ISA Browns

earthbound · **Posted:** Wed Feb 17, 2010 4:08 pm

Don't they dig up sections of your grass Nocky? I used to only let mine out on the odd occasion, but then I didn't let mine out that often and I don't really have any grass out the back.

dufflight · **Posted:** Thu Oct 21, 2010 2:36 pm

6 more ISA. Now have 10 hens and 1 rooster. :bat:

Keeping them apart until the new ones are a bit bigger. Was going to build more pens but am thinking more of cages for the garden. Just keep moving them around and let the chooks have free rain. No more lawn(or weeds that take up the same space as lawn) :joy:

gnash · **Posted:** Thu Oct 21, 2010 6:59 pm

5 for me, got them last night from a egg farm that uses cages...some of them couldn't even walk right :dont:

So I'm going to see if I can put some condition on the old girls as alot of feathers are missing due to the cages.

Jaymie · **Posted:** Fri Oct 22, 2010 8:11 am

well done for rescuing them

Simo · **Posted:** Fri Oct 22, 2010 11:36 am

They will bounce back just fine Gnash, I once had 4 that were no longer wanted by the battery egg farm as they stopped laying. After getting some sunlight, real food and being able to free range they started laying again and continued to do so for a few years.

Burnsy · **Posted:** Fri Oct 22, 2010 4:11 pm

I have 1 Isa Brown and 2 of the other brown ones (they look the same and lay the same). If you want chickens in Perth contact Kelmscott Senior High School Farm. The primary program has a constant stream of sexed chickens (the other brown ones not Isa's) through for the little kids to handle that they sell off after about 15 weeks. They are use to being handled and are far cheaper than anywhere else I have found for quality layers.

stretchman · **Posted:** Fri Oct 22, 2010 11:16 pm

The farms dispose of their hens after 18 months because they are not as productive in a commercial operation, they may not lay everyday and they start laying eggs that are not the "perfect" type that is wanted by the consumer. It is more productive for the farms to buy a few thousand new point of lay pullets and destroy the "old" birds. They will still produce fantastically in the backyard. Be watchful that they don't start egg pecking. If they were caged layers they will never have actually seen there own eggs! Free range or barn birds are may be a little better socialised.

Kelmscott High is a great place to visit if you can. We have bought meat rabbits from there. The animals are well looked after, but it isn't a "petting zoo" so the animals are in quality condition. If you are in the country try agriculture colleges.

When you bring any birds home keep them under observation and separated from your existing birds for 2 weeks as a precaution against bringing disease and parasites into the coop.

Burnsy · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 12:04 pm

stretchman wrote:

When you bring any birds home keep them under observation and separated from your existing birds for 2 weeks as a precaution against bringing disease and parasites into the coop.

Good advice, having them within sight of each other and allowing them to free range together after a few days over the two weeks can help to minimise hen pecking as well.

gnash · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 12:29 pm

[quote="stretchman"]

Kelmscott High is a great place to visit if you can. We have bought meat rabbits from there. [quote]

How long ago and will they still have them? Thanks sm

chillidude · **Posted:** Tue Nov 16, 2010 12:24 pm

Any chance you could cross a chook (rooster) with a duck. They both have some very cool aspects, and to top it all off it's be called a chuck !

Burnsy · **Posted:** Tue Nov 16, 2010 12:58 pm

Personally I would call it a dook

Gnash, give the school a call, ask to be put through to the farm, ask for Gary and he should e able to tell you what they have available.

gnash · **Posted:** Fri Nov 19, 2010 12:17 pm

Thanks Burnsy

earthbound · **Posted:** Sun Nov 21, 2010 4:48 pm

Johnny7au from the AP forum is a teacher out there, he'll be able to point you in a useful direction.

gnash · **Posted:** Mon Nov 22, 2010 1:00 am

Thanks EB, haven't heard from Jonny in a while

Lord Viykor · **Posted:** Tue Dec 14, 2010 9:22 pm

I picked up some Rhode Island Red / White Leghorn crosses on Monday. They certainly look like ISA Browns, even if they aren't Rhode Island Red / Rhode Island White crosses.

Hope they lay just as well.

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ISA Browns

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ISA Browns

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Bringing food production home