Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[appps]

Not feeling too good this morning. For the first time since I have been here (7 years), I had a fox visit last night/this morning. Lost 7 chooks and 8 chickens. Found 4, 2 with heads bitten off. Just after I sold off yesterday 2 of my just laying Marans pullets too. Needless to say, no more sales for a while.

Oh no. I would be devestated if I found that. What a horrible thing to happen.
So do you know how he got in?

 

[Fancychooklady]

My sister inlaw is visiting from NSW. They have a large property at Oberon . Her hubby and boys shot more than 30 foxes last month. They had big losses in their lambs. Glad we don't have foxes in Tassie, although FEP ( fox eradication program ) DIPWE would have us believe otherwise .

 

[Sara3chooks]

Hey guys - I have a broody chook. She has only been laying for about 2 months and there is no rooster. How long will it go on for? And how many times a year can chooks become broody? Any suggestions greatly appreciated....

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hey guys - I have a broody chook. She has only been laying for about 2 months and there is no rooster. How long will it go on for? And how many times a year can chooks become broody? Any suggestions greatly appreciated....

She'll probably sit for 3-4 weeks if she is fairdinkum. You could try to break her , but I don't really prescribe to that, somebody else may be able to advise you on that, or you could buy 1/2 dozen fertile eggs and put her to work. Depends on the breed as to how often they go broody. I m convinced that my silkies get broody every other month.

 

[Sara3chooks]

She'll probably sit for 3-4 weeks if she is fairdinkum. You could try to break her , but I don't really prescribe to that, somebody else may be able to advise you on that, or you could buy 1/2 dozen fertile eggs and put her to work. Depends on the breed as to how often they go broody. I m convinced that my silkies get broody every other month.

 

[Sara3chooks]

I have Australorps. She has been broody for about a week. I lift her off the nest every afternoon and collect the eggs from the 2 other chooks. I don't want to distress her. I'll just wait it out

 

[SandeeC]

That's awful. Hope Mr Fox doesn't make return trips now that he knows where to come. I've had my hens three years and the previous house owner had them two years here; we've so far had no foxes but a few feral cats were doing the rounds till a neighbour caught them in a trap. Luckily no hen losses for either of us

I don't bother with cat traps any more I am gonna let the ferrets out, they HATE cats Just have to make sure my son's cat is locked up

 

[appps]

We break ours when broody as I don't see the point in having them sit there for weeks on end for no reason. Particularly as the weather heats up. You also get no eggs while they are broody and at the rate mine seem to go broody if we let them all sit we would be buying eggs lol

I don't put them in little cages though. We have a large area sectioned off in their run so they can wander round but just can't get to the nest box. At night we have a door on our nest box so we close it and let them back in with everyone else to roost. Unless particularly determined 3 days of that is enough for them to get over it.

 

[Teila]

Aaaw rexy, I am so sorry to hear your sad news

I just wanted to share a story and some pictures with you guys. Dusty does not like the doves stealing her dinner. The other evening she managed to bail one up under the nesting box. I managed to get her off it and it took off minus tail feathers. At the time I thought I would not see it again; wrong!

Exhibit A (for comparison purposes)
Crested Turtle Dove; note the long tail feathers ........



Exhibit B
Crested Turtle Dove after Dusty beat it up for trying to steal her dinner:
Note the distinct lack of tail feathers. Special mention to Mr Parrot for the excellent execution of a photo bomb ....


Lost something?


and, just to finish off with just how dumb this particular dove is; a shot of it perched on top of the cat outdoor play house. At the time, both cats were in residence lol ...........

 

[SandeeC]

Ooooh we call them top knots