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

[mamabokbok]

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.

I'd love to see photos! I'm thinking they are just about ready, they seem to be a lot healthier being out doors too, I didn't start to take them outside or until about a week ago and I didn't turn off their light at all until about 2 nights ago, I think I might have over/unnecessary babied them a bit, is the first time I've raised chicks so have no idea other than I was told they need a light until 8 weeks old. It's only just starting to warm up here in Canberra though and the weather is bouncing around from sweaty singlet days to jumper days

it's so nasty the weather extremes, we go from freezing with even light snow a few times this year to 38oC dry heat in summer I've had my strawberries growing as if it's spring, then get frost bite few weeks later

the chickens here love to be hosed off in the summer, I make puddles in the dirt for them, winter months they are gonna be lucky to have the small coop to be huddled closely together in at least that's a plus about it being little. So I have not at all been sure about the chicks having any time outside until they were almost completely covered in feathers but they put there now and are coping, I don't think that they are overly impressed with not being let out or about the weather today

 

[mamabokbok]

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

I don't think that she will find my yard suitable for nesting as my trees are only 7 years old so although probably tall enough for something to nest in most of the branches are not at all large enough to support a big bird like her yet alone her nest, actually one of my trees even blows around quite a bit in the wind

I wouldn't be surprised if it falls over one day! The roots don't seem to have gone deep enough they are easily exposed it's wierd, so birds wouldn't be wise to choose it as their home. She would have choice of plenty of huge trees as old as the suburb close by though so might stick around anyway and she's coming into the yard either To look for food or to get away from the magpies etc that are starting to nest for sure

chickens have seemed to instantly attract other birds into the yard, before I only was getting a few pretty parrots and little wagtails that particularly like to eat the seeds on my tree now I have a group of these pesky pee wees and this Currawong coming and stiring the pot

 

[Fancychooklady]

I don't think that she will find my yard suitable for nesting as my trees are only 7 years old so although probably tall enough for something to nest in most of the branches are not at all large enough to support a big bird like her yet alone her nest, actually one of my trees even blows around quite a bit in the wind

I wouldn't be surprised if it falls over one day! The roots don't seem to have gone deep enough they are easily exposed it's wierd, so birds wouldn't be wise to choose it as their home. She would have choice of plenty of huge trees as old as the suburb close by though so might stick around anyway and she's coming into the yard either To look for food or to get away from the magpies etc that are starting to nest for sure

chickens have seemed to instantly attract other birds into the yard, before I only was getting a few pretty parrots and little wagtails that particularly like to eat the seeds on my tree now I have a group of these pesky pee wees and this Currawong coming and stiring the pot

Aparently their nests are quite flimsy. But that's not to say she isn't nesting in trees away off from your property and found your garden to be a field of opportunity . Yes chickens and their feed bring in many other creatures, let's face it most animals , feathered or not will except a free feed.

 

[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.

I'd love to see photos! I'm thinking they are just about ready, they seem to be a lot healthier being out doors too, I didn't start to take them outside or until about a week ago and I didn't turn off their light at all until about 2 nights ago, I think I might have over/unnecessary babied them a bit, is the first time I've raised chicks so have no idea other than I was told they need a light until 8 weeks old. It's only just starting to warm up here in Canberra though and the weather is bouncing around from sweaty singlet days to jumper days

it's so nasty the weather extremes, we go from freezing with even light snow a few times this year to 38oC dry heat in summer I've had my strawberries growing as if it's spring, then get frost bite few weeks later

the chickens here love to be hosed off in the summer, I make puddles in the dirt for them, winter months they are gonna be lucky to have the small coop to be huddled closely together in at least that's a plus about it being little. So I have not at all been sure about the chicks having any time outside until they were almost completely covered in feathers but they put there now and are coping, I don't think that they are overly impressed with not being let out or about the weather today

Here's the coop with the very small run (I'll probably keep them in it till the end of the week then let th have the run of the chook yard. I Just use the bird netting to stop them flying out of the gap in the coop door. I sweep the poop out in the morning and give them some feed to scratch around in there. They get locked in the coop at night. If it's cold they tend to puppy pile in a corner for warmth. Since you've only got 2 chicks they may still need their brooder light very occasionally if the temps get below say 5 degrees. First time we have hand raised too, so a big learning curve for us!

 

[locknest4]

Here's some pics of using the metal panels tied together with zip ties to make enclosed run for them on the lawn when they were younger.

 

[mamabokbok]

Aparently their nests are quite flimsy. But that's not to say she isn't nesting in trees away off from your property and found your garden to be a field of opportunity . Yes chickens and their feed bring in many other creatures, let's face it most animals , feathered or not will except a free feed.

Lol yep, I never say no to a free feed

I don't mind if they come and pinch food as long as it's not my chickens!

Here's the coop with the very small run (I'll probably keep them in it till the end of the week then let th have the run of the chook yard. I Just use the bird netting to stop them flying out of the gap in the coop door. I sweep the poop out in the morning and give them some feed to scratch around in there. They get locked in the coop at night. If it's cold they tend to puppy pile in a corner for warmth. Since you've only got 2 chicks they may still need their brooder light very occasionally if the temps get below say 5 degrees. First time we have hand raised too, so a big learning curve for us!

That is an awesome run and from bunnings?!? I was there looking for something like this for ages with no luck

do you know which area of the store? How much would you say this cost to make all up? I might actually make something like this, I've actually wanted to make cages like this that are easily moved to put over vegie beds to protect them but I'm terrible at DIY when it comes to building etc

 

[IamSamSam]

My little polish I hope is frizzed.

 

[Teila]

My little polish I hope is frizzed.

OMG! Mine! Gimmmeee!

So cute! Yep, leaning towards frizzle I think

 

[locknest4]

Hi mamabokbok I got the panels in the compost bin area at bunnings. They are actually sold as a leaf/grass clipping compost storage by tumbleweed I think. You get 4 panels to a pack and I usually buy them up when they have them in. We probably have purchased about 10 packs and so have 40 panels to use for temporary fencing, runs etc. I just tie them with zip ties which can be easily cut off. Gr8 for movable fencing. Will try to find proper name of product for u. Chooks may need one wing trimmed to stop them trying to fly over at first then once they get out of the habit of trying to fly over everything and get heavier they are gr8 movable fences

 

[appps]

Hi mamabokbok I got the panels in the compost bin area at bunnings. They are actually sold as a leaf/grass clipping compost storage by tumbleweed I think. You get 4 panels to a pack and I usually buy them up when they have them in. We probably have purchased about 10 packs and so have 40 panels to use for temporary fencing, runs etc. I just tie them with zip ties which can be easily cut off. Gr8 for movable fencing. Will try to find proper name of product for u. Chooks may need one wing trimmed to stop them trying to fly over at first then once they get out of the habit of trying to fly over everything and get heavier they are gr8 movable fences

Would love to know too. Tried searching their site and couldn't find them. Funnily enough if you google image bunnings compost panels you get a heap of chook runs