What is a chook I hear everyone outside of Australia cry? It’s a slang/pet name for a chicken. I love chickens. They are such fascinating creatures and make amazing pets. Have you ever seen the movie Chicken Run? It is so true to life. Just sitting and observing chickens going about their daily business I often think ‘what are they up to, what have they got planned?’ Hopefully my chickens are not planning a prison break like the Aardman chickens. Why would they? My ‘girls’ are treated like the princesses they are.

I’m blessed to live on a property that allows a lot of space for a good size chicken run, or two actually. The space inside both runs is ample for what can be classed as ‘free range.’ The runs offer night time security from hungry predators, perches to hang out with their ‘flock mates’ and a quiet, secluded place for the hens to lay there daily egg. During the morning after ‘laying time’ is done the girls are literally climbing the fence to get out and out they go! This is free ranging. Off they go to roam free, run amok, have a scratch in real dirt, forage for interesting snacks and have the space to flap their wings.

Chickens are such gentle animals. They liked to be picked up and cuddled. My partner is a dedicated ‘chicken hugger.’ I often find myself talking ‘chook’ to them. You know, bock, bock noises?! Come on you talk to your dog don’t you, why not your chickens?

We have about thirty chickens and three roosters. When we first started out the backyard Chook Empire there were no men allowed. Then I fell in love with a huge orange Wyandotte rooster and the rest was history. Rambo was our first rooster and served us well. He was followed by Hef (named after Playboy’s Hugh Hefner as like my chicken Hef, he has/had lots of girlfriends) It’s easier to name the men as they stand out, the girls lost their names a long time ago, there are just too many!

The flock is made up of a combination of Wyandotte’s, Isa Browns and Chinese Bantam’s. The Isa’s were ‘rescued’ from a local egg farm. I say rescued, they are sold for $20 and we happily pay that to give them a better life. They come from cages or the barn style free-range establishments. Usually their feathers are tatty with pale, floppy combs. A week or two in the outdoors and they are like new!

I’m totally biased but our eggs are amazing!! Our regular customers agree. I can’t fill the demand some weeks. All the money we collect, $4 a dozen, goes straight back into the chicken account or the ‘girl’s money box’ as I call it. They do have a money box, it’s right there in the fridge by the eggs. The cash pays for their feed or anything else they need. Our eggs are so good. The yokes are bright yellow and the whites nice & clear. They taste so much better than shop bought eggs, even other free-range organic eggs.

With every living thing there is always an energy transfer. This energy can be positive or negative. If the animal producing the product, like eggs, is happy and content the energy going into producing that egg will be happy. If the animal is suffering or is having a crappy life this negative energy will be transferred. Then when we consume that product we are digesting that energy, good or bad. Wouldn’t you much rather be consuming energy happy energy? Yes, because happy energy makes us happy and vise versa. I am more than happy to eat my chickens eggs as I know first hand they are happy. There produce is a living statement of this.

We try & support chicken charities where we can. My partner asked for cash donations for his thirtieth birthday instead of presents. He raised over $400 for the RSPCA charity – Hen’s deserve better. http://www.hensdeservebetter.org.au Everyone can do his or her bit too. Spend a little more and buy free range, even better organic. You will notice the quality and taste is better. Also tune in and see how you feel inside after digesting the ‘happy energy.’

Love, light & chicken hugs,

Seren

xx