Do I still need to write 'chicken' when I want to write 'chook'?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (343607)
Rockingham, Australia
May 14, 2017 8:24am CST
I had a hair-cut a few days ago and now I intend to wait until I get home again in four months before I have another. We are off to Ireland in a fortnight and will return at the end of September.
While I was at the hair-dressers I was reading the local paper and saw an ad in the ‘Lost and Found’ column that I thought you might enjoy. It said ‘Found – one chook. On Layman Road.’ Everyone in Australia calls chickens ‘chooks’ but I had to smile to see it in print. And ‘Layman Road’ was sort of appropriate too.
The photo is of Random, a rooster that turned up unannounced at a holiday park which is situated in the middle of the bush not too far from here.
31 people like this
30 responses
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
14 May 17
Chooks is a new one in Aussie speak to me. I learned that "dero" is derelict and "rego" is registration.
6 people like this
@JudyEv (343607)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 May 17
My hairdresser charges about half what anyone else charges. I object to paying through the nose to have half an inch taken off so I'll probably just let it grow till I get back. If it gets too awful I'll get it cut over there. I'm just a bit tight I guess.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
14 May 17
Chook, huh? Don't remember hearing that one before.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
15 May 17
@JudyEv - Of course, it could be that you've mentioned it and I've just forgotten.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (343607)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 May 17
@teamfreak16 I was sure I wrote a post about chooks and chickens ages ago but I can't find it now. If you've forgotten it seems you're not the only one. 
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (343607)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 May 17
@spaceseed We find lots of differences here don't we, in what we call different items.
2 people like this
@spaceseed (2843)
• India
15 May 17
name is a name after all ......................Lol 
.
.2 people like this
@allknowing (138929)
• India
15 May 17
Not just words. Even their pronunciation needs attention. I had this nephew over who has settled down in Australia for years. It took me awhile when he kept on saying 'ply' for 'play' Even Australia is pronounced differently.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
17 May 17
I had forgotten that a chook was a chicken. Does Random still roam the park or does he have a new home now? Are there predators there that would eat a "random" chook?
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
17 May 17
@JudyEv So there are no dingos in that part of the country?
2 people like this
@JudyEv (343607)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 17
@JamesHxstatic Dingoes are all further north and east, in the more outback and less settled areas.
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
14 May 17
Oh that's cool. Are all chickens chooks there or just one or the other hen or rooster?
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
16 May 17
@JudyEv so in the us, chicks grow up to become chickens, but in australia, chickens grow up to become chooks.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (343607)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 17
@hereandthere Yes, I think that is it in a nutshell.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (343607)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 17
It seems it's mostly an Australian term but also used in the north of England.
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
17 May 17
Nice photo ... I like to see hens chooks and roosters such lovely coloured feathers
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
15 May 17
Well now you explained "chook," but I see another Australian expression–"in the middle of the bush." One can say they do not see a bush in that photo so how can it be in the middle of the bush? Ok, I'm pretty sure when you say "bush" it means basically the same thing as us Americans refer to as "in the middle of nowhere." Or "in the boondocks (or boonies)."
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
16 May 17
@JudyEv There are a lot of forest here where I live. They are also referred to as the "woods."
1 person likes this
