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

[Henriettasmum]

So sorry to hear of the loss of your little chicken bub. We all make errors of judgement, so don't be hard on yourself. Phone calls from distressed persons are not easy to deal with, and timing seems to go out the window, when on a call such as you had. Not your neighbours fault either.

As you said - a lesson learned the hard way. Glad the other two little 'uns are doing well today.

Take care -

...........

Sorry to hear about the bub, but at least you saved the rest. I guess that is a lesson for us all to remember.

 

[Henriettasmum]

I just had my computer block me from this forum saying it may contain content harmful to my computer. Has anyone else had this problem?

No, I haven't. Anyone else had this problem?

 

[Henriettasmum]

Howdy folks

Had to work on site yesterday but today is my Friday as I have tomorrow off.

The plumbers are coming at 7am to fix the broken pipe somewhere in the middle of the back garden. The job requires a mini excavator and I figured it might be a bit noisy trying to work. I could have gone into the office but figured the excavator and plumbers are going to freak out the girls so they would probably appreciate having Mum around to tell them that all is OK; hold their wing etc

I am sure they will be fine once the plumbers have gone and they can free range on the newly dug up area … happy chickens!

appps I hope you get the door issue sorted soon. Yeah, lack of sunshine is a problem sometimes; the solar powered filter on the ponds is struggling to run the filter and aerate the water for the fishes. I am constantly moving it around the garden, trying to catch some sun.

Fizzybelle sorry to hear about you pox plight. Our new supply of meal worms arrived yesterday and as always, just in time, stocks were getting low and I am certain Dusty would not be impressed if we ran out.

I have toyed with farming my own but while I am definitely not rich, I am more time poor than dollar poor and really do not need the hassle of more critters to tend to

Coram sorry to read about your stable. Love all the pics! Yep, these feathered site inspectors of ours take their job very seriously

Good to see you again LuckysMum. Congrats on Lucky’s first egg and good luck with the hatch; looking forward to bubby pics

Sorry to read your little rooster had to be rehomed but it sounds like he has nice new digs.

No news of note from Bambrook Bantams and while someone has been scratching around in the nest boxes, tossing straw around the place etc, still no one squatting and no eggs.

How did your excavations go? And how did you babies react to all the work? I haven't tried meal worms yet - guess I should as everyone seems to recommend them. Just a treat or a regular thing?

One of my friends on the Tablelands did a swap with me today. She has so many beautiful birds - a bit of every type you can imagine - and she certainly loves them. But she wanted some more silkies, and I have plenty at the moment. She had some pretty araucana girls in a variety of colours so I came home with three of them (white, brown mottled which is gorgeous and black); and one black silkie, all POL. I gave her two beautiful white POL silkies, three babies about 4 weeks old and when she has room in her incubator I will give her some more silkie eggs and some Indian Runner duck eggs. When I got my new girls home I gave them a lice dip and blow dried them. They hated the bath, of course, but they loved the hair dryer. They just sat in my lap and enjoyed it. The black araucana actually fell asleep. They are such lovely calm girls. Rather than putting them outside in one of my spare houses we brought them inside to the lounge room where they can stay warm through the night. Tomorrow we will finish off the new pens - one for the araucanas and one for the wyandottes which are definitely maturing. Billy Bob really loves all the girls in my flock, so it's time they stopped free ranging, then in four weeks I can start thinking about new wyandotte babies. Does anyone know if they make good mums or should I incubate them?

 

[Coram]

Not antibiotics but my avitrol plus bird wormer tablets have finally turned up (took them 2 weeks to post them!) and it says right at the top in bold print
"Not to be used in food producing species"

Not sure what to think, they are selling them in a poultry store but it says food producing not just animals for human consumption so would take that to mean eggs too.


Sorry to hear about your little one Satay. It's so easy to get distracted too.

I use Avitrol plus tablets for peafowl and the liquid for chickens. I do a 14 day withholding for eggs. I may be wrong though?! I alternate worming with moxidectin.

 

[Coram]

Interesting reading all about the over use of Panadol. Not something i had thought about before as I am a don't take pills that often kinda girl but i guess like anything it can be miss used.

I learnt a not so nice lesson yesterday morning. I was cleaning out the little millies in the brooder so i thought i would pop them out on the grass for a little bit while i cleaned the brooder. As i was about a third of the way through cleaning it a neighbour rang. She is having major problems with her dad as he is unwell so I was on the phone for just over an hour . As i hung up i thought omg the babies.it was blowing a gale with westerly winds down the hill yesterday and cold. I raced out and they didn't look good. Unfortunately 1 lost one not long after getting them back under the heat lamp. Lesson learnt the hard way. Don't put the babies out for just a few minutes to have grass on a cold day and get distracted. The other 2 are looking much better this morning thankfully.

