How backyard chooks made a comeback

“The disruption has resulted in people taking matters into their own hands and having chickens in their backyard,” she says.

Australians are among the highest egg consumers worldwide per capita – about 250 to 260 eggs annually. Egg shortage and price rises (prices for a dozen eggs range from $6.60 to $15.90 or more) have also contributed to Australians investing in backyard chickens.

Bransdon has not looked back.

“I’m a keen cook and baker, so my original motivation was definitely the eggs,” she says. “They’re so much tastier than store-bought eggs, and the yolks are a vibrant orange. And it’s handy when eggs are in such short supply at the shops.”

Prices for chickens range from $13 or more for day-old chicks, while laying hens start from $35, with higher prices for more unusual breeds. Since welcoming the initial four chickens into the family, Bransdon says her flock has taken on a more significant role.

“What I didn’t expect was how wonderful they’d be as pets,” she says.

Bronwyn Portes, 45, from Berwick in south-east Melbourne, agrees.

“It’s been fascinating to watch how my two children bond together over the chickens. They put the iPads and electronics aside and sit there and engage with them, it’s amazing,” she says.

Portes has 14 chickens, including Silkies, Wheaten Marans, Andalusians and Barnevelders, with whom she says her two children, eight-year-old Emilia and 12-year-old Sebastian, have bonded.

“The emotional attachment has floored me, I never expected that.”

Portes explains that the chickens have had a surprising impact on her, too.

“I get so much joy sitting outside, watching them in the garden. It’s really peaceful. They’re like therapy animals.”

While there are wide-ranging benefits of owning chickens, they do take work, especially in the preparation stage.

“Before you get any animal you need to set up for success,” Portes says.

“Researching and preparing for chickens – including housing, council regulation, protection against predators, and how to care for them – is something that anyone considering chickens for pets needs to do.”

Jess Collins, RSPCA Victoria barn team leader, agrees.

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“Some local councils have rules regarding the ownership of roosters or excessive numbers of chickens, so it is essential to consider these rules before making a decision,” she says.

Most chickens prefer the company of their species for friendship, says Collins.

“They also have a pecking order, so it is a good idea to start with a minimum of four chickens to prevent one chicken from being picked on.”

When purchasing chickens from breeders, Collins recommends ensuring that they are healthy.

“Obvious health concerns to look out for are a droopy, pale comb, watery eyes, discharge from the nose or beak, or if the chicken is in a ‘fluffed’ position with their eyes closed,” she says.

Housing is also important and usually the most significant expense, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on what option you choose. The coop should have enough space for chickens to perch, move around and flap their wings, and be protected from the elements.

“The flooring must also be safe and secure from predators and rodents, so foxes, cats and rats can’t climb into the coop, dig up through the floor or push the door open,” Collins says.

Keeping their housing clean is also important so chickens can “perform natural behaviours, such as foraging, dust-bathing, sun-basking, perching, flapping their wings, and resting”, she says.

Amanda Ritzinger, owner of Melbourne-based boutique poultry breeder Chloe’s Poultry, says if you have other pets, they need to be carefully introduced to chickens, separated from them or trained.

“Some dogs are fantastic with chickens and welcome them into their backyards without any problems, but it’s always a consideration as to how your individual dog or other pets would react.”

Food-wise, “a nutritionally balanced diet is essential for the good health of your chickens”, says Ritzinger. This includes poultry seed, mixed with layer pellets and a small serving of fresh vegetables and fruit every day, as well as fresh, clean water.

While the research, preparation and care for chickens can take some work, for Portes, it’s worth it.

“Not only are you rewarded with eggs but you have new members of the family.”

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