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

[Colourful]

That's a shame appps, but at least you've realised now. I don't think there comes a time when we will know everything we need to know about chickens, there will always surprises (good or not), so don't be too hard on yourself.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

While on the garlic thing . From the natural keeping thread they were saying that forms of garlic other than raw dont have as much if the good things. Ie cooked powdered etc looses good bits in process. so to just give minced garlic fresh.

Just wondered if maybe it would be better to do that once a week in some mash than add to their water since its being boiled its technically cooking first. thoughts?

I'm using home grown garlic from very organic people. I think the garlic we get couldn't get better.lol.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-23/rare-chooks-importation/4707926

Just came across this article about new chicken breeds being imported into the country,Would anyone know if one of these newly introduced breeds are the Cream Legbar breeds?

NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is actually so exciting!!!
Here I come Legbars, Marans, Orpingtons and MANY more!!!!

oooh thanks for the tip! I have actually recently emailed the bird vet in Burwood to see if I can buy some anitbiotics from them without having to bring the birds in (I don't drive and it is a bit of a hike), but it is good to know what to ask for... meanwhile I do have OxymavB on hand - same ingredient though much more dilute form.

Sounds like you have got it all sorted. I didn't have to take my birds in at all. I did send in a poo sample but that was to see for worms, which has now been treated.

I thought Cream Legbar chickens also have a little tad of Araucana blood in them also to give the blue egg gene.

Nooo.lol. That's what is special about Legbars, they don't have Araucana in them.

You know, Naked Necks also carry the blue egg gene.

I think I may have been mind numbingly stupid and that's why my chooks are so underweight :-(

I just happened to notice a bit of dusty stuff clogging one side of their feeder and gave it a shake and the realization that should have hit me a month ago finally came that I've still got these guys on the grower crumble the bantams were on at their age but they are already now bigger than my bantams fully grown. The grower crumble is half the size again when I really look at it of the layer crumble the bantams are now eating.

They are probably skinny because it takes them so much longer to get a proper feed from these tiny little crumbles. I can't believe I'm so dumb :-(

Have tipped it all out and replaced with mixed layer crumble and pellets. They were happily scoffing down the full size pellets (which my bantams wouldn't touch). Hopefully they might get a better feed when they eat now - sigh.

Hope this fixes them up!
My flock doesn't seem to have problem getting a good feed from the chick feed.lol. They LOVE it!!!

Keep us updated, hope they get better!

 

[cluckcluckluke]

I know this is a long read but it may help!!!

Hen’s Sneezing

Posted By sara on October 9, 2011
Sneezing hens may have an upper respiratory problem and there can be discharge from the nose with this.
Hens are prone to respiratory problems.

There can be a number of causes:

• poor ventillation (droppings give off ammonia),
• sawdust (larger wood shavings sold in pet shops usually has the ‘dust’ extracted to prevent these problems),
• straw may carry dust in it.
• viruses – such as infectious bronchitis, pneumovirus, aspergilliosis, mycoplasma, infectious laryngotracheitis, Avian Influenza, Fowl pest / Newcastle disease, Coryza to name some.

All of these conditions show very similar symptoms which makes it difficult to know which it is, so the more symptoms you can describe or notice the more able to pick out what it might be.
My advice is to consult a vet, you may be able to phone your vet and ask for advice over the phone, without taking your hen in?
Here are some questions to conside if you hen is sneezing:

• Are they off their water or are they drinking more?
• When you pick them up do they feel thin?
• How are they standing, are their wings droopy?
• Is the area around their eyes puffed up?
• What are their droppings like, what colour and consistency?
• Does the hen’s breathing rattle?
• Are they laying eggs? If so are the eggs ok, or are they thin shelled, mis-shapen etc

Answers to these questions can help to identify what might be wrong as sneezing could be related to a number of illnesses.
One of our farmingfriends forum members recently posted about her poorly hen and was seeking advice on what might be the matter. She let us know as much information as possible about her hen by answering a set of questions, which I thought was very useful.
I thought that these were useful questions to consider if you have a poorly hen and you are seeking advice.
What age is your hen? What breed if known and what gender?
What is wrong? What symptoms have you noted? – As much detail as possible please.
Full droppings description.- colour, consistency, frequency, offensive smell.
Respiratory Changes?- eg. breathing sounds, discharge, laboured breathing, facial swelling
Digestive Changes?- eg. eating, drinking, crop filling & emptying
Change’s in The Hen’s Condition?- eg. Weight, comb/wattle colour, skin, feathering
Behavioural Changes?- inc. socialising, laying, crowing, broodiness
Agility Changes? – eg. any lameness, favouring, energy levels
Have you wormed your hen? Do you have a cycle that you use for worming eg. every 3 months, or every six months?
1. When was the bird last wormed??- approximate date.
2. What product was used to worm the bird, and how was it given? ? eg. in the drinking water, on the skin, by injection?
3. Was a follow up dose given? (eg. 10-14 days later)
Any other recent medications?- antibiotics, coccidiosis meds, herbal remedies, etc
Other changes? – additions to the flock, diet, housing, extreme weather, predators, vermin, etc
If you have any photos of your poorly hen then they can also help others to suggest what might be the matter, but a phone call to your local vet is always helpful.

