest you buy 'point of lay'. That way, you'll get the best production, with the minimum wait. You spend a bit more buying them, but you don't have to feed them and grow them waiting for them to lay. Ones that are coming into lay now will lay continuously until next winter. Their first year is always their most productive.

You'll be pushing to get free range chooks around Melbourne and surrounds. True free range is exactly that, free ranging out in paddocks all day long. Most people keep their chooks in a coop, usually with a run attached. Most back yarders will let them out for a few hours a day, but this doesn't constitute 'free range' status, although most of us will refer to our chooks as free range in a general sort of sense. It's a bit like the 'weed' debate, what constitutes a weed?:lol: The trouble is with the fox and dog problems down here, allowing them out to free range all day, results all too often in disaster.

You could try Abundant layers in Macclesfield. All of their birds are vaccinated against Mareks, and if you choose to buy day old or young pullets, they're all sexed, so you don't need to risk growing out a heap of cockerels, or point of lay if you opt for this option. Their setup is quite good as far as a breeding establishment goes, and very clean. Their birds are raised in a shed (enourmous), in reasonable sized breeding pens. This provides adequate protection from the cold in the absence of their mum, who would normally montitor this for them under natural breeding conditions.

They've currently got Isa Browns, Sussex and Buff Orpingtons among their vast selection. Either of the 2 latter would be my choice, especially the Orps as these are like big teddy bears, and very docile. Plus you don't need to worry about them flying over the fence as their a heavy breed and don't fly very well.

I keep Australorps, but good ones of these are so hard to get, I won't send you on a wild goose chase. I have noticed however that the 'Weekly Times' does have an add currently for australorps.

I'm going to visit a place in xxxxxx this afternoon, so will get back to you with feedback tonight.

Another option, probably my option of choice, is to peruse the Oz Fanciers website for a breeder in your local area. There's also a list of breeders on Andy Vardy's Backyard Poultry site.

If you need any more leads, let me know as I've been searching for 6 years for quality poulty in and around Melb, so I know most of the sources.

Best of luck,
Tam

 

Hey Shae,

I went to that place in xxxxxx and I won't be buying anything from them. I wasn't impressed with the conditions of the place :vom: and certainly wouldn't want to bring anything home that could infect my own stock.

Anyway, try the ones I gave you and let's know how you get on. If there's any breeds you're particularly after, let me know also.

Another option is your local stock feed store. The ones out here always have a few chooks, usually Isa Browns. There's also a pet shop in Brunswick, Sydney Rd, that has a selection of chooks. Just check whether they've been vaccinated.

Many people wouldn't bother with this and if they're bred on your own property of one that you know in an out, that's fine, but when buying from unknown sources, or where there are high concentrations of birds, it's really best that they are vaccinated agains Marek's disease. I have lost birds to marek's in the past and some were irreplaceable. I get all of my day old chicks done now as IMO it's not worth the risk.

Tam

 

Hey Tam,

How do you find the Isa Browns? we are considering getting a few as they are said to produce larger eggs with a higher number of double yokers (and who doesn't love a double yoker???). Do they get on with the other ckooks and ducks? Whats the down side? (like there could be a downside to a double yoker egg maker).

Steve

 

Steve, Isa Browns are a hybrid bred for commercial egg laying. (The boys are all killed at hatching so you can't breed Isas)
They are egg machines. From all that I have read they lay til they exhaust themselves (I think the doubleyoker thing may be a myth) and are prone to early deaths alot of the time from cancer.

Get some purebreds, preferably a rare breed, and help in the preservation of breeds we are losing or at risk of losing.....please
Happy to suggest breeds/breeders for you.

Tam, I have PM'd you pet.

 

Hi Steve,

I had a few Isa Browns 2 years back which I inherited when with this place, and they were little laying machines. Trouble was, they kept flying over the fences into my gardens. They were very friendly and lay lovely large brown eggs. Also as most of them come from commercial hatcheries, they are usually vaccinated.

