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

[mamabokbok]

Hi thanks for replying. I have two adult hens and two 7-8 week old chicks which are kept completely separate until the hens are well (they came with issues

) and ofcorse until the chicks are grown so I'm not even putting them near eachother but eventually there will be a little flock of 3-4 depending on what the chicks turn out to be, have hope ones a girl and ones a boy.. There are heaps of birds around here too, I love them particularly the magpies and parrots and if I didn't have bantams now I'd like sir Currawong too he's stunning but he's the only type I have a real worry about coz it's clearly got the strength to kill a chicken like I wouldn't want to take that bird on myself big *** beak and feet the noise he makes coming in is loud he's strong and moving FAST

I am just unsure if he would be that way inclined, bantams are much larger than what's on his diet lists on google (baby birds, eggs, insects, berries and fruits etc) but I have to allow my chickens to free range the yard there is no question about it, so I have to figure out if he's a risk and how to make him decide that he doesn't want to come back

clearly he's only some what suspicious of me because he comes right down while I'm in the yard! So I don't even feel like they are safe supervised at the moment. He took an old piece of bread from my yard yesterday, I'm really hoping that he's hanging around for the possibility of finding scraps/pinch the strawberries that are growing or even possibly the opportunity to pinch an egg from the coop and he's NOT stalking my girls

Currawongs don't seem to live in groups or pairs at all I only ever see one at a time and they are vulnerable to being mass attacked by other birds if they get into their territory, so breeding season might just be pushing him out of the park which is across the road, there is heaps of magpies here like at least 20 between the park and the school 3 streets up I see them every day and occasionally see a lone Currawong in the park.

 

[Teila]

Goood morning Friends

appps I am sorry to read that your second attempt with Penny was not successful … the Scruffs are adorable!

I am definitely with you on the “safe to eat V appetising to eat” lol.

RodneyRooster congrats on the successful candle.

Sam your little one is soooo cute! Wonderful to see Gretel looking so good. That little Blue is beautiful!

Meeka3 I love your little ones .. gorgeous! satay yours also .. too cute!

Sidhe13 your plans sound and look great!

Howdy mamabokbok and Welcome to the thread. We do not have Currawongs around here which is a good thing because I am constantly at war with the Crows who, while they are not a concern for my adult bantams, are definitely a threat to any chicks, eggs and my sanity!

Sorry Pennae, no goslings or fertile eggs here.

We have lived here for 5 years and I have never seen a Hawk until the weekend. I was sitting with the gals all milling around me, having a lovely afternoon on Sunday when a couple of them came running up to me and started growling, some went for cover and Cilla stood next to me growling and looking up.

I am amazed by their eyesight! It took me a while to spot it but yep, there was a Hawk, very high up and apparently just passing through.

Just some random waffle but I did an egg count for April which was easy; 0 [Zero, zip, zilch] eggs. May we got a grand total of 11 eggs. July 28 eggs and last month 84 eggs! So far this month we have had 2 days where there have been 5 eggs from 6 gals … it is amazing the difference having no broody’s and no-one moulting can make! And of course, two new layers in KiKi and Crystal. Still striving for that first ever 6/6

Possible storms predicted for this afternoon and I just hope they hold off until lunch time when I plan to put the covers back on the coop and runs. It is a bit of juggling match for timing .. do not want to put them on too early because it makes it warmish in the run but if I leave it too late, soggy deep litter

With our current switching weather pattern, I am getting quite adept at putting the covers on and taking them off again

 

[satay]

Some pics of the Christmas hatch chics coming along nicely. Looking like a lot of boys though.

 

[satay]

Goood morning Friends 

appps I am sorry to read that your second attempt with Penny was not successful … the Scruffs are adorable!

I am definitely with you on the “safe to eat V appetising to eat” lol.

RodneyRooster congrats on the successful candle.

Sam your little one is soooo cute!  Wonderful to see Gretel looking so good.  That little Blue is beautiful!

Meeka3 I love your little ones .. gorgeous!  satay yours also .. too cute!

Sidhe13 your plans sound and look great! 

Howdy mamabokbok and Welcome to the thread.  We do not have Currawongs around here which is a good thing because I am constantly at war with the Crows who, while they are not a concern for my adult bantams, are definitely a threat to any chicks, eggs and my sanity! 

Sorry Pennae, no goslings or fertile eggs here.

We have lived here for 5 years and I have never seen a Hawk until the weekend.  I was sitting with the gals all milling around me, having a lovely afternoon on Sunday when a couple of them came running up to me and started growling, some went for cover and Cilla stood next to me growling and looking up. 

I am amazed by their eyesight!  It took me a while to spot it but yep, there was a Hawk, very high up and apparently just passing through.

