I spent most of last night, drafting a submission to my regional council in response to some proposed changes to the local bylaws for keeping animals in our region.

Currently, the rules are that anyone may keep up to 20 head of poultry on their property, with provisos made for the type of enclosures that the poultry should be kept in, including distances from boundaries and adjoining properties. The current rules are very reasonable, and there have not been huge numbers of complaints relating to poultry in the region, but because the council was recently amalgamated from about five separate shires into one, the rules had been a bit higgledy piggledy with all five regions having a different set of rules. The council, understandably wants to change this so that it is easier to administrate, which is quite acceptable and reasonable.

What is not reasonable, though, is the severe reduction of poultry numbers under the proposed new rules. The council proposes reducing the number of poultry permitted from 20 head down to only 6 head.

My submission to council on this change is below.

In their vision for the Sunshine Coast, the regional council states that the aim is to make the Sunshine Coast: "Australia’s most sustainable region—vibrant, green, diverse." I support this vision 100% but I have to say that I question how this vision can be held on the one hand, and yet the proposed new rules for animal management within the region appear to counter it.

Local Law No 2 (Animal Management) 2011 Subordinate Local Law No 2 (Animal Management) Schedule 3  2011 will preclude the ability of the average family to raise their own poultry for eggs and meat.

The average chicken lays eggs for a maximum of 2-3 years and then must be replaced with new point of lay or laying hens. Purchasing new hens as older ones go off lay is not sustainable.  In order to operate in a sustainable and self-sufficient way, roosters are required for the purpose of breeding more chickens so that a reserve of chicks, pullets and hens is readily available.

Residents should have the right to grow and produce their own food within reason and should not be subjected to overly punitive rules which make it difficult, if not impossible for the average family to provide an adequate living from their own property. I believe that a middle ground can be found which will satisfy all Sunshine Coast residents and contribute in a real and positive manner to council's stated vision for a sustainable, green and diverse future.

Recommendations:

I submit that the council revise the proposed rule on the keeping of poultry to reflect the following:

Up to 20 poultry or birds can be kept on an urban property if they are adequately enclosed to prevent escape and the enclosure is not within:
1 metre of a side or rear boundary
10 metres of a residence or any dwelling on adjoining premises
10 metres of a road.
Feed should be maintained in a manner which prevents vermin access

The enclosure must have a minimum floor area of one square metre per bird and be constructed so it can be hygienically cleaned.

It is recommended that a deep litter system be used to absorb any potential odours. Deep litter should be replaced at least annually and disposed of as garden mulch or in a tied bag in waste bin.

On any other land than rural land, a license is required to keep a rooster. For such a license to be granted evidence of a suitably constructed and attenuated enclosure including night boxes for management of noise and membership of local poultry club or online forum must be provided.

I know that I am not the only resident making a submission, and so far, the ones I have seen are quite similar to mine. I really hope that the council will see reason on this and revise the proposed rules to properly reflect their vision for the region as far as sustainability and diversity is concerned.

Image via Come Home to Health

I paid for lifetime membership and I can't get a refund.

Seriously though. Why leave when you can just take a break? I'm not pointing this blog at anyone in particular, it is just in relation to the usual end of summer spate of xangacides that is happening right now. I don't get it, okay? I just don't get why people would let the comments of invisible people, which are nothing more than pixels on a screen, get to them to the extent that they decide to jump off a cliff! *figuratively speaking*

That's the last I will say on this. I am now going below decks, battening down the hatches and gonna be in my bunk reading a book while the usual summer storms blow over.

Ciaou!

It occurred to me today, that it has been quite some time since I posted a more 'devotional' blog entry on my blog. So I decided to look for something appropriate for my blog where I talk about animals and especially my chickens. What better than to have a feature on St Francis of Assisi?  (Look up his sermon to the birds, sometime) So, with no further ado, I give you St Francis' Canticle of the Sun.

CANTICLE OF THE SUN
by Saint Francis of Assisi

transport back to st francis biography prayer canticle of the sun navigation directory

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord,
All praise is Yours, all glory, honor and blessings.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong
no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name...

We praise You, Lord, for all Your creatures,
especially for Brother Sun,
who is the day through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,
of You Most High, he bears your likeness...

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Moon and the stars,
in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.
We praise You, Lord, for Brothers Wind and Air,
fair and stormy, all weather's moods,
by which You cherish all that You have made...

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Water,
so useful, humble, precious and pure.
We praise You, Lord, for Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night.
He is beautiful, playful, robust, and strong...

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Earth,
who sustains us
with her fruits, colored flowers, and herbs...

We praise You, Lord, for those who pardon,
for love of You bear sickness and trial.
Blessed are those who endure in peace,
by You Most High, they will be crowned...

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Death,
from whom no-one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in their sins..!
Blessed are those that She finds doing Your Will.
No second death can do them harm...

We praise and bless You, Lord,
and give You thanks,
and serve You in all humility...

 Image and prayer from http://1800sunstar.com/zzC1LUV/zholydays/saints-angels/00-st.francis-day.html

When I posted on my blog recently about my chickens going nuts over canned sardines, my friend @DivaJyoti commented that she hadn't known chickens would eat fish.

Chickens actually prefer to follow an omnivorous diet. The chickens we know today, that scratch around in barnyards or rot away in battery farms, for shame! tend to be fed on a grain based diet, more because it is convenient for us. The domestic hen, gallus domesticus is actually descended from the Jungle Fowl:

• Gallus gallus
• Gallus lafayetii
• Gallus sonneratii
• Gallus varius (pictured)

Jungle Fowl originate from India, Sri Lanka, South East Asia, and Indonesia. In their wild state, jungle fowl eat a varying diet consisting of fruits, grains, vegetation, small rodents, lizards, bugs, slugs and insects. When allowed to 'free range,' domestic chickens will do much the same. I've heard of domestic fowl eating mice, lizards, beetles, worms, caterpillars snails and slugs. In fact, a flock of chickens let loose in a matured vegetable garden will nibble little bits of the veges, but will also keep the garden almost completely pest free. They particularly favour the larvae of coddling moth!

Yesterday, I gave my chooks 100g of kangaroo mince.

Someone mentioned on a poultry forum I frequent, that feeding kangaroo meat to chooks is an extreme sport. After trying this myself, I'd have to concur. There was none of that hesitant peering at it before taking a small peck to taste it. Rosie tried to rip the meat out of my hand before I even got the wrapper off it! Then it was on for young and old as my gentle, boking scratching hens turned into miniature velociraptors, jumping up, flapping at me, trying to snatch beakfuls of meat out of my fingers (they rarely eat from my hand) and chasing each other all over the chook pen trying to snitch pieces out of each other's mouths. All the while, they were making that special high pitched muuuur-uurrrrrr! sound that chooks reserve for only the best and tastiest morsels.

I think they like it!

Images via wikepedia