Some cuteness for the morning. This lot hatched while I was away for a couple of weeks. There are 2 more girls sitting and one other who abandoned hers 20 days in. The eggs were stone cold, but I picked the best looking and shoved them under a chook and to my surprise they were all moving again that night.
Some cuteness for the morning. This lot hatched while I was away for a couple of weeks. There are 2 more girls sitting and one other who abandoned hers 20 days in. The eggs were stone cold, but I picked the best looking and shoved them under a chook and to my surprise they were all moving again that night.
Thank you so much Fancychooklady .... I read all on the link.
I am quite paranoid about keeping food dry. Which is why I never use lucerne or hay. However, straw becomes 'damp' at times, which is making me wonder. ....I keep all the layer pellet food dry in the original bag, sealed tightly over and clamped with large pegs..
I have my own mix of cooked rice, raw rolled oats, wheat bran, scissored broccoli and / or cooked peas, beans, finely chopped kale or cabbage a bit of cheese, an occasional hard boiled egg - a big handful of scratch mix all with a little boiled water to mix to warm softness - and any or all of - ( grated cheese, hard boiled egg, left over meats, sardines - when moulting only ) kitchen scraps - all of which is eaten down to the last mouthful ( they are shocking gormandisers ). In summer they get yoghurt and water melon.
It is interesting about mouldy food though - and I would NEVER have thought of it, as I am constantly filling up the food containers. It has been non-stop rain and piercing cold here for weeks ( Victoria ) and I am beginning to think that perhaps overnight their food has become 'damp' - and is eaten 'damp' ... but I doubt it would ever have time to go actually mouldy. It certainly could have been damp. On the other hand, I throw out used straw from their one nesting 'bed' ( they don't roost in the freezing weather ) ... and they scratch around in that in their run, however that has almost disappeared into the mud now. I do know they pick at it though - and it would be ultra-wet and dirty. ( tomorrow I take the top off the ground altogether so's there's no more muddy straw lying about ). .... But then, I have noticed that chickenswill eat just about anything - tiny grit and stones, dirt, assorted leaves, and heaven knows what they find in the garden.
The clear patches of mud in recent days they have had sooo much fun in - as worms have come to the top ( small immature pale coloured things ) ... and they scratch in that mud to catch and eat them. ...
The eggs I have referred to however, go back to the very beginning of their resumption of laying.
Perhaps those 'first' eggs after such a long time, are difficult to get going,and they bleed into the forming yolk .... would that be possible ?
Also noted on the link, sudden sounds / frights and disturbances, and they have had plenty of those ( chainsaws on fallen trees, hammering in a new shed by the back neighbour, massively high winds, hail on their corrugated iron roof, and huge flocks of screeching cockatoos, which frightens them into their coop, into a corner ) .... none of which I can stop or help. !! ... I just wish I could. ... The cockies have been particularly active recently as they herald rain in large loud flocks, and there's been soooo much of that. The currawongs are singing their heads off yesterday - which also means more rain and cold. !!
I feed them the Barastoc Layer Pellets - am wondering if they have changed the ingredients recently. Will try to find out, ( not that they would readily admit to much ). And lately, instead of throwing them scratch mix on the ground I have been giving them that in dog bowls - to prevent it getting muddy !!
Thanks again ...
Cheers -
I have been away Saturday and got home Monday
