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

[Fancychooklady]

Hello fellow Australian Chickeners! I just joined to learn more about my girls. I just lost a hen and it was a terrible shock. Want to ensure it doesn't happen again. She was a pretty epic chicken. I'm decided now between another chicken, or maybe a duck or goose?

Hi and . I'm sorry to for your loss. As with most of us your google search has led you to BYC. Having had all 3 I would stick to chickens. Their poop is marginally smaller than ducks and geese.

 

[appps]

So found my eggs I'm gonna buy (thanks cg&cb!!). Now I just need to work out what to do with my broody silkie.

I have a decent size covered area within the chook pen with an old ventilated cupboard in it. Put hay and an egg in there and moved her from the nesting box. She jumped straight out. Waited till later in the afternoon and put her back in overnight closed up but in the morning she was roosting on a little perch in there and came straight out and nested on the ground as close as she could get to the area where the nesting box is. Rather than her stop being broody and while I was looking for eggs I let her back in last night to the nesting box.

What am I doing wrong? Plan tomorrow is to put her and a three or four more eggs back in and cover the exit with mesh and leave her there a couple of days.

Any other thoughts? I can't really leave her in the nest box because the others just pretend she isn't there and nest on her and I suspect one of the hens wouldn't be good to let round tiny chicks

 

[MuscovyLover]

Hello fellow Australian Chickeners! I just joined to learn more about my girls. I just lost a hen and it was a terrible shock. Want to ensure it doesn't happen again. She was a pretty epic chicken. I'm decided now between another chicken, or maybe a duck or goose?

Sorry to hear about your chicken. They become a part of the family don't they
I say duck lol. II'm only about to hatch my first pet chickens but have had my Muscovies for a while now. I love them. Such big personalities

 

[IamSamSam]

Good morning all

I would like to know why they make it so **** difficult to report suspissious activities. Was on phone for 20 mins then was hung up on. Grrrr.

 

[IamSamSam]

Sorry Apps I am not sure what u can do unless you move the other chooks? And leave her. My broody Aussie is the boss so no one went near her in broody mode. She had cattle dog and hubby scared of her.

 

[Fancychooklady]

So found my eggs I'm gonna buy (thanks cg&cb!!). Now I just need to work out what to do with my broody silkie.

I have a decent size covered area within the chook pen with an old ventilated cupboard in it. Put hay and an egg in there and moved her from the nesting box. She jumped straight out. Waited till later in the afternoon and put her back in overnight closed up but in the morning she was roosting on a little perch in there and came straight out and nested on the ground as close as she could get to the area where the nesting box is. Rather than her stop being broody and while I was looking for eggs I let her back in last night to the nesting box.

What am I doing wrong? Plan tomorrow is to put her and a three or four more eggs back in and cover the exit with mesh and leave her there a couple of days.

Any other thoughts? I can't really leave her in the nest box because the others just pretend she isn't there and nest on her and I suspect one of the hens wouldn't be good to let round tiny chicks

Is there any way you can block off the current nest box , to the other hens and give them an alternative place nearby ? Once the chicks are hatched you can relocate them with momma . Even a little ' drop curtain ' across the front of the box may deter the others from laying their eggs in there. A milk crate or old wooden box with some hay in it placed next to the other nest may seem very attractive to the other girls.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Good morning all

I would like to know why they make it so **** difficult to report suspissious activities. Was on phone for 20 mins then was hung up on. Grrrr.

Don't let the ' red tape ' hang you Sam, if it didn't look right then it probably wasn't. Go with your gut instinct.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Our girl has had a great start to her Melbourne campaign with placings each day. Apart from a few windy nights the weather has been perfect for showjumping.

 

[Fancychooklady]

People power! Good on those Aussie kids.

 

[appps]

Is there any way you can block off the current nest box , to the other hens and give them an alternative place nearby ? Once the chicks are hatched you can relocate them with momma . Even a little ' drop curtain ' across the front of the box may deter the others from laying their eggs in there. A milk crate or old wooden box with some hay in it placed next to the other nest may seem very attractive to the other girls.

No, Ive actually only got one nesting box, its just big enough to hold a couple of chickens as its original life was as an ebay coop (gawd help the three poor chooks supposed to be able to live in it as a house and nexting box!)

Good news this morning though, I carried her back into the cupboard on top of some nice warm eggs she had been sitting on in the nesting box then put mesh across the opening. She stretched her neck out to peer out the mesh but then went back to sitting in the corner on the eggs. Maybe the first time I tried she wasnt quite as committed to sitting as she now she's been at it about 5 days. Ill keep her in there with the mesh till the eggs turn up at least, which fingers crossed should be in one piece on about Wednesday. Quite excited as Ive never hatched anything before

Looks gorgeous weather for you daughter, how is she going so far today?