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

[Anniebee]

Hi Annie, I hope you had a great Xmas. I was thinking about you today when a friend on the peacock site shared information about the 'Bird Vet Melbourne ' . They have a wonderful facebook page if you are able to access it.

http://www.bird-vet.com

Thanks Fancy ... had a good ( but quiet ) Christmas, which suited me perfectly. Hope your Christmas was wonderful. No doubt all your loved animals and birds got little Chrissie gifts ...

The above link to 'bird-vet' is where I took Mandy for a consult a couple of months back - is the Avian Vet I mentioned. 1 hour there, and ( being during peak hour ) 1.1/4 hours back home. Mandy sat placidly in the cat carrier and trilled to me often. Vet. could not find anything wrong with her - and decided it was a) possibly skeletal, and b) most likely normal arthritic from time to time. Gave her anti-inflammatories, which didn't make a lot of difference. I now give her a pinch of cayenne pepper every day, just in case she is suffering some discomfort ... which I can not be sure of - she moves herself around the run and garden, as she sees fit - sometimes walking, sometimes using her wings at ground level. Still laying, still submitting ... and would give your horses a run for their money, in terms of appetite.

That link is an excellent site. And the clinic has a superb reputation.

p.s. - how much cayenne pepper can I give her daily ? Or is there a better natural substance to try for discomfort ? ( just in case ).

..............

To you and to others who have followed Mandys' strange ways.

Today all prayers were answered for rain here in Victoria, after days of heat and stifling humidity, and a tropical downpour occurred - flooding in many parts, including our entire land area, the chicken coops were wet on the bottom, some of their feed from pelting rain ( which I ultimately tipped out ). Looked out during the storm and saw that all chickens were in their coops. Whooppee --- I don't have to get drenched, rounding them up for "bed".

It bucketed down. About a half hour later, I checked on the hens again. And who do ya think was sitting out near the gate - as close to as much rain as she could possibly get ???

Who else - but Mandy. ? I have never seen a hen so entirely saturated. She seemed quite happy with herself. I wasn't.

So I brought her inside, towelled her off to the best of my ability ( must invest in a blow dryer ), stuck her in the bathroom which was warmish, on lots of paper with food and water. Then heard the click-clack of beak into pellets and she ended up with a crop full, which is a miracle in itself as her crop hangs very low, ( is not a pendulous crop - according to the Bird Vet ) ... but is not easy to find. She had a lovely feed !!

She did have a watery bowel while in there, but with urate showing etc. Not something I have ever worried about - she has done that when laying from POL ??? Returns to normal solid bowel when moulting ! .... Took about 3 hours to dry her by herself, plus with my towelling.

And when not quite totally dry - but the skin was dry - out she went with her friend Molly - and was put to bed on fresh dry bedding. I can only hope I find her ok in the morning.

I tell ya - she will have me in a mental institution before she's finished with me !!

Happy New Year to all - - - from me 'n Mandy ( and my other two girls ).

Cheers ........

 

[Anniebee]

A hearty welcome to Tillicans ... you will have fun here, and learn so much.

 

[Fizzybelle]

Good morning folks

Fizzybelle careful they do not think that the shopping trip and subsequent treats is going to be the norm for 2017

satay yeah, I am not a fan of Pumpkin Pie either but hubby loves it .. the things we do for love

LOL I can picture you enjoying the grass and rain!

Congrats on the bubbies … and kudos to you for contributing to the ‘World Needs More Pekins’ campaign

Looking forward to the pics

Fancy tee hee at your daughter and her grass withdrawal

Tillicans glad you found us! You are in for such a treat .. watching mumma hen with her babies is priceless!

Mini vent time .... Remember the last time there was a cat fight next to the coop I lost KiKi .. I went out in the morning to check and she was dead on the floor? Now, I have no proof, but she was fine the night before when she went to bed .. cat fight .. she is dead .. I believe it could have been fright.

