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

[LuckysMum]

Um, they're chicks!

No idea of the parentage but my wife says that they could have become a chocolate sponge or a batch of lamingtons! We had purchased some free range eggs for baking as our girls weren't supplying enough for our needs and having noticed a bullseye on each of the yolks I "rescued" 2 dozen of the eggs and put them in an incubator. 3 chicks so far but we'll see what tomorrow brings.

good luck I hope you get more hens than roosters.

 

[satay]

Ah - now I don't feel so ashamed.   So sad your chookies  have to be supervised all the time because of the hawk population.    But boy - when out and about I bet they make the most of all that lovely greenery.  

Today, I went out with the scissors ( again ), to cut some low grass and quite a bit of shamrock growth, to chop up finely and mix in with a treat for them.  I don't let them roam for long, as we have foxes here, who have recently  taken to day light robbery, and it is far simpler for a fox to grab a free ranging chicken than one in the run - or in the coop.  

Still and all - we don't have much greenery anyway.      ... They do have compost in their run, to dig around in though.  

Cheers ~   

I lost my two blue marans to a fox yesterday afternoon when i was out. A neighbour higher up saw it run off with one but couldn't get down in time to stop it. Thor was locked up as we have fences down still.

 

[satay]

Another day, another chick!

I didn't set these as a staggered hatch.

So adorable.

 

[Sparky74]

good luck I hope you get more hens than roosters.

That's always the hope, isn't it. Not to worry, these ones I'm raising to sell at a fete, not to keep.

Oh, and another one hatched overnight which makes 4. So even if the remaining 20 eggs don't yield anymore chicks my wife reckons their still the cheapest chickens I've ever bought. I think the eggs were $3/dozen.

 

[LuckysMum]

I lost my two blue marans to a fox yesterday afternoon when i was out. A neighbour higher up saw it run off with one but couldn't get down in time to stop it. Thor was locked up as we have fences down still.

So sorry satay

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

Hey Harmsody in answer to your question. First up, I am not entirely sure that the freeloaders mooching around in the back garden are actually chooks! LOL

Anyways, I have 4 year old Cilla who is a Pekin [bantam Cochin], 4 year old Dusty who is a bantam Langshan, 3 year old Blondie who is also a Pekin, 3 year old LuLu who is a frizzle Pekin and 2 year old Crystal who is a Silkie x Pekin

Congrats on the quirky hatch Sparky. It will be interesting to see what they grow up to be.

LOL at Rudy to Trudy LuckysMum

Aaaw satay I am so very sorry to hear of your loss

#$%^&* Fox!!

I have a little bit of news .. feathered and fur babies transport and flight organised and paid for. I am just awaiting their final itinerary for the 12th of May. Both sad and exciting at the same time.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I lost my two blue marans to a fox yesterday afternoon when i was out. A neighbour higher up saw it run off with one but couldn't get down in time to stop it. Thor was locked up as we have fences down still.

Oh that sucks, sorry for your loss.

 

[Fizzybelle]

Quick question. Mabel scraped her beak. The top layer above her nostrils has lifted up. It's not deep or anything. Will it just grow out? There's a bit of dirt stuck under it, I tried cleaning it but that was verrrry difficult. Just checking it's nothing to worry much about. Thanks. It was very hard to get photos too..she wouldn't sit still!

 

[Anniebee]

Satay ..... so very sorry to hear you lost two of your blue marans to a damnmed fox. That is horrible news. Sad for your loss.
..........

Thanks to everyone on the kind comments about new 'kitty' ... Benny-Benjie / Shermie / Sherlock / Sherloh ----- oh I dunno. He seems to respond to Benny-Benjie, so maybe that's it. He is registered at the vets as Sherlock.

Big surprise there, not so much to me, but to my sister who minded him before we got him. She was told he was 12 weeks old ???? .... I seriously questioned that, thinking him quite a few weeks older than that. Nah - only 12 weeks she said. One heillava large kitten for 12 weeks, although is really only small in structure. Vaccination last Wednesday, & one look at his teeth by the Vet and he said - rising 6 months old, if not there already ...... Aaaaggghh.

... he will be neutered asap after his 2nd vaccination.

So neutering will be in about 3 weeks time. Should have been done before now - for sure. He is well developed male-wise, but so far is not spraying - he is quite adorable and very affectionate. Beats up Miss Ruby with paws only - no claws. Ruby loves it - hilarious fun. He hides behind doors to ambush her as she goes looking for him. Leaps out like a lunatic, forelegs waving around to clout, and then chases Miss Ruby to wherever. Lots of running noise goes on, with raised dust to boot.
.............

Teila - that chicken coop looks like a Buckingham Palace for your girls - what a magnificent job your hubby is making of it. Good luck with the big move when the day arrives.
...........

Fascinating story about the free range eggs hatching. Might try that myself, although would have to carry a couple around in my bra to hatch them ....

I don't have an incubator, but could borrow one. !!! I remember my grandmother talking about hatching a chick or chicks in the cleavage. She said it worked. ??? Have googled it, and many have tried, but with next to no success ....

Anyway Sparky74 - you might have started something. !!! LOL.

....

Speaking of eggs ( of which we have none from the girls ) I have been buying eggs recently, mostly allegedly free range - but occasionally, feeling sorry for the chookies and their hard work - have bought 1/2 dozen caged eggs. I was quite amazed to find the caged eggs yolks were a lovely orangey dark gold colour - beautiful yolks. But I had also heard, that they are fed something or other to make the yolks
extra attractive. Hope its' just greens that they are fed extra. I think caged birds these days are in much better conditions than they used to be - the RSPCA had plenty +++ to say about all that and forced the issue.

..........

Harmsody - I have but 3 chickens. 2 are moulting. 1 ( Molly, Rhode Island Red ) seems to have given up being a chicken altogether, hasn't laid in over 12 months now, and no sign of moulting yet either. She just wanders around feeding her face, and honking a lot. She doesn't look like a duck, but certainly sounds like one. My other two featherless girls with quills sticking out all over are an Araucana and a Welsummer. A most uncomfortable time for them.

Till next time - have a good weekend all -

Cheers .........

 

[Sparky74]

I lost my two blue marans to a fox yesterday afternoon when i was out. A neighbour higher up saw it run off with one but couldn't get down in time to stop it. Thor was locked up as we have fences down still.

I'm sorry to hear that, Satay.

After I lost 7 of my 8 Light Sussex pullets earlier this year I'm vigilant about locking the chooks away at night but I don't know what I'd do if a fox was so brazen to visit in the afternoon. I guess living in town has some advantages even if it means I can't have a rooster or too many chooks.

Another of my $4/dozen free range eggs hatched overnight so that makes 6/24 so far.