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

[MyHaven]

I don't think I saw it but the ones have have been forced into free range by placing the water in a different place daily and spreading the food around the area.
I'm not sure what actual breed they are. They are steggles proprietary meat birds.
Brother collected a box of 5 dozen back in May or June some time and we have been slow growing them. The birds raised to instructions from that others had were killed about 4 weeks ago and this lot are about 70% of that size.
We have just over half the birds left I think as serveral of them have dropped dead from a lot of reasons.
Mostly lack of chicken intelligence and overcrowding I think. They are far far less intelligent than any of the heratage or random xbreed I have dealt with.
.

I didn't realise you weren't looking at breeding them.

You could look at brahmas if you want to increase size. They used to be the US meat breed until about 1950 so they have the right characteristics for weight. But how big are your frizzles? I'll post a couple of pics of mine.

 

[MullyAly]

Thanks Myhaven. She was ready to stretch her legs this morning and certainly let me know she wanted out of her isolation by screaming at me in a pitch I have not heard before. So I let her out for a bit then put her back before I left (she was definitely NOT HAPPY JAN!) and I will definitely look at some preventative pest options.

 

[Anniebee]

My lemon tree has heaps on it at the moment too. I have made lemon butter, lemon drizzle cakes and last week made my first lemon meringue pie.

Good for you satay.

I am the worlds worst maker of cakes, desserts etc.

- but good with soups, and I do a lot of experimenting with main meals. I do use lemon juice in a lot of my soups and main courses ... but not enough to use up all there at the moment.

Will definitely have a go at making lemon butter though. Will find a recipe - think I have one in the CWA Cook-book they published one year, to raise money.

Well done.

Cheers ...

 

[Anniebee]

AB I have no ideas for you. I am so sorry. Sounds like she can get about when it suits her.

MyHaven ..... Yes - she can get around ( mostly slowly ) when she wants.

Today, she walked quickly (?) out to free range, did her usual pecking at grass and scratching in dirt, wandered about, found herself a spot - and sat. A while later she returned and retired to her bed - which seems to be a favoured day-time spot. However, if she is in there, and I go out the back door, she always gets up and comes out of the coop to see what's going on.

Took some very un-interesting mash out to them today .... Mandy was interested and immediately ate ( as usual ), then slowly lowered herself to the ground, and continued to eat quite happily - while Molly RIR had to eat 'around' her, as part of her chest was on the double cat bowl I use for them. I expected Molly to object strongly, but she didn't !! That is not something she does to eat her pellets, or drink water. No laying down for that.

I picked her up to check her feet - no bumblefoot there. But noticed she is slightly less in weight. Compared her beak ( which is a tad long ) to Molly's which seems normal length and am thinking to trim her beak this evening, only the tiniest weeniest bit off. Have noticed on many occasions, when she is eating mash, she will throw bits out onto the ground and pick it up from there.

I do not think she is blind ( her eyes look perfect from what I have seen and read ) - and she seems to be able to see where she is heading. Both girls used to be inseparable when free ranging, but these days, Molly rushes off by herself - digs up the garden frantically, and Mandy doesn't really follow her anymore ( or vice versa ).

In every respect, she is just like a little old lady, who can't walk very far without having to rest. Everything else seems normal. ???

Wouldn't be me, if I didn't have a conundrum in the back garden .....

( & elsewhere inside - named Sonya Labrador !! - although her behaviour is improving !! )

My next effort is to get some chicken vitamins - see if that helps her strength.

Cheers and thanks .....

 

[SilkieChickStar]

Good heavens.   That is the very BEST looking scare-crow ever to be seen.    

Am making one myself - old fashioned hat, filled up empty dog food bag painted with eyes etc.,  straw hands, an old coat  all on a T stick thingy  made of tomato stakes.   

That is to scare away any predator / raptors etc.   ... Well that's the idea anyway.  

You might have a different problem ... predatory guys on the roam, coming in to visit your beautiful maiden in the garden, ask if she need help.  

Which reminds me of a story my mother used to tell, from her childhood - early 1900's.    Greengrocers, butchers etc. delivered goods to the back door and were paid  then by the maid.  My  Nana had a mannequin ( from heaven only knows where ) which the girls including my Mum,  dressed up and stood just off a pathway to the back door.  [ one of their favourite play pastimes - that mannequin ]


Chinese greengrocer - very very perturbed, arrived at the back door to deliver his goods, and pointed frantically back over his shoulder.   Nana herself went out to see what the kerfuffle was all about .... Chinese gentleman, poked his fingers on the mannequins chest repeatedly ( naughty chappie ) ... and said in a big panic "she no talkie - she no talkie - she sick ?? " ...  Nana was not impressed, the girls were in stitches for hours.  .... and nobody ever told their father, my Papa.

Cheers ..........     

That is the best story! Made me really laugh

 

[satay]

Good for you satay.   

