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

[Anniebee]

satay hope Zeus is ok.
Kmacksorry for ur loss.

Feeling mortified at the moment as we forgot to let the chickens out yesterday morning!

Both hubby and I had to work, both kids were sick and needed to be dragged out of their beds (which is always a fun activity),

dressed, packed, given medicine, etc, to be on the road by 7.30 and dropped off at their grans for babysitting.

In the rush I totally forgot about the girls. My husband for home around four and realized upon looking out the Window that the chooks were still locked in the coop. He let them out and they dive- bombed passed him to stick their heads in the food and water! He reckons the wind from their passage nearly knocked him over.

Luckily it was a mild day and everyone seems to have (most) of their feathers still intact. Im Feeling lots of 'Mother Guilt ' now.

Locknest4 .... Suggest you don't feel the Mumma guilt too much.

All our chickens on BYC are spoiled beyond belief .... which is great - - - but ......

I always leave my girls locked up during heavy rain. Yes - they shriek a lot, ( if they can hear me ) .... but it doesn't hurt them. They get bored and eat more of their goodies, which produces good eggs - not only for us, but for their good health as well.. Not into cage laying here, by any means ( yuck - bad news that ) - but their boredom does them good as it gets all that they need into them without diversions !!!

. Please nobody tell me that chickens only eat what they need .... have noticed that boredom brings on the munchies - for sure. Big decrease in the layer pellet container on rainy days. That's for sure.

AB ....

 

[Anniebee]

Good morning Friends

Hey Kmack I am also sorry to read of your loss and hope you have better luck this time around.

Satay good to hear you are getting some rain. We have had some but luckily not enough to flood the run. I have everything crossed for good news on Zeus’ x-rays

Meeka3 I am reading the Welsummer or Maran conversation with much interest but unfortunately have no experience to offer .. just wanted to say that they are very nice looking birds.

Nice to see you again tandykins. I am sorry to hear that after all your love and attention you lost Bumblebee. Having experienced a mite infestation, I know how draining that can be and I am probably now over paranoid in my prevention measures as I do not want to go through that again. Congratulations on the hatch.

I had a chuckle at your “don’t tell any breeder I said that” .. they look like chickens to me

They are very pretty and so lucky to now be in your care. The picture of that foot is sad .. while it is a little frustrating, I think some people are not intentionally neglectful of their pets, just not fully educated on all of their needs.

I will try and cut a long story short .. a friend had a rental property and as his tenant was moving out and I needed a place to stay, I went around for a look. The tenant had a large mastiff and a terrier in the garden. They looked healthy enough, fed etc and when we were out in the garden she was telling me that they were both 4 years old and she was quite proud of the fact that she has never had to take them to the Vet. I am thinking health check? vaccinations?

Anyways, I moved in with my dog and sure enough, two days later, I am brushing Charlie-Bear and she is covered in ticks! Took me months and $100's to get them under control.

Tee hee Anniebee it is kind if ironic that the Crows are not welcome but a poisonous introduced species gets named and is allowed to treat the garden as his spa

I know Bazza is all kinds of dangerous and should not be encouraged but he does not wake me before dawn, does not steal eggs or food and does not make my life a misery.

Sadly, Bazza was a no show again this morning .. he has probably moved on to greener pastures.

Hubby was out BBQing last night and as always, the entertainment was watching the geckos on the gazebo catch their dinner which the bug zapper [Frank] attracts .. yeah, I know, even the bug zapper has a name! Anyways, hubby is working away and hears a ‘plop’ .... a lump of geckos had dropped on his keyboard! Yep, three of them, all wrapped around each other. They were probably fighting and lost their grip on the canvas.

I have mentioned him before, but we have a gecko, Two Tails, who lives on the glass next to our front door .. I am always pleased to see him each summer. His tail is split in a ‘V’ at the end and has been that way since we first met 5 years ago.

Loved the Mindy story!

Thank you for the Vicks v Fungal infection tip.

We have a 70% chance of rain, the possibility of a severe thunderstorm and an expected maximum of 33 … the plan is to try and get the back lawn mowed [the front can wait, it is not as thick] before that and because the covers are on the run, make sure the girls get to free range for as long as possible today.

It is a bit of a juggle keeping the covers on because of storms/rain but not overheating the girls .. they take 15-20mins to get on properly so I do not want to constantly be taking them off and putting them on again but then also cannot leave them on all the time … before chickens I probably paid very little attention to the BOM, now it is my new BFF

What on earth did you say to poor Bazza to have him up and and leave like that ???? I know you wouldn't have insulted him.

