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

[LuckysMum]

Wow so much going on.

Teila Love the jungle coop can't wait to see the finished pictures. The trouble with time is when you have it you don't usually have the money and when you have the money time is scarce.

potato chip we get crows coming in too. They haven't worked out the little door we have for the chooks in the run the pigeons have but the girls don't seem to mind sharing with them. But they are ISA's not sure about the Australorps as everyone says they are gluttons.

Fancychooklady your babies are beautiful I can't wait to hatch some more.

Yeh, I guess he'll get a new name, hopefully one that suits more than 'Iris' does for him, not that he minds I think

Sorry you have to give Iris up. I'm not looking forward to that either. Hoping we don't get too many roos my grand daughters will beside themselves.

Here's the makes shift run I made over the weekend. Had to make it big to fit everyone in. Including the kids and their chairs (they don't like sitting in poo) they want to sit and hold the chicks.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Wow so much going on. Teila Love the jungle coop can't wait to see the finished pictures. The trouble with time is when you have it you don't usually have the money and when you have the money time is scarce. potato chip we get crows coming in too. They haven't worked out the little door we have for the chooks in the run the pigeons have but the girls don't seem to mind sharing with them. But they are ISA's not sure about the Australorps as everyone says they are gluttons. Fancychooklady your babies are beautiful I can't wait to hatch some more. Sorry you have to give Iris up. I'm not looking forward to that either. Hoping we don't get too many roos my grand daughters will beside themselves. Here's the makes shift run I made over the weekend. Had to make it big to fit everyone in. Including the kids and their chairs (they don't like sitting in poo) they want to sit and hold the chicks.

Haha, looks like you've got it all covered. Just tell the kids not to leave the seats in there.

 

[Anniebee]

Would crows hurt or take chickens? Sorry if its a silly question, still learning....

Agree with Fancys' answer. Crows are nuisance value, to humans and big chooks. To little chicks though ??? I would not trust crows - or a few other bird species, either.

 

[Anniebee]

To LuckysMum and Fancychooklady ...

So far - thank heavens, we have not had any problem with crows ( except for a couple of weeks of cawing nearby - and then nothing - they took off for better pastures ).

My big girls don't mind sharing with anything that has wings. Every day we have visits from mynahs, who hop cheekily into the coop and have a breakfast / lunch of chicken layer pellets. Rosellas, cockatoos, doves - all welcome. " Party Time " !!

Mindy Araucana loves her rosella and lace necked dove friends but chases mynahs out of her own run ... and she really has a go at them. Not welcome.

Hope I am not pushing my luck here, but haven't seen a rat - small or otherwise in months. Seems to be since the next door neighbours gave their chickens away ( although that kinda does not make sense, since we still have our chickens ). My coops are as rat-proof as I can possibly make them - at night time. During the day ??? but haven't seen any.

Next doors' have built a netting surround on all fences, so's all their cats can roam freely - except I don't think one part of the netting worked too well for a while !! Found a very slender and small sable Burmese in our back garden occasionally, but doubt he would be dangerous to our chickens - they are all MUCH bigger than the cat, even little Mindy. And as my girls all have 'attitude' I think they would have a real go at it.

Dogs don't worry my chickens - they peck at Ruby and doggie visitors through the run fence .... so I doubt a fragile cat would be of any bother ....... I HOPE.

.... Advised next doors that their cat had found a way out, and haven't seen it now for some weeks, so perhaps they fixed the breach ( which was near a gate ).

Cat over the road ( beautiful very big peach coloured persian ) visits occasionally ( horrors - it crosses the road ) .... but I think is maybe too heavy to leap our high gates & fences, and is very shy anyway. I have begged the owners to keep her locked in. * sigh * Hopefully they are doing that now.

Cheers all .......

 

[Fizzybelle]

LuckysMum Aww it's a designated cuddling area! and what a fluffy little Silkie I spy there, they're the best. Thank you, and I hope your grandaughters don't have to go through the heartache of having to give up any of the chicks.

