'Do you have any pets?' I inevitably get asked when I say I live on 5 acres. Perhaps they expect alpacas, dwarf cows, and goats. We did have a goat once, but in ended in tears. The goat's tears, because she was so lonely.
'Just chickens' I say. That's 'chooks' in Australia. I have no idea of the etymology of that word.
When I admit this, the next time people see me, they ask 'how are your chickens going?', which always takes me aback, because I always think there are a lot more exciting things in my life than my chooks. But hey, it's a conversation starter, right?
I can't imagine a home without chooks. They're lovely creatures, apart from the shit they leave around and their tendency to make a mess in your garden. But they're lovely creatures. Quiet gentle, unless they are pecking at your toes, with no real understanding they are attached to my body. They listen, too. You can tell them all the woes you have and they'll take it.
Plus, they give me eggs. An alpaca can't do that. Nor can a goat.
'My chooks are great' I say. 'Thanks for asking.'
With Love,
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I get it, that's one amazing thing with chooks, thinking of having them recently because of the eggs. I want eggs for my breakfast, lol!
I've never heard of the name ‘chooks’ in referring to chickens before.
I too have chickens though not in an open space. Although when they are let loose and they roam about a close distance they always return when it is dark.
I hope your weekend is going smoothly.
I have a cat. Sometimes I call her chicken. She doesn't lay eggs, but she meows very prettily.
Ah that's very sweet.
And I like this comment - it's not a summary of my post, and is clearly a personal response.
Living on a 5 acres? That's quite big.
You must have different breed of chooks around there, I mean it's a big space enough to accommodate a lot!
Chickens are gentle creature most times but they can be quite messy. Lol.
Zeegirl 🌻.
I am getting ready to get my chickens started. Going to scale them up here on the farm. Just need to raise some funds to get everything going… That’s seems to be the hard part these days. 😂
Thos are pretty chooks (≧▽≦), we also have Chicken as a pet and they all have a name. I really thought it's impossible to enjoy having a chicken as a pet, but whoa, they are so fun to be with, and they even react to their names, especislly when we call them (≧▽≦). They also give us egg, which sometimes end up as a boiled egg (≧▽≦)
My chicken is very delicious. I put it in a frying pan and ate it many times🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 @riverflows
Lol!
Do you get any eggs from them? That must be one of the biggest benefit of keeping them other than them being a great ice breaker for conversations😀
Just saw the very last sentence🤪
Maybe people just want an excuse to say "how's your chooks?". Why deny them? :D
Hens, chicks and roosters have a very particular way of winning the affection of us "reflexive" animals. Although it is a nuisance to clean their feces daily. Everything is compensated with a crow, a jump from the tree they have chosen as their bedroom. And what to say when mama hen walks around the yard with her trail of chicks. Wonderful moments that our mother nature gives us.
Thank you so much @riverflows for sharing your great experiences on the farm with your dear friends!
They are very entertaining aren't they?
Ha, ha, ha, ha. They look great. So, 'chooks' huh? Maybe it has to do with some sounds or maybe a way to shorten even more the name. I bet that double O sound like a short "u" like in book. Maybe I just got above my head with linguistics. Chooks. Gonna start calling them that since it's an Aussie word.
Besides, eggs are cool. Nice source of protein and also needed for lots of things. Tasty things.
When we call them, it's definitely the oo sound, but clipped. Chook chook chook chook chook .. definitely onomatopoeiac!
Ha, ha, ha, ha. Well, it doesn't seem off from the idea. You're actually speaking its language. I bet Chicken Speech is called 'chook'.
I miss the chickens here. I keep hoping next year I can get things repaired enough to have some...
Oh no - I missed the information where you don't have chickens! It's not a homestead without them, is it?
Sigh...I miss them so much. I had to sell or give them all away when my husband was in the hospital in 2020.
I hope you get some soon!
Won't be soon. I really need someone reliable here before I get livestock again.