So, at 3AM, after once again being woken by screaming cats from h*ll, I am outside with the torch to 1. Shoo off the cats and 2. Ensure the girls are not too terrified when I bump into my neighbour in our back garden, frightened the bejesus outta ME! Anyways, after securing her rather badly beaten puddy cat who was definitely on the losing side, she thanks me for my assistance .. I grunted and nodded but was actually thinking "Hey Lady, I am out here checking on my chickens, take your cat and get off my property". As she walked past our front door, Syba was on the other side, peering out at her [also apparently not impressed at being woken] and she says “Oh, you have your cat inside?” To which I replied “Yeah” but was thinking “Yeah, you might wanna try it one day .. you know, keep your cat under control so neighbours are not up at 3AM exchanging pleasantries when actually wanting to punch you!"

Why is keeping cats indoors at night such a revelation for people? It's for their own safety first and foremost, I mean that's an owners responsibility as their guardian. They can get run over, attacked, or attack other animals. Sounds like though maybe a lightbulb went off for your neighbour and she might try it...until the cat meows to go out and she weakens or something. Well, a hose usually solves cat fights pretty quickly anyway

My girls have already polished off the alfalfa I brought from my shopping trip the other. It was a compromise, I wanted to sit on my banana lounge and eat pizza shapes undisturbed while reading in the cool afternoon breeze, so I gave them the half full container. It worked until they finished it and shifted their focus onto me. They were like zombies, slowly circling me, getting closer, and closer, staring at the box and each biscuit I lifted out. Ezzie jumped up for one, missed, so they collectively decided to jump on the chair, then climb on me. Had to call it quits at that point.

And Beatrice is broody again, barely two weeks this time, but she's not copying Esmé, it was her own idea - Ezzie (touchwood) is still normal.

Satay congrats on your new little chicks!

Welcome Tillicans!

 

[Tillicans]

Too funny. I can just picture you surrounded by your cats trying to pinch a pizza shape. I like the new taste too. I had my cat for 18 years a tabby she was scared of her own shadow, loved to be outside, so I let her, never got into a fight, she would run the opposite direction. Growing up we always heard cats fighting, come to think of it I haven't heard one for years. Guess most people do the right thing.
Some people are a bit thoughtless..

 

[Fizzybelle]

Too funny. I can just picture you surrounded by your cats trying to pinch a pizza shape. I like the new taste too. I had my cat for 18 years a tabby she was scared of her own shadow, loved to be outside, so I let her, never got into a fight, she would run the opposite direction. Growing up we always heard cats fighting, come to think of it I haven't heard one for years. Guess most people do the right thing.
Some people are a bit thoughtless..

Oh by girls I meant my chickens, I don't have a cat atm. My childhood pet cat though would have most likely tried a pizza shape, as he had a weird pallet that boy. Loved lamingtons. But yes, anything i'm foolish enough to eat in front of the chickens, they expect me to share it with them. Refusal to do so results in me being swarmed.

And yeah, I like the new pizza shapes more than the original too, more flavouring. Often used to feel like I was gambling with the box I chose, wondering if the shapes inside would have lots of flavouring or not.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks Fancy ... had a good ( but quiet ) Christmas, which suited me perfectly.   Hope your Christmas was wonderful.   No doubt all your loved animals and birds got little Chrissie gifts ... 

The above link to 'bird-vet' is where I took Mandy for a consult a couple of months back - is the Avian Vet I mentioned.   1 hour there, and ( being during peak hour ) 1.1/4 hours back home.  Mandy sat placidly in the cat carrier and trilled to me often.   Vet. could not find anything  wrong with her - and decided it was a) possibly skeletal, and b) most likely normal arthritic from time to time.   Gave her anti-inflammatories, which didn't make a lot of difference.   I now give her a pinch of cayenne pepper every day, just in case she is suffering some discomfort ... which I can not be sure of - she moves herself around the run and garden, as she sees fit - sometimes walking, sometimes using her wings at ground level.   Still laying, still submitting ... and would give your horses a run for their money, in terms of appetite.    

That link is an excellent site.   And the clinic has a superb reputation.

p.s. - how much cayenne pepper can I give her daily ?  Or is there a better natural substance  to try for discomfort ? ( just in case ).      

..............

To you and to others who have followed Mandys' strange ways.   

