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

[Fancychooklady]

I'm from yarra valley too!

 

[DeeBeeoz]

WELCOME

!!!
WELCOME

! Good to have you on board.
Here is a great chart to help you with your poo problems. If it was anything severe I think she would have died in 3 months. So that rules out egg bound, egg peritonitis etc.
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=17568.0%253Cbr%253E%253Cbr%253Ei

Thanks for answering. Yes that's what I thought too. They are both happy enough, I let them out onto the grass to roam in the morning, they go back in their pen under a big bush during the day and then come back out later in the afternoon again when its cooled off. They eat fine, roost fine etc. There is nowhere they could be hiding their eggs. They just seem to have forgotten they have nests to use. I have looked at that chart you mentioned. None of the pics showed the yellow top like in my photo. It just worried me because they used to have the white caecal poop and then it went such a bright yellow instead. Hopefully its just a molt, there is still loose feathers in the pen and in the litter under the roosts so maybe they're just taking their own sweet time.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thankyou so much for answering. Its a huge relief to know the yellow isn't out of the ordinary. Some pretty scary things pop up when you google 'yellow poo in chickens.' I have treated for lice and worms with the follow up treatments. Neither of them have any bugs on them now. The wormer I have is the only one available at the local 'Better pets and gardens' called Worm-enda Poultry wormer, which states it treats for Large roundworm, Caecal worm and hairworm. The active ingredient is Levamisole. I know they'll lay less and less but I wasn't expecting them to just stop altogether, and at the same time. Hopefully they will start up again soon, its pretty depressing checking every day and there's nothing. And getting the discarded lettuce leaves from Coles, and telling the check out operater the bag of leaves is for the chooks, then buying an 18 carton of eggs haha. We're so used to having eggs and my youngest daughter would live on them if I let her! 

The other thing I forgot to mention was protein, up it if you can. What do you feed them?
If I may be so bold , you would probably be better off to get some other breeds next time. Gives you a mixed basket of eggs in more ways than one.

 

[DeeBeeoz]

The other thing I forgot to mention was protein, up it if you can. What do you feed them?
If I may be so bold , you would probably be better off to get some other breeds next time. Gives you a mixed basket of eggs in more ways than one.

They are getting a premium layer pellet, which we mixed with the budget feed we had already. They were laying on the budget mix previously, but when they stopped we bought a premium pellet. They weren't really keen on it, and I was worried they weren't eating enough so we mixed probably 2/3rds of the pellets into the budget mix. That's in a feeder in the run, which they have free access to. They have oyster shell in a separate container near their feeder.
As far as treats go, I get lettuce leaves when I go shopping, and we have a small icecream tub that we put kitchen scraps in and they get that when its full. I crush egg shells and feed them to them (usually via that icecream tub.)
I let them out to 'free range' in the backