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

[sjturner79]

Have been awake since 2-30, at least 30 acres of our land is under water. Nearly lost 2 of my white silkie hens, by the time I got to their coop they were bobbing around like apples. I say that cause the flood water is full of bobbing apples, those that were left to rot on the trees in the orchard next door. My new fences and gate are completely submerged and we are set for another high tide in an hour. We did lose one of the angora goats , not to water but to the elements. He was 14 years old.

Wow that is wet . I got my new boy today.
I'll see if I can get some good pics over the weekend.

 

[Coram]

Oh Fancychooklday, how horribly stressful. We have had nothing like what you have experienced this week. You must be exhausted. Wishing you strength and all the best for the coming days.

 

[Anniebee]

I did notice that he has little stumps there so hopefully he will be back to his old self in a few days. Thanks for the info Anni.

satay ...... It will be interesting to see just how long it takes for those little stumps to grow back into full size spurs. Different lengths of time, mentioned on various sites .... probably because each animal / bird is different in rate of growth.

( Take a puppy for instance ---- ya want one - ? ) Got a beautiful Lab puppy here who is up for adoption on occasions, but doesn't belong to us so can't go down that track, and wouldn't anyway

she's gorgeous ). Some of her behaviour is excellent, while she misses the beat completely in other areas. Just her rate of mind growth, physical growth - ( she's on track for physical growth ) .... and the fact that she is dominant one day, and submissive the next. It is a long sloooow process ... and I think I know now why the Assistance Programme we are helping, farm out these difficult to raise dogs ( according to info I have searched ), to volunteers to raise them. .....

A varmint terror one day, an angel the next. Thing is she is growing at her own speed, as all youngsters do. ...... so wny not with roosters and hens, no matter their age. .

Speaking of hens ??

I am wondering if we will EVER get another egg from any of my 3 ??? Two have moulted and regrown their feathers now - but Mindy Araucana, who moulted heavily in April, and then part moulted her head, has begun what I can only describe as her third moult. Yet eats like there's no tomorrow !!! .... the perfect gutz.

I refuse to worry about her, as she seems to be fully clothed at present and very healthy - but new shed white feathers keep appearing in her coop and run. I cannot fathom that.

Does anyone else who might read this, have any ideas about that ?

Cheers ..........

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks everyone. Mother Nature sure is cross with someone. All a little exhausted and hubby flies out for the states at 4-30 am. Here's a pic from the verandah this afternoon.

Look at the soggy green grass satay.

 

[Fancychooklady]

satay  ......  It will be interesting to see just how long it takes for those little stumps to grow back into full size spurs.   Different lengths of time, mentioned on various sites .... probably because each animal / bird is different in rate of growth. 

( Take a puppy for instance ---- ya want one - ? )   Got a beautiful Lab puppy here who is up for adoption on occasions, but doesn't belong to us so can't go down that track, and wouldn't anyway  she's gorgeous ).   Some of her behaviour is excellent, while she misses the beat completely in other areas.    Just her rate of mind growth, physical growth - ( she's on track for physical growth )  .... and the fact that she is dominant one day, and submissive the next.   It is a long sloooow process ... and I think I know now why the Assistance Programme we are helping, farm out these difficult to raise dogs ( according to info I have searched ), to volunteers to raise them. ..... 


A varmint terror one day, an angel the next.   Thing is she is growing at her own speed, as all youngsters do.   ...... so wny not with roosters and hens, no matter their age. .

Speaking of hens ??     I am wondering if we will EVER  get another egg from any of my 3 ???     Two have moulted and regrown their feathers now - but Mindy Araucana, who moulted heavily in April, and then part moulted her head, has begun what I can only describe as her third moult.   Yet eats like there's no tomorrow !!!   .... the perfect gutz.  

I refuse to worry about her, as she seems to be fully clothed at present and very healthy - but new shed white feathers keep appearing in her coop and run.   I cannot fathom that.

Does anyone else who might read this, have any ideas about that ?  

Cheers ..........      

Hi Annie, would you consider your hens to be overweight? Just wondering as overly plump birds tend to be lousy breeders and aren't inclined to be very productive. Just a thought.

 

[Anniebee]

I wish I could remember more about the mynah thing but try as I might it's just little bits coming back to me. I suspect it was being told how bad Indian mynahs were and that somebody was doing something similar to your ex friend. I think it was too long ago for Google to have existed the more I think about it.

