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

[Anniebee]

Annie it's very sad that any animal should not be given the dignity it deserves, even if it is to be slaughtered, but anyone who has ever dealt with horses , knows that these animals Have a higher intellectual level than most. They respond to the mere smell of blood and fear and one can only imagine the fear they would endure at one of those places. We have saved more than 10 from this indignity and wish we had room and money for more.

There are several wonderful organizations doing just that. Amanda Vella horse rescue in QLD ( will have to check that is correct ) is one that I donate to.
She has just recently been to the sales and brought up several young foals that would have gone off to slaughter.

Our young Edward was going to be fed to the lions at Zoodoo when our ' vegan ' daughter took him on. After 6 months of training he is now competing competitively with his new owner in Townsville

I know Fancy .... it is horrifying, particularly to horses, who most times, react extremely to the smell of blood, fire - - - and their reactions to group ( or individual ) fear.

Have read some really horrid stories about horse slaughter in the U.S. in particular, but guess it is not much different here ( but am hoping it is ).

I saw on Facebook a wonderful story of a horse who was saved from slaughter, by a person who had just $80 left in his wallet, and bought the horse for that amount, before the 'kill' mob could take it away. He took him home, fed and groomed him to good health, and then discovered his extraordinary talent in jumping. ( presumably over cavaletti to begin with , noting the tuck up of legs / hooves ). That horse and his rider ( the owner ) went on to win soooo many events in the show ring. He became a star in his own right.

IF I can find the link - I will post it for you to see. You would love it.

Cheers.....

 

[MyHaven]

Thanks heaps Fancy anyone have any pros or cons for Polycarbonate sheeting?

Looking good.

I'm going to use insulated pato/pagola sheeting for mine. Our summer days are getting hotter.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I know Fancy .... it is horrifying, particularly to horses who react extremely to the smell of blood, fire, and their reactions to group ( or individual )  fear.  

Have read some really horrid stories about horse slaughter in the U.S. in particular, but guess it is not much different here ( but am hoping it is ).

I saw on Facebook a wonderful story of a horse who was saved from slaughter, by a person who had just $80 left in his wallet, and bought the horse for that amount,  before the 'kill' mob could take it away.   He took it home, fed and groomed him to good health, and then discovered his extraordinary talent in jumping.    ( presumably over cavaletti to begin with , noting the tuck up of legs / hooves ).   That horse and his rider ( the owner ) went on to win soooo many events in the show ring.   He became a star in his own right.

IF I can find the link - I will post it for you to see.   You would love it.

Cheers.....   

I think I know who you are talking about. Been waiting for the movie to be released. Harry and the Snowman. A retired plough horse, went on to be a World Cup show jumper .

 

[Anniebee]

I think I know who you are talking about. Been waiting for the movie to be released. Harry and the Snowman. A retired plough horse, went on to be a World Cup show jumper .

That's the one Fancy ...... Snowman. .... a wonderful story of true grit, expert horsemanship, and love of horses.

Didn't realise there is a movie to be made of that story - but it doesn't surprise me at all. It would be wonderful.

Cheers - and thanks for that info.

..........

 

[MyHaven]

I know Fancy .... it is horrifying, particularly to horses who react extremely to the smell of blood, fire, and their reactions to group ( or individual )  fear.  

Have read some really horrid stories about horse slaughter in the U.S. in particular, but guess it is not much different here ( but am hoping it is ).

I saw on Facebook a wonderful story of a horse who was saved from slaughter, by a person who had just $80 left in his wallet, and bought the horse for that amount,  before the 'kill' mob could take it away.   He took it home, fed and groomed him to good health, and then discovered his extraordinary talent in jumping.    ( presumably over cavaletti to begin with , noting the tuck up of legs / hooves ).   That horse and his rider ( the owner ) went on to win soooo many events in the show ring.   He became a star in his own right.

IF I can find the link - I will post it for you to see.   You would love it.

Cheers.....   

I always laughed out loud when my knackery special Swazy, would jump the smelly run off from the feedlot or creek or what ever while the others better bred, better trained and under better riders would not be coaxed. I picked him up after flood when he'd been standing in shoulder deep water for a week. I knew I could trust him from the day I got him home. I think he knew he could trust me. I was laughed at for grooming a knackery horse. But I loved him. Great kids mount which are hard to find.

Another beauty we couldn't leave behind was an old grey mare, who while my sister leaned on the rail with a halter in her hand, walked up and put her head into the halter. she didn't last all that long but at least she died in a paddock. Just dropped dead.

They weren't champions but they were worth saving.

 

[LuckysMum]

Thanks again Fancy; I really do appreciate the advice.

Do you think the Polycarbonate sheeting would be hotter than CGI? I was thinking a solid colour on the coop so not too much light coming in, but yeah, the possible heat worries me .. thinking a slightly shaded one on the run.

We have a steel roofing sheets on our coop it was a bird cage originally. My husband put another roof over the top with a gap between them so the air can cool the under one and the top layer takes the sun. Its been getting hot hear too now. Though rain today and loving it.

Can anyone help me I put our 5 wk old australorps x 6 and 9 week old silkies x5 and 2 australorps x2 together yesterday. In the run they were fine and when i put them in their coop they all huddled together but this morning the bigger australorps kept pushing the little ones away from the food and water. Because we had to go out most of the day I segregated them in the coop. Its going to be 18 degrees tonight so I'm worried it might be to cold for the 5 week olds without the warmth of the big girls. Should I just put them together and let them sort it out. They don't seem to be hurting them just keeping them in the corner.
Thanks

 

[Anniebee]

To IamSamSam, MyHaven, sjturner79, and LuckysMum.

