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

[Susan Hampshire]

Satay...sorry to hear of the storm damage.... its good there are no casualties ..

Went to our local Rural store on the Bellarine Peninsula ... they had a 'Chook' day!!!! I fell in love with two white silkies and Wyandottes ..sadly come away with 'nada', nuffin' empty handed

hubby says we can't fit anymore! We have 2 Hamburghs & 3 Hamburgh bantams ...that's 3.5 chickens in my eyes!!!
Seriously how much roosting space do you need for 5.5 chickens???? We only have 6 to 7 feet roosting space.... what do you think?

 

[CorrieW]

QLD ladies, how do you keep toads out of the coop water? I'm so sick of fishinng them out of every water dish in the place. I dare say the ducks pond is what is initially attracting them but if they aren't in the pond, they are in the chook water trays.

 

[Anniebee]

Good morning folks

So, I was sitting working yesterday when all of a sudden it went from calm to really strong wind, totally out of the blue. I looked at the radar thinking a storm was coming; nope, nothing near us. It lasted about 1 minute, freaked the girls out and then back to calm. Thought it strange but went back to work. However, reading on FB last night, a tornado touched down at Brisbane airport and I am now thinking what passed through here was probably the remnants .. Glad it did not touch down here.

Big weekend of lawn mowing, coop cleaning, BBQ cleaning [so I can sell it] and hopefully finishing off the shed .. have a good one all!

Interesting Teila ....

Might have told this story before, but it could be relevant to your 'totally out of the blue' experience.

Four years back, when Miss Ruby was just getting the idea of piddling outside happily ... we had a micro-burst through our back garden. At least I am sure that was what it was.

And it happened at exactly the wrong moment - when she was having a little wee. She was scared out of her wits, and it took 3 months or more to re-train her. She still does not want to pee or woopsie in high winds - without me standing beside her, for comfort, to this day.

Anyway, how this happened, was a sudden downward burst of absolutely ferocious wind. Frightened the daylights out of me. Flattened to the ground, the smallish trees, and bent in half the larger ones. There is a huge downdraft - a spread, and then an updraft. As per this link : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microburst

The chookies shrieked and rose high ( on the updraft ) ... to way above their cyclone fence line. All of them went up at once - as they could do nothing about it. Poor wee darlings were subject to the burst. It lasted maybe 10 to 15 seconds in total. Ultimately, the chooks landed, trees straightened and stood up, I quivered, and Miss Ruby begged to get back inside, shaking. Poor darling. I have no idea how many other properties were affected - too busy being freaked out to notice. !!

For you, it could well have been the remnants of the tornado, as you thought - but those usually bluster through, destroying things - even the remnants do that ( Victoria has had quite a few nasty tornados - even a small one in the Eastern suburbs which caused a lot of damage along a road, and into properties adjoining that road - - - - one of which was my bro-in-laws home ).

Have a gander at the link above, and see if it rings any bells for you. ... The link is however, rather scientific in its' telling. !!

Cheers ~

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

Susan I believe the recommended roost space per large chicken is 12 inches [30 cms] and for bantams, 9 inches [22 cms].

CorrieW I have one of these 2 litre waterers on the deck, one strategically placed in the garden and one in the coop, never had a problem with cane toads in them. Before the ponds got relocated up north we did use to have cane toad doing laps in them but the waterers are ignored.



Thanks Annie, interesting read on the micro-burst. To be honest, I am not sure what it was but it would have been a huge coincidence that not long after Brisbane Airport [14kms from here] is hit with a ‘tornado’ we have a freakish, short lived wind event. The experts are still debating on whether it was a tornado or a land spout. Definitely does not sound as scary as your micro-burst though

Yesterday I got the lawns mowed, cleaned the BBQ and sold it within an hour of posting on Gumtree, cleaned the coop and a few other bits n’ pieces. Today is housework, grocery shopping and some relaxing quality time with the girls.

This gave me a chuckle this morning:

 

[Susan Hampshire]

Thanks Teila.... love the blackboard very funny!!! Got hubby thinking he could put in more roosting !!!!

there will be swearing and cursing of course but I am willing to block my ears for two more 'gals'!!!

 

[CorrieW]

Good morning folks Susan I believe the recommended roost space per large chicken is 12 inches [30 cms] and for bantams, 9 inches [22 cms]. CorrieW I have one of these 2 litre waterers on the deck, one strategically placed in the garden and one in the coop, never had a problem with cane toads in them. Before the ponds got relocated up north we did use to have cane toad doing laps in them but the waterers are ignored. Thanks Annie, interesting read on the micro-burst. To be honest, I am not sure what it was but it would have been a huge coincidence that not long after Brisbane Airport [14kms from here] is hit with a ‘tornado’ we have a freakish, short lived wind event. The experts are still debating on whether it was a tornado or a land spout. Definitely does not sound as scary as your micro-burst though Yesterday I got the lawns mowed, cleaned the BBQ and sold it within an hour of posting on Gumtree, cleaned the coop and a few other bits n’ pieces. Today is housework, grocery shopping and some relaxing quality time with the girls. This gave me a chuckle this morning:

Telia, that looks way better than hubby's make shift water buckets every where. I will show him. Was thinking of trying a bet for the pond overnight too.

 

[angela27]

Sorry, I'm gonna overwhelm you all with pictures of my wee chickies... I know they're a bit young to tell for sure yet, but I'm curious to hear thoughts on which might be little ladies and which might be little men. They're currently/almost 6 weeks old (hatching between 4 - 8 Feb) except for Squirt who'll be 5 weeks old tomorrow.

 

[LuckysMum]

Sorry, I'm gonna overwhelm you all with pictures of my wee chickies... I know they're a bit young to tell for sure yet, but I'm curious to hear thoughts on which might be little ladies and which might be little men. They're currently/almost 6 weeks old (hatching between 4 - 8 Feb) except for Squirt who'll be 5 weeks old tomorrow.

I can't help with sexing. But they are extremely gorgeous.

Teila love the board. Made my husband laugh. Don't work too hard.

My nephew is giving me is big incubator it hold 250 eggs. I'm going the put some eggs in soon. Hopefully I can get a good breed mix of girls (no boys allowed)

I won't put toooo many in, we are not getting many eggs at the moment I got 2 from 22 chooks yesterday. So hopefully I can get some good egg layers. If I hand raise hylines will that make them friendlier our ISA's weren't the friendliest of girls but we got them at 16 weeks. Though I would like to stay with heritage chooks. I'm not sure which are good layers.
I'm hoping to hatch then put them under some broody chooks when they've hatched. I always seem to have at least 3 broodies at a time.
I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

 

[Susan Hampshire]

Angela27 they're gorgeous! Can't help with sexing them I new at keeping 'chickens' But will be interested in what the more experience think and of course seeing them grow ... so more pics would be lovely

 

[Susan Hampshire]

Luckysmum.....good luck with getting 'gals' with your incubator eggs! My 5 gals are all over the place with laying.... I get 2 eggs for 3 days then 2 days in row I get 4!!!! Might be the weather! Thought they were starting a moult

Can't put my my finger on it so can't fix it!!! Maybe they are just contrary!!