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





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My pallet recycled coop without plans lol what do you think?
I love it! Looks strong and solid.
I am all into recycling and using what is on hand too. My neighbour just gave me a pallet so I can make some nesting boxes.

Never heard of striking plants with honey, will give it a go. I bought some seeds for wormwood on ebay, Failed.

I also have plenty of chillies growing and can post seeds, but mine are the bird's eyes, really hot.

My neighbour told me today one of his hens started to crow? Anybody heard of a crowing hen? She is nearly 2 years old and on the top of the pecking order. She is the youngest, but the biggest in the flock.
 
I've read on here about hens crowing. I'm kinda hoping when our rooster goes that one of our hens starts. Will make the neighbors look crazy if they are still complaining about roosters when we don't have one lol
 
Hello

I'm not quite sure how to 'interrupt' your conversation and I know I am coming on to the social page, but I really want to talk to some Aussies, and hopefully some in Sydney - so hello!

I have 3 gorgeous 2 year old chooks, as pets more than as egg layers, and I have 2 concerns at the moment - I'd love some Aussie / Sydney input.

1. I live near the bush and I'm being invaded by bush ( brush) turkeys. It's virtually impossible to stop them, I think. But I hate them because I think they bring lots of germs and lice etc in to my chooks digging / scratching area. Does anyone else have this problem?


2. My chooks are really fussy and I can't get them to eat their proper chook food - it's good quality but I fed them too much corn early on. I am trying to reduce all their other food to make them eat it but I feel awfully cruel doing this.. Any thoughts??


I've left questions on the appropritate forums but not sure if Aussies will see them. Any thoughts would be very helpful! Sorry if I'm in the wrong place please let me know.Thanks heaps : )


Alliterationsss
Hi there, I've been so busy the last couple of days and I hope you all don't mind me harking back to a previous post, but throught I'd add some ideas.

We are also in Sydney, close to a national park and down a 40m metre driveway which at the starts includes bushland where, every year, a male brush turkey looks after his eggs and then chicks every year. Mostly I have found if I can keep him out, the females generally stay out. My approach requires, sorry, several consecutive days of effort, but it has now worked for the best part of two years (and he's still around, I see him in the neighbours and in the bushland at the end of the driveway but not at ours).

We have a back garden, where the chooks are, about 32 metres by 36 metres, fenced off on all sides, so I have three hose pipes from the water tanks, and long hoses from each. First, I laid out all the hoses, ready for action. The spray attachment was set on jet. I wait in the garden. Coffee, newspaper, laptop. As soon as the brush turkey arrives, I get to the nearest hose and drench him. As he runs away, I follow him, hosing him until I run out of hose. I move to the next closest hose to him and drench him again from another direction. I keep it up till he flies over the fence. He (and I) are exhausted by the process. I wait in the garden and as soon as he reappears I do it all again. Result? After about 4-5 days of this, he just stopped coming into our garden, it just wasn't worth the fuss.

We did get a chick in here this spring (he's a good dad!) and after four days in a row removing it from the chicken run (left open whilst the girls free ranged. I removed feeders but the spillage was enough to attract it) we caught it and relocated it 10 minutes down the road, much closer to the bush. I try to keep them out because of the lice, mites and also I heard (don't know if this is true) that a male brush turkey may try to mate with a chicken and badly hurt her. I also resented them boldly entering the chook run for leftovers.

Sorry for the long post, my point is that, if you really persevere, they will move on somewhere easier. And you can do it in a way that doesn't hurt them so no guilty feelings.

Finally, I use the feed you have photographed and my girls thrive on it. Steel your heart (as others have said, they will NOT starve on it) and get them used to it. Think of it this way - it is better for them to eat a good quality balanced feed. If your child would only eat cakes, you would ignore their protests to ensure they had protein, carbs, vitamins as well. You're doing the same thing with the chickens. They need to have the right food to thrive and then you can give the odd treat.

Wishing you all the best
Katrina
 
I've read on here about hens crowing. I'm kinda hoping when our rooster goes that one of our hens starts. Will make the neighbors look crazy if they are still complaining about roosters when we don't have one lol

lau.gif
YES!!!! but don't be to sure I have never had a rooster and my mixed flock of 25 hens not one has ever crowed. Some have mounted but no crowing.
 
Hi guys, hope you're all well and had a great Easter. Just wanted to pop in and say...

WE GOT OUR FIRST EGG!!!!
400


Such a proud parent right now!
 

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