Media release
Poultry competition celebrates fun with feathered friends, family ties
Poultry lovers from across Australia have shared wonderful stories, photos and videos of how much they care for their birds and enjoy them as part of family life.
People shared these through an online competition, the Barastoc Poultry Commonhealth Games, run earlier this month.
The funny and heart-warming entries highlighted the many reasons people love having chickens and other poultry – they’re fun pets and they produce eggs, but also it appears they’re a great excuse for family projects.
For example, Angela Townsend from New Norfolk in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley won the ‘Champion Coop’ category for a mobile chook house that her father, Col Schmidt, made for her three-year-old daughter, Montana.
“Montana has 18 chickens and she collects and sells their eggs. She puts the money in her money box,” Angela said.
“My dad is very handy and likes to build and design things. He wanted to build this for her as she enjoys collecting the eggs and so she starts a little ‘nest egg’ and she learns we have to feed, water and care for them.”
The hen house that Col made for his granddaughter has rollaway nest boxes on both sides, separate sleeping quarters and water on tap.
Another key requirement for a chicken coop is ensuring it keeps predators out.
Foxes may not be a problem for Tasmanian chook owners, but they are certainly a major concern for those on the mainland.
The great lengths to which Sonya Blyton and family go to protect their chickens in Somerton, NSW, saw them win the ‘PB – Predator Barrier’ category.
Their 40 Pekin Bantam chickens get to range in a half-acre paddock surrounded by electric fencing, with hot wires running at the top and bottom to deter predators including foxes. They are also guarded at all times by the family’s Kelpie, named Bindi. At night, Sonya’s daughter Tamika locks the birds into pens that are secure on all six sides – the pens even have welded wire mesh on the bottom to stop anything digging in.
Alesha Stehbens of Rockhampton, Queensland, was also recognised for her efforts in ‘PB – Predator Barrier’. All of their pens are cemented and meshed into the ground half a metre to stop the foxes digging in and have chicken wire on the roof to stop crows swooping in and stealing eggs.
The fun side of having chooks was captured in entries to the ‘Photo finish’ category. Multiple entries showed chooks in costumes that put the fancy in poultry fancier.
Agricultural Science and Manual Arts teacher Jack Murphy of Pittsworth, Queensland, for example submitted multiple entries from his flock of approximately 200 chickens, 10 ducks and one turkey – including many of them wearing custom-made hats. But the entry that made the judges laugh the hardest was from Laura McKay of Yalca, in northern Victoria. It captured a rooster mounting a hen and was captioned ‘Wrong way matey’!
To the ‘Golden Egg’ category, looking for the biggest egg, people submitted entries of eggs on kitchen scales (some of which tipped 100g), against measuring tape (over 7cm long) and triple yolkers.
These entries were made to the Barastoc Poultry Commonhealth Games through Facebook during the 2019 Barastoc National Chook Health Week which celebrates people’s connection to chickens. The annual event informs backyard owners of simple ways to care for their chickens in early spring, as hens start or ramp up egg production after winter. For example, how to clean their coop and ensuring hens’ changing nutritional needs are met as they spring into another season of egg laying.
For more information on caring for chickens and other poultry, visit barastocpoultry.com.au
Photos and media enquiries
Photos of some the entries mentioned in this release are available in this Dropbox folder.
For media enquiries, please contact Laura Griffin at laura@curriecommunications.com.au or on 0400170663.