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

[appps]

How are your fires going fancy? My nephew is heading your way on his honeymoon at the end of Feb, he is hoping there is some scenery left to enjoy!

 

[Fancychooklady]

M

How are your fires going fancy? My nephew is heading your way on his honeymoon at the end of Feb, he is hoping there is some scenery left to enjoy!

Depends where they are going. Most of the fires are up north. It hasn't stopped raining here today.

 

[Anniebee]

Hope you all are ok if the storms come through today as well. Seems like the black cockies got it right yesterday we got a lovely 25mm in 20 mins last night. Humid as all hell this morning though, current humidity is 96%

The black cockies ( AND the white cockies ) - ALWAYS get it right - they are the best of weather forecasters - along with their friends the currawongs. Currawongs ( who usually depart in a nasty summer, for higher ground, have been singing their hearts out these past few days ) ... and they have stayed the course of summer here .... hmmmmm. That has meant in the past, that the summer might be short lived. I sure as heck hope they are correct again.

Lots of thunder and more rain here in the Dandenong Ranges ( Victoria ) but I think a lot more elsewhere here. Past few summers barring one, have been like living in Queensland for Victorians - lotsa rain and very high humidity which I can deal happily with personally.

It's the dry conditions with fierce northerly winds that terrify me,and most everyone else out in the sticks. .

Notice that Tasmania is being drenched - which at least puts out the fires you all have had .... Yaaay

 

[Anniebee]

If it is working for you the way you do it now i wouldn't change anything.

Thanks for that comment satay --- ref. what I do feed, or should feed my 3 girls.

Inclined to agree - why mess with what works. But there was so much information about other types of feeds here recently, I just had to ask. .... And yes, I worry too much.

I think I will stay with the usual layer pellets, which they all seem to like, and add more kitchen scraps and other assorted goodies, for them to be interested in. That at least wouldn't hurt. Will add some more protein to the two big girls, as I think Molly RIR is also going into a moult - in sympathy with her BFF - Mandy Welsummer ( who is beginning to look very bedraggled from her loss of feathers now ).

Interesting that they are moulting in late January, ( normally around March / April ) ..... along with many trees here 'turning' at this time, which is really very unusual. Wouldn't dare say for sure it is a sign of early Autumn, but sure hope it is !!

Thanks again'

Cheers ........

 

[Anniebee]

Annie, we all face this dilemma as we are feeding our birds on the recommendation set down by the commercial poultry industry. Once birds are 24 weeks of age the protein levels need to be kept around 16%, but it's the calcium level that seems to be excessive in many feeds. Feeds that are lower in calcium can be supplemented to those who require it , by offering calcium carbonate on the side. Scratch or free range mix is like crack cocaine for chickens, they love it but it isn't very good for them. Bit like feeding your kids macas everyday. Finding the correct balance is difficult and finding a feed with less than 2% calcium is even harder.
Mixing up your own feed is a bit ' hit and miss ' and not cost effective, from my experience . Table scraps and especially dairy products , should be kept as an occasional treat . Finding a complete feed that meets all of their requirements , that allows longevity , seems to be the goal of many backyard breeders.

http://www.roudybush.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=birdBrain.articlesRead&article_id=10

Whilst birds can tolerate higher protein levels , adding calcium to the feed can be disastrous causing kidney damage and gout.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/11/feeding-chickens-at-different-ages.html

Hi Fancy ---- I absolutely must discipline myself to read ALL of the recent posts first - and respond accordingly. I tend to do things out of sync. !!

The only thing I can say, in regards to 'goodies' for my girls, is that they do not get them every day ( for sure ) and that it is all spaced out - e.g. scratch mix ( when I think about it - around 3 times per 8 days or so ) ... my own rice mix with additions - 3 times per fortnight approx. now ( used to be more often - was going to increase that, but now won't ). I have not to date offered further calcium carbonate in the form of oyster shell grit ( one, Mindy, won't touch it - don't know about the other two, but if anything was eaten it was miniscule ) ....so I chucked that out in a real hissy fit. .... and they get finely chopped up kitchen scraps ( washed ) when I think it is good enough for them. An occasional hung 'basket' of cabbage which they love ( except for Mindy Araucana who doesn't want to know ) .... and their Golden Yolk layer pellets with fresh water - plus the garden bugs they find. We had a hatching of hundreds of tiny black spiders in the big coop - they are all gone now - eaten no doubt by the big girls. And the powdered calcium ( for horses ) I have now stopped for Mindy - and her occasional soft shelled eggs. Recently, all is well in that department. - Normal largish lovely blue eggs with enormous yolks from little Mindy.

Have just checked again - and Barastoc calcium ingredient is listed as 3.8% - which for laying birds would be OK ( I think ) - but for those not laying ??? They seem to make their own minds up, and when laying, eat like pigs, otherwise they back off. So perhaps they are regulating themselves. Mandy has always been a small eater, but is still a very big girl. ??


I have read both the links you provided, and they were indeed interesting, thank you. I will purchase again, some oyster shell grit and leave it for them to consider in a separate bowl - and NOT check whether they have had a go at it or not. When not laying ( in moult ) they would turn their noses up. Molly could now be going into moult in sympathy with her BFF - Mandy. !!!

