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

[satay]

Yeah, I mean look at Quail. They're teeny weeny, but both eggs and meat are popular and sort after. An eggs only useless if you let it go to waste.

Actually Quail are another bird I'd like to try keeping down the track, not at the moment though. Anyone here ever kept any?

I have japanese quails. They are great layers usually lay right through winter and start to lay at 6 weeks of age.

 

[satay]

Am feeling very guilty now after reading all your comments about lone and lonely chickens. 

Mindy Araucana lives by herself - her coop mate and friend Moppit Silkie died, and when I tried to integrate her with my remaining birds, my Welsummer tried to literally kill her.   Tried it a couple of times, with the same result so there was only one solution.   She roosts at night with a toy dog as a companion ( which she turfs onto the floor every now and again ). The two big girls accepted friend Milly Barnevelder, up and died, hence I have now only 3.  ( they were all purchased at the same time from the same breeder ).  

They all get together at the double separating fence ( had to do that too, as Mandy Welsummer would try to grab her through a single wire fence ) .... and have some kind of conference every evening.   Always the 3 of them standing as near as they can get to one another.   I'd rather have a happy healthy and non-injured ( or worse ) bird, than try it all again.  

So she has bachelorette quarters.   If when free ranging she goes anywhere near a single fence, Mandy rushes over to try and peck at her.   But Mindy is a wake up to all that now and gives the fence a very wide berth.   

Have thought of getting a few more ( 3 ? ) Araucanas, young ones, and seeing how they go with Mindy, but if it all goes pear shaped, it means we have to make a 3rd run and new coop.   Simply cannot cope with the thought at the moment. 

So - I stand convicted .... I have a lone chicken.  !! 

I have a few chickens that prefer to hang by themselves during the day. One of my aussies i have seen up near the front gate happily pecking away all by herself. So don't feel bad as others have said your girl can see the others so she really isn't alone.

 

[satay]

I have more baby quails hatching

 

[Teila]

I have more baby quails hatching

 

[Fancychooklady]

Aussies do look like raptors! My Ada is a Australorp RIR cross, and I chose her originally for her prehistoric look. She's changed some as she's matured of course, but still has the most dinosaur like features of my flock. Despite her evil look in this photo, she's really calm and very sweet. Lol, Silkies are probably the equivalent of dressing a raptor up in a fluffy bathrobe and furry bunny slippers.

Silkies are the 'teddy bear ' of the poultry world. I've been breeding for 15 years, love them.

Not too hard to imagine.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I have more baby quails hatching

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[satay]

 

[LuckysMum]

So cute I want some.

 

[LuckysMum]

Potato chip yes definitely a zombie look at that eye.

Anniebee So - I stand convicted .... I have a lone chicken. !!
So do I I have Lucky she’s 17weeks every time I try integrating her with the younger girls even though they are now roughly the same size she fights them. I haven’t given up. Now the new coop is built I will try moving her in the old one with the others and some wire between them hopefully they will get used to each other. She had a soft toy she slept with as a little chick but it was dirty I turfed it.

Fancy I would love to have some Silkies. I might have to breed too. My male is from the same dad as the others. I think I may have to get some eggs. I’m a bit wary of bringing in chickens now after reading some of some of the problems with red mite etc. I absolutely love your pics.

The coop is finished. They worked till it got dark. Then the girls wouldn't get in, I had to get them into the old coop. So after reading what you have written about new digs, I may have to lock them in it for a bit today. Maybe till they have laid an egg so they know that's their new home.

 

[User395221]

I may have to lock them in it for a bit today. Maybe till they have laid an egg so they know that's their new home.

Start chucking in some of their favourite nibbles. They'll soon learn to love it.

It wasn't that the chicken in the ad was by itself so much as that they'd obviously not given ANY thought to its care or needs and just bought it as a toy. It was sitting in a carport looking into a house. It didn't seem to have a place to be a chicken. They'd kept it a month and then wanted to recover all of their money as if it was a barbie doll. aargh. I agree that the breeder should never have let them buy it, although when I've bought mine I wasn't asked about where I was intending to house them or whether I knew anything about chicken care.

There's a "book learnin'" "internet forum" view about things and then there's real life and personal knowledge and observation. Some animals, the same as people, are perfectly happy not being cooped up in a crowd. I reckon Flossie would be happy being an "only chook", she kept escaping and wandering around all day on her own. Others need their "pals" to feel secure.

I’m a bit wary of bringing in chickens now after reading some of some of the problems with red mite etc.

The fellow I got my newest little girls from has a terrific spread and the girls look really healthy and well-cared for. I just adopted my big girls before I knew anything about bugs. I'd be a lot (bit LOL) more circumspect about adopting from "just anywhere" now. My coops are secondhand and I didn't know about mites when I got them. Bugs/diseases happen, but you can also not have issues or it not be that big of a drama to deal with if you did. It's hard not to become a bit over-cautious when you join forums and you are exposed to the issues people are having. Few start a thread to say "hey, still no issues here!" so it can seem a bit like there are horrible deaths, diseases and bug infestations happening all over.

EDIT please no cute silkie pics. I can't FIT any more chickens. LOL