Just some random waffle but I did an egg count for April which was easy; 0 [Zero, zip, zilch] eggs.  May we got a grand total of 11 eggs.  July 28 eggs and last month 84 eggs!  So far this month we have had 2 days where there have been 5 eggs from 6 gals … it is amazing the difference having no broody’s and no-one moulting can make!  And of course, two new layers in KiKi and Crystal.  Still striving for that first ever 6/6 

Possible storms predicted for this afternoon and I just hope they hold off until lunch time when I plan to put the covers back on the coop and runs.  It is a bit of juggling match for timing .. do not want to put them on too early because it makes it warmish in the run but if I leave it too late, soggy deep litter 

With our current switching weather pattern, I am getting quite adept at putting the covers on and taking them off again   

Your girls are right back into the swing of laying now

 

[mamabokbok]

Hi mamabokbok, I cant answer your question not having any knowledge about Currawongs. There are more knowledgable members on this thread and I am sure someone will be able to help you. It may take a few days tho. How big is your flock? We have lots of native birds come into our chicken pen (unfortunately). This includes magpies, jaberoos, water birds, crows, black carnebarrys, and usually the chickens and them studiously ignore each other.

Goood morning Friends 

appps I am sorry to read that your second attempt with Penny was not successful … the Scruffs are adorable!

I am definitely with you on the “safe to eat V appetising to eat” lol.

RodneyRooster congrats on the successful candle.

Sam your little one is soooo cute!  Wonderful to see Gretel looking so good.  That little Blue is beautiful!

Meeka3 I love your little ones .. gorgeous!  satay yours also .. too cute!

Sidhe13 your plans sound and look great! 

Howdy mamabokbok and Welcome to the thread.  We do not have Currawongs around here which is a good thing because I am constantly at war with the Crows who, while they are not a concern for my adult bantams, are definitely a threat to any chicks, eggs and my sanity! 

Sorry Pennae, no goslings or fertile eggs here.

We have lived here for 5 years and I have never seen a Hawk until the weekend.  I was sitting with the gals all milling around me, having a lovely afternoon on Sunday when a couple of them came running up to me and started growling, some went for cover and Cilla stood next to me growling and looking up. 

I am amazed by their eyesight!  It took me a while to spot it but yep, there was a Hawk, very high up and apparently just passing through.

Just some random waffle but I did an egg count for April which was easy; 0 [Zero, zip, zilch] eggs.  May we got a grand total of 11 eggs.  July 28 eggs and last month 84 eggs!  So far this month we have had 2 days where there have been 5 eggs from 6 gals … it is amazing the difference having no broody’s and no-one moulting can make!  And of course, two new layers in KiKi and Crystal.  Still striving for that first ever 6/6 

Possible storms predicted for this afternoon and I just hope they hold off until lunch time when I plan to put the covers back on the coop and runs.  It is a bit of juggling match for timing .. do not want to put them on too early because it makes it warmish in the run but if I leave it too late, soggy deep litter 

With our current switching weather pattern, I am getting quite adept at putting the covers on and taking them off again   

Hi thank you it's good to be on here! Crows are not in my area but a Currawong is like a BIG solitary crow I suppose, I have a tone of magpies which are my favourite birds besides chickens

but Crows I'm fairly sure will gang up on larger prey birds and smash them so prehaps they ward off Currawongs, hawks etc from your area? Magpies seem to do the same thing in their territory but are not living in my yard, a bunch of pee wees seem to have decided to test my yard the past two weeks though, they are here now scavenging. I had a lot of birds come and pinch food last time I had chickens

it wasn't extra $$ I wanted to fork out but at least they were not chicken eaters. The coop that I have now is small and low to the ground (first time round I randomly got given rescue hens that stopped laying so were unwanted, so 3rd hand last leg Isa browns and I set them up in the garden shed which was great when the weather was good but Turned out to be not so great when it rained, no bird was concerned about flying right in there and stealing the food as it was high roof and large door entry) the size of this one I brought online is like actually stupid really, it's practical enough compared to the shed as it's got ventilated coop and removable tray, but needs to be extended length ways so that it has a larger enclosed run for days I'm not home to let them out and I also plan to put another roosting area on the other end as well so that they can all fit with multiple Food/water/egg box/alternative roost incase ones being excluded for whatever reason, so I'll hopefully have that done soon and put the feed in the opposite end of the run that won't be opened so other birds might think twice about entering in fear of becoming trapped, hopefully anyway lol as they will have to enter walking from ground level and then walk 5metres down the run that won't be overly comfortable for wild birds I would imagine. I'm confident that my plan will do the job at least for my purpose of keeping 4 bantams and I have most of the materials to start but I can't actually build it myself I need help and tools

Chickens are ok for now just being two of them in there at the moment they have enough space to chill safely in there while I figure this Currawong situation out and I clean it out daily of poop, my two bubbas are in an open dog crate which is like a cage, they can access the ground when the tray is taken out but we were allowing them to free range closely supervised throughout the day because the crate is also small before the hens came, now they are quarantined from eachother for scaley leg mites