. We don't have cane toads down south here ( yet ) ....but I know they can carry diseases.

Now here's an idea - name the crows ! It might help you to deal with their incessaant noise. Heard just one cawing away happily today and thought of you. !! Wouldn't want a flock of them going off their faces, early morning though.

We don't have geckos down here - at least in the Dandenong Ranges we don't. Have a fair few very small lizards though, running about in grassy areas. Not a good sign, as where they are, it's more than possible there are snakes as well. We keep grass cut low , but with enough left for the girls to pick at when free ranging. And we never cut the clover ---- they love that.

Cheers .....

 

[Anniebee]

Nope not searching it, it is done

Haha 2 down 6 to go ;-) Scarlett runs around each morning when i let her out trying to find a way out of their area to lay for about half hr too, then settles in the same old nesting box eventually lol.
welcome! There are a few here from around ur area but otherwise yes poultry fb pages i have just newly been introduced to seem to be great.
Welcome back! Well done on the hatches - yay! - and sorry for ur losses. Wow i am so mad at people like that! I wouldnt want to be bringing all of that into my flock but well done for trying to give them all a happy healthy life
Haha cute as! My chooks used to love getting a good proper bath inside and then blow dry maybe u should try that next time rather than the cat cage - even though she obviously enjoys it. Mined loved it. Obviously be careful with the distance, heat and time under the hair dryer tho!

Wow there are some really cruel people out there arent there!!

And here's me RodneyRooster .... throwing out about 12 months ago --- my aged hair blow dryer. Not even sure if it worked any more, but could have tried it. Didn't consider blow drying chickens, as I thought it would freak them out. Years ago it gave my cats conniptions ... big time.

Too late now --- she will have to put up with the cat carrier - or better still - be permitted to roam a couple of rooms in the house, as she dries off. !! ... She would LOVE that. When free ranging, I have to keep the wire door closed or she'd be in like Flynn. Often approaches and peers indoors.

That's IF she gets away with that nice dirt and mud caper again. ...... Not if I can help it.

....... AB

 

[Fancychooklady]

And here's me RodneyRooster .... throwing out about 12 months ago --- my aged hair blow dryer.   Not even sure if it worked any more, but could have tried it.    Didn't consider blow drying chickens, as I thought it would freak them out.   Years ago it gave my cats conniptions ... big time.

Too late now  --- she will have to put up with the cat carrier - or better still - be permitted to roam a couple of rooms in the house, as she dries off. !!  ... She would LOVE that.   When free ranging, I have to keep the wire door closed or she'd be in like Flynn.   Often approaches and peers indoors.  

That's IF she gets away with that nice dirt and mud caper again.  ...... Not if I can help it. 

  ....... AB

Lol, Annie I regularly blow dry my chickens. Must admit that I did frighten a poor young angora kid to death ( literally ) , with the hair dryer. :/

 

[Steampunked]

Hello folks.

I haven't been around for ages, because life got busy. And then chickens got busy. My gorgeous Rooster, Wellington, became a violent bully. At home, with me? He was fine. My husband? He attacked. My daughter, he attacked. THEN he attacked the toddler next door! Then he became coq au vin. I lost my Ancona, Antimony, who had been laying absolutely gorgeous green eggs for u, and my beautiful Maran just...dropped dead off the perch. That was a real loss - she was one of those chickens who comes over to cuddle you, so it was very sad.

Chicken math occurred, because I'd lost several chickens and then felt sad so treated myself to some faverolles...and I felt guilty over Wellington, so I adopted three ex factory hens and am currently rehabilitating them to make up for having to get rid of him. They lay such gigantic eggs, but they're half the size of my birds. It's really quite sad, but boy do they love me now - they follow me around and let me hug them.

Which is when THIS lady showed back up:



With fifteen babies.

FIFTEEN BABIES.

 

[locknest4]

Hello folks. I haven't been around for ages, because life got busy. And then chickens got busy. My gorgeous Rooster, Wellington, became a violent bully. At home, with me? He was fine. My husband? He attacked. My daughter, he attacked. THEN he attacked the toddler next door! Then he became coq au vin. I lost my Ancona, Antimony, who had been laying absolutely gorgeous green eggs for u, and my beautiful Maran just...dropped dead off the perch. That was a real loss - she was one of those chickens who comes over to cuddle you, so it was very sad. Chicken math occurred, because I'd lost several chickens and then felt sad so treated myself to some faverolles...and I felt guilty over Wellington, so I adopted three ex factory hens and am currently rehabilitating them to make up for having to get rid of him. They lay such gigantic eggs, but they're half the size of my birds. It's really quite sad, but boy do they love me now - they follow me around and let me hug them. Which is when THIS lady showed back up: With fifteen babies. FIFTEEN BABIES.

