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

[Anniebee]

So, fancychooklady, there's no real way to protect birds if you get "carriers" of something, or they catch something off vermin or wild birds? I was thinking that if new birds have a quarantine period, all was good, but what's happened to myhaven suggests that you might still be unlucky? Sometimes reading the forum makes me paranoid.

potato chip .....

I am not presuming to answer for Fancy, not something I would ever attempt to do .... but something did occur to me.

Birds innards and workings are like nothing else on the planet. We can identify mammalian reproduction and metabolism quite easily ... e.g. cud chewing cattle with one stomach, four divisions of the stomach, have qualities that are similar to everything else - all except birds. All birds ( imho ) are fragile, or potentially so. Ranges from the largest of hens / roosters, to small breeding birds, like finches and budgies. Extends to raptors as well, as they too can become quickly ill for no apparent reason ( so I have read from an authority on it ).

There are many dangers out there for birds. And not just other birds who can introduce bacteria that they are immune to, that hens do not have immunity to. Pickings with bacteria in it, spray ridden vegetable matter, a garden plant that is toxic to birds ( and animals ) .... that one would not know about unless doing intensive research. e.g. .... I had NO idea that camellias and azaleas can be toxic to dogs ?? .... then there are toadstools that spring up in water logged areas, especially near trees, over the autumn / winter / spring time. One of my major bug-bears with having dogs here. I go on 'toadstool watch' here every morning, beginning Autumn. It is a pain in the rear. Almost losing Ruby to toadstool munching brought that about !

This is a link to what is potentially toxic to chickens .... ( and from the list - to most dogs / cats / other animals ) :
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/plants-that-are-poisonous-to-chickens.html

Not by any means, am I suggesting the MyHaven has fed nasties to her chickens. I am sure she has not. They have developed something or other, from the air ? from other birds ? from vermin ? from falling leaves that contain a spray ( from a neighbour ) .... there are countless reasons a hen or any bird can become ill.

All this leads ( I know only too well ) to entertaining paranoia. Have had it myself on many occasions !!!

I honestly think, if you give your birds the very best start possible in life, that is all you can possibly do. And continue it with good food, washed greens, and whatever else is best for chickens.

Cheers ........

 

[LuckysMum]

Isn't that like raising kids. Give the best start you can send to school were they mix and come home with all sorts of sniffs and bugs. Feed them right and they eat what they want no matter what you say when they get older. Haha

Just as well chooks can't go to the shop or raid the fridge and pantry. Though I think sjturners are trying.

 

[LuckysMum]

Just remembered something about putting egg shells on your garden. Apparently you are suppose to bake them before you put them on the garden to kill the bacteria. Just in case someone didn't know.

 

[mooandmcgee]

So, fancychooklady, there's no real way to protect birds if you get "carriers" of something, or they catch something off vermin or wild birds?  I was thinking that if new birds have a quarantine period, all was good, but what's happened to myhaven suggests that you might still be unlucky?  Sometimes reading the forum makes me paranoid. 

So glad to know I am not the only one how gets paranoid about my chooks and their health. Hahaha! I always just thought it was me loosing my mind.

 

[mooandmcgee]

Hi to everyone that welcomed me to the group, I'm learning so much on here just reading through everyone's comments!

A massive thank you to Fancychooklady with a huge sigh of relief

My girl is showing signs of coming good again after 2 days on Marmite (I looked at Vegemite but that didn't have B12 where the Marmite did) she's started foraging up on her legs again, the shaking seems to be easing and she loves it!!

I'm so much more at ease now

That's really great news.

 

[User395221]

They have developed something or other, from the air ? from other birds ? from vermin ? from falling leaves that contain a spray ( from a neighbour ) .... there are countless reasons a hen or any bird can become ill.

Yes, but she got some new girls and it's been suggested that they might have brought it in, despite being quarantined, and despite seeming completely well.

edited to add:

I went out there to shut the door to the little coop run because the girls had put themselves to bed only to see a little mouse face looking at me from underneath the coop.... sigh. It was a really cute little mouse. I don't want to kill it/them, but I'm not letting them share my girls' tucker. what to do?

 

[mooandmcgee]

I went out there to shut the door to the little coop run because the girls had put themselves to bed  only to see a little mouse face looking at me from underneath the coop....  sigh.  It was a really cute little mouse.  I don't want to kill it/them, but I'm not letting them share my girls' tucker.  what to do? 

Not an expert and haven't had chooks very long but could you put out humane traps out so as to catch the mouse and not hurt it or the chooks? I was actually thinking of putting a few out just incase and have them in places the girls can't really get to. Where there is one there are many. Best of LUCK

 

[satay]

Lol, our daughter is in qld riding , she said it is so muddy she had to buy gumboots. Now we have plenty of those round here.
But yeah, if we have too much rain in spring the garlic crop suffers.

She must be nearer to the coast cause she certainly would not need them out here.

 

[satay]

Mental note to self .. Read the fine print before getting excited about growing your own garlic .. stoopid humidity 

There is a farm at Kilkivan that we stop at when we go to hubby parents place he grows the best big garlic i have seen. So we must be able to grow it up here so maybe i need to do some more research.

 

[satay]

So, I am chatting away to my across the road neighbour who is recovering from major surgery. While her hubby already does lots of stuff around the place, including mowing the lawns, she was saying how wonderful he has been, looking after her and pretty much doing everything. She mentioned that she had noticed that I mow the lawns and I explained that it is a care factor thing .. I care how the lawns and garden look, hubby is not fussed, ergo he does not do lawns Anyways, this got me thinking ……. Indicators for me that the lawn needs a mow: It has not been done for a couple of weeks. The path edges are getting a little long. If I leave it for another week it is going to be harder to do and the clippings will be too long to throw into the run for the girls. Indicators for hubby that the lawn might need a mow: The paths have disappeared. The chickens head out for free range with a compass, backpack, rations and mini machete. Free range looks like a scene from Jurassic Park

We really must have missing brothers Teila. When we needed to mow i'd spend 8 hours in a week mowing and people would come around and praise hubby for the lawn looking good even though he works so many hours. I'd be like really he doesn't mow. He would leave the grass forever if you let him with the excuse we live in the country we don't have to have short grass... Umm yes we do. I have mowed a total of once since end of winter last year so that shows you how badly we need rain.