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

[Pjacct]

Hi All, I'm new to the forum and living in Australia (Central Coast NSW, ex Sydney, ex Melbourne, ex Newcastle), so I thought I'd say hi.

I had chickens as a child and have recently started a new flock: 2 x Blue Australorps, 2 x Light Sussex, 2 x Lavender Araucanas and 1 Wyandotte. All 7.5 weeks old. I think two are definitely roosters (one is the most human friendly of the bunch!) and so will need re-homing at some point, since our council area doesn't permit them. Love sitting out there with them and chatting to them (everyone else does that right?) and watching their little personalities develop.

Just been reading about the fox problems some of you have been enduring... can anyone from around Tuggerah Lakes area tell me what the fox situation is like? I'm new-ish to the neighbourhood. I can see the potential for foxes here, but haven't actually seen any.

I’m just south of the Hawkesbury River and we do have foxes here but luckily not too many. They seem to have been pretty focused in the last 12-24 months in this area of eradication. They don’t get them all though and it only takes one I’m more concerned about my smaller pullets at the moment (15wks) especially with a few eastern brown and tiger snake sightings about down here.
I’d make sure you have a secure coop and shut your flock in at night where possible. Hopefully someone here can give you a better idea of how bad they are in your area.

 

[Suzalorp]

I’m just south of the Hawkesbury River and we do have foxes here but luckily not too many. They seem to have been pretty focused in the last 12-24 months in this area of eradication. They don’t get them all though and it only takes one I’m more concerned about my smaller pullets at the moment (15wks) especially with a few eastern brown and tiger snake sightings about down here.
I’d make sure you have a secure coop and shut your flock in at night where possible. Hopefully someone here can give you a better idea of how bad they are in your area.

They are all locked in the coop at night and I do feel pretty secure about it, but I can also see areas for improvement if it turns out that I need to be more vigilant (predator light, more pavers extending out around the coop to deter digging, etc.) Thanks Pjacct.

 

[Sparky74]

We haven’t see our fox for a while now but we have another woe. We’ve not been getting many eggs lately. We were blaming the heat for the girls going off the lay and then wondered if the two juveniles were eating the eggs. But we now think a blue tongue lizard is the culprit.

 

[LuckysMum]

Sparky74 I hope you found your culprit. I found a broken egg on the lawn. I think a crow got into the only nest that wasn't covered. I've moved all my girls to the coop and run that are completely covered now.
I hope you aren't losing anymore eggs.
I am having so many problems with the site. I have not been able to reply to your post before now, it wouldn't let me type. I have had to do this one about 3 times and I'm still having problems.
Good luck

 

[satay]

We haven’t see our fox for a while now but we have another woe. We’ve not been getting many eggs lately. We were blaming the heat for the girls going off the lay and then wondered if the two juveniles were eating the eggs. But we now think a blue tongue lizard is the culprit.

We have had problems with goannas eating eggs so i am sure a bluey would love them too. Crows are horrid egg stealers as well. We have a lot of magpies here and if a snake is close during the day they go off so least i get a waning if they get close to the hen house during the day.

 

[Zoomum]

This is what they came in poor chooks

 

[Zoomum]

And this is what they have now...
Still in progress but they seem to be happy and the white one and the brown one are both laying well. Gave us an egg the morning after they arrived. Still have to put perches in, they came with a branch tied to two milk crates. The gate is now straight and has a proper gate post with auto closing gate and latch.
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[betR2]

...I am just in the throws of setting up for a new suburban flock. So, no chickens yet, a coop and some supplies ordered and lots of Google...

Update 13 Jan '18
A lot can change in a month! We got our 4 x 3wk old chickens 16 December and have loved getting them used to 'home' and having all sorts of adventures with treats and forages (the weather was perfect here and they lasted all of 2 nights in our house before we introduced them to the coop). With the help of temporary chicken fencing with some bird netting across the top for protection, we were able to direct them to shady areas, grassy areas and garden areas. Our most beautifully coloured blue gold-laced Wyandotte looked like a rooster from early days but we continued to hope against hope. By 7 weeks it was so obvious that he went back to the breeder today.

Today was also the day we picked up an identically-coloured Wyandotte layer (huge and absolutely gorgeous!) and a Lavender Orpington to keep her company (also at point of lay). (No pics yet as we haven't had a moment to spare with all the cleaning and setting up and travelling.) We put the big ladies in the purchased coop but they haven't worked out that it has an upstairs sleeping area and nest boxes, yet. Lucky it is a very mild night after a very hot day, so I let them be, so as not to stress them further. They are quite safe in the coop. Gees, two large breed chooks make our coop (supposed to be for 2 to 8 chooks) quite full. I hope the chicks can eventually fit in, too. There will be a lot of yard time, so that should help.

The three remaining chicks are safely tucked up in the chicken tractor (they, at least, finally found the sleeping quarters) so I could close them in for the night.

So, once our new additions are settled in we will be looking forward to some eggs, at last. Meanwhile, I'm getting fitter by the minute and feeling happy and healthy, with all the jobs like building coops and fencing runs and the constant walking down to the coop to waste time watching them and finding treats for them. I call it Chicken Zumba!

 

[satay]

Update 13 Jan '18
A lot can change in a month! We got our 4 x 3wk old chickens 16 December and have loved getting them used to 'home' and having all sorts of adventures with treats and forages (the weather was perfect here and they lasted all of 2 nights in our house before we introduced them to the coop). With the help of temporary chicken fencing with some bird netting across the top for protection, we were able to direct them to shady areas, grassy areas and garden areas. Our most beautifully coloured blue gold-laced Wyandotte looked like a rooster from early days but we continued to hope against hope. By 7 weeks it was so obvious that he went back to the breeder today.

Today was also the day we picked up an identically-coloured Wyandotte layer (huge and absolutely gorgeous!) and a Lavender Orpington to keep her company (also at point of lay). (No pics yet as we haven't had a moment to spare with all the cleaning and setting up and travelling.) We put the big ladies in the purchased coop but they haven't worked out that it has an upstairs sleeping area and nest boxes, yet. Lucky it is a very mild night after a very hot day, so I let them be, so as not to stress them further. They are quite safe in the coop. Gees, two large breed chooks make our coop (supposed to be for 2 to 8 chooks) quite full. I hope the chicks can eventually fit in, too. There will be a lot of yard time, so that should help.

The three remaining chicks are safely tucked up in the chicken tractor (they, at least, finally found the sleeping quarters) so I could close them in for the night.

So, once our new additions are settled in we will be looking forward to some eggs, at last. Meanwhile, I'm getting fitter by the minute and feeling happy and healthy, with all the jobs like building coops and fencing runs and the constant walking down to the coop to waste time watching them and finding treats for them. I call it Chicken Zumba!

Congrats on your new girls. I am one for wasting time chicken gazing as well.
My girls had there first taste of hot summer yesterday where we hit 43c. It's supposed to be a little cooler today and only get to 38c. It's pretty warm already at 6.40am it's 31c.

 

[satay]

And this is what they have now...
Still in progress but they seem to be happy and the white one and the brown one are both laying well. Gave us an egg the morning after they arrived. Still have to put perches in, they came with a branch tied to two milk crates. The gate is now straight and has a proper gate post with auto closing gate and latch.
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Nice. I am sure your girls will appreciate their new digs