I am constantly astounded at peoples attitude to chickens. Many assume its easy, nothing to know, just throw them some scraps and set them up in a fallen down old pen. Whilst chicken are easy to care for they are incredibly vulnerable to prey and disease. If you pay good money for rare, hand raised heritage birds you will want to keep them in a predator proof housing. Up in Northern NSW these houses ideally need to be snake proof. Its better to put the time and effort into housing on day one than have traumatic tragic event and loose them all and have to replace them. Housing needs to be strong enough to with stand dog attacks that can rip apart flimsy cheap or rotten timber. Use Avery mesh, hard wood or treated pine, and heavy colour bond tin. If you are in hot area you may need some insulation and to build under heavy shade trees or plant trees around the coup. Chickens are jungle birds and hate intense heat and rain. They need access to shelter day and night.

FOOD: A medicated chick starter crumble until 8 weeks of age. Pullet crumble from 8 to 16 weeks then slowly introduce layer mash or pellet. Soaked grain is a great addition as well (soak whole grain for 24 to 48 hours and strain, mix in layer mash or other protein). Fresh water daily is essential! leave plenty of water in large and small buckets around. If you have chicks use only shallow trays with a rock in it or the water feeders to prevent drowning.

Hens usually start laying from 5 to 7 mths and so at that age they need extra calcium plus poultry grit or shell in the diet to improve egg shell strength.

Remember the more effort and care you give your birds the stronger their immunity, the longer they will live, and the better the nutrient value of the eggs.

Worming: chickens need worming at least every 3mths. I alternate between brands as some are better than others. I either worm 2 days in a row or twice in one week. It can be added to water or to food.

Other supplements: I make a ‘cure all’ oil for my birds; into large jar filled with olive or vegetable oil I crush; garlic, fresh turmeric, fresh herbs eg tulsi thyme sage, apple cider vinegar, few droops oregano oil, echinacea and raw honey. Leave to soak in fridge for few days then add few tablespoons to food every other day. Great for when disease is present or as a preventative. Do some research be creative and use common sense!

Diseases: In my area I find the old poultry breeders more useful than local vets. But if you have a good vet use them! Once you have a good grasp on symptoms of diseases you may be able to have medication on hand to treat quickly and prevent losses. Read up on disease and spend time observing your birds so you notice early when they are unwell.

I also keep all egg shells, cook in low heat oven for 10 min, grind and add to food.

For growing chicks and young birds I mince up vegetables, give soaked grain, and let birds free range as often as is safe.

The more you let your birds free range the healthier and happier they will be. Of course that depends on your situation. If you have day time predators such as dogs and foxes and eagles and hawks, full enclosures maybe necessary. Movable pens and or electric poultry netting could be a good option if you are on flat land. Even a single strand of electric fence wire about 1 ft off ground on outside of pen can make all the difference. Digging wire into ground 20 cm is also good.

Dust baths: If you have your birds in full enclosure ensure they have a place to have a clean dust bath. This more than anything, will help keep away mites and lice.

Cleanliness is Godliness! Keep your coups clean! If they smell they need cleaning. Especially keep nesting boxes clean. At the very least throw down clean wood chips or straw regularly and clean out as often as is practical.

Wood shavings seem to last the longest and absorb odour. USE what ever you want to mulch your garden with! Chicken poo is gold for your garden! After cleaning your house hose it down, let dry and then dust with builders lime, helps to kill bacteria, mites and parasites.

A common misconception amongst people setting up small farms is that ducks will keep the slugs out fo the vegetable garden and leave the vegetables. Let me tell you ducks will eat everything! Even a small flock will destroy a well vegetated dam! They are terrific foragers. They are better suited to an orchard than a vegetable garden, unless you put them in between crops.

You need plenty of water to keep ducks. Ideally a small dam, creek or swamp area they can hang out on during the day and be called in at night to a predator proof enclosure. If kept in a small area all day they will turn it to mud and a big mess, they love snouting around and making mud puddles!

Ducks are just as vulnerable as chickens to fox and dog attack. If you train them at young age to go into. night pen they will do it. Feeding them at night in the pen helps. If you leave water in pen at night it will be a constant battle to keep clean. make sure theybhave had water before bed and lock them up dry. DUCKS MUST HAVE WATER WHEN EATING. All water fowl need to clean bills after eating and prefer wet food. Make sure they always have water (except over night as adults in small pens)

The hens need a safe dry place to lay eggs. I find my hens lay all eggs at night and swim in the day!

Muscovys on the other hand are whole other kettle of fish. They are more tame and less busy but I find much harder to herd or to train and they do fly. So you’ll need to keep there wings clipped or have them in full enclosure or in a paddock or yard with electric fencing a dog will not get into.

Muscovy DRAKES need to be kept away from other breeds ducks and geese as they can attack everything. The hens are sweet and quiet. Muscovy hens also need a nice place to nest. Do not disturb them once they start to nest and lay. They will lay a full clutch then sit reliably just like geese. Or you can take their eggs for eating and let them hatch something else. They do like to be mummas and are very persistent! Eggs take 30 to 35 days to hatch like geese.

FOOD: Ducklings need extra niacin. Lauke Mills duck goose starter and duck goose finisher is good. Check label of all duck food for added niacin as some brands are misleading. You can add brewers yeast or nutritional yeast when they are young to increase niacin and vitamins. I also give them boiled eggs and plenty greens. Many people give green frozen peas as they are high in niacin. I find this expensive for a large flock. You can also buy poultry supplements for your youngsters.

As ducks mature and before they start to lay you can add in layer pellets and give them soaked whole grain. Make sure ducklings and adults have shell grit and or sand for gullet digestion.

DUCKS NEED REGULAR WORMING like chickens. Also there are many duck diseases, so do some research!

If you are breeding with an incubator I recommend don’t hatch out more than about 8 to 15 in one batch. They are cute at first but then turn into eating pooing machines and get very wild.

I find raising ducks in small batches with chickens and turkeys make them much calmer. Ducks have to learn trust, they are born with a strong fright flight response.

Appleyard ducks are very quacky! If noise is an issue get Muscovy, or house ducks away from house they love to chat all night sometimes!

There is nothing more magical than a goose. A hand raised gosling can steal your heart and will bond with you follow you everywhere and become your loyal friend. I personally think geese are the most ill represented of all the birds. They seem to have developed a bad reputation, everyone it seems has a negative goose story to tell.

Geese are wonderful maternal creatures and live by a matriarchal social system. The ganders bond for life with there mate keeping a vigil watch over her whilst she is sits for 35 days to hatch her young. Once the young hatch both gander and goose protect and raise them in the most sensitive and protective way. Its heart warming to see.

Don’t be fooled though that you can mix breeds a gander will mate with other females if they are the alpha male but always return to the family group they are in. So separate pen required for different breeds.

Raise goslings on Duck goose starter (Lauke Mills is good brand. You can add brewers yeast for extra niacin. geese are primarily grazers. 8 geese are equivalent to 1 sheep! They must have access to fresh clean grass for a long healthy life.

Geese need water to breed. Geese are not as obsessed with water as ducks but they do need a dam or large pond for breeding season. Some of small breeds can use a baby paddle pool but larger breed need a dam.

The goose breeds here at Sacred earth farm are hardy, not smelly, sweet gentle, very entertaining and only show mild protectiveness during peak breeding season. I think they are the most adorable and the most magical of all the water birds.