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

[Anniebee]

Yep I have had the occasional blood spotted egg and have used it as long as it didn't smell. Have also had a few stinkers, then am extra careful for a while and crack them into cups first, then slack off a bit... get complacent till the next stinker comes along...

locknest4 .....

When I mentioned 'blood eggs' a while back - and recently - - I meant the eggs where the yolks literally have rivers of blood through them. Very red red tracks inside yolks. The white is unspoiled.

Am still here to tell the tale after eating them ( cooked ) .... yet I also remove the tiny little brownish red spots on the outside of a yolk when the egg has been opened.

Go figure ?? Nuffin wong wif me !!

Someone here ( can't recall who ) ... said that ' blood eggs' were common with new pullets laying for the first time, or for hens returning to lay after moulting. I have googled some information, but can only find reference to small blood 'spots' which are usually found on the outside of the yolk. ( the one's I carefully pick off !! ). One site showed an egg that had completely red bluddy white of egg when opened. ??

My girls have organised themselves now into laying lovely eggs ( barring Mindy who is still having some trouble with calcium distribution !!! ) ...... and the yolks are a lovely colour both inside and outside of the yolk. The blood I was referring to was only visible once the yolk was broken .... rivers of the stuff. But all sorted now.

Still and all - I guess smell and taste is not the only criteria .... there's also the look of the thing which could put people off. !!

appps ... mentioned that a few days back. Difference between being safe to eat, and looking appetising ( or words to that effect ).

AB

 

[Fancychooklady]

locknest4  .....  

When I mentioned 'blood eggs' a while back - and recently - - I meant the eggs where the yolks literally have  rivers of blood through them.   Very red red tracks inside yolks.   The white is unspoiled.    

Am still here to tell the tale after eating them ( cooked ) .... yet I also remove the tiny little brownish red spots on the outside of a yolk when the egg has been opened.     Go figure ??  Nuffin wong wif me !! 

Someone here ( can't recall who ) ... said that ' blood eggs' were common with new pullets laying for the first time, or for hens returning to lay after moulting.   I have googled some information, but can only find reference to small blood 'spots' which are usually found on the outside of the yolk.   ( the one's I carefully pick off !! ).   One site showed an egg that had completely red bluddy white of egg when opened. ??   

My girls have organised themselves now into laying lovely eggs ( barring Mindy who is still having some trouble with calcium distribution !!! ) ...... and the yolks are a lovely colour both inside and outside of the yolk.   The blood I was referring to was only visible once the yolk was broken .... rivers of the stuff.   But all sorted now. 

Still and all - I guess smell and taste is not the only criteria .... there's also the look of the thing which could put people off. !!  

appps ... mentioned that a few days back.    Difference between being safe to eat, and looking appetising ( or words to that effect ).   

AB

The volume of blood can vary as does the cause. It could be anything from a vitamin A or K
Problem, stressed birds, toxins or mouldy feed and prolonged use of antibiotics.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/1/egg-quality-handbook/28/blood-spots/

 

[sjturner79]

My little polish I hope is frizzed.

I can't quite see well from the pics, but that chick is either frizzle feathered or silkie feathered. Definitely not plain.

 

[Anniebee]

To sidhe13 ....

Fascinated by the bee keeping situation that you are setting up.

During spring, when little clover flowers show up, so do the bees - so I never let Miss Ruby dog anywhere near that area at the time. Bee stings can be very nasty for dogs.

Having said that, I have never heard of a chicken being stung by a bee - but I would imagine - -- if it flys, and is catchable, a chicken would grab a bee and eat it ??? Do they ?

From what I have read, chickens don't seem to be bothered by them at all --- and some say they avoid them ? But, as I am not at all sure, I am interested to know if they co-exist happily, being that bees range far.

In any case, I would suspect your hives would be as far away from your home and livestock as possible.

Just a silly question ... would love to keep bees myself, but do not have the acreage to do so - only a fairly large back garden which has been reduced to rubble somewhat --- by chickens !!

Cheers ......

 

[Fancychooklady]

To sidhe13 ....

Fascinated by the bee keeping situation that you are setting up.  

During spring, when little clover flowers show up, so do the bees - so I never let Miss Ruby dog anywhere near that area at the time.   Bee stings can be very nasty for dogs.  

Having said that, I have never heard of a chicken being stung by a bee - but I would imagine - -- if it flys, and is catchable, a chicken would grab a bee and eat it ???  Do they ?

From what I have read, chickens don't seem to be bothered by them at all --- and some say they avoid them ?   But, as I am not at all sure, I am interested to know if they co-exist happily, being that bees range far.      

In any case, I would suspect your hives would be as far away from your home and livestock as possible.  

Just a silly question ... would love to keep bees myself, but do not have the acreage to do so - only a fairly large back garden which has been reduced to rubble somewhat --- by chickens !!  

Cheers ......   

We have a hive in the run along the river, never had any problems. I've seen a possum in the hole in the big tree with bees crawling all over him, didn't seem to bother her either. We did have a swarm removed after the tree fell down and the bee keepers brought us jars of honey.