I'm a bit in the wars here! So chicks are definitely not free ranging now until they are full grown too much risk! It's so frustrating how much effort I went to planning this right and it still didn't work out smoothly

but I'll get there, with help on BYC I'm learning every day and getting some great ideas and advice, they definitely will all be free ranging the yard together throughout the day eventually though, not at all keen on keeping them contained and that seems to be the main suggestion that I can find, just keep them in an enclosed pen incase of prey birds etc, thats not gonna be a solution for me, I've got a very secure yard so foxes can't get them as the fences are high and ground is animal proof plus they are locked up at night and cats are unlikely to manage to get in they would really need to go out of their way I reckon unless they can free climb colour bond coz the fences are 2.5m high

there only seems to be one that is let out onto the street anyway (most people round here Seem to be responsible) and I chase it every time I see it so it's not overly keen on even coming to my front yard, it used to when it originally shown up but it's scared of me now even if it sees me from across the park it's on allert. So far I've only found information to confirm that the chicks are unsafe from the Currawongs as they are so tiny, the adult standard size hens apparently are not bothered by Currawongs which is comforting, I just might have to figure it out for myself with the bantams, cats and prey birds

I also need to figure out how far away my chicks need to stay to be safe from those mites spreading and if my chicks are ready to start spending night time outside or if it's too cold still, they don't use their light anymore but one is still growing a few of it's feathers. It's a bit chilly today and they are outside, prehaps if I cover their cage with a blanket to stop the breeze at night, they would be under a carport that's protected by wall/fece? I think inside isn't much warmer as I've had a window open past two nights anyway, they are smelly inside

love them to death but they living in my kitchen/laundry area and it's becoming unsanitary the sooner they stay outside now the better do you know if it sounds safe to leave them out Yet? I am unsure what the temp is getting down to over night here I'm gonna check that out today.

 

[appps]

@mamabokbok. How high are your fences? I've lost hens to foxes and have 6" fences.

I was like you and mine pretty much had the run of the back yard. I had fences through my back garden to keep them up there of a day and then we let them out on the lawn of an afternoon. Sadly it ended in arriving just too late to save one from a goshawk so now they are in their covered run of a day and supervised time only on the lawn.

 

[locknest4]

Hi mamabokbok. Our chicks are now 9 weeks. I have raised them in their brooder outside on the back veranda. Since 6 weeks I have only used their brooder light on 2 occasion s when the Temp dipped to 7 degrees (mind you we have 10 chicks). All the other nights I just covered their brooder with blankets making sure to leave one end open for oxygen. They are now in the coop with a very small run till they get used to the idea of going into their coop at night, which hurray the did last night. I will try to take a photo of the run which is covered and made using steel panels I got from bunnings (about 4 for $30). Once the birds are bigger we use the panels to make large free range areas for them which are easily moved. Won't use them for free ranging with the chicks till they stop being so flighty.

 

[Fancychooklady]

The female currawong builds her nest and incubates the young on her lonesome, your visitor is probably a female preparing for nesting time.

 

[mamabokbok]

@mamabokbok. How high are your fences? I've lost hens to foxes and have 6" fences.

I was like you and mine pretty much had the run of the back yard. I had fences through my back garden to keep them up there of a day and then we let them out on the lawn of an afternoon. Sadly it ended in arriving just too late to save one from a goshawk so now they are in their covered run of a day and supervised time only on the lawn.

My fences are colour bond 2.5m, I had a fox come and kill a rooster once, it got in by digging under the fence, once I blocked the entry point it never got back in although there was evidence of it trying to dig in again. The yard that I have the chickens in now is even safer than that part of the yard because it's separated by two high fences on one side as I have two yards, the back fence is my neighbours garage wall so even higher and driveway side is also colour bond but lit up all night by that neighbours spot light and nothing can dig under as the majority of the fence line is concreted, the only vulnerable spot has a large wooden sleeper dug in under the fence, which is also the part that has another fence between, blocking digging was enough to keep out the Fox in the other yard but I'll also block this part with putting things against it soon to make it double dig proof. My understanding was that foxes wouldn't climb over 2 Metre+ high fences so it is recommended to have at least this high for chicken runs

I also live in the heart of the city so day time is busy with cars and people, lots of dogs being walked every day most off lead but not particularly well behaved

and there is a nature reserve full of rabbits, possums, birds, roos etc for the foxes to hide during the day so they won't come down and risk it through the day time when there is plentiful food source available up there where they are safe, so I'm not concerned about them, the night time chickens are locked up safe in their coop. Domestic Cats that aren't being contained and birds of prey are my concern, if Currawongs are not a threat then the prey bird risk is low, there is adequate shelter from hawks etc. I don't think that cats will have an easy time accessing the yard and probably will be distracted for the most part by all the birds at the park right across the road, there is just one cat around and it hunts in the park

I've made my point to it that it isn't welcome near my house. What kind of fence do you Have?

 

[IamSamSam]

Satay ! I love your frizzle and am Hoping and Praying I have a polish silver lace frizzle.

I'll get pics tonight to show everyone ! Please please be frizzed !