I am the worlds worst maker of cakes, desserts etc.   - but  good with soups, and I do a lot of experimenting with main meals.   I do use lemon juice in a lot of my soups and main courses ... but not enough to use up all there at the moment.  

Will definitely have a go at making lemon butter though.   Will find a recipe - think I have one in the CWA Cook-book they published  one year, to raise money.

Well done.   

Cheers ... 

Thanks Anni. I am the opposite of you. I am not the best savory cook. I can cook savory but it is very basic compared to others. I do soups and meat and 3 veg and a few others like lasagne etc but my son tells me i am boring on that front. I blame it on my years as a vegetarian. When i first met hubby 22 years ago i was vegetarian, I had been for 6 years.( i am not now for medical reasons)His parents had acreage and his dad is a butcher.. They had cows etc. Took a bit of getting used to. We had been together about 3 months and he invites his sister for dinner.. I freak out as i can't cook anything to do with meat, so luckily for me my brother is training to be a chef at the time . I rang him and he's on the phone telling me how to make spag bol. I write down all the ingredients, he makes me make my own sauce for it too. I go to the shop get the ingredients and go home to make it keeping my fingers crossed i don't poison hubby's sister. Seems all went well and it turned out lovely so they tell me.

 

[Anniebee]

Thanks Anni.

I am the opposite of you. I am not the best savory cook. I can cook savory but it is very basic compared to others. I do soups and meat and 3 veg and a few others like lasagne etc but my son tells me i am boring on that front. I blame it on my years as a vegetarian. When i first met hubby 22 years ago i was vegetarian, I had been for 6 years.( i am not now for medical reasons)His parents had acreage and his dad is a butcher.. They had cows etc. Took a bit of getting used to. We had been together about 3 months and he invites his sister for dinner.. I freak out as i can't cook anything to do with meat, so luckily for me my brother is training to be a chef at the time . I rang him and he's on the phone telling me how to make spag bol. I write down all the ingredients, he makes me make my own sauce for it too. I go to the shop get the ingredients and go home to make it keeping my fingers crossed i don't poison hubby's sister. Seems all went well and it turned out lovely so they tell me

Interesting tale about the spag. bolognese. !!

Well done.

I love vegetarian food myself, but am not a vegetarian at all. Eat mostly fish, pork and chicken

and the occasional minced steak or good cut steak.

Family member is a vegetarian, and totally refuses to go near meat, let alone touch it ? Her husband has to cut / cook his own meat, while she does only whatever vegies are to go with it - whether roast, casserole or grill etc. .... Guess that's preferable to wifey gagging all over the place !!

But they have 3 littlies 4 yrs and under, and while the 2 older children do eat meat in some form, ( doctors orders apparently ) .... I think she gets her Mum to do it, when her hubby is overseas on business.

Vegetarian can be yummy, and this lass has some fantastic recipes for her preferences.

Cheers .........

 

[satay]

Interesting tale about the spag.  bolognese. !!   Well done.       

I love vegetarian food myself, but am not a vegetarian at all.    Eat mostly fish, pork and chicken  and the occasional minced steak or good cut steak.  

Family member is a vegetarian, and totally refuses to go near meat, let alone touch it ?  Her husband has to cut / cook his own meat, while she does only whatever vegies are to go with it - whether roast, casserole or grill etc.    ....  Guess that's preferable to wifey gagging all over the place !!    

But they have 3 littlies 4 yrs and under, and while the 2 older children do eat meat  in some form, ( doctors orders apparently ) .... I think she  gets her Mum to do it, when her hubby is overseas on business.   

Vegetarian can be yummy, and this lass has some fantastic recipes for her preferences. 

Cheers ......... 

I never minded touching meat really but the smell i don't really like even to this day. I am more of a chicken and fish kinda gal but will try most other meats. I don't eat pork (taste) and i would never eat kangaroo or deer but i have tried crocodile and actually quite liked that but I think i would be a vego again if i personally had to kill anything to eat it. Hubby does that bit around here. I can pluck and gut but i don't think i could ever bring myself to actually dispatch them.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I never minded touching meat really but the smell i don't really like even to this day. I am more of a chicken and fish kinda gal but will try most other meats. I don't eat pork (taste) and i would never eat kangaroo or deer but i have tried crocodile and actually quite liked tha but I think i would be a vego again if i personally had to kill anything to eat it. Hubby does that bit around here. I can pluck and gut but i don't think i could ever bring myself to actually dispatch them.

I'm with you. I don't eat a lot of meat. Our youngest went vegan 10 months ago and she is very hard to buy for, I'm constantly reading labels at the super market. She won't even eat my lovely free range eggs.
They sailed last night so should just be getting down to the vehicle deck to check on the horses.

 

[Fancychooklady]

The newest member of our growing menagerie arrived today. Meet BLING.

More blue and splash silkies hatched today will try to get a pic tomorrow .