A Cosmic Connection Between Barack Obama and My Friend the Butcher

Barack Obama doesn't know it but yesterday he wasn't the only one engaging in a 'chin wag' full of Aussie vernacular.

I stopped in to see my friend the butcher only to discover that six months down the track, I'd found myself once again, talking with him and the same woman I'd met at the same spot back in June. How funny.

Before she recognised me, I could hear the two of them talking about her broody hens and how the recent change in weather had sent a couple of them 'berko'. She'd tried everything known to man and woman to lure them out of their nesting boxes and she'd become reluctant to go near them in fear of being pecked.

While trying to conceal his excitement, I noticed the butcher's eyebrow lift conspicuously. I could tell he had a trick in mind and was dying to reveal it and before she had a chance to finish he jumped in and suggested that she purchase a few fertile eggs from a chicken farmer out the back of 'woop woop'. He'd done it a few times himself and found it worked a treat, not only to appease his hen's broody needs but to add a couple of extra chooks to his collection and from time to time he selected breeds specifically for their meat. It was obvious the woman hadn't thought of it and the butcher was suitably pleased with himself. I'll be honest, the idea had never occurred to me and I too thought it was a brilliant idea, especially given that you can't legally keep roosters in our area. I'd give my eye teeth to be able to raise a couple of chooks for meat as well as eggs, providing it wasn't me who had to do the deed.

And then, last night when I was catching up with one of my favourite blogs 'Down to Earth', Rhonda Jean tells us how one of her lovely readers sent her half a dozen fertilised eggs in the mail for one of her broody hens! What a lovely gift.

The butcher said he'd found a home for his six chooks including his beautiful Australorp and although he didn't want to part with them just yet, he'd surrendered to the pressure to convert his hen yard into a backyard swimming pool for the kids. He told me as soon as the pool and landscaping were done, he'd be planning a space for some new chooks, once he had approval from the 'cheese and kisses'. It was at this moment I caught myself smiling as a I thought back to the President's earlier speech. 

The butcher asked me about my girls and I explained how we'd decided to adopt a couple of Isa Browns from a friend, especially given we haven't had chickens before. He seemed to like the adoption idea and I got the feeling it chimed with his reluctant decision to find a suitable home for his own beloved chooks. 

Just like my Dad, the butcher's favourite chook of all time was the black Australorp. He said it was a 'corker' of a bird but his Barred Plymoth Rock and Silver Spangled Hamburg were 'rippers' too and looked just like a Dalmation dog! I think he meant that the feather's were spotted and not that the chicken actually looked like a dog.

What I would have done to take his Australorp but we weren't quite ready to introduce a new chook to 'Stickybeak' and Noodle just yet. I still haven't figured out whether we've got enough room and as I'm 'flat out like a lizard drinking' myself, the last thing I need is a hen pecked chook to worry about.

And besides, I suspect the broodiness has been bred out of Isa Browns given they've been bred as battery hens. No battery hen has time to go broody. And while our girls are laying well, in their prime, Isa Browns reliably lay an egg a day but are soon given the death sentence after a year short career. Our hens may not be up to incubating a fertile egg, but at least I know they'll have a long happy, well fed life in their comfy new home, the 'Chook Nook'.

My friend the butcher is a 'top bloke' and he said 'no worries' as I thanked him yet again for his advice.   We said our goodbyes and as I turned to walk away he called out 'hooroo'. It was a fitting end to another memorable meeting.

Julia?

P.S. Message to self.....edit first post on 'The Chook Nook' to include extra dot point....butchers think silver spangled hamburgs look just like Dalmations!

The Butcher's advice

After months of tireless work, the 'chook nook' is just about ready for the arrival of our adopted chooks.

On Saturday we visited them at their current home, firstly so they could get to meet us and secondly, to size up their current living quarters and to see how it compares to their soon-to-be new environment. While they currently have a grassed backyard to occasionally run, scratch and peck in, they don't always spend time free-ranging and are often confined to their fenced yard and hen house.

