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

[satay]

Well day one of the three day heatwave set to reach the highest temps for Brisbane all summer, seemed like the perfect time to go broody according to my beloved little Pekin Esmé. Even in this heat there is no reasoning with a broody. I locked her out of the pens today and kept watch over Annabelle who at the time was laying an egg, making sure she didn't overheat as the fan just blew hot air around really (she was fine, I hosed their hideout and dunked them in cool water). The whole time Ezzie kept pacing back and forth to get in because I was there, so I had to move in order to monitor Annabelle. Before, Ezzie had actually managed to push Annabelle out of the nest, which amazes me as well, as Annabelle is a bully and enforces the pecking order with glee. Plus from the noises she was making, she really needed to lay that egg, so it was weird she'd move. I've never had to lock Annabelle in the pen so she could have peace, usually she's the one I'm locking out. I think broodies are able to temporarily transcend boundaries and reach new levels that make them a force to be reckoned with.

Aircon for everyone tomorrow though. Not chancing it since we don't often get temps that high.

Satay, congrats on the chicks, but sorry for the loss of your little quail and poor hatch.

Teila, so glad Dusty is ok, she's quite the character, and I hope she has no more health scares.

it was 45c yesterday. We have no aircon but thanfully a bore i put on in my fernhouse. Even the neighbours came and stood in it. Can't take a shower out here at the house during the day as the water only comes out hot.

 

[angela27]

I've posted this in the main thread, but I think a lot of people on this site are from America so I thought I'd see if I can find some help here.

I have a hen who's eggs weren't due to hatch until the Wednesday/Thursday that's just past (she started sitting 19 January). Instead the eggs have been hatching, 1 or two a day since last Saturday (4 Feb) with the last one hatching on Tuesday (7 Feb). However she was still sitting on more eggs and being that I wasn't expecting them to hatch until the Thursday or so, I left them under her. Yesterday I candled them and found movement in 2 eggs. Today one has pipped and is chirping away from inside the egg.
My question is, will this little one be okay with the others? A few will be a whole week older than it. And my Mumma hen doesn't really sit anymore as she's two busy scratching around with the other chicks. I do have another hen who's chicks hatched (on time, all pretty much at once) on Thursday. Or should I just keep it seperate at the moment?

 

[angela27]

Yesterday morning 1 of my welsummer hens was looking a little down, she had been a little wobbly the day before but i just thought it was from the heat, so i had a look at her and found a small paralysis tick about 4mm big. I put her in a separate cage with food and water but then found she couldn't see!! I've managed to get her drinking a little with a cup under her beak but she hasn't been able to eat for the last 2 days. Also keeps closing her eyes.
Is there anything i can give her? (Medicine & food wise)

On a lighter note, i came first in the Light Sussex bantam hen & rooster for nowra show! Against 3 other roos and 7 other hens

How's your hen doing?

 

[Susan Hampshire]

Help ! I noticed my poor rescued Hamburgh batam was in the nesting box just standing there, when I picked her up to check her I noticed on eye was closed, red and puffy. When I looked closer it like there was an eyelash which didn't look quite right! I pulled it out and below is What come out ... I think a large grass seed! What should do now? Bathe her eye in boiled salt water? Not sure what would be best!

 

[Susan Hampshire]

 

[angela27]

Help ! I noticed my poor rescued Hamburgh batam was in the nesting box just standing there, when I picked her up to check her I noticed on eye was closed, red and puffy. When I looked closer it like there was an eyelash which didn't look quite right! I pulled it out and below is What come out ... I think a large grass seed! What should do now? Bathe her eye in boiled salt water? Not sure what would be best!

I found this https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/941138/grass-seed-in-bantams-eye on this site, though it doesn't offer too much. My bantam had a sore eye once. I just kept it clean (with warm salt water) and it healed up fine

 

[Fancychooklady]

That's a nasty seed. Just flush the eye with saline to begin with. If you feel that it is infected you can spray with Terramycin or buy chlorsig human eye drops over the counter at the chemist.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I've posted this in the main thread, but I think a lot of people on this site are from America so I thought I'd see if I can find some help here.

I have a hen who's eggs weren't due to hatch until the Wednesday/Thursday that's just past (she started sitting 19 January). Instead the eggs have been hatching, 1 or two a day since last Saturday (4 Feb) with the last one hatching on Tuesday (7 Feb). However she was still sitting on more eggs and being that I wasn't expecting them to hatch until the Thursday or so, I left them under her. Yesterday I candled them and found movement in 2 eggs. Today one has pipped and is chirping away from inside the egg.
My question is, will this little one be okay with the others? A few will be a whole week older than it. And my Mumma hen doesn't really sit anymore as she's two busy scratching around with the other chicks. I do have another hen who's chicks hatched (on time, all pretty much at once) on Thursday. Or should I just keep it seperate at the moment?

Just keep an eye on the younger one and have a heat lamp on the ready just in case. Once it is up and running around it should be fine. 21 days is just a marker some can go to day 26.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks everyone. Had to go to riverlin k yesterday to shop for nephews birthday. While the air con was nice for a bit the 1 hour drive home in 45c temps with.no air conditioning was like being in a tumble dryer..

thankfully all animals made it through the first day of this round of heat wave.

Man that's hot. It's 9 degrees here and raining.

 

[Fizzybelle]

it was 45c yesterday. We have no aircon but thanfully a bore i put on in my fernhouse. Even the neighbours came and stood in it. Can't take a shower out here at the house during the day as the water only comes out hot.

Ugh yeah you won't get actual cold water from the cold water tap until winter, which is so helpful then. I might look at a mister system for next summer. Tedious going out to hose all the time. Is there a drop in temps on the way for you soon? 45 is just insane, glad you all got through it.

Dear god, from 11 to 3 I had the five of them inside. Overall, pretty good. Beatrice had to lay an egg so I watched over her. She'd been screaming until then, I was trying to figure out what she wanted. She quietened down afterwards, but still was noisy. She was just a constant handful, and monopolized my attention. One little bird, so much frustration! Chickens are definitely outside animals, but it was cute seeing her and Esmé sitting on the back of the chair (they flew out of the playpen like five minutes after I set it up, so a towel on the back of the chair suited them fine). Temps are forecast for the high 20's, low 30's this coming week, so that's an improvement. No more heatwaves!