When you pull up to Talking Hens in Merricks, you’ll notice the dad jokes on their roadside sign first. They’re wonderfully terrible, the kind that make you groan and smile at the same time. It’s the perfect introduction to what makes this place special: owners Jason Nethercott and Giuliana Postregna have created something that feels more like visiting friends than a pet store.
Jason came to Australia about 14 years ago with a distant background in hairdressing and had never touched a chicken in his life, while Giuliana grew up on her family’s poultry farm in Keysborough. Their different perspectives, Jason’s outsider journey and Giuliana’s deep poultry knowledge, combined with both their backgrounds in education, shape the welcoming, teaching-focused approach you’ll experience at the farm.
Coming to the Peninsula
Talking Hens has been operating since 2012, starting on Giuliana’s family poultry farm in Keysborough where they sold free range eggs and backyard chickens. When that property was sold, Jason and Giuliana found the ideal home for the business in the Peninsula at Merricks in 2018.
The Merricks farm has grown into something special. There’s a welcoming farm shop with spaces for hosting workshops, where everyone from curious kids to seasoned chicken keepers can learn together. At any time, there are over 400 hens at various stages of life on the property: fertile eggs tucked into incubators, fluffy newly hatched chicks needing gentle care, growing birds finding their personalities, and point of lay hens at the ideal 20 to 26 weeks old, ready to join their new families.
Growing A Community For Backyard Hen Keepers
This is where the team at Talking Hens really shines. They’re genuinely passionate about helping people get it right from the start, and it shows in the resources they’ve created. Whether you’re browsing their website at talkinghens.com.au or chatting with the team at the farm, you’ll find plenty of support for keeping your backyard hens happy and healthy. They run regular workshops called “Secrets to Keeping Your Backyard Hens Healthy and Thriving,” where families learn practical skills together, from spotting early warning signs of illness to simple biosecurity measures. Online, there’s a free ebook called The Ultimate Guide to Raising Happy Chickens, plus handy tools like a food calculator.
Here’s something they can’t stress enough: get your coop setup right from the beginning. Through talking with customers over the years, they’ve heard the same regret time and again. People buy those small coops that look cute online, then find themselves crawling on their hands and knees every day just to clean and refill feeders. It becomes a chore instead of a joy. Walk in coops change everything. They make daily care something you actually look forward to, not something you dread. The coop needs to be just right: comfortable for your hens without being unnecessarily large. When you get this foundation sorted, your hens thrive, and your family gets to genuinely enjoy the whole experience. It’s this kind of practical, honest advice that keeps customers loyal and earning them the Mornington Peninsula Business Excellence Award for retail in 2022.
Choosing the Right Backyard Hen
Once you’ve got the home sorted, the fun part begins: choosing your hens. Jason and Giuliana have carefully selected breeds that are friendly, good with children, and have the kind of characters that make them delightful backyard companions. The star of the show at Talking Hens is the Hy-line Brown, an American breed that’s incredibly friendly and perfect for families with young children. These birds are easygoing that kids can include them in all sorts of backyard adventures, and they get along well with other pets too.
Beyond the Hy-line Browns, there are other wonderful breeds to discover. Lohmann Whites are elegant pure white birds that lay white eggs. If you want something really special, there are purebreds. Pekin Bantams are adorable fluffy balls that lay the tiniest fairy eggs you’ve ever seen. Langshans are known for their friendly nature, while Australorps are striking all black Australian birds with real presence. Spangled Hamburgs show off beautiful black and white spotted feathers, and Silkies, with their wonderfully soft, fur-like feathers, are absolutely adored by kids for their gentle personalities.
Innovation: When Only Hens Will Do
The team at Talking Hens is always looking for better ways to do things. Right now, they’re implementing DNA technology using specialized lab equipment that accurately identifies whether those tiny purebred chicks are male or female. It’s a game changer because it means you’ll only ever get hens, never an accidental rooster that your council won’t allow and your neighbours definitely won’t appreciate.
They’ve also established proper vaccination protocols for all their birds. It’s another layer of care that ensures every hen leaves with the best possible start. When you bring home birds from Talking Hens, you’re getting chickens that are set up for a long, healthy life in your backyard.
Their Customers Love Them
With over 1,100 five star Google reviews, Talking Hens has built something truly special. The business has even attracted international attention, with chicken enthusiasts from places like New Zealand making a visit a priority when they come to Australia. That kind of reputation doesn’t happen by accident; it’s built on genuinely caring about people, listening to their needs, understanding their situations, and providing honest guidance that actually helps. More than just a place to buy chickens, Jason and Giuliana have created a genuine community of backyard hen keepers who share tips, celebrate their first eggs, and keep coming back because they know they’re always welcome.