I've also had no luck in breaking Agnes' broodiness. I've just locked her out of the nest area, as I don't want to put her in a small cage or area by herself. She's just doing her usual routine in her pen in order to keep her distracted and entertained, with free-range time, but she's still clucking, and having little random cranky outbursts. I'm guessing she'll get over it eventually, it's just going to take a while as she's a determined, stubborn little Silkie. She would make the cutest mumma hen though. One day maybe.

 

[mooandmcgee]

Hey everyone, I'm new to chickens & have a young flock of three beautiful girls (council here in QLD only allows us to have 5).

Wondering if anyone might be able to help me with our little "special" Carla. I bought her just over a week ago & she has always had a baldish neck and scruffily looking feathers. She is also a little bit on the smaller side even though I know she has been getting enough food and water. She isn't getting pecked, she has no infections & wondering if she is just going to out grow her "ugly duckling" phase or should I be concerned that she is sick.

Carla is the little one on the right.

Many Thanks!!!

 

[User395221]

Hi, mooandmcgee, welcome to the forum and thread. I don't know anything, but how old are your littlies? They look very young. Could be she is just slower to get in her "fluff" than the others, anyway somebody who knows stuff will be along to offer an opinion.

 

[MyHaven]

I've been down and out since Monday with severe vomiting and gastric virus. I was so sick I couldn't even feed my chickens. Thank god for good friends like mine who always comes to my aid.

Feeling well enough this morning to log on and find beautiful photos. Thanks Fancy lovely shots. Love silkies and what is the lovely gold laced mum?

Now, off to catch up on what I've missed.

 

[MyHaven]

Hey everyone, I'm new to chickens & have a young flock of three beautiful girls (council here in QLD only allows us to have 5).

Wondering if anyone might be able to help me with our little "special" Carla. I bought her just over a week ago & she has always had a baldish neck and scruffily looking feathers. She is also a little bit on the smaller side even though I know she has been getting enough food and water. She isn't getting pecked, she has no infections & wondering if she is just going to out grow her "ugly duckling" phase or should I be concerned that she is sick.

Carla is the little one on the right.

Many Thanks!!!

Welcome.

Can't move past photos. Were you told what breed your chicks are? If they came from a mixed pen it could just be her make up to be smaller. She could even be a naked neck if you are lucky. I can't zoom in on the photo on this device unfortunately.

If she's eating and behaving normally, doesn't have diarrhoea or any bad signs and you're providing all normal care needs. Heat, chick starter etc. I wouldn't stress. She will probably feather out shortly.

Far more knowledgable people than I might have better advice though.

Keep us updated.

I must go now and see who is trying to crow.

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

The jungle coop is coming along nicely and fingers crossed, should be livable this weekend but still requiring some final touches after that. While they are still not able to sleep in it safely, we have managed to enclose the underneath and temporarily incorporate that with the existing run. They are still sharing the one kit coop overnight but have more room during the day.

I am holding off on any more photos as you already have the idea of the plan and the next photos will hopefully be of the nearly finished product

I have tomorrow off work and after the lawns have been done, time to break out the paintbrush!

Our little Koel is still in residence and we have named him ‘Porter’ [as in Cole Porter, an American composer and songwriter which seemed quite appropriate as all the girls are named after female singers

]. I am smitten, he is such a cutie and I will be sad if/when he moves on.

The Crows have not been a problem here of late but sounds like they are annoying others. Yep, Chook Newby do not trust them around eggs or chicks. I have seen a Crow try to eat a juvenile Turtle Dove alive so a baby chicken would definitely be fair game.

potato chip gorgeous photo of your little dog telling off Mr Crow!

Fizzybelle the expression on Annabelle’s face is priceless ‘Yes, I am beautiful, now take my picture!”

Congratulations on the bubs Fancy, they are adorable and as always, beautiful pictures!

LuckysMum great job on the ‘petting area’

mooandmcgee Welcome to BYC and the thread .. lovely to meet you. I agree with MyHaven in that she may have some naked-neck in her genes or she could just have lost her fluff before her feathers were ready. Have you ruled out lice or mites? Otherwise, yep, if she is eating and behaving normally and seems healthy and happy, I think you are safe to just see how she goes.

MyHaven sorry to hear that you have been unwell but good news that you are on the mend.