I've been specialising in Australorps and Silkies for some time so wasn't particularly interested in chooks which flew into my gardens so I sold them to a friend about a year and a half ago. I've recently considered getting some more to keep my roosters entertained whilst I've got my show birds separated. Having them running together ruins the plumage of my pullets, and we can't have that. :lol:

I don't get eggs for the table from my australorps as they're all reserved for the incubator or broodie hen. We get heaps of silkie eggs in between them sitting, but as the Isa's are none broody and have a pretty tough plumage (think they might be a hard feathered variety) they'd stand up to the constant attention of my huge australorp roosters plus provide us with enough eggs for the table, my baking, and to share with family and friends.

Hope you're not totally confused by my very complicated system, :lol: just trying to get things in balanced and running smoothly, as well as keeping them all happy.

By the way, Tezza provided a heap of info on his home bred variety of 'all round permaculture chook' in another thread. You might be able to order some chooks, or even fertile eggs, from him. https://forums.permaculture.org.au/viewtopic.php?t=614

Tam

 

Hi Tully,

I've pm'd you too.

Tam

 

Hi Tam I pvt you also

 

Chooks

Hello.. Your chooks. If you want eggs, get a proven layer. If you want Meat, get a meaty bird.If you want motherly hens, get proven mothers.What If you were looking for some of each of the above....
Thanks for the advertising segment Tam

Tezza

 

Thanks for all that info, looks like more research for me before I increase our flock of 2. We inherited a single chicken (Davo the Anarchist) of uncertain parentage and a single duck (Turkey) also of uncertain parentage. They both lay really well, producing enough eggs for Meg (my lovely wife) and I with a few left for the niegbours that give us their vegie scraps. I guess we would really like chooks for laying just to keep the egg flow a bit more even, preferably a fair robust breed (the holden ute of chickens). I really like the birds we have, they follow me around the place birk birking and wack-wacking at me.

Steve

 

What's a proxy checker??????????

I aint clickin' ya link, no way, no how :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Somehow I don't think we will hear from "trademark" again... :roll:

 

Have I missed something here?

Can someone fill me in by pm?

Thanks,
Tam

(hate being outa the loop!)

 

I think there will always be negatives to selectively breeding chickens into egg laying machines!! It takes a bit to make an egg.

I have also read that they are breed to eat the food that they are fed at the hatcheries as opposed to scraps etc so they are more needy with food etc, but I dunno how true that is

 

Yes, I've read that too. They are bred so specifically for a purpose that they are quite inflexable when it comes to 'free' diets :lol: such as the diets many of ours receive scratching around in our yards. I had a couple here when we first moved in, inherited from the previous owners, and they really struggled through their moults, I think cos the egg production was taking so much out of them physically.

The article also said that as our backyard breeds can survive on a varied diet, to not provide adequate nutrition, including a sufficient supply of shell grit would be detrimental to ISA Browns.

I got rid of them cos they were taking up precious room that I needed for my other chooks. Gave them away to a good home of course.

I just don't support breeds that can't be established as purebreds. I realise that every pure bred bird has it's roots somewhere, and through the ages, have evolved into the breeds we know today, but I recently read an article in my English mag that says that the reason the ISA brown can be so successfully monopolised is because they won't breed true, and the offspring will never possess the egg laying qualities of the parent birds.

So basically, without mankind's interference, the breed would die out within a few generations. They also have a very limited laying life due to the fact the their super egg laying ability takes so much out of them physically.

Tam

 

Gee Tam You dont arf go on about your knowledge of chooks...

For someone who knows so much albeit australorps and silkies gee you know heaps bout Isa Browns too..

People stateing this and that about something/maybe/usually is be.never be about somerthing tells some iniformed the wrong message...eg .The bits you write about isa needing specvial diets,extra shellgrit,Your arguing with yourself sopmetimes...How can someone who has prior extensive knowledge on One breed be an expert on others.Even you admit to not knowing much then argue bout it later...Stop knocking everything bar australorps Please....I know weve had this chat before,this is in responce to the article posted thurs nov 3 buy,sell,trade,or give away.....Since when has egg laying take so much outa a chook it wears em out ,cmon thats a bit rich,

Why do you persist in promoting chooks that hasve feathers on feet but cant lay eggs over a proven trusted breed,why do you promote old breads when there so many ,bread for just show or pretties over egg laying meat producing ,motherly broodies who handle the weather and extremes far better then some fancy nancy bird.that is so pampered with lovey doveyness, that theyd probly drop dead if they ever had to look after em selves,let alone feed em selves.

