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

[Fancychooklady]

They've already found some up north, haven't they?  

It sounds like she has gone broody. . Take an egg out to here and lay it in the nest box near her. If she pulls it under her , she's broody.

 

[Fancychooklady]

As far asCane toads go yes I have heaps. Every so often I do cane toad hunts. Grab a plastic bag and out you go with a torch and plastic bag in the dark.

They get in the chooks water. Yuk.

When they were released only 25 were set free. Look at how prolific they are now. Man is so wise releasing toads, foxes, sensitive plant, cats flaw, lantana, mixamatosis (can't spell) etc etc

When we lived outside Brisbane we would put them in the freezer. Daughter just came home from QLD and silly Billy's picked one up. Her host quickly told her to drop it. She said when she was feeding the horses they would hop straight up to her and they were soo cute . They were at a bar that night and she was in her element , surrounded by World Cup riders and they were giving the ' Tasmanian and the cane toad ' a good ribbing.
Bet they are still telling that story when she competes at Aus champs. They nicknamed her ' Kermit ' .

 

[Chook Newby]

Hello everyone! Its been a while since I have been able to get onto the forum (major computer problems). I have some catch up reading to do. I hope you are all well!

I have manged to put some roosts up in my coop for the ladies and they LOVE them! They are all roosting up high at night now and we have had no mishaps with falling roosts (screws and a drill fixed that problem). I'm quite chuffed with my efforts.

I also got a little surprise upon returning home after a weekend away last weekend, yay our first eggs! When I cracked them they were just perfect little eggs

My poor Harriet and Sybil are having a few issues (I think) at the moment. I'm hoping someone might be able to offer some advise to me. Harriet has been closing her left eye over the last couple of days. I managed to sneak up on her this morning to pick her up and take a look. There is not discharge or anything mucky around the eye. I'm hoping it just a bit a trauma. She is alert, eating, drinking and pooing normally.

Harriet good eye, lovely and clear;



Harriet bad eye, note the white dot in the right hand corner;



Harriet closed bad eye;



Sybil sees to have an overgrown beak and I think its slightly chipped too. I cant sneak up and pick her up as she is the least tame. Is this something to worry about. She is also alert and seems to be eating fine.



I would appreciate any advise or help. I hate worrying about my animals

 

[User395221]

She is still shaking her head a little but definitely no head jerking or rolling and no overbalancing. Putting her head down to preen yesterday would cause overbalance and head rolling when she bought it back up but she is preening today with no apparent issue. Overnight poops were fine.

If it makes sense, while I know she is still not 100% if she had not been unwell yesterday, I probably would not even notice anything today.

Yay for some good news.

Ditto for MyHaven. So glad things are better....

Thanks for the advice on "fixing" Flossie. I'll have to figure out where best to put her to keep her from sitting. (or maybe I could get her some fertile eggs? J/K If you did stick some fertile eggs under her, would she be "fixed" after they hatched?)

What happens naturally in flocks when babies are born? Like, what do they eat? Do they just wander about eating bugs and grass, or does mum bring them stuff? What about domestic/farm arrangements where the chickens are fed pellets, the little ones can't eat the pellets, do they have to be supplied their own rations and how do they get it and not the grown chickens eat it all?

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hello everyone! Its been a while since I have been able to get onto the forum (major computer problems). I have some catch up reading to do. I hope you are all well! I have manged to put some roosts up in my coop for the ladies and they LOVE them! They are all roosting up high at night now and we have had no mishaps with falling roosts (screws and a drill fixed that problem). I'm quite chuffed with my efforts. I also got a little surprise upon returning home after a weekend away last weekend, yay our first eggs! When I cracked them they were just perfect little eggs My poor Harriet and Sybil are having a few issues (I think) at the moment. I'm hoping someone might be able to offer some advise to me. Harriet has been closing her left eye over the last couple of days. I managed to sneak up on her this morning to pick her up and take a look. There is not discharge or anything mucky around the eye. I'm hoping it just a bit a trauma. She is alert, eating, drinking and pooing normally. Harriet good eye, lovely and clear; Harriet bad eye, note the white dot in the right hand corner; Harriet closed bad eye; Sybil sees to have an overgrown beak and I think its slightly chipped too. I cant sneak up and pick her up as she is the least tame. Is this something to worry about. She is also alert and seems to be eating fine. I would appreciate any advise or help. I hate worrying about my animals :/

Congrats on the eggs ! The pic of her eye is a little blurry, but if there is no swelling , I'd probably just leave her be. As you say could be just a peck injury . If you notice any swelling I use chlorsig human eye drops or Terramycin ( pink eye ) spray. As for the beak you can just lightly trim it back with a pair of nail clippers. I have a little cross beak silkie roo that I trim regularly as it can make it difficult for them to pick up food.

