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

Old trampolines too. We used one with plastic mesh cable tied round the sides as an area for the favorolles when they were teens. Shade and kept them contained.
 
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So, hubby is dead set against trying to make the whole yard more secure because he believes it will still not stop cats and of course, the aerial threat is always there. So unsupervised free range is off the table.

However, he has had an idea.

This is the cat enclosure which the cats get to go into when we are outside. So, when we are inside and the chickens are confined, this does not get used and is only used when we are outside and the chickens are free ranging. It is now right next to the front of the chicken run [old photo].



Hubby is going to build a chunnel between this and the run which we can block off if the cats are in residence. We have sometimes left this open when the cats have had enough of outside are not in there and the chickens already go in for an explore.

OK, it is not a whole new area but I can put in a couple more pot plants than are already in there, maybe a perch and it is easily and cheaply incorporated and if I just make a point of opening it up for them if/when KiKi gets restless, it may work for a while
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Putting this in a separate post because it not only relates to the current topics; impacted crop, restless and/or demanding chickens etc but past and probably future topics …….

I just want to say this to all who participate in this thread. Without your advice and input, my chicken keeping experience would not be what it is and probably severely lacking in a lot of aspects.

Having people who understand issues and dilemmas and people who ideas can be bounced off is priceless and I just want to say to you all:

THANK YOU for always being there, for understanding and for taking the time to help!

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Telia, I have a similar problem with my Australorp hybrid, Ada. I got up at six this morning to let her out as I have Iris my young speckled sussex in with her. It's early in the integration process, but small signs of encouragement are there. Anywho, I let them out early as Iris won't come out of the coop whilst Ada's walking around in the pen. When I got downstairs I could hear Ada going off her nut, yelling out an egg song (despite not laying an egg till after 10am). She does this regularly (if I leave my window open it wakes me, despite the pen being a very good distance from the house), and I was wondering if one of those no crow rooster collars would help. It would only need to be put on overnight, then removed, it could be a solution to both our problems. You may need to leave it on more often for your girl. Ada free ranges all day, yet still does this early morning kick up a stink for some reason. It's not because of Iris, as she's been doing it before I added her. Rather than you give your girl away, since she'd still need to deal with some sort of fencing or pen for her own security anyway, which would likely set her off crowing, it could be something to try. We're moving soon and I don't want Ada to annoy the new neighbours right away, so I think I'll get one to try.
 
Hey Fizzybelle, Thank You, I really appreciate your thoughts and suggestion and please do not take this as a knock but I personally would rather rehome KiKi than use a no crow collar on her.

I have read a few posts from people who have lost roosters due to choking and a close friend of mine nearly lost her BCM rooster also during the ‘tweaking’ stage.

The collar works by restricting the amount of air the rooster can draw in, thus dampening the effectiveness of his crow. KiKi does not really seem to be drawing in more air and accentuating a crow, she just seems to have a very loud voice that sounds like a honk/crow. You may find that Ada is the same and a no crow collar may not help.

I am hoping that some extra room and new ‘toys’ mentioned above might keep her amused for a while. You may also find that the move to a new location keeps Ada quiet for a while also
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Hey Telia, nah that's cool if you'd prefer not to use one. I wasn't overly aware of the choking issue actually, as I thought the collars sat a little loose around the neck. I hope the new toys distracts your girl. My Ada usually quiets down after being let out. She fully embraces the free range lifestyle and resents her pen, despite it's purpose to keep her safe at night. If we get noise complaints maybe I'll look into an automatic coop door. Fingers crossed for your KiKi :)

Oh and Annabelle got the greenlight to rejoin Ada tomorrow from the vet today! No more dealing with her sneaking underneath the house. She's recovered and is back to her mischievous self. Vet felt her infection was caused by streptococcus rather than mycoplasma, and will be consulting with an avian vet for me to discuss the matter. Agnes also has started submitting to me when I go to pat her, as she's about six months old, so I'm starting to check for eggs now in the little chicken coop in the mornings :D
 
Hey cwrite thank you.

Sadly, it is not just early morning, she has just spent 10-15mins honking/crowing at 10:20 in the morning. It is many hours before free range time and they do know when that it as they all start up anytime after 3pm
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I may just have to face the fact that KiKi is not going to be happy unless she is getting attention or free ranging which is not safe if not supervised. I happily spend 3-4 hours every afternoon outside in the garden with them during the week and one or both of us spend the majority of the weekend outside with them from about 10:00am onwards but I can not be sitting out there all day with them starting at 06:00 or so in the morning, I would never get anything done.

She has got worse with time and is obviously not happy in the run during the day as the others appear to be. I am dreading tomorrow morning, I have no idea how I am going to keep her quiet until free range time.

It has got to the point that during the last 15min bout, I have drafted a Gumtree ad
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She is quiet at the moment but it is probably only a matter of time before she starts again .. I so hope I do not need to post that ad.

Teila ....

You have had success at broody breaking, albeit a seemingly on-going situation, one after the other at times .... so I think you can break little Kiki of her 'centre stage Diva' efforts. Try different movings of your chickens - try it when you have time at the weekends.

Move Kiki into a cat carrier or some container that is comfy, and bring her inside for about 3 days. She might still be able to hear Dustys' whinging, but won't be able to see her. She might be trying to dominate everything she sees " it's ALL mine " ....

