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

[satay]

Sad news, both my little chicks have vanished.
I guess I must have a predator of some sort again. No signs of rats or mice again, midday disappearance, so probably something aerial.

I don't know your set up but could be a snake too as they are feeding up for winter now. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Sad news, both my little chicks have vanished.
I guess I must have a predator of some sort again. No signs of rats or mice again, midday disappearance, so probably something aerial.

Sorry.

 

[MyHaven]

Yep it was freezing out feeding the horses tonight. Feels like it is snowing somewhere. At 2-30 pm it was 6 degrees. One of my many jobs tomorrow will be to get more firewood to the door.

Blow that, I don't think I want to ever see snow.

 

[MyHaven]

Thanks for the info and the compliment.  I think she's very pretty, but I'm probably biased seeing as I'm her "mum". 

No, she is really lovely, your not biased!

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

Anniebee Martyn’s Mealworms have dried mealworms for $11.96 for 100grams and
large, live mealworms [approx 1000] are $22.95 which I think are pretty good prices.

sjturner79 oh no, I am so very sorry to read your sad news

Were you home at the time? No alarm calls from the rest of the flock or mumma? Any chance it could have been a cat?

SilkieChickStar I agree with sjturner79 that it is a little too early to tell and while I am no expert on sexing chicks, even getting it wrong with my own who are right in front of me, that little one’s comb is leaning a little towards male but I certainly would not be making any judgment calls at this stage. I think that one could still go either way.

No news of note so time to get out the lawnmower and enjoy what looks like what is going to be a beautiful day!

 

[MyHaven]

I'm happy to report that miss frizz is doing amazing and has stayed away from the higher water container. I do have an issue i noticed last night. After having frozen shoulder for weeks and not being able to do quite as much as normal i was feeling a bit better yesterday so time to give the layer coop a thorough clean. As i was doing the pen i noticed 2 of my aussies have black dots above the eye lid. On closer inspection it appears to be lice or mites of some type. Stick fleas perhaps? never had anything like this before and everyone else seems fine. This is what i have done so far. Cleaned the entire coop. Replaced all bedding and sprayed it all with Maldison (sp). Anything else i should be doing? don't want whatever it is to spread so if anyone has any advice that would be great.

We had stickfast come in (old family property now gone) on a load of hay one time - they infested the district. I'm many pages behind on the posts. Did you determine the problem?

 

[sjturner79]

I don't know your set up but could be a snake too as they are feeding up for winter now. Sorry for your loss.

Good morning folks 

Anniebee Martyn’s Mealworms have dried mealworms for $11.96 for 100grams and
large, live mealworms [approx 1000] are $22.95 which I think are pretty good prices.

sjturner79 oh no, I am so very sorry to read your sad news  Were you home at the time?  No alarm calls from the rest of the flock or mumma?  Any chance it could have been a cat?

SilkieChickStar I agree with sjturner79 that it is a little too early to tell and while I am no expert on sexing chicks, even getting it wrong with my own who are right in front of me, that little one’s comb is leaning a little towards male but I certainly would not be making any judgment calls at this stage.  I think that one could still go either way.

No news of note so time to get out the lawnmower and enjoy what looks like what is going to be a beautiful day! 

I guess a snake is pissible, although I have never actually seen one near here. I don't think it was one of the cats. Our 2 and the 2 that regularly visit have never attacked a chick previously. The first disappeared on the day I was too sick to go and put the chooks to bed, so don't know when.
The second I went to watch the chooks at 2pm and the little one was running around with the 2 mums, and then I went back in to read for a bit. Went out at 4 to collect eggs and both mums are scratching round in the coop with no sign of chick anywhere in coop or yard.

 

[MyHaven]

You can never be too careful. I had to drop 3x pullets in town yesterday and with the wet weather I took my gumboots. The lady is a friend of mine and as the girls were frightened and didn't want to come out I had to walk into the run. Even though she is a friend , she has sourced birds from different people , so my gumboots will be soaked and then sprayed before I wear them anywhere on this property.

Agreed, I have a pair of those plastic type shoes that have no joins to collect muck and can be soaked without getting wrecked. I use when I do my own chook work. Gumboots are too hot here.

I have been amazed by people selling chickens. I think I have only once seen an add saying - "you will not be able to view the parents due to quarantine". They do not seem to realise that other people can walk disease into their flock. One breeder I visited had 30 pens of the most gorgeous birds of various rare breeds. He showed nationally. I took a friend with me and he had a friend from up the road delivering feed and all of us had chooks. At no time did anyone show concern about spreading anything. I was thinking "how would it affect the 80+ year old cope if he lost his birds. I particularly have thought of him now with my flick being sick.

 

[Anniebee]

satay said : I don't know your set up but could be a snake too as they are feeding up for winter now. Sorry for your loss.

sjturner79 .... A cat will often leave tell-tale signs. If the day was sunny, a snake is highly likely - agree with Satay.

No doubt you are keeping an eye out for an aerial predator in your area.

Am very sad to hear of your loss.

AB .....

 

[sjturner79]

[COLOR=333333]satay said : I don't know your set up but could be a snake too as they are feeding up for winter now. Sorry for your loss. [/COLOR] sjturner79 .... A cat will often leave tell-tale signs. If the day was sunny, a snake is highly likely - agree with Satay. No doubt you are keeping an eye out for an aerial predator in your area. Am very sad to hear of your loss. AB .....

No signs, not actually sunny, in fact was overcast and drizzling on and off. However there is a large black and white bird dive bombing the hens that had been looking after the chicks today.