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

[satay]

Must have been the night for not sleeping lol I was wide awake at 3am yet again, so thought might as well get up too
Apps sounds like she might have an infection, you know yourself if you have one you are lethargic
Hope she gets a spring back in her feet soon

Gosh that's a bad nights sleep Sandee.

 

[SandeeC]

Yeah just way too much on my mind at the moment, this end of year paper for Uni is not helping lol
Oh well, might take time out to go outside today and finish off the chickies new coop See if that helps me sleep tonight
Will try and get some pics of them today too They have grown so much

 

[satay]

I know exactly how you feel. Just sent 3 dozen to work with my hubby, and organizing a lift to launceston this morning. I have 4 people waiting, then a lady contacted me on Sunday desperate for some eggs to put under her broody. I have had an egg a day from each of them, then this week production has dropped to half.

It's not just me then. Must be something in the air.

 

[Ashburnham]

Hi everyone

I was wondering if anyone might be able to offer me some advice on chicken coops in Australia. I'm interested in definitely having chickens and guinea fowl (and perhaps ducks and geese) and, if I can swing it, having them all live together. They would free range in a paddock in the day, but at night they'd need a good amount of space in the coop - especially considering the mixing of species. I'd want to ensure everybody had plenty of space and as few reasons to fight as possible.

However, the focus on coops always seems to be on how to build them... which sounds to me like flying to Mars! I'm not sure I've ever even picked up a hammer in my life before, and in general I'm terrible at doing anything with my hands. My girlfriend isn't either, and I don't know anyone who is.

So that means our only option is to buy a coop. However, the only coops I can find available in Australia are all so small! That's bad not only because it limits our possible numbers, it doesn't bode well if we want to have some bigger birds (e.g. geese) as well. The biggest one I've found available in Australia so far is this one:http://www.backyardchickencoops.com.au/the-mansion-chicken-coop-pc-13.php

Although that one is nice, I just wish there was a way to get something bigger. I look on YouTube/BYC and other sites and see such amazing, large, roomy coops and think "yes, like THAT!". But those are always self-built, and for us that ain't ever gonna happen.

Is there anywhere bigger coops can be bought, someplace I'm missing? I know I could just put them in a huge shed rather cheaply, but that wouldn't have all the features (nesting boxes, run etc) that I'd like. Is there anyone that sells really big, roomy coops?

You will find it is much easier and cheaper to adapt a garden shed to a chicken house. The purpose built chook houses are all too small and too expensive.
(Never build anything you cant stand upright in)


xxxx M

 

[satay]

This is my marans tractor. It currently has 10 marans in it but it is only for night sleeping as they freerange during the day.

The whole of the front opens up so they can go out in the mornings and is padlocked at night. It is light enough for me to just move along.,
The roof is just all old piece of garden shed that was left here when we moved here and there is a door on the top of the tactor that opens up so you can collect eggs when they start to lay.

 

[satay]

Can you spot the sizzle lol.

Sizzie the sizzle has put her nest in the scrap metal pile my hubby has beside the shed. A neighbour has a scrap business and comes to collect it every few months. This is her second week of sitting that i know of but she may have been there longer.

 

[appps]

Okay so here are a couple of photos of the comb. You can see where the dark piece dangling down used to be above the red bit of comb.





I really cant decide if she is sick though or broody. She has moved back into the nesting box and is growling at everyone who comes near.

Really dont need a trip to the vet today, gotta fit an hour round trip to pick up some doves Im babysitting as well today, then fit the cup in too!

 

[Fancychooklady]

Personally I wouldn't worry too much if you think she's broody. It's certainly no worse than my hens injury. The dead tissue may fall off. If you don't have any Terramycin spray can you get your hands on some antiseptic spray , we always have cetrigen ( purple ) spray in the horse first aid box.

 

[satay]

You can spray betadine spray on the comb if you are worried appps. My guess would be she is broody.

 

[appps]

Thanks guys. I'm hoping its just broodiness too. It doesn't look swollen or anything so think I will just keep an eye on it for now.

Can I strangle hubby though? He tells me today that on Saturday when he was at a mates house he went to look at a sick chook he had. Apparently the neck was laying back and it had discharge oozing. He washed his hands but then would have worn the same shoes to go in and lock our chooks up.