Dogs killing stock isn't tolerated here either and if it happens you can bait them. Only problem is you have to warn your neighbours who probably own the dogs in question so not sure how effective it is. My old boss used to keep sheep on his hobby farm but lost so many to dogs in the end he just gave it up and stuck to larger stock. The whole baiting thing was very regulated and inspected when he tried that. We lived on an acre just out of town as kids and dogs killed our pet Ram. Can't understand people who don't keep pets contained.

Re pets not controlled :

Neither can I appps. There are so many irresponsible people all over. Is it a case of bad education, or just plain old fashioned 'I don't give a dammm' thing ? So sorry to hear you lost your pet ram to predatory dogs. That is very sad.

It doesn't take much for dogs to revert to feral, when faced with hunger. Dogs after all, still retain a large % of the DNA of the wolf.

I didn't believe that when I first read it, but when you consider how a dog reacts to certain stimuli, or are in the mating process, or are whelping and caring for their babies, it is not surprising. All wolf characteristics. ( personally I adore wolves - they are magnificent, and it is astonishing that all dogs come from 4 types of wolves from way back ). Human intervention has caused them to change totally in looks and demeanour, in so many instances. Truly amazing stuff.

Cheers ......

 

[Anniebee]

Hi Annie, would you consider your hens to be overweight? Just wondering as overly plump birds tend to be lousy breeders and aren't inclined to be very productive. Just a thought.

Oh Fancy ......

..... one certainly is .... that's Mandy Welsummer who is huge. Have mentioned this before, and peoples reaction to her size. Wouldn't expect anyone to remember posts about that from this very large thread of more than 30,000 posts ??? Cannot claim fault for her size, as she was always a bit of a freak - weighs about 5++ kgs.
She did produce nicely as a large pullet - and from then on until earlier this year ( barring previous moults ).

Molly RIR who has regrown her feathers mostly, is still the medium sized good laying ( if ever again ) hen ... and Mindy Araucana is as I have described her, but the same size adult hen as she has always been. She however, still has pin feathers around her underbelly parts. And is not averse to pecking when I handle her ( has always been feisty tho ).

They are all rising 4 yrs of age come September. And the extremely cold weather wouldn't have helped, but that is all I can think of. Haven't had an egg, or any signs of laying since early April, when there were a few token efforts - and then - zilch.

Your thoughts are spot on - especially where Mandy Welsummer is concerned, but cannot say so about the other two.

Will see when Spring arrives I guess ( hope ) ?

Thank you for your comment and thoughts.

Cheers ...

 

[satay]

Thanks everyone. Mother Nature sure is cross with someone. All a little exhausted and hubby flies out for the states at 4-30 am. Here's a pic from the verandah this afternoon.

Look at the soggy green grass satay.

It sure is green but i do not envy you with all the flooding you've had. My grass is the usual crunchy brown. While i don't wish for weather like we had in 2011 a few days of rain would be so nice.

 

[satay]

Oh Fancy  ......   ..... one certainly is .... that's Mandy Welsummer who is huge.   Have mentioned this before, and peoples reaction to her size.  Wouldn't expect anyone to remember posts about that from this very large thread of more than 30,000 posts ???    Cannot claim fault for her size, as she was always a bit of a freak - weighs about 5++ kgs.
She did produce nicely as a large pullet - and from then on until earlier this year ( barring previous moults ).     

Molly RIR who has regrown her feathers mostly, is still the medium sized good laying ( if ever again ) hen ... and Mindy Araucana is as I have described her, but the same size adult hen as she has always been.  She however, still has pin feathers around her underbelly parts.    And is not averse to pecking when I handle her ( has always been feisty tho ).  

They are all rising 4 yrs of age come September.    And the extremely cold weather wouldn't have helped, but that is all I can think of.   Haven't had an egg, or any signs of laying since early April, when there were a few token efforts - and then - zilch.  

Your thoughts are spot on - especially where Mandy Welsummer  is concerned, but cannot say so about the other two.  

Will see when Spring arrives I guess ( hope ) ?    

Thank you for your comment and thoughts.  

Cheers ...  

anni my 3 aras have laid right through winter thus far and they are 7 ish years old. I find with them the heat of summer is when they usually take a break from laying. In saying that though i still have 2 broody pekins that refuse to be broken which is really odd for this time of year.

 

[satay]

Only thing i do different over winter is i slightly up their boss treats a day. Whether that has anything to do with ot or not i have no idea. They don't get a heap 2 takeaway containers a day worth between everyone. Mine eat a lot of chillis too as we grow so many varieties.