 

[Chook Newby]

Congrats on the eggs ! The pic of her eye is a little blurry, but if there is no swelling , I'd probably just leave her be. As you say could be just a peck injury . If you notice any swelling I use chlorsig human eye drops or Terramycin ( pink eye ) spray. As for the beak you can just lightly trim it back with a pair of nail clippers. I have a little cross beak silkie roo that I trim regularly as it can make it difficult for them to pick up food.

Hi Fancychooklady. Thanks so much for getting back to me.
Yes I was very excited to see the eggs, I really didn't expect them until Spring and we have had 2 more since then!

The photo is quite blurry but she just wouldn't stand still for me, no surprise there haha (which I guess was good because she is still displaying normal behaviour). There is definitely no swelling yet so finger crossed she has just been pecked by another chookie, poor little poppet

Im a little nervous about clipping Sybil's beak but my sister has a friend who is very good with chooks, I might ask her for some help.

 

[sjturner79]

Yay for some good news.  

Ditto for MyHaven.  So glad things are better.... 

Thanks for the advice on "fixing" Flossie.  I'll have to figure out where best to put her to keep her from sitting. (or maybe I could get her some fertile eggs?  J/K  If you did stick some fertile eggs under her, would she be "fixed" after they hatched?)

What happens naturally in flocks when babies are born?  Like, what do they eat?  Do they just wander about eating bugs and grass, or does mum bring them stuff?  What about domestic/farm arrangements where the chickens are fed pellets, the little ones can't eat the pellets, do they have to be supplied their own rations and how do they get it and not the grown chickens eat it all? 

Generally when a chook eats there are small pieces that are chopped off of the food that fall out of the beak. This is what the chicks eats. Whatever falls off mums beak while she is eating. If you have chicks with a main flock it is very difficult to get them to eat the starter withou the rest of the flock eating it. The only good way I have found is to have a feeder box which the chicks can walk into but the hens can't.

 

[Whittni]

Hello everyone! Its been a while since I have been able to get onto the forum (major computer problems). I have some catch up reading to do. I hope you are all well! I have manged to put some roosts up in my coop for the ladies and they LOVE them! They are all roosting up high at night now and we have had no mishaps with falling roosts (screws and a drill fixed that problem). I'm quite chuffed with my efforts. I also got a little surprise upon returning home after a weekend away last weekend, yay our first eggs! When I cracked them they were just perfect little eggs My poor Harriet and Sybil are having a few issues (I think) at the moment. I'm hoping someone might be able to offer some advise to me. Harriet has been closing her left eye over the last couple of days. I managed to sneak up on her this morning to pick her up and take a look. There is not discharge or anything mucky around the eye. I'm hoping it just a bit a trauma. She is alert, eating, drinking and pooing normally. Harriet good eye, lovely and clear; Harriet bad eye, note the white dot in the right hand corner; Harriet closed bad eye; Sybil sees to have an overgrown beak and I think its slightly chipped too. I cant sneak up and pick her up as she is the least tame. Is this something to worry about. She is also alert and seems to be eating fine. I would appreciate any advise or help. I hate worrying about my animals :/

Get her while she's on the roost at night. Hold her body under your arms and head while you clip the tip with nail clippers. You can also sand it with a nail file after the clip.

 

[User395221]

If you have chicks with a main flock it is very difficult to get them to eat the starter withou the rest of the flock eating it.

Yes, that's what I was thinking. If you don't provide starter/separate baby food, do they get enough to eat from the "food falling off mum's beak"? It's fascinating (to me) learning these things. There's so much I don't know. I remember my friend had her silkies and the babies following the mother about, but I don't know (and didn't at that time think to ask) how she supplied them with food. They lived on acreage so there was probably plenty of "pickings" for them to eat without relying on pellets the way household chickens confined to a coop and run are.

 

[sjturner79]

Yes, that's what I was thinking.  If you don't provide starter/separate baby food, do they get enough to eat from the "food falling off mum's beak"?  It's fascinating (to me) learning these things.  There's so much I don't know.  I remember my friend had her silkies and the babies following the mother about, but I don't know (and didn't at that time think to ask) how she supplied them with food.  They lived on acreage so there was probably plenty of "pickings" for them to eat without relying on pellets the way household chickens confined to a coop and run are.  

Well I guess they do as about half my chicks that have been broody raised didn't get any seperate rations.