Then try the reverse - bring Dusty inside for a while and see what happens.

Separating them where they can see one another, I don't think would work - like in the broody breaker, unless that can be put somewhere around a corner - where the occupant cannot see the other hens.

I kind of think you are attributing a little too much to your chickens' wishes. I have many times done the same thing - with cats, dogs and chickens.
Called anthropomorphising. I readily admit to much of it myself. Maybe that's why I can recognise a little of it ?
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I wouldn't think chickens would deliberately misbehave or cause a fuss just because they want attention or some other thing ( like breakfast or free ranging ) at a time they 'think' they want it. I believe there must be another reason - especially as she has started up in the mornings now, which has nothing obviously to do with free ranging ( they don't free range in the morning - do they, except at weekends ? ).

I am honestly not being critical here - it's a just a range of thoughts.

My girls say nothing in the a.m., but as soon as I step outside that back door - the two big girls set to with claws to tear holes in the door wire. But they make no sound. I hurry to let them out, as I don't want them to injure themselves or get caught in broken wiring. Only after being out will they grumble, honk a little, crow / shriek - for a short while. And the egg song of course, from one in particular.

That's the only suggestion I can make for you. Separate them - as an experiment - and see what happens.

Good luck with it all ......

Cheers .....
 
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Teila .... 

You have had success at broody breaking, albeit a seemingly on-going situation, one after the other at times .... so I think you can break little Kiki of her 'centre stage Diva' efforts.  Try different movings of your chickens - try it when you have time at the weekends.  

Move Kiki into a cat carrier or some container that is comfy, and bring her inside for about 3 days.     She might still be able to hear Dustys' whinging, but won't be able to see her.  She might be trying to dominate everything she sees  " it's ALL mine " ....  

Then try the reverse - bring Dusty inside for a while and see what happens.  

Separating them where they can see one another, I don't think would work - like in the broody breaker, unless that can be put somewhere around a corner - where the occupant cannot see the other hens.  

I kind of think you are attributing a little too much to your chickens' wishes.   I have many times done the same thing - with cats, dogs and chickens.
Called anthropomorphising.    I readily admit to much of it myself.   Maybe that's why I can recognise a little of it  ? ;)

I wouldn't think chickens would deliberately misbehave or cause a fuss just because they want attention or some other thing ( like breakfast or free ranging ) at a time they 'think' they want it.   I believe there must be another reason - especially as she has started up in the mornings now, which has nothing obviously to do with free ranging ( they don't free range in the morning - do they, except at weekends ? ).  

I am honestly not being critical here - it's a just a range of thoughts.    

My girls say nothing in the a.m., but as soon as I step outside that back door - the two big girls set to with claws to tear holes in the door wire.   But they make no sound.  I hurry to let them out, as I don't want them to injure themselves or get caught in broken wiring.     Only after being out will they grumble, honk a little, crow / shriek - for a short while.    And the egg song of course, from one in particular.  

That's the only suggestion I can make for you.   Separate them - as an experiment - and see what happens.  

Good luck with it all ......

Cheers .....  

I was just wondering where you had got to Annie, haven't heard from you in a few days . Thought you might enjoy these lovely pics I took of my favorite predator

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I was just wondering where you had got to Annie, haven't heard from you in a few days . Thought you might enjoy these lovely pics I took of my favorite predator



Wow Fancy ...... is that a Sea Eagle ? ( am not up with eagles and birds of prey ). I sincerely hope he / she has not been eyeing off your beautiful chickens - or anything else on your property.

Great photographs. .... tku.

Need to find some way to divide myself into 3 people at present !!
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The house is in utter chaos, because the entire interior is being painted by hubby, who has also been very busy at work - so it is a long slow process, with furniture - and china, crystal, silver, paintings, framed photographs and antiques that were ON / IN the furniture, spread throughout the house, in all the other rooms that are pristine perfect with new paint - and a big mess inside. ??? He is pushing himself too hard, what with a demanding job ( he retired a while back, but has gone back to work now ) .... and all this painting - which is not all clear sailing, as the family room ceiling has big cracking problems, partly the result of a couple of earthquakes / tremors we have had here in the past couple of years - we live just near a fault line - in the Dandenong Ranges. So that is a real dilemma. One of those quakes felt like the house had been hit by a massive fully loaded, Mac truck.

I have kept up with some reading on here - giving ovations - but little else. Have the delightful job ahead of me ( when everything is back in place ) of sorting out 'need to keep' ... and "OUT" into bags for Op Shops. Plus every piece of decorative stuff, has to be cleaned and put back - - -somewhere.

Where we kept all this stuff before, is beyond me to understand ???? Will take me months I think.

Will keep up as best as I can - because this site - above all others, is the best I have ever come across - it is so helpful and friendly, and I echo Teila's thankful comments a page or two back.
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Hope all is well in your neck of the woods - and that the heat has abated, and the rains have not flooded. And that Jack has settled nicely into his retirement.

Cheers .....
 
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I was just wondering where you had got to Annie, haven't heard from you in a few days . Thought you might enjoy these lovely pics I took of my favorite predator

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Makes the hawk the peewees chased off today look rather insignificant :). As much as they take chickens I can't imagine shooting one, they really are beautiful aren't they.
 

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