Meet the peeps

Many of you would know we had a broody hen die a couple of weeks ago. She hatched one egg, that chick also died and the remaining five eggs didn't hatch. We're not sure what happened but think it may have been a spider bite that did her in. We were hatching those chicks to help supply us with eggs in the coming months and years. Our current flock has decreased to only six hens, and all of them are oldish. We're getting about six eggs a week.

Here is the beautiful and gentle Martha, our buff Orpington, on egg duty.

If you're living in a similar way to us, you'd know that it's difficult to find good suppliers you can reply on. Many of the things we buy aren't mainstream products, we have to search before we buy. We decided we'd buy pullets instead of trying another batch of eggs but we wanted to look for a new supplier of heritage chooks because when we introduced new chicks into our flock with our old supplier, they would sometimes bring in a disease. So I started searching for a decent breeder, one that looked like they were doing the right thing by the birds, treated them well and had quality, healthy stock.

It's important to Hanno and me to keep the old pure breeds. Like heirloom seeds, large businesses have taken over the poultry industry and have hybridised the stock. If we backyarders don't step up and keep these old breeds, many of them will die out. Many of them already have.

I found Julie at Anstead on the outskirts of Brisbane. I chose her over the others I found because she had good quality rare breeds and sounded like she loved them. The added bonus was that all the chicks where sexed and if one turned out to be a rooster, I could exchange him for a pullet. In addition, all Julie's chicks were vaccinated for Marek's Disease and Fowlpox. Staying true to my bartering values, I emailed Julie and asked if she was interested. She was.

This is Flora, a Welsummer with the two Barnevelders, Annie and Lillian, in the background

Fiona and Margaret checking out the premises. When they're fully grown, they'll develop fluffy heads and lay blue eggs.

Above and below, settling in and having their first feed and drinks with us.

Julie saying goodbye to Fiona.

Hanno saying hello to Nora.

Hanno and I travelled over to meet Julie last Thursday and brought home two Barnevelders, two Welsummers, two Aracaunas and two New Hampshires. We've had New Hampshires and Barnevelders before but never Welsummers or Aracaunas. I am completely charmed by all of them. Barnevelders and New Hampshires are always the same colours but Welsummers seem to have three - silver and gold lacewing and black red. I forgot to ask Julie about the colours but it looks like we have a gold lacewing and a black red. Our Aracaunas are lavender and they lay blue eggs. The girls have settled in really well and I have to tell you, I'm relieved they're vaccinated and in good health.

We were very impressed with Julie and her chicken business. The chook shed was nicely organised and clean, the birds looked healthy; they all had clean water and ample food. We're happy to recommend her to you if you're looking for good quality heritage chooks. Julie is located in the western suburbs of Brisbane and you can find out more about her chickens or arrange a viewing time by phoning or emailing her. She will send the chickens interstate and if you're interested, just email her to find out the details. She does not sell fertile eggs.

Julie sells:

• Anconas 
• Araucanas 
• Barnevelders 
• Australorps 
• Silkies 
• Pekins 
• Rhode Island Reds 
• New Hampshire 
• Plymouth Rocks 
• Light sussex 
• Welsummers 

Her prices are:

• Day olds to one week old - $15
• Week olds to one month old -  $20
• One to two month old -  $25
• Two months to three months - $30
• Over three months old - $40

And as I said, they're sexed so you know what you're getting, they're vaccinated and very healthy.

You can contact Julie via email juliethompson@tpg.com.au or call 0422 856 085 for further information.

We named our new girls: New Hampshires - Dorothy (Parker) and Anne Shirley, Barnevelders - Annie (Proulx) Lillian (Hellman), Aracaunas - Fiona and Margaret (Olley), Welsummers - Nora (Barnacle) and Flora (McDonald). All will be known by their first name. They're climbing, running and exploring and being very cute doing it; they're such a joy to watch. I feel that all is right in my world again now we have a full hen house.

ADDITION: A couple of readers have asked if all the chickens are in together. Dorothy and Anne Shirley, the New Hampshires, are the only ones to have contact with the older girls yet. They're only a few weeks off laying and are much larger than the others.  The smaller girls are behind a fence in the coop, they can all see each other but the smaller ones will stay separate for a few weeks yet. Fiona and Margaret, the Aracaunas, will be the next out, then Nora, Flora, Annie and Lillian when they grow a bit bigger. We are still putting the little girls in a box to sleep at night. It's cool here and we don't want them to get too cold.