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

[satay]

Hi thanks my grandfather had khakis and I thought they were really nice but I haven't seen saxony ducks around so I wasn't sure which to pick by any chance do you happen to know which one goes more broody from your own experiences

Mine werent overly broody but it may just have been the pair i had. They happily hung out together all the time usually not with my other ducks and in an odd coincidence died on the same day.

 

[satay]

My brother had Muscovy ducks. They were good pets and got on well with the chickens, even sharing nests and hatching each other's eggs, other than that the only ducks I have seen are the ones at the poultry shows, they are mostly khaki Campbell and Indian runner around here.

I still have 6 muscovys, no drake any more. Mine are broody as we speak all 6 of them. They are not the best layers of the ducks, they do lay a large egg but don't lay all that often. Summer normally is the only time i get eggs but mine are almost 7 now so that not to bad really. I did have runners for a while but i found them not to be the best layers. Smallish eggs and laid worse than my scovies which apparently is not the norm. They were funny to watch surfing down my driveway with all the water in the 2011 floods. They had a ball. I also had a pair of welsh harlequins as well. Darn neighbours dog killed them though.

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

Not much news of note, still running around trying to get everything done and stockpiled before hubby leaves and takes the car with him!

Our fishies potential new Dad has just rung and he is coming over today to collect them. While I am sad that they are leaving us after 5 years, with hubby going, 2 cats and 5 spoiled chickens will be enough to keep me amused. Plus, I do not fancy trying to fix broken or blocked pond pumps, so one less chore is probably a good thing.

With all the packing to get hubby’s stuff sorted before he leaves, the cats know something is going on and are a little out of sorts, getting under feet, stressing etc

The break between hubby going and their flight is hopefully going to be an opportunity for them to settle.

Syba is going to miss his Dad terribly and if previous occasions are anything to go by, sit in the hallway at 4AM howling and giving me accusing ‘What have you done with him?’ looks. We did contemplate sending Syba with his Dad but splitting Syba and Chimee is probably not a good thing. Plus, being indoor cats, the deck which is going to be their 'outdoor area' needs to be closed in and the chicken coop built before everyone's flight is booked.

 

[LuckysMum]

Good morning folks

Not much news of note, still running around trying to get everything done and stockpiled before hubby leaves and takes the car with him!

Our fishies potential new Dad has just rung and he is coming over today to collect them. While I am sad that they are leaving us after 5 years, with hubby going, 2 cats and 5 spoiled chickens will be enough to keep me amused. Plus, I do not fancy trying to fix broken or blocked pond pumps, so one less chore is probably a good thing.

With all the packing to get hubby’s stuff sorted before he leaves, the cats know something is going on and are a little out of sorts, getting under feet, stressing etc

The break between hubby going and their flight is hopefully going to be an opportunity for them to settle.

Syba is going to miss his Dad terribly and if previous occasions are anything to go by, sit in the hallway at 4AM howling and giving me accusing ‘What have you done with him?’ looks. We did contemplate sending Syba with his Dad but splitting Syba and Chimee is probably not a good thing. Plus, being indoor cats, the deck which is going to be their 'outdoor area' needs to be closed in and the chicken coop built before everyone's flight is booked.

I hope Syba doesn't give you too hard a time. Maybe she can skype him

. Good luck with it all

 

[Sparky74]

I'm having a hard time convincing my girls to lay in their new nesting box. I've tried fencing off the blackboy which is their current preferred laying spot and even putting a piece of chicken wire over the nesting spot but they are determined.

My latest tactic has been to build a small yard around the nesting box with no other desirable nesting spots but they're no match for my amateur fence building. Last night I moved the old cot that I use as a broody breaker and placed it upside down against the nesting box.

Cramped quarters for 5 chooks, I know, but much better than battery hens get and it was only to be for half a day. The result? Four escapees and four eggs under the blackboy!

We head out of town for a few days tomorrow so I'll try again when we return later in the week.

Anyway, here are today's eggs.

Any idea why one is so small?
Surely one of my 8 week old pullets hasn't started laying!

 

[Sparky74]

We were woken at about 2 am but a ruckus. On investigation one of the Light Sussex cockerels and 7 of the pullets gone. One of the hens (GLW X RIR) upset and limping around the yard.

I closed up the coop (something we don't usually bother with). In the cold light of day lots of feathers in the yard. Our flock is down to 5 hens one pullet and two cockerels.

Very sad.

 

[Fancychooklady]

We were woken at about 2 am but a ruckus. On investigation one of the Light Sussex cockerels and 7 of the pullets gone. One of the hens (GLW X RIR) upset and limping around the yard.

I closed up the coop (something we don't usually bother with). In the cold light of day lots of feathers in the yard. Our flock is down to 5 hens one pullet and two cockerels.

Very sad.

Oh that's terrible, have you determined what predator you are dealing with?
I'd keep the birds locked up tonight and wait for it to return.

 

[Fancychooklady]

One lonely Coro hatched .
Not to worry he now has an Araucana friend to keep him company.

 

[angela27]

We were woken at about 2 am but a ruckus. On investigation one of the Light Sussex cockerels and 7 of the pullets gone. One of the hens (GLW X RIR) upset and limping around the yard.

I closed up the coop (something we don't usually bother with). In the cold light of day lots of feathers in the yard. Our flock is down to 5 hens one pullet and two cockerels.

Very sad.

That's horrible =(

 

[Susan Hampshire]

Oh no ...how terrible and very sad!