We decided that our fenced chook yard was considerably bigger and would offer them a new experience in that it's a totally secure environment, fully fenced top and sides. We live on the edge of a national park and a roof was essential to provide security from the likes of dogs, foxes, predatory birds, quolls, snakes and cats including black panthers. Okay, they may not be real panthers and more likely very large black feral cats and although cats have been domesticated for over 4000 years, the hunting instinct is still strongly imprinted in their brain and dominates their existence when they go feral. A vulnerable chook or two would be easy prey for these quiet predators, not to mention a cunning fox so our solar electric fence will be deployed as an extra deterrent.

Safety and security are important features of any chook nook no matter where you live. I've known people to 'come home' with a chook or three, totally unprepared and its usually a disaster for a few weeks while they play catch up trying to build a chook house and yard.

Although you don't need anything too elaborate, you do need to be ready with some essentials prior to their arrival. This includes a secure, warm, dry permanent structure where they can sleep, roost, feed and lay their eggs and of course, hide if necessary. They need a fresh water supply and lots of food, and as ours are already laying they could need up to a kilo of food each per week. So over the months, we've been preparing our chook nook to provide all these things and more.

A slinky black panther roaming on the edge of our permaculture garden is one thing but to be honest, my biggest concern is the two dogs over the road who are young, stupid and apparently deaf! We do want to allow our chooks to free range across the terrace beds occasionally and as I watched the two of them tear down the side of our house the other day with their owner in hot pursuit, I got thinking they're going to be our biggest worry. It will only take seconds for a dog to kill a chook or two. And while their young owners are trying hard to train them, from my observations they still have a long way to go before they will actually 'stay' or 'come' when told to do so and once they get the scent of chooks in their nostrils nothing is going to stop them.

I am slightly sympathetic because we also have two dogs but the difference is our mutts are adorable, well trained and highly intelligent and they'll be trained up and spooked right from the start to ensure they clearly understand that chooks are scary and out of bounds.

Although the chooks have been somewhat dogerized they've also had their wings clipped which may be a problem given that flying is a very handy escape mechanism to have when being pursued by a dog.

As for what to do about the dogs over the road, I may just have to call on my friend the butcher for some expert advice!

The Butchers Chook

There's a sub-culture of chook lovers in Sydney, I just know it. I was at the butchers yesterday after work and I overheard a conversation between a customer and one of the younger butchers. The language was even in code and went something like this....

'Your girls off the lay?' he said. 'Yep, what about yours?' she said. 'Same. Too cold'. 'Yep, too cold to lay'.

It was 10 degrees C outside and it had been a frosty day in Sydney and I knew from my recent research that they could only be talking about one thing....the humble backyard chook.

I interrupted them and apologised for eavesdropping but I couldn't miss the opportunity to join their conversation. I introduced myself and told them excitedly about my plans to build a 'chook nook'. With raised eyebrows they both leaned closer as I started to ask a zillion questions. I had to make it quick; I knew I'd only have a few minutes before the next customer arrived.

With lowered voices, trying to disguise their excitement, they began to tell me their stories and I soon realised I was in the presence of two very experienced chook raisers.

During those few minutes, I discovered a number of important things.....

• Butchers love chooks
• Dogs and foxes eat chooks
• Foxes rip the heads off chooks and leave their bodies (I don't think this is true all the time)
• Foxes can stake out pens for days on end before they go in for the kill (sounds more like a crocodile)
• Survivor chooks are called chickens because they hide in their houses after an attack and won't come out for days
• Neighbours with dogs that attack chooks don't care much for chooks or neighbours
• Chooks do amazing work in vegie gardens but not while there are vegies in the vegie garden (I think I get it)
• Chooks are entertaining, lovable and provide food, eggs and manure
• Chooks have personalities just like people (I know a few people who have personalities like chooks)
• There are at least 2 people in the Hornsby area that already have adorable chooks and there will soon be 3
• The butcher recons Australorps are the best layers, are comfortable and relaxed in your arms, are great with kids, and are the most beautiful birds he's ever seen!
• Backyard chook's eggs are by far the best!

This was only the beginning but it was reassuring to know that there are other chook lovers out there. I'm starting to realise what amazing resources we have in our local community including the many experienced and interesting gardeners and backyard farmers, each with their own unique story and advice they're only too willing to share.

There was a sense of impatience growing among the increasing line of customers so we left the conversation there. As I said goodbye to my new friends, the butcher called out to me to make sure I came back at any time if I needed any further advice.

As I smiled and walked off I wondered if he knew anything about compost.