 

[Anniebee]

The volume of blood can vary as does the cause. It could be anything from a vitamin A or K
Problem, stressed birds, toxins or mouldy feed and prolonged use of antibiotics.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/1/egg-quality-handbook/28/blood-spots/

Again, thank you Fancy ..... much appreciated.

I read the link you provided, and none of those situations apply. e.g. I have never fed lucerne, and never would - to chickens. And I don't mix up my own vitamins.

However --- stress could well be a component for my girls. They 'seem' placid enough, but I know flocks of cockatoos upset them enormously, they 'seem' happy with Miss Ruby dog, but are they really ( Molly RIR does peck at her through the fence - and Mindy plays games of 'run away and then attack' ) ..... and the guy at the back seems to be forever hammering, sawing, and using drills and chainsaws ( rowdiest neighbour I have ever had ). And he's right behind the coops. However, all has settled down now ... and have not found any blood rivers or even blood spots in the past couple of weeks. ( and I haven't heard too much noise from the back - he might be away !! -- or has finished his projects )

Mindy however, is still laying some soft shells - or part soft shells - sometimes rough feeling softish shells - one half developed properly and the top half not today .... she kicks out the straw and/or wood shavings in her laying box, stands up and 'drops' the egg ( which they all do ) .... which, if not properly formed, breaks or has a small rough indent in the top onto the flooring in her nesting box, which is masonite.

I was giving her some cheese for calcium, but now find that it is high protein as well, so will discontinue that. Am on the search now for calcium carbonate in powder form to add to a dryish rice mix with vegies, rolled oats, etc. etc. ... ( my mix they love ) .... and will sprinkle a teaspoon or so of that on her bowl of it.

I have been told by sooo many that chickens will ' know' when to eat shell for calcium etc., but she FLATLY refuses to eat oyster shell offered, or any other shell ( ground up egg shells ) offered in food - she eats - and then I find the ground egg shells all laying about, untouched --- it is very obvious on the ground. She is absolutely weird.

Whichever way one looks at it - her body mechanics are not doing the right thing. The poor little darling still keeps trying to give 6 eggs out of 7 days .... would some vitamin supplement help ? I am waiting on the delivery of some calcium powder ( for chickens and horses ) to be available from the stock and produce store next Friday.

Meantime - I keep a close eye on her.

Cheers ------ Anniebee

 

[locknest4]

My little polish I hope is frizzed.

Very cute, beautiful !

 

[appps]

To sidhe13 ....

Just a silly question ... would love to keep bees myself, but do not have the acreage to do so - only a fairly large back garden which has been reduced to rubble somewhat --- by chickens !!  

Cheers ......   

I don't think you need a large area. A friend of ours father kept bees and he lives in suburban canberra. My inlaws had one of his hives in their yard and they were only on a typical canberra block.

 

[Anniebee]

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.

From what I know of currawongs ( we have them here in the Dandenongs, Victoria ) .... they seem to be loners. Being that they are clever like crows, I would never allow any new chicks out without total supervision. ( I don't have young baby chicks ) ..... but could not see a currawong being of any worry to my 3 girls - who would scurry it off very quickly. Like they do when they've had enough of the other wild birds that hang about waiting for the girls to leave their scratch mix or whatever, and that includes lone cockatoos ( they hate large cockie flocks though ) but will chase a single cockatoo away - and cockies are big big birds ( bigger than a currawong ).

While free ranging is superb for all hens - I would keep your young ones away from that for quite a while --- until they are fully grown in fact. That way, you can be sure. I wouldn't put it past ANY carnivorous bird to have a go at young wee chicks.

Incidentally, currawongs - like magpies, seem to like to attach themselves to humans ( which is not always good for the bird to imprint that way, btw ) .... so him coming right down into the yard while you are there, doesn't surprise me at all. ... If you have a lot of magpies, they will drive off a lone currawong - or lone anything - if it enters their territory. Magpies are fearless and fearsome in protecting their 'patch'. I am surprised that the magpie flock, put up with him at all.

Personally, I would not worry at all about the Currawong ... he may be trying to imprint on you. He may be yet a juvenile. He may be scrounging for whatever he has found in your back garden before --- e.g. the old piece of bread. They are very clever, and learn quickly.

Just keep whatever very young and small chicks you have, locked away - it won't hurt them, until they are big enough to be let out to free range in safety.

AND ... somehow, lock up all your hens and chicks at night. Noticed you mentioned on one of your posts about " when ( chicks ? ) are ready to spend night-time outdoors ". Just a thought, but personally, I would never allow my hens 'night time' anything. They are locked up anywhere between 6 and 8 pm ( AEDST ) ... to be safe from foxes, ranging wild cats etc. If at all possible, - and it's only my suggestion - if there is any way you can build something that will keep your hens and chicks away from any night time wanderings or availability to marauding predators ... I would do so. Better to be safe, than sorry.

Cheers ------

 

[IamSamSam]

I can't quite see well from the pics, but that chick is either frizzle feathered or silkie feathered. Definitely not plain.

thanks - No silkies here ! im not a fan of owning them But love looking at them

This chick is a Polish and in the pen the lady had a frizzle polish hen ! I was hoping against hope one that hatched was a fizzed !