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

[Fizzybelle]

Oh Satay, so sorry for your loss One of the stupidest ideas ever was to introduce foxes into our country. I hope the rest of your girls are stay safe.

 

[nicky chicky]

Hi there lovely chicken people. I have just become a member of this sight and the lovely Teila has given me some great advice already. I have been reading through for a couple of months now and as a new chicken owner am so pleased that this addiction is real

I didnt even know that we had hawkes in Australia which is a concern. I am on tbe Gold coast in Queensland and am looking to maybe have an araucana .Does anyone have an opinion or advice about how they would go in my area.Thanks guys so good to be on a forum with like minded people

 

[IamSamSam]

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 names 'Lamington" Chocolate" sponge lol

 

[IamSamSam]

Oh Satay. So so sorry to here this hun

 

[LuckysMum]

Hi there lovely chicken people. I have just become a member of this sight and the lovely Teila has given me some great advice already. I have been reading through for a couple of months now and as a new chicken owner am so pleased that this addiction is real

I didnt even know that we had hawkes in Australia which is a concern. I am on tbe Gold coast in Queensland and am looking to maybe have an araucana .Does anyone have an opinion or advice about how they would go in my area.Thanks guys so good to be on a forum with like minded people

I am sure you'll love this thread. I have an araucana and she is beautiful. I have 19 chooks at the moment she is the only one who is laying. She lays every second day without fail. I'm sure you can't go wrong with an araucana.

 

[Anniebee]

I am sure you'll love this thread. I have an araucana and she is beautiful. I have 19 chooks at the moment she is the only one who is laying. She lays every second day without fail. I'm sure you can't go wrong with an araucana.

Also a hearty

nickychicky .... I am sure you will enjoy every moment here.

I too have an Araucana who is nearing the end of her moult - after pillow cases of feathers. She's a class act and is adorable. . Whether it be laying or moulting, she does everything with great gusto and is a fiesty little tike. Definitely not a cuddler though. . But a darned good chookie to have - ( I think anywhere in Australia, actually ).

Have never read anything about them not thriving anywhere.

Enjoy your girls -

Cheers ....

 

[nicky chicky]

Thankyou luckysmum and Annibee. I only have four chickens 2 isa brown a black d'uccle and a white silkie. They have only been with us for 2 and a half months but the isa browns have been layibg everyday for about 5 weeks. The little d'uccle has been laying for just over a week and has given us 6 eggs .I am especially fond of her. The poor little silkie is so skittish I am just trying to let her be for now will have to expect nothing but cuteness from her I think. I am looking to get 3 more pullets but its so hard to decide too many cute ones. If anybody has pics or advice on breeds would be awesome. Looking for a couple of bantams and one more standard .

 

[Sparky74]

Thankyou luckysmum and Annibee. I only have four chickens 2 isa brown a black d'uccle and a white silkie. They have only been with us for 2 and a half months but the isa browns have been layibg everyday for about 5 weeks. The little d'uccle has been laying for just over a week and has given us 6 eggs .I am especially fond of her. The poor little silkie is so skittish I am just trying to let her be for now will have to expect nothing but cuteness from her I think. I am looking to get 3 more pullets but its so hard to decide too many cute ones. If anybody has pics or advice on breeds would be awesome. Looking for a couple of bantams and one more standard .

I'll add my words of welcome, too.

I think most chooks will handle the climate on the Gold Coast. Have a look around, online and/or in person and see what takes your fancy. Also consider what is available locally. Some breeds can be difficult to source.

We had an Araucana but it sadly died as the result of a dog attack. I've got 4 chicks that I bought 2 weeks ago and I'm hoping that at least one of them is a girl and we wince again have some pretty blue eggs. One day I'd like to get a Marans as they lay eggs with dark brown (chocolate coloured) shells. At the moment I'm planning on a Black and White flock. This week I bought a Barred Plymouth Rock pullet and a Dark one as well. I'd also like one or two Australorp, Leghorns, Silver Laced Wyandottes... But I currently have 28 chooks (another chick hatched last night) in a small suburban yard! Most of these are chicks and hopefully they will be sold at a fete next Saturday.

With regards to ISA Browns I've found them to be very good layers but once they stop laying after a couple of years, that's it. You need to have a plan (indeed, for all your chooks) as to what to do when they stop laying. Are you happy to keep them as nonproductive "pets" once their laying days are over or are you prepared to dispatch them? At that age they're not good eating (apart from soup) and there is a big difference between meat breeds and layers.

Mark
Cowra, NSW

 

[Sparky74]

Has anyone had any experience with a wool hen?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1133855/a-wool-hen-creating-one-today

I made one yesterday and turned off the heat lamp. I was very nervous last night but everyone seems happy and healthy this morning in spite of overnight lows of 7°C. Some of these chicks are only a couple of days old.

I've decided that heat lamps are a definite hazard. I didn't have mine high enough and my 2 week old Araucana chicks have slight burns on the tops of their heads. I feel dreadful but it won't happen again. With the wool hen I don't need a lamp anymore!

I assisted a chick to hatch last night as it had pipped and started to zip but had made no progress for 24 hours. I think I'd let the humidity in the incubator get a bit low as the shell membrane was quite tough and leathery and stuck to the chick. I put it in my other incubator with her (all my chicks are "her" until they prove otherwise!) latest hatch mates. She didn't look too good but she's still alive this morning and looking much better. I'll move her outside, under the wool hen in a couple of days.

So that makes 8 chicks out of 2 dozen eggs (so far). My wife bought these as free range eggs for cooking at a cost of $4/dozen. $1/chick is not too shabby!

 

[Coram]

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!

Hi Fizzybelle. I've had the same thing happen with a peacock. There was blood involved as well! The skin flap was lifted right up. All healed well, in about a week. Cheers.