Re - horse meat for human consumption.

Thank you for all your replies. I knew that horse meat is used for dog / cat food etc., but was thinking in terms of it being offered as meat for consumption by humans, in a supermarket. Silly me.

That does not happen here, although in some areas it apparently still does, but I have no doubt some horse meat is used in commercial pies etc., unbeknown to ourselves. Certainly have chewed on some in a 'four and twenty' that was iffy to say the least, in terms of tenderness.

.............

satay ...I have eaten croc, eels, snake, and buffalo. Also frequently eat kangaroo meat which is succulent and without fat.

Cannot come at eating emu !!

.kangaroo meat is quite delicious and very filling, and I trust the butchers who provide it.

Nor could I have a go at eating horse meat, if known to me to be that.

...........

IamSamSam ..... your decorated eggs are beautiful. Tried to give an ovation, but apparently only a certain number are permitted, and I was locked out of an ovation to you for those lovely eggs, because I had over-run my limit for today ! .

.............

sjturner79 .... agree with your thoughts on wooden roofs. Have to be ultra-careful - even with overlaps etc. Personally, I would opt for corrugated iron roofing or something similar, on all chicken coops.

.............

Teila .... from my experience, ( limited as it may well be ) .... any dark colouring to anything will invite more heat. Simple as that. So light colours should be used for painting - white, off-white, cream etc. I know it gets dirtier more quickly, but can be hosed off just as easily as anything else. Dark brown / blackish - invites the sun to burn and retain heat so much more.

..........

Cheers all

 

[User395221]

potato chip ---

Short answer - NO.

Chickens of any size can lay eggs of any size, from small to large - and not dependent on the size of the chicken.

Thanks, I wonder whether they'll usually be small then. I'm not sure whose it is. I thought Grace is the older one, but she's smaller, maybe it's her.....

One of the chooks I didn't get escapes from the yard every day, yet she doesn't know how to get back in.... sigh. I don't know why she can't stay in there and look around. Oh no, she's got to be on the outside. Then she looks at her "good sisters" and runs back and forth trying to walk through the fence, and they run back and forth going "come in with us!"

I let the big "mob" out for a wander today because it was raining, Flossie also got out. She didn't get murdered or attacked or anything, which was good.

Can somebody with tiny chooks tell me whether they are "boney"? I can feel the keel on my teeny girls. They seem normal, they eat, they wander about, they don't seem sickly or anything, just when I pick them up I'm aware of their keels. They aren't very "padded" in front.(the teeny girls are a d'uccle, pekin and a frizzle/d'uccle cross)

 

[Anniebee]

I always laughed out loud when my knackery special Swazy, would jump the smelly run off from the feedlot or creek or what ever while the others better bred, better trained and under better riders would not be coaxed. I picked him up after flood when he'd been standing in shoulder deep water for a week. I knew I could trust him from the day I got him home. I think he knew he could trust me. I was laughed at for grooming a knackery horse. But I loved him. Great kids mount which are hard to find.

Another beauty we couldn't leave behind was an old grey mare, who while my sister leaned on the rail with a halter in her hand, walked up and put her head into the halter. she didn't last all that long but at least she died in a paddock. Just dropped dead.

They weren't champions but they were worth saving.

A wonderful story to read MyHaven. .... and good onya for saving those beauties to live out their lives in comfort, good instruction and with love.

Swazy obviously never forgot the horrors of being being stranded shoulder deep in water. And so he acted and reacted accordingly.

Makes me wonder why a horse I rode years back, would jump any small tuft of grass that rose up from the ground - even if only a foot high. He never missed those to jump - and one had to be aware of anything in front of him that he might take a leap over.

I will never know of course - he is long gone.

...........

 

[Anniebee]

Thanks, I wonder whether they'll usually be small then. I'm not sure whose it is. I thought Grace is the older one, but she's smaller, maybe it's her.....

One of the chooks I didn't get escapes from the yard every day, yet she doesn't know how to get back in.... sigh. I don't know why she can't stay in there and look around. Oh no, she's got to be on the outside. Then she looks at her "good sisters" and runs back and forth trying to walk through the fence, and they run back and forth going "come in with us!"

I let the big "mob" out for a wander today because it was raining, Flossie also got out. She didn't get murdered or attacked or anything, which was good.

Can somebody with tiny chooks tell me whether they are "boney"? I can feel the keel on my teeny girls. They seem normal, they eat, they wander about, they don't seem sickly or anything, just when I pick them up I'm aware of their keels. They aren't very "padded" in front.(the teeny girls are a d'uccle, pekin and a frizzle/d'uccle cross)

Only way you will tell, is over the passage of time. I wouldn't worry too much about egg size - from memory your chickens are young, and yet to develop into full grown adult hens.

It is only then you will see changes ( if there are to be any changes that is ).

Your chook that escapes ??? ..... I would be looking for a small area that she alone can squeeze through - and block it off. A lump of chopped wood would do the trick, in front of the 'escape hole' ..... interesting that that the other girls don't try to follow her.

As for keels .... all I know is that they are more readily felt as pronounced, during moulting - when chickens don't eat as much. My girls have freaked me out with un-padded keels in the past, but it has always been during moults. If at any other time, I would be a tad concerned.

Cheers .......