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FAQS

A: We now accept contactless card payments using the safe merchant facility SQUARE. We also accept direct deposit or cash.

A: We offer free cardboard suitable boxes for your birds so don’t worry if you don’t have a cage or crate we are happy to provide boxes. Easy!

A: Day old chicks up to 7 weeks – Chicken Starter one that is medicated is recommended.

7 week olds to point of lay (usually 16-22 weeks most breeds) – Pullet Grower

Once they are laying – a good layer pellet and a scratch mix for a treat.

* Scraps are welcome but shouldn’t be the sole diet. Avoid avocado, raw potato, citrus fruits and raw onion are the main ones as they can be toxic to the bird. Avoid suger but yes we even give our birds left over cakes and we don’t pick the onion out of the salad because if the bird is getting the right diet they will aviod eating the bad things usually!

A: If you are about to set up a coop it is best to decide how many chickens you are allowed especially if you live in suburbia and have council restrictions. There are basic rules for keeping chickens in small back yards so check with your local Shire. But rule of thumb you want at least 0.5 metres per each chook for their run. 

For their housing consider if you are going to keep them locked up where they sleep sometimes (for e.g when you want to go away for a few days). Is your coop going to have a run or just free range? Your coop should have room for a perch or two, nesting boxes and be draught free and let sunlight in easy enough especially if you plan to keep the birds locked up. We suggest steel or aluminium coops are the best or very little wood used if you are building your own. We find wood is harder to keep the dreaded mites at bay and harder to keep clean but of course that is up to you. We suggest fox proofing the area if you have a run by covering the run and digging wire mesh around the run and coop so that foxes especially but also dogs and cats will find it hard to get to your chooks.

A: One answer is under supervision. Often people come to the farm seeing all our animals together and getting along. It is possible but don’t just assume that your friendly dog won’t want to play football with your new fluff ball if left unattended. Our animals have no choice to get along and touch wood we have had great success by the simple no don’t touch approach. Allowing the animals to be with you when you are with your chooks is a great start as usually a pet just wants to play and is curious about a new pet such has a flappy chook. They are so much fun! Under supervision you will soon tell if you are going to be able to trust your pets with your chooks. It is possible!!!!

A: We suggest that all our chooks are quarantined for the first week. Generally any sickness from stress or natural occurrence will come out in the first week. Everyone has their beliefs about sickness (which we will talk about later more) but introducing a new chook there is several ways to do so. One is to put them straight in and often if you’re introducing two or more that works okay. A bit of power play may happen but the pecking order is usually sorted out within the first few days! We always suggest introducing at least two new friends so that they are not alone to face the battle if there is going to be any! Some people suggest putting them in at night time but we still think that chooks aren’t stupid and will work out there is a new member. Another way is to put them nearby or in a separate area so that the existing birds get used to them.

A: We do suggest you quarantine your new birds for at least a week. We find any illness comes out within a week or so of moving from one place to the other. Some people may only have Sunset Valley Chicks but we still advise to quarantine. If you have a small flock of 1-2 birds I find putting them together and keeping an eye on them will be enough. Even our vaccinated birds (commercial layers and silkies) can come down with an illness and it’s important to learn the signs and get on top of it quickly.