What a beautiful photo and -WOW -fifteen !

 

[Anniebee]

Ok ... about Mindy....

Had hoped I would not have to say anything, but ........

Have done some research - and came up with this URL which seems the best of quite a few I investgated : http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/450/several-reasons-why-your-hens-may-stop-laying-eggs/

Mindy - after laying quite a few soft shells, ( she has layed two outside in her run twice ) shoved one with her beak towards the wire run fence, for Miss Ruby dog to grab out and eat ????

... seems to be perhaps, giving up on laying altogether.

In the past few weeks, she has laid a few good eggs - strong shells, but many soft shells, which she occasionally eats, but also now on occasion, ignores.

She is one weird chook - always has been. Has taken to cluck cluck clucking with an enormous cockerel shriek at the end of it. ( which I took to mean "I have laid an egg " ).

Not so .... she is now 4 days without a good egg, or any egg ... and this from a very prolific layer, is a bit disturbing. While 4 days is probably not much to many people, it seems strange to me as she has been the most productive of chickens .... 6 or 7 out of every 7 days .... was always pleased when she took a day off.

I know that chickens have a 'limit' ... they only produce eggs when they can, and can run out of productivity ( for want of a better word ).

She is fiesty, interesting in everything, stands tall, talks a lot, feeds well ( always a good full crop end of day ) .... walks well, squats for anything that moves, and looks ultra healthy.

Today I bought a bag of calcium powder ( not calcium carbonate - but the type used for horses ) ... which I was assured is ok for chickens. She will get a dessertspoon full of that mixed in with some of my 'special tucker' starting tomorrow - twice a week. Am also aware that bi-carb of soda in drinking water may help - coutesy of a regular poster here - so sorry I cannot find the post or remember who it was who mentioned that.

The worry always is, will an ill-formed egg get stuck in the system ? ... which would / could result in death. There is no sign of a stuck egg ( via palpation ) .... in her nether regions.

All 3 chickens are fed Barastoc Layer pellets ( which should give them all they need ). Works for the two big girls ... but not so much for Mindy who has been several weeks laying soft shells here and there, and 4 days without any laying at all. She does not appear to be broody either.

I had hoped a couple of days back, that I wouldn't have to write this.

The other thing is, since the massive elm tree in the rear property has grown all its' leaves now, there is not much sunshine at all for Mindy to enjoy. The big girls get some sun per day. With that in mind, the long clippers must come out and do something drastic to that tree, and surrounding foliage, to let sunlight in properly for her. More work for my recently retired husband.

Just wondering - if anyone has any further thoughts about this situation ........

Cheers - and thanks in anticipation ...... AB

 

[chooks01]

Nope not searching it, it is done

Haha 2 down 6 to go ;-) Scarlett runs around each morning when i let her out trying to find a way out of their area to lay for about half hr too, then settles in the same old nesting box eventually lol.
welcome! There are a few here from around ur area but otherwise yes poultry fb pages i have just newly been introduced to seem to be great.
Welcome back! Well done on the hatches - yay! - and sorry for ur losses. Wow i am so mad at people like that! I wouldnt want to be bringing all of that into my flock but well done for trying to give them all a happy healthy life
Haha cute as! My chooks used to love getting a good proper bath inside and then blow dry maybe u should try that next time rather than the cat cage - even though she obviously enjoys it. Mined loved it. Obviously be careful with the distance, heat and time under the hair dryer tho!

Wow there are some really cruel people out there arent there!!

Cute araucanas scaly leg mites just dip them in either parafin oil or any cooking oil will do

Unless they infested with lice they should be ok won't hurt to treat them with some lice treatment I use the dog flea powder from woolies excel pet it contains an ingredient which plant based. How do I know this I've rescued some before and yes some people can be cruel to our chookies

 

[chooks01]

So an update I lost my beloved Lloyd sweet little rooster he got sick here he is in his hat day!

And of course the replacement Fred

 

[RodneyRooster]

Replacement Freds name isnt fred is it??? Lol. Noooo cant be I enjoyed fred little darling.. x

I have done most of my replies via ovations tonight haha just seemed easier off to bed, enjoy the beautiful weather folks