 

[Tj11]

I have been meaning to try FF for a while but keep putting it off and I had the feeling it would be a bit late in the year to start now temperature wise. Did you use the apple cider vinegar method or a different one?

I couldn't find any apple cider vinegar with the mother to start it off so I used some bakers yeast to get it started. I have a 3 bucket system and just top the old water up after each feed. I've now got some acv so I add a bit of that every now and then. I used to waste so much feed, they would always kick the pellets everywhere now I'm not wasting a single drop and all the chooks are looking better and seem to have come through their moult faster. In the colder weather if u do want to start I would just leave it for maybe four days to initially get it going then u would be away. Good luck if u decide to give it a try.

 

[Varooka]

Hello there! thank you! great to receive your reply.
Well..... I have three Hens, Varooka, Saffron and Gin Gin (Jin) I have had them for almost a year. They came from a friend in Buxton.
They weren't laying and so were going to go off to Heaven, so we brought them home with us. They are Bantams I believe, two bigger than the other, and she is quite small.
They love our sandy soil here and free ranging in our garden, especially the veggie garden where they really enjoyed most of the silver beet crop ha ha! There are lots of things I want to talk about because there's only so much you can say to people who aren't into them as much as others, so I will just start by saying.. my littlest one had been broody for well over the 21 day period ( I bought a book and read that. Coz I knew zilch about chickens). Anyway she came out of it after more than 5 weeks, now it has been about 4 weeks and she hasn't laid an egg yet and her comb and other red bits are not improving, looking very pale! and I wondered if she may be egg bound or.. well I don't know and I'm worried about her. She seems happy enough eating drinking and scratching around. It has rained a lot lately and as you know, is winter now in Oz. So I was wondering if you or anyone had any advice? I will be very appreciative!! Kindest regards

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Hello there! thank you! great to receive your reply.
Well..... I have three Hens, Varooka, Saffron and Gin Gin (Jin) I have had them for almost a year. They came from a friend in Buxton.
They weren't laying and so were going to go off to Heaven, so we brought them home with us. They are Bantams I believe, two bigger than the other, and she is quite small.
They love our sandy soil here and free ranging in our garden, especially the veggie garden where they really enjoyed most of the silver beet crop ha ha! There are lots of things I want to talk about because there's only so much you can say to people who aren't into them as much as others, so I will just start by saying.. my littlest one had been broody for well over the 21 day period ( I bought a book and read that. Coz I knew zilch about chickens). Anyway she came out of it after more than 5 weeks, now it has been about 4 weeks and she hasn't laid an egg yet and her comb and other red bits are not improving, looking very pale! and I wondered if she may be egg bound or.. well I don't know and I'm worried about her. She seems happy enough eating drinking and scratching around. It has rained a lot lately and as you know, is winter now in Oz. So I was wondering if you or anyone had any advice? I will be very appreciative!! Kindest regards

Hay varooka !! welcome!
YES!!! all we talk is chicken here.LOL. So share everything!

It is Winter so your girl may not lay for another 3 months still. I just had 2 RIR bantams finish raising their chicks and one has only just started laying after almost 5 months of being off the lay.lol.

I would not worry about her, unless she goes down can't walk or just seems to be sick. You will know if she is egg bound.
If she does become egg bound, bathe her in warm water, no soap and rub her vent and lower tummy, this should help her release the egg.

 

[Tj11]

Yay I've got a dozen ancona eggs coming Tuesday woohoo

 

[mrheinz77]

Hi. Sorry to interrupt. I run the monthly egg swap in the US and had somebody sign up from Queensland. I told him if others from Australia signed up, I would match partners up in Australia too. If you are interested, click on the link in my signature for June Swap.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Hi. Sorry to interrupt. I run the monthly egg swap in the US and had somebody sign up from Queensland. I told him if others from Australia signed up, I would match partners up in Australia too. If you are interested, click on the link in my signature for June Swap.

Thanks,

Jim

Hi Mrhein, I have tried to make an Aus swap before and think we should have one as there are probably quite a few un-found Aussie's on this site that would be draw to it. There is also another Aussie site that you could ask.

I personally am not ready for eggs, but would still like to see what people are offering.
Also it is Winter with us, so not as many people are hatching.

Thanks a lot. I will check it out.