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

[Steampunked]

Doesn't look like the severity of winds is going to be as high as was first estimated, so good luck folks, and I hope it's not as bad as it seems from down here.

 

[Anniebee]

Thanks Christie B.

My two girls ARE in fact roosting now - but it took them 2 years to figure it out. There are only the two of them in the coop - so I don't think they need another roosting rail. No matter where they sit - even in the garden, they are always close together.

You mentioned your Araucana is missing, but is usually " back by morning ". Sorry to have to suggest that maybe a fox has taken her. I lock my girls up every night after they have put themselves to bed. We have a lot of foxes here, but I doubt one would think of climbing the gate as we have a dog and always leave some of her excreta in the back yard to deter foxes. Apparently, they do not come anywhere near they think there might be a dog handy ?? A fox couldn't get my girls overnight or before dawn as they are locked up ... but I often see them trotting along roads at dawn, back to their dens in the bush.

My little Araucana I must admit is adventurous in some ways - but gets freaked out if I put her in the other half of our back garden - all she wants to do is 'go home'. She is separate from the two big girls as unfortunately my Welsummer would literally kill her if she could get near her. And my girls wings are clipped after they have re-grown their feathers fully.

Yes I have fed them all protein, and Mindy Araucana has begun to lay solid hard shell eggs again. Admittedly, I did not give her anywhere near as much protein as the two moulting.... I think it was just one of those things. She eats them if are soft shelled, but never attempts to break any hard shells to eat. Won't give her any more protein until she comes into a moult - which I think is not far away. Have found a few white feathers here and there, the last couple of days, and she is only producing about 3 eggs a week at present.

Thanks for your input, and I hope by now your Araucana has returned. ( I cannot keep up with all the posts on here !!! - so this is a late reply ) .....

Cheers,
AB.

 

[Duckie48]

Anything up to a week of rain. Expect to experience wind and heaps of rain for that period. If it gets really bad with the wind people put masking tape on the glass doors and windows.
Put all loose items away.
Tie down those too heavy to lift.
Plenty of water and canned/packet food in case the shops run out.
Batteries for torches in case of power outage.
Look after the animals. Birds, cats, dogs etc.
Don't panic, it is only a cat 4 cyclone. Not a severe one. Not a baby either.
I lived in Darwin too as well as Townsville.
WA I went through a few there.
After crossing the coast they become a rain depression. Less wind and plenty of rain.
If it goes back out to sea, then we might have something to worry about. They are unpredictable and can be very dangerous.
Oh, did I mention...Don't Panic??? Just relax.

 

[Anniebee]

Thanks Fancy CL for your reply.

I will be worming them while they are moulting ... and the sardines I had forgotten all about, so that is definitely on this weeks food list. Vitamin boost is a great idea too - just got to have the money for both that and the worming mixture. !! Expensive stuff. I have noticed, since giving them the protein, that they are more interested in their normal food again - so that's a good sign. They are otherwise quite happy, and have more energy at this time too ...

Got a ways to go through the moult - no pin feathers at all yet. !! After all is done, I will again clip their wings as they grow back fully - and Molly RIR in particular would be likely to fly over the fence or gate. I couldn't stand it !

Again thanks ........ so many posts here - I get way behind, so this reply is a tad late too. ....

Again thanks,

Cheers,
AB

 

[Anniebee]

Welcome back Anniebee, I have had Dusty go through a hard molt a while back and now LuLu, my frizzle, is doing the same. Like Fancy, I up their protein. They both went off the lay and were a little moody during the molt, but I did not notice them go off their food. Having said that, they are the greedy guts of the flock so I doubt much would turn them off food.

Speaking of smells and poo, I am seriously contemplating going back to bed this morning. My poor little puddy cat, Chimee, has a touch of diarrhoea and I am keeping a very close eye on her this morning, she has made a few trips to the litter and is now curled up in one of the many hidey-boxes they have around the house; obviously not feeling very well. If she does not improve soon, emergency trip to the Vet with Sunday fees! Oh Joy! Still, better to be safe than sorry and she is worth every penny. So, I have spent the morning cleaning up after her many trips to the litter, then she threw up a hair ball and when I went out to feed the gals and clean the coop, had to deal with two intestinal lining offerings! Hoping my nose will go into shock, shut down and cease working for the remainder of the day!

As per usual, I have nothing to offer, everything cruising along nicely; except for Chimee. Fingers crossed it is nothing serious

Thanks for your reply and welcome Teila.

I do hope by now your little sweetie Chimee is back to her healthy self. It is 5 days since you posted this, so I guess you might have had to have her to the vet. If it happens again, put her straight onto fluffy boiled white rice and add chicken stock to begin with - small spoonfuls offered at a time. The next day - add finely cut up chicken to the rice, and gradually lessen the rice to be only cooked chicken. She'll be better in no time. Other than that, a gut bacteria can be a bit nasty and of course needs anti-biotics from the Vet. I do hope this reply finds everything back to normal. Hair balls can be really nasty and cause so many problems - including in the intestine. .... during summer I always gave my cats ( I have none left now sadly ) ... Lax-o-pet which is a lovely malty smelling goo in a tube. It is actually a solidified paraffin and they usually love it, once you get them to start licking off your finger. Once each day for 3 days - every 10 - 14 days - to move the hair through their systems, easily.

I cannot keep up with all the posts on here, so I am a tad late replying ....

Again thanks,

Cheers,
AB

 

[Sidhe13]

Sick pet day here too!
My cat has been unusually quiet the last week or 2 and sleeping more.... turns out he had an abscess which just drained...on the bed...he was more upset about the doona that the wound and i had to convince him that the wound is more important. ...can always wash or get a new doona...he didn't like me clipping and cleaning, but just shoved a antibiotic down his throat and cracked open a can of tuna. Phew!
Then my partner comes home...."got a present for you!" Holding a plastic container of dirt...he often brings me love presents...this time its a frog with a wounded leg! *** do i do with a wounded frog?! Time to hit google! The frog is in great health aside from misssing a large chunk of skin on his leg. The leg still works fine. So a few days rest and he can go free. Please let that be it for the day!

 

[IamSamSam]

Oh poor steve. Ewe cane toads are gross. When we lived in brissy I brought one in with the washing. Gastly things !

LOL All I remember of cane toads is that they explode in bonfires

and mothers freak out and ground you for hanging brothers upside down in a well to get more !

 

[IamSamSam]

I'll have to get that recipe Sam. Looks like you guys should be battening down the hatches and warming up the ark. Did you see the 2 full sized sailing ships on the set of the Pirates of the carribean ? If they get as much rain as forecast they might just set sail. You should at least see some green grass satay. :/

Sure I'll pm you it but can't till Monday. Very busy work at the moment

 

[Sidhe13]

Question...if you are setting eggs in an incubator do they have to all be set on the same day? I have some potentials arriving next week....can I put them in with the eggs that are already incubating or do i have to wait for the next cycle?

 

[IamSamSam]

Question...if you are setting eggs in an incubator do they have to all be set on the same day? I have some potentials arriving next week....can I put them in with the eggs that are already incubating or do i have to wait for the next cycle?

You can but u need to remember it's tricky with lock down and stopping eggs turning and increase humidity

All that can mess with the second set of eggs. Having said that


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