Recent content by Dolittle

  1. Dolittle

    Hi from Bowral NSW Australia

    Hi I am Jen, I live on 15 acres in NSW in Australia with 4 cows, 3 sheep, 2 horses, 2 goats, 3 cats, 2 staffies & an 11 yo human . We have around 90 chickens over about 5 acres. We have Sussex, Naked Necks, Austrolorps, a lot of ex caged Isa Browns (rescues) & have a separate yard of bantams -...
  2. Dolittle

    Silky raising chicks - how cold is too cold?

    I have a Silky hen with 4 chicks that are 5 days old. It is Autumn here with temps dropping to around 6 degrees Celsius over night (days are warmer). She is in a hutch on the ground with lots of straw & insulated roof, should I be doing something to help her keep the chicks warm? If so what? I...
  3. Dolittle

    Hen losing feathers

    Thanks for replies, it is summer here so is warm I live in a colder area though so it's not hot like other parts of Aus. My hen is not really broody , she isn't sitting anyway.. The others do pick on her but I haven't seen them actually picking her feathers out. I will set up an observation...
  4. Dolittle

    Urgent help eggs in incubator

    Belatedly replying - I did candle and thought I had a few viable - though didn't take any pics.. Then 10 days or so later i got my first chick !! I was so excited when I saw it pip I was up all night watching it! I then got 6 more which was fantastic (apart from the sleepless nights...
  5. Dolittle

    Hen losing feathers

    Hi I have a small black Plymouth rock hen that has, for that last 2 weeks or so been losing her feathers, or plucking them out ? she has lost them from the front of her wings, her chest and parts of her tummy.. the house where she is has a lot of feathers on the ground and in the nesting...
  6. Dolittle

    Mites? Or Pecking? (pictures)

    I also have a Plymouth hen that is pecking her own feathers out along her tummy - but we are in Australia so it is warm and she is outside .. could it be stress? she is part of a flock with a lot of Isa Browns who tend to pick on the other breeds a lot.. Or is it something more sinister ?
  7. Dolittle

    Chick with remains of umbilical cord still showing

    Thanks for your concern - I was worried about that too but the other chicks aren't pecking at her, and I think in the last couple of days it is starting to dry out so hopefully will drop off soon. I am pretty sure she is a Hen (with my new found feathering technique to sex chicks - gotta love...
  8. Dolittle

    Chick with remains of umbilical cord still showing

    Thanks for the info - I will stop worrying and see what happens .. The baby chicks are so cute - you can't be sad when watching them run about... think it would be excellent depression therapy!!
  9. Dolittle

    Chick with remains of umbilical cord still showing

    Hi I hatched 7 chicks 5 Sussex and 2 Araucana in an incubator recently, one of the Sussex who is 9 days old hatched a little unusually with the top of the egg coming off as opposed to the egg splitting in half as the others did and she had trouble detaching from the egg. She is eating and...
  10. Dolittle

    Urgent help eggs in incubator

    That's awesome. Thank you so much for your answers, I will candle them tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed. Thanks Jen
  11. Dolittle

    Urgent help eggs in incubator

    Thanks I have also never candled. Is it obvious if the new chicks are dead ? I thought you could just see the embryo? Thanks for your time
  12. Dolittle

    Urgent help eggs in incubator

    Hi This is my first time with eggs in an incubator.. Long story but I have had an 18 hour power cut, generator broke down, couldn't get out due to flooded driveway etc.. The incubator with 23 eggs in it got down to 22 degrees C before power was restored. I am wondering if it is still viable...
  13. Dolittle

    Leghorn sitting in winter - will she & chicks be ok?

    Thanks, puts my mind at rest.. Here's hoping she's a good girl & only has hens.. :P
  14. Dolittle

    Leghorn sitting in winter - will she & chicks be ok?

    I live outside Sydney Australia with my 16 assorted hens + one rooster. My crazy leghorn is sitting on 17 eggs in a old dog kennel that is secure and sheltered , I have put lots of hay in with her but it is getting cold, we had a frost this morning. We don't get snow just v heavy frosts. Will...
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