Today all prayers were answered for rain here in Victoria, after days of heat and stifling humidity,   and a tropical downpour occurred - flooding in many parts, including our entire land area, the chicken coops were wet on the bottom, some of their feed from pelting rain ( which I ultimately tipped out ).   Looked out during the storm and saw that all chickens were in their coops.   Whooppee --- I don't have to get drenched, rounding them up for "bed".

It bucketed down.   About a half hour later, I checked on the hens again.   And who do ya think was sitting out near the gate - as close to as much rain as she could possibly get ??? 

Who else - but Mandy. ?   I have never seen a hen so entirely saturated.   She seemed quite happy with herself.   I wasn't.     

So I brought her inside, towelled her off to the best of my ability ( must invest in a blow dryer ), stuck her in the bathroom which was warmish, on lots of paper with food and water.   Then heard the click-clack of beak into pellets and she ended up with a crop full, which is a miracle in itself as her crop hangs very low, (  is not a pendulous crop - according to the Bird Vet ) ... but is not easy to find.   She had a lovely feed !!   She did have a watery bowel while in there, but with urate showing etc.  Not something I have ever worried about - she has done that when laying from POL  ???  Returns to normal solid bowel when moulting !   .... Took about 3 hours to dry her by herself, plus with my towelling.

And when not quite totally dry - but the skin was dry - out she went with her friend Molly - and was put to bed on fresh dry bedding.   I can only hope I find her ok in the morning.  

I tell ya - she will have me in a mental institution before she's finished with me !!  :/  

[COLOR=FF0000]Happy New Year to all[/COLOR] - - - from me 'n Mandy ( and my other two girls ).  

Cheers ........ 

I found Dr Phil's posts on crop surgery and implants to stop isa Browns laying very informative.
You can't really overdose on the cayenne pepper. Antioxidants might also help reduce any inflammatory action in the body. At this time of the year blue berries are nice and cheap and said to have great antioxidant properties. Gout sufferers have reported good levels of relief after eating them. I bought the blueberrie tea awhile back and found it to be quite refreshing.

 

[Anniebee]

I found Dr Phil's posts on crop surgery and implants to stop isa Browns laying very informative.
You can't really overdose on the cayenne pepper. Antioxidants might also help reduce any inflammatory action in the body. At this time of the year blue berries are nice and cheap and said to have great antioxidant properties. Gout sufferers have reported good levels of relief after eating them. I bought the blueberrie tea awhile back and found it to be quite refreshing.

Thanks heaps Fancy ....
Will purchase some blueberries as they are cheap here too. She wouldn't eat them unless they are chopped up tho !

.... and we love them with icecream.

For gout - mine has now gone and hoping it remains that way ... cherries. of any description, fresh / pitted black / sour cherries - works wonders for gout too, so I figure a few of those might get chopped up also for Madam Mandy. Will buy a new jar of them, for her 'fruit salad'. She survived the night, and is currently thinking of laying an egg, although has been very quiet today - the heat and humidity is ghastly here - again / still !!

The Avian Vet I mentioned ( in your link ), also spoke of an implant that can be used - to stop any hen laying. Used in the case of difficulty in the egg producing works, but of course only after a diagnosis of that is confirmed. We didn't go down that track - and Mandy doesn't ( to date and hopefully never does ) have any difficulty laying well shelled eggs. It's Mindy that would have to have an implant if soft shell laying returns for her. While I find it difficult to find Mandys' crop mostly, the Avian Vet felt it straight away and said all was well ( not pendulous or anything ). Learning about chickens seems endless and fascinating.

Cheers ......

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks heaps Fancy .... 
Will purchase some blueberries as they are cheap here too.   She wouldn't eat them unless they are chopped up tho !    .... and we love them with icecream.   

For gout - mine has now gone  and hoping it remains that way  ... cherries. of any description, fresh / pitted black / sour cherries - works wonders for gout too, so I figure a few of those might get chopped up also for Madam Mandy.  Will buy a new jar of them, for her 'fruit salad'.    She survived the night, and is currently thinking of laying an egg, although has been very quiet today - the heat and humidity is ghastly here - again / still !!  

