I met some chickens...

For those of you that don't already know, I need to work 88 days on a farm in Australia in order to earn my second year visa. Yes, on a real farm. And yes, like in the outback somewhere. I know, it is crazy. But I can't argue with the Australian government on this one (they will deport me) and so I've headed off to New South Wales to work on a farm.

On Tuesday, August 31st I left my hectic city life in Melbourne and headed to the country. My first stop - Papanui Farm (www.papanui.com.au) - an open range egg farm. Now, when I tell most people I choose an egg farm then immediately tell me how bad it is going to smell. "Ew. chickens smell." Well, these chickens don't really smell because they don't live in a barn....they live in buses. Yes, like school buses. Check out the website you will see.

So, I'm living on the farm in a special little backpackers' house with 2 other travelers - a girl from Scotland - Adeline and a guy from Holland - Bastiaan. Every morning at about 8:00am (btw I've completely lost the ability to sleep in anymore. Wide awake at like 6:56am on the dot!) we head out onto this vast piece of land (the farmer has a total of 2200 acres!) and do a morning check of the chickens.

Well when you first head out on a beautiful Australian morning to check the chickens you soon realize that chicken poo, and its related smell, is really the least of your worries. Especially when you are about to approach about 1000 free run chickens. 

When most people think about chickens, they like to picture these birds in the cutest possible light. Such as...

They are usually never that cute. Well, maybe for a week or so. Nevertheless, the next usual vision of the chicken is something like this:

Now, most people would agree that this picture of the majestic chicken is pretty actuate. Well, these people are stupid. These people have never been on a chicken farm, these people have never stepped out of a truck and had 1000 chickens look up and begin running towards you. "Aw, but they are just curious birds!" these  people will say. And I agree, I also just thought they were just curious birds. But I soon discovered that these were curious birds FROM HELL. When your surrounded by 1000 birds pecking and squawking and  pecking and more pecking, you soon see the chickens' true nature. They are EVIL. They are zombie birds that feed on the flesh of the living and will not stop feeding until they have pecked every last bit of skin from the bone. This is a true chicken:

This is what a chicken is. On my first day on the farm I saw the insides of 3 chickens.....and I'd really like to tell you that all three of those chickens were dead before I saw their insides (perhaps murdered by foxes?) but no, no, no. When all of a sudden the chickens stop paying attention to pecking through your boots to get to your delicious toes, you need to worry because there is a chicken murderin' about. Usually, you need to walk up to the feeding frenzy and kick a couple chickens out of the way to see that, in fact, they are eating a chicken. Chickens eating a chicken. wtf batman.

I also quickly learned the chickens LOVE the taste of their own eggs. hmmmm? Give a little think to that one. If you are collecting eggs and drop one, it's all over. I once saw a chicken start insanely pecking herself to get some egg off. Sweet, sweet egg.

Have a look for yourself...

The feeding frenzy...

So, Chicken Farm Lesson #1....never turn your back on the chickens.

Elise