Bloody hell! Yes, it is easy to be distracted. We are THICK with foxes in the Yarra Valley. I have forgotten to close the coop only once, as luck would have it no foxes that night. If I am lying in bed and have the slightest thought I haven't closed the pen I'm up and out with a torch and into the fields to check. Sorry to hear you lost a little Belgian.

 

[Coram]

The foxes were out today! And calling late evening. Hyper vigilant fox watch season seems to have started early. All hens in the flock should be laying by the mid next week which is good. Withholding over next Friday, looking forward to being inundated with eggs again!

 

[Anniebee]

Bloody hell! Yes, it is easy to be distracted. We are THICK with foxes in the Yarra Valley. I have forgotten to close the coop only once, as luck would have it no foxes that night. If I am lying in bed and have the slightest thought I haven't closed the pen I'm up and out with a torch and into the fields to check. Sorry to hear you lost a little Belgian.

Agree - distractions galore in the usual household and back garden.

Glad you mentioned the foxes. We see quite a lot of them in Upwey - wee hours of the morning ( hubby goes to work at 4 a.m. and has seen a few big boys / girls ) .... and on occasion we will hear a red, bark at night. And yes, it is rather early in the year for foxes to be out and calling. Wondering if that is another sign of an early spring ?

We have two dogs ( Miss Ruby - almost 4 yrs Golden Retriever and the resident in training, Labrador Guide Dog Sonya ( known fondly as "Miss Feral" ) .... and what they do naturally, remains within smell reach of a fox - any fox. But, with all that, I sure understand why your doubts have you out of bed, asap - to check.

If you have a dog or dogs, leave a couple of the daily ( fresh is best ) doggie calling cards, near anywhere a fox might figure to get in, or climb over ( they do climb ). They won't try that if they think a dog is in residence. Or at least that is what I have read as being a good deterrent. So far I think it has worked here.

Also male human urine is an excellent deterrent ( if any male in the family is willing to comply !! ). Ladies ?? - doesn't work. So no use peeing in a potty for that.

Good luck - hope you keep your chookies safe and well.

Cheers .......

 

[Anniebee]

No, I haven't. Anyone else had this problem?

To LuckysMum also :

Re : being blocked. Your Anti-Virus might be hyper vigilant. Not a bad thing.

Things in computers get a bit tangled up at times, and as this site often has Shockwave crashes ( rather more than I lke - and others have had shockwave problems I know ) .... it may be that your A-V is reading that as a possible problem with virus issues.

I have never been blocked, but have had umpteen Shockwave issues over many months. Drives me nuts.

If, however, it becomes an ongoing issue - would advise to have a chat to your computer technician about it - - - or seek help ( online chat or email ) from your Anti-Virus provider.

Sometimes it depends on which browser you are using as well. But that is another subject. Google Chrome is decidedly 'iffy' on this website.

Cheers ........

 

[Anniebee]

Thanks Annie, I'm no angel though. Hehe. I bought a pump pack of arnica on ' groceries online '
Our daughter uses it for lower back pain, she says it's great. I have bought pilules at Goulds chemist in Hobart.I take vit E and Rosehip capsules whenever I'm feeling a little creeky.
The Indian herbalist swear by turmeric as an antiflamatory .

Yeah - I know .... I am no angel either. ( no further comment

).

I am guessing the pump pack is for spraying on nasties in the joints ? especially for your daughter. There is quite some strain associated with riding over jumps, and it can have its effects on a variety of muscles and joints. Been there, done that ..... years ago. !!

Vitamin E is great - keeps the blood platelets in order, and the blood generally very healthy. I can't take it at the moment, as I sub-cut inject every two days, a blood thinner ( Clexane - and added Vit E. would make too much blood thinner to be on board ) ... but if I were suddenly without Clexane - out in the sticks, I would seek Vitamin E asap, to continue to do the job, without hesitation. I self inject Clexane for a specific blood clotting disorder - inherited. My 3 children have not, thank heaven, inherited it from me.

Rosehip is better than oranges and lemons for citrus Vit. C ... but have never gone down that track. Usually supplement my diet with Vitamin C tabs, just to be sure, especially during winter. Does a superb job of keeping one healthy. ....

As for turmeric ......... FANTASTIC stuff. And those who promote it ( so many ) .... are right. I use less than a 1/4 teaspoon into my first cup of coffee ( does nothing to alter the flavour ) and later on in the day, another tiny bit - same way. Any more than that, has an effect on the coffee taste for sure. ( tried that - wish I hadn't ). Use it in so many cooked dishes as well. It permanently resides on my kitchen bench. Wouldn't be without it.

Still looking at the Arnica situation .... will ask our chemist if he has the pilules. Thanks so much for that info. .... ( and hope it all helps others here as well ).

Cheers ....

 

[Coram]

Yes, the foxes are calling early this year. Our Maggies are nesting too, I think an early spring may be on the cards! Hopefully not leading to a long summer. Last years was awful. Dry and hot. We had to buy water from November to the end of Febuary. The seasons certainly do seem to be shifting.