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

[Beulah89]

That makes sense. I'm sure a fox would make a tasty snack for a dingo
So does that mean you don't have much in the way of feral cats either?

Hmmm no don't think we really do...I know that one lives around the hospital. I'm sure we do but they don't seem to be a big problem. I'm pretty sure we have a pack of wild dogs on the hill I live on. I used to see them at night.

 

[Beulah89]

Hey guys,
Has anyone ever had trouble with butcher birds?
I heard my girls going off today and ran out thinking my cat was chasing them. When I went out there all I could find was a butcher bird. Then when I went out to put them to bed they both suddenly stood completely still and started making this weird low growling sound. I freaked a bit but couldn't see anything so picked them up and put them in their coop when a butcher bird swooped over us.
Do you guys think a butcher bird could or would kill a chicken?

 

[appps]

They would take little day old size chicks I'm sure but doubt they would bother a full grown one.
Mine were a bit nervous of the magpies when they first moved in too but got over it.
Wonder if something else made them nervous first.

Oh and how old are your chooks again? At 5-6 months mine were terrified of everything with wings. The rosellas flying in low over the run used to make them scatter in panic.

 

[Beulah89]

I'm not sure how old they are I bought them about a month ago at the 'point of lay' so yeah a couple of months I think. Yeah they'd be bigger than the butcher bird so not too worried. But yeah the poor girls freaked! But they are territorial birds so not so sure...

 

[Teila]

Hey guys,
Has anyone ever had trouble with butcher birds?
I heard my girls going off today and ran out thinking my cat was chasing them. When I went out there all I could find was a butcher bird. Then when I went out to put them to bed they both suddenly stood completely still and started making this weird low growling sound. I freaked a bit but couldn't see anything so picked them up and put them in their coop when a butcher bird swooped over us.
Do you guys think a butcher bird could or would kill a chicken?

Hi there Beulah89

I agree with Appps that while they may freak out an older chicken by swooping, I don't think they could kill one. If you have some hanging around they may have a nest nearby and hopefully, once their chicks have grown, they will back off and leave your girls alone.

My girls were also freaked out a little by low flying Rosellas and Turtle Doves but seem to have settled a little now.

My problem is Crows, I have one hanging around and I am sure he is after one of my 4 week old chicks but luckily they are in a covered run with their mum. They were all freaked out when I got home the other day and I had no idea what was wrong with them, I initially thought they were ill. I found a small ring of feathers just by the side of their run and I think Mr Crow had swooped and possibly taken one of the young doves we have around at the moment. My poor little bantams are not much bigger than a crow!

 

[appps]

Hopefully your crow doesn't work out there are eggs in there too. Apparently they steal those too.

 

[appps]

Ok guys so to add to my question does an incubator chew up a lot of electricity and does it make the bills sky rocket.

Never had one but I think it came up a little while ago. Wonder if there is a way to search the thread to find it again. month or so back I think

 

[Bens-Hens]

OK...I got my nerd on and did a rough calculation of the two models.

I did not take every factor into account but this should work as a guide. I had to take a couple of estimates, but like I said, a guide. I will include my working out, but look for the bold figure that shows costs per hatch per egg.

(BTW, This formula can be used for any appliance and it's cost to run)

Watts x time run x days run divided by 1000 = kWh, then multiply kWh by how much the power company charges you per unit. In addition to this, I used a refrigerator estimate of 1/3 actual run time, once both incubators are up and running they will cycle on and off to maintain temp.

1502 Sportsman Capacity, 325watts, 288 chicken eggs

325 x 24 hours x 21 days div 1000 = 163.8 kWh x $0.22 p/kWh (our current local price)

$36.03 divide by 3 (for cycle of heater)

$12.01 per hatch to run the 'bator HOWEVER, this is for 288 eggs, so if at capacity each egg works out to be;
$0.04, yep 4 cents an egg if full and running full term.

RCOM 50, 120 watts, 48 chicken eggs

120 x 24 hours x 21 days div 1000 = 60.48 kWh x $0.22 p/kWh (our current local price)

$13.30 divide by 3 (for cycle of heater)

$4.40 per hatch to run the 'bator HOWEVER, this is for 48 eggs, so if at capacity each egg works out to be;
$0.09, 9 cents an egg if full and running full term.

Although may seem small, it's twice as efficient to run a bigger unit.....heaps good reason to have more chicks hahahaha

EDIT: I just did a quick sum on my 100W ceramic heat lamps for the first week (I have it on all the time then)

100W globe x 24 hours x 7 Days div 1000 = 16.8 x 0.22c = $3.69 per week.
After that I go down to a 75W ceramic globe and use it as required.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hey guys,
Has anyone ever had trouble with butcher birds?
I heard my girls going off today and ran out thinking my cat was chasing them. When I went out there all I could find was a butcher bird. Then when I went out to put them to bed they both suddenly stood completely still and started making this weird low growling sound. I freaked a bit but couldn't see anything so picked them up and put them in their coop when a butcher bird swooped over us.
Do you guys think a butcher bird could or would kill a chicken?

I saw a butcher bird snatch and kill a very large rat. Grabbed him and smacked his head against the shed. Just like that.

 

[SandeeC]

I have been worried about how much my incubator uses electricity, but it's 60W power consumption. So reading that Ben I feel a lot more at ease