If / when they lay again ( Molly's last egg was 2 days back now - which is

- - - Mandy's was weeks ) .... I will then introduce it to all 3 ( I doubt still that Mindy would be remotely interested ). So far she is very efficient, in all that she does - including getting drenched in the rain which she seems to love, or getting caked in mud, when she 'mud' bathes. !!! Dust baths are old hat !!!

She gives me more work than the other two put together, but I don't mind. She's such a cutie, loves her towel cuddles, sitting on laps for towel drying, being inside in the cat crate - but is not averse to pecking when annoyed with me.

Hope you have enjoyed the good drenching you have had ....AND that the fires are now out.

Cheers - and thanks.
........

 

[sjturner79]

And now the other broody has chicks.

 

[appps]

And now the other broody has chicks.

Awwwww

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hi Fancy  ---- I absolutely must discipline myself to read ALL of the recent posts first  - and respond accordingly.   I tend to do things out of sync. !! 

The only thing I can say, in regards to 'goodies' for my girls, is that they do not get them every day ( for sure ) and that it is all spaced out - e.g. scratch mix ( when I think about it - around 3 times per 8 days or so ) ... my own rice mix with additions - 3 times per fortnight approx. now ( used to be more often - was going to increase that, but now won't ).   I have not to date offered further calcium carbonate in the form of oyster shell grit ( one, Mindy,  won't touch it - don't know about the other two, but if anything was eaten it was miniscule  ) ....so I chucked that out in a real hissy fit.   .... and they get finely chopped up kitchen scraps ( washed ) when I think it is good enough for them.    An occasional hung 'basket' of cabbage which they love ( except for Mindy Araucana who doesn't want to know ) .... and their Golden Yolk layer pellets with fresh water - plus the garden bugs they find.   We had a hatching of hundreds of tiny black spiders in the big coop - they are all gone now - eaten no doubt by the big girls.   And the powdered calcium ( for horses ) I have now stopped for Mindy - and her occasional soft shelled eggs.   Recently, all is well in that department. - Normal largish lovely blue eggs with enormous yolks from little Mindy.  

Have just checked again - and Barastoc calcium ingredient is listed as 3.8% - which for laying birds would be OK  ( I think ) - but for those not laying ???    They seem to make their own minds up, and when laying, eat like pigs, otherwise they back off.   So perhaps they are regulating themselves.   Mandy has always been a small eater, but is still a very big girl.  ??   


I have read both the links you  provided,  and they were indeed interesting, thank you.    I will purchase again, some oyster shell grit and leave it for them to consider in a separate bowl  - and NOT check whether they have had a go at it or not.   When not laying ( in moult ) they would turn their noses up.  Molly could now be going into moult in sympathy with her BFF - Mandy. !!!    

If / when they  lay again ( Molly's last egg was 2 days back now - which is - - - Mandy's was weeks ) .... I will then introduce it to all 3 ( I doubt still that Mindy would be remotely interested ).   So far she is very efficient, in all that she does - including getting drenched in the rain which she seems to love, or getting caked in mud, when she 'mud' bathes. !!!   Dust baths are old hat !!!   She gives me more work than the other two put together, but I don't mind.   She's such a cutie, loves her towel cuddles, sitting on laps for towel drying, being inside in the cat crate - but is not averse to pecking when annoyed with me.  

Hope you have enjoyed the good drenching you have had  ....AND that the fires are now out.

Cheers - and thanks.  
........ 

Don't despair Annie, they will only take the calcium carbonate if they require it, most will leave it alone.
We are enjoying a beautiful morning shower and the white cockatoos are in by their hundreds. Our front paddock is a sea of white. They have their young in the trees around the house and all day you can hear the happy little sounds of bubs receiving mums regurgitated food . Went over to lock everyone up last night and found a newly hatched, still head bobbing splash Wyandotte, my little one eyed hen 'Chicken little ' received it with open arms. I swear that chicken is only happy when she is raising chicks.
The fires are in an area that hasn't received much rain, but our friendly firefighters from Vic and NSW have arrived to help out and relieve the already exhausted
CFS.
Our once dead grass has lovely tinge of green.

 

[sweetbeak]

Hi all,

I have an abundance of fertile eggs for sale at $2 each (min 6 per order), and I am looking for the best place to advertise and sell. I've got olive eggers, lavender arancuna, black orphington, Bantam silkie, and rhode island reds.

Can anyone assist, I'm on gumtree but thought their may be another site.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[Fizzybelle]

Yep, summer can bugger off for all I care right now, an early autumn would be great. The humidity from the storms that missed us is still quite revolting.

On the positive side of things, my girls Iris and Esmè are now four months, and maturing nicely. Eyes have changed colour, combs are starting to grow, and Iris has gotten in such pretty iridescent tail feathers, as well as more black feathers on her body, which help break up the white on her chest, adding to the speckled effect. They still have their baby voices, Esmè especially still cheeps, but that's ok, it's very cute. Her beaks gotten yellower, feet too. Aggies last day of meds today! She can go back to her friends on Wednesday.