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

[Chook Newby]

We've had our fair share of 40 degrees here too, haven't lost any silkies to it but I did lose a silver laced Wyandotte , rose comb doesn't allow them to regulate their body temp as well as straight combed birds.

Ahhh I understand what the rose comb is now. Yes that is understandable that it wouldnt help in the heat. One day I think I will have Silkies

 

[User395221]

I would be surprised if rabbit and Guinea pig food has anything that is bad for a chicken in it, but I've never throughly read the ingredient list.

The "el cheapo" bulk stuff is mostly corn. I suspect that the el cheapo bulk rabbit and guinea pig is the same as the el cheapo bulk chicken, it looks the same.

The "good" rabbit food (vetafarm) is mostly grass.

If you can't get chicken pellets, I'd be having a look at the vetafarm parrot pellets rather than the rabbit pellets.

Are chickens' egg song abilities/tendencies breed specific? I've just discovered that Grace does a HUGE performance. She is the little black Australorp cross. When I had Australorps before, the "head girl" used to yell her head off, too. Nobody else seems to be such a "performer". Is it an Australorp thing?

 

[Fancychooklady]

Ahhh I understand what the rose comb is now.  Yes that is understandable that it wouldnt help in the heat.  One day I think I will have Silkies 

Silkies have a walnut comb, but yes rose and walnut comb birds are more cold tolerant. I have a friend in dubbo that keeps silkies.

 

[Fancychooklady]

The "el cheapo" bulk stuff is mostly corn.  I suspect that the el cheapo bulk rabbit and guinea pig is the same as the el cheapo bulk chicken, it looks the same.  

The "good" rabbit food (vetafarm) is mostly grass.  

If you can't get chicken pellets, I'd be having a look at the vetafarm parrot pellets rather than the rabbit pellets. 

Are chickens' egg song abilities/tendencies breed specific?  I've just discovered that Grace does a HUGE performance.  She is the little black Australorp cross.  When I had Australorps before, the "head girl" used to yell her head off, too.  Nobody else seems to be such a "performer".  Is it an Australorp thing?

Believe it or not most of the pellet feeds are just compressed grass hay with vitamins and minerals added. At our feed store they open the ' seniors mix ' for horses and sell it in 1-2 kg bags for rabbit and Guinea pigs. Seniors mix is a premium muesli with micronized barley , oats and corn. It's much cheaper to buy the 20kg bag and as long as you store it in a dry place it lasts a few months.
Corn is relatively low in protein but high in starch , so it will fatten things up but they won't be getting their essential amino acids , mineral and vitamins such as B12 or C.

 

[sjturner79]

The "el cheapo" bulk stuff is mostly corn.  I suspect that the el cheapo bulk rabbit and guinea pig is the same as the el cheapo bulk chicken, it looks the same.  

The "good" rabbit food (vetafarm) is mostly grass.  

If you can't get chicken pellets, I'd be having a look at the vetafarm parrot pellets rather than the rabbit pellets. 

Are chickens' egg song abilities/tendencies breed specific?  I've just discovered that Grace does a HUGE performance.  She is the little black Australorp cross.  When I had Australorps before, the "head girl" used to yell her head off, too.  Nobody else seems to be such a "performer".  Is it an Australorp thing?

No it's a individual bird or line thing. Some do it and some don't. I have one that will make a big performance for about 1/2 hour before she heads to the nest, but nothing after, and another that will sing for a bit when she's finished in the nest, most of the rest I haven't seen do egg song

 

[MyHaven]

Fancy .... not at all surprised at your experience in Werribee at the champs, with the 'hay' !!  .... I have experienced the lack of quality and care by some people who run animal shows,  and it is quite disgusting.   Not all, but some.   

I have used pea straw which the girls love to pick at.    Haven't had any little 'pea plants' pop up either, or if they have they've been eaten immediately by the girls.  

Hay and fresh lucerne is great when you have horses, and / or ruminants to munch on it - with some thrown to the chooks for nibbling on.   But is mighty expensive here as it only comes in bales, which would ultimately not last the distance - even if kept inside ( I keep my wood shavings and huge bag of straw of whatever type ) in our storage room inside the house.   The lucerne hay and hay from any other source, is expensive - so cost is a factor.   I grab pea-straw whenever I can.    

Have often looked longingly at rabbit and guinea pig dry foods, in smallish packets in the supermarket.   Have never bought any, but always wonder if it would be ok for chickens.   I have a sneaking suspicion the answer would be 'no' .... I will try to find some dried mealworms - have not had success with mealworm purchasing to date.  Pet Barn may have them, but I think I would end up having to buy on line - something I prefer not to do.   

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Much as I would love to have silkies again one day - the same problem exists - that of housing.   They could only go in with Mindy Araucana ( provided she didn't turn bully-girl ) ... and as she is the one who loves getting soaked, - even her soft underfeathers end up quite damp which is why she comes inside in the cat carrier, after towelling ... to dry off completely, I couldn't trust the silkies to have more sense to stay out of the rain in  Mindys' leak proof, totally dry, coop.  I imagine they would follow the rain-mad Mindy - out and about in the downpour.   And as you said - adequate shelter is the key.    Would have to have a new coop and run, completely covered and water proof for silkies - or as I've said before, house them inside and let them out only on sunny days.   Not the best way to keep chickens though. 

So far, have been very fortunate re mites and lice.   I attribute much of this to the deep litter method I use for the coop - as those little microbes keep a whole heap of nasties away ( according to what I have read on-line ), and so far, so good. 

As always, thanks for your helpful input. 

Cheers ....... 

p.s. - your lupins are stunning, so pretty.   Do you stake them or do they stand tall by themselves ?   

I was warned by the guinea pig rescue crew when I got our piggies to not feed them the Lucerne I have for the chickens. It contains something that will hurt them I can't recall the hay I can give them and don't know if it would hurt chickens. I haven't had the piggies long so am still learning.

 

[User395221]

double post combined

 

[User395221]

At our feed store

You probably get better "stuff" there than they sell at the pet shop.

No it's a individual bird or line thing. Some do it and some don't. I have one that will make a big performance for about 1/2 hour before she heads to the nest, but nothing after, and another that will sing for a bit when she's finished in the nest, most of the rest I haven't seen do egg. song

Thanks, it's an interesting (to me) coincidence that both my "belters" are australorp. I thought Grace was getting murdered the way she was carrying on. She's also smaller than her "sister" Marcy, yet she's LOUD.

to not feed them the Lucerne I have for the chickens. It contains something that will hurt them I can't recall the hay I can give them and don't know if it would hurt chickens. I haven't had the piggies long so am still learning.

Babies can have lucerne, older piggies and rabbits have oaten or meadow. The lucerne is too high in calcium for adults. It's ok when they are babies, and use it for growing.

 

[MyHaven]

Just incase some one is interested - I have two speckled Sussex, two buff orpington, one cuckoo frizzle easter egger and one dorking roo to re home. I'm in se Qld.

@sjturner79

Here's my dorkings I'll pm you some contacts later.

Not great photos. I'm limited to my iPad for pics at the moment.

 

[kat79]

Ok i am not sure if this is a silkie thing or my old roo was one of a kind. This roo silkie is so mean it attacks us and breaks the skin, it is always pecking my white silkie.... his only about 13 weeks at most 14 weeks yet looks to be maturing very fast for a silkie. He is not head as the drake and his girls keep everyone in checksurely his not old enoungh to start covering yet.

Also he shares a coop with three mixed breeds red sexlink chixkens who are about 3 years old if he covers these girls whats your opinion should I let them hatch?