Keeping chickens with Oliver Liddell

Join chicken expert Oliver Liddell for a practical workshop covering the essentials of keeping a happy, healthy flock of backyard chickens. We'll start with a classroom session, and then tour the EcoMatters chook run. Suitable for beginners, new chicken owners and experienced chook keepers looking for practical ideas. We’ll cover chicken care at different life stages, feeding and nutrition, shelter, nesting and roosting, and how to create safe, enriching spaces for your chooks. Oliver will also share tips for starting or building up your flock, choosing heritage or rescue chickens, raising chicks and integrating young birds into your flock. With bird flu and biosecurity in mind, we’ll look at how backyard chicken keepers can reduce risks from wild birds and protect their chooks from other common pests and diseases, as well as how to quarantine and treat sick birds. We’ll also explore chicken keeping through a permaculture lens, looking at low-cost and DIY options to build secure coops and runs and learning how thoughtful garden planting, landscaping and enrichment can support your flock. What you will learn: • Practical tips for keeping chicks, pullets and hens • Ideas for affordable, secure chicken housing and runs • Inspiration for using repurposed materials in your chicken setup • Ways to enrich your chickens’ environment and encourage natural behaviours • Ideas for integrating chickens with gardens and managing waste CHICKEN HEALTH • Tips for reducing biosecurity risks, including bird flu • Identify and treat common poultry illnesses and parasite infestations • Advice on acquiring the right chickens for you Please wear: practical shoes with tread Bring a rain coat / sunhat / drink bottle / snacks Tea / Coffee provided This workshop is suitable for attendees aged 14+, younger children must be accompanied with parent or caregiver.