The Avian Vet I mentioned ( in your link ), also spoke of an implant that can be used - to stop any hen laying.    Used in the case of difficulty in the egg producing works, but of course only after a diagnosis of that is confirmed.   We didn't go down that track - and Mandy doesn't ( to date and hopefully never does ) have any difficulty laying well shelled eggs.  It's Mindy that would have to have an implant if soft shell laying returns for her.   While I find it difficult to find Mandys' crop mostly, the Avian Vet felt it straight away and said all was well ( not pendulous or anything ).   Learning about chickens seems endless and fascinating.      

Cheers ......  

Any red fruit is said to have the antioxidants but blueberries in particular.
Dr Phil has a great Fb page this is a pic of what he removed from a hen that had ceased laying and yes the implant is helping many birds , especially isa Browns that are at risk of egg binding and peritonitis.

 

[Sparky74]

Hi,

I've just joined BYC although I've been lurking for about 18 months. I posted in the NYD hatch-a-long thread and someone reply and suggested I introduce myself here as well.

My wife is not an animal person so I almost fell over when about 18 months ago she suggested we get some chooks!

I lost no time and sourced 4 ISA Brown hens of unknown age but they were still laying well. Within a few months I purchased some chicks from a local primary school and then went back for more figuring some were going to be roosters. The rule in my backyard is, "if you crow, you go" because we are living in town with neighbours on either side and across the street.

As they started to crow, I gave them away and eventually our flock was whittled down to a manageable 10: the 4 original ISA Browns, 5 Gold Lace Wyandotte X Rode Island Red (they were supposed to be GLW), and a black Aurcana (probably a X but she laid blue/green eggs and had tufts of fluffy feathers sticking out either side of her face).

About 6 months ago the ISA Browns stopped laying and I was wondering how to get rid of them. A dog from across the paddock came to visit. (we live on the edge of town, suburbia at the front and farmland over the back fence). Said dog had a great time chasing and killing the chooks. The wife was distraught and I had to leave work early to come home and deal with the carnage. Fortunately it wasn't as bad as it first appeared and the dog had dine us a favour by killing 3 of the nonproductive ISA Browns. Some of the other chooks had lots of feathers missing but all survived apart from the Aurcana which sadly died a day or two later.

Since then the other ISA Brown had died (just a few weeks ago). So that left us with 5 GLW X RIR. But you know how Chicken Maths works. One of the hens went broody so I bought a dozen X breed mystery eggs and have ended up with 6 healthy chicks which will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. I have already found a home for these because a second hen went broody and is sitting on a dozen Light Sussex eggs, due to hatch on Sunday (hopefully).

Mark

 

[satay]

Hi,

I've just joined BYC although I've been lurking for about 18 months. I posted in the NYD hatch-a-long thread and someone reply and suggested I introduce myself here as well.

My wife is not an animal person so I almost fell over when about 18 months ago she suggested we get some chooks!

I lost no time and sourced 4 ISA Brown hens of unknown age but they were still laying well. Within a few months I purchased some chicks from a local primary school and then went back for more figuring some were going to be roosters. The rule in my backyard is, "if you crow, you go" because we are living in town with neighbours on either side and across the street.

As they started to crow, I gave them away and eventually our flock was whittled down to a manageable 10: the 4 original ISA Browns, 5 Gold Lace Wyandotte X Rode Island Red (they were supposed to be GLW), and a black Aurcana (probably a X but she laid blue/green eggs and had tufts of fluffy feathers sticking out either side of her face).

About 6 months ago the ISA Browns stopped laying and I was wondering how to get rid of them. A dog from across the paddock came to visit. (we live on the edge of town, suburbia at the front and farmland over the back fence). Said dog had a great time chasing and killing the chooks. The wife was distraught and I had to leave work early to come home and deal with the carnage. Fortunately it wasn't as bad as it first appeared and the dog had dine us a favour by killing 3 of the nonproductive ISA Browns. Some of the other chooks had lots of feathers missing but all survived apart from the Aurcana which sadly died a day or two later.

Since then the other ISA Brown had died (just a few weeks ago). So that left us with 5 GLW X RIR. But you know how Chicken Maths works. One of the hens went broody so I bought a dozen X breed mystery eggs and have ended up with 6 healthy chicks which will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. I have already found a home for these because a second hen went broody and is sitting on a dozen Light Sussex eggs, due to hatch on Sunday (hopefully).

Mark