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Connie didn’t just get chickens, she discovered a whole new way of life.
What started as a practical decision (fresh eggs, better compost, a more productive garden) quickly became something far more immersive. These days, her Melbourne backyard isn’t just a garden – it’s a place of routine, entertainment, community and occasionally, a carefully timed feather trim.
“I love hearing them in the background,” she says. “It makes me feel like I’m living on a farm, even though I’m in Melbourne.”
One of Connie’s favourite memories is looking after Luna, her Araucana, who needed regular trims to keep the feathers out of her eyes. “I’d wrap her in my arms and use pet grooming scissors to give her a little haircut,” she says. What started as a simple task became a quiet ritual – a moment of trust and care between keeper and chicken.
Connie’s current flock – Berry, Chickpea, Daisy, Olive, Goldie and Poppy – bring plenty of personality (and a bit of chaos) to the garden.
One of the biggest surprises for Connie? How much she loves observing the flock. “I could watch them for ages,” Connie says. “They’re like TV.” What started as a quick daily check has turned into a full blown habit – rain or shine. Whether it’s dramatic pecking order politics, post egg victory songs, or general garden chaos, there’s always something going on. “I go out there every day now,” she says. “Even when I wouldn’t normally.”
Keeping chickens hasn’t just changed Connie’s routine – it’s changed how she sees the world around her.
“Looking after chickens has taught me so much about birds in general,” she explains. “I notice wild birds more now, and I care about them more too.” It’s also shaped how she lives day to day. Weeds are fed back to the flock, eggshells are crushed for calcium and chicken waste becomes compost for the garden. What started as a hobby has become a more circular way of living.
The chickens have also brought the local community closer together. Connie started a group chat with other chicken keepers nearby to share advice, swap tips and help each other out. “People are always surprised by the different egg colours,” she says. “I love talking about breeds with them.”
It hasn’t all been easy. Connie has lost two hens this year, Luna and Zinnia, and the experience has been difficult. But it’s also deepened her understanding of what it means to care for animals. “While it has been terribly sad, it’s only because of all the joy and love I experienced raising them,” she reflects.
Thinking of getting chickens?
Connie’s advice is simple: start by seeing it for yourself. Visit local chicken keepers, learn from their setups, and invest in tools that make life easier, like automatic feeders and waterers. Always make sure your coop and run are secure. And one final tip?“Get a bigger coop than you think you need,” she says. “You’ll probably end up with more chickens than you planned – chicken maths is hard to resist.”
We asked Connie to finish the sentence… My life is better #BecauseOfTheChicken “…because of all the times they’ve made me chuckle with their funny antics.”
(Photography credit: Connie Cao / @connieandluna)
This entry was posted in Chickens