You mayvbe pointying people in the wrong direction just to solve your need for every bird to be a super dooper old breed..when you can prove beyond reasonable doubt that there is an old breed capable of beating the
these egg layers that people want.some people actually only want eggs off there chooks,not nice feathers on their feet,some people actually want brown eggs over white.Some actually want there chooks to last a year or so,Ive never heard so much crap about the isa brown in my life...

Now you know im not into comercialisation off chooks etc etc.....But Ive never had any of the problems that supposedly infest these isa brown chooks.....Why after 15 years of permie chooks am i still having no problems at all but you supposedly do....isa are a cross of white leghorns and rhode island reds,these 2 breads are consistanly surviving the aussie conditions,.Can you catagoricly say without doubt that Autralorps are superiour to any breed?As for isa being weekend by living in battery farms thats another miss truth..Ive saved Thousands of ex batterys from the chook meat producers,and probly less then a percent of a percentage point die in the process of changing from batts to hen house.mostly from shock of transport,just like any breed,.......

Telling people they shouldnt get this or that type can be bad if only as a person who wants old breeds,they may get a old breed and then give chooks away as they get dispondent because they never get any eggs...

99% of newies do it for the eggs beleive it or not.dont push em to getting a nice looking bird over an egg layer if thats what they want.....

People are more prone to getting a chook for brown eggs cause they want brown eggs...large brown eggs..not any size or colour they end up with...


Just to finish,Im totally Rhode Island Reds now in my breeding,

I dropped isa not because of breeding but because of body shape and to protect the old breed R.I.red...Dont knock the poor Isa its not their fault they were taken for battery uses ...is that their fault........
Thats the systems fault..

My best layers have been Isa,s even had a few raise babys too, dont beleive what others say tam every time...especially chook experts..

I cant beleive, ....Im reading your last post here.If it wasnt so serious Id Laugh at it......


Dont take this all the wrong way Tam read this whole message several times if you wish before getting carried away :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


Tezza

 

In my defence, my information was taken from the Chrismas edition of the Diggers Club catalogue 2005 - pages 8, 9 & 10. Those who are members of the Diggers Club will be able to confirm this for themselves.

Anyone else who'd like a copy can email me on [email protected] with their email address and I'll forward you a copy as an attachment.

Tam

 

Silkies are one of the oldest pure breeds in the world.

They are considered one of the peculiarities of the poultry world. If you don't like them, don't keep them. Simple! I have briefly scanned through my posts and can't see any where I've promoted the breed other than stating that they are useful as broodies, and if I remember correctly, my comment was to Tullymoor.

 

Geez Tezza, calm down, sheesh! Are you having another hairday thing? Where on earth does this other side of yours come from? Skeery. :shock:

There is nothing wrong with promoting rare / pure breeds. I do it and will continue to do it all the time. Some of our breeds will be lost forever (due to importation bans) if people don't start to keep and breed them. The breed I keep, Dorkings, were taken to Britain by the Romans, they're a very old breed, a "utility" breed. Great layers of a medium sized white to cream egg and a very large table bird (BaringaPark/ Elizabeth breeds her flock for both purposes) not prone to being flighty, excellent foragers and good doers and I have two out of six doing the mothering thing so far and one more that's thinking about it.......there are probably only a hundred or so left in Aus now
I object to you saying that some pure bred and /or exhibition chooks are ....."fancy nancy bird.that is so pampered with lovey doveyness, that theyd probly drop dead if they ever had to look after em selves,let alone feed em selves. " You don't know many poultry exhibitors then?? LOL Most I've become mates with are as rough as guts and there aint no pampering and preening I can tell ya! My birds are fancy nancy purebreds and they are hardy and quite self sufficient....cripes they survived 2 years after their owner died,left with a widower who wasn't into chooks at all and were left to their own devices.
Anyhew, that's my 2 bobs worth....bring it on, I have PMT, I'll have a go.

Edited to add: Isa Browns were "built" by the big boys, the battery farmers...I doubt anyone knows the recipe for 'em, as if they'd tell. Then again, they've moved on from them now and built the super duper egg machines such as Hylines. NOONE knows the recipe for those :wink: Noone would want to either, they are completely clapped out and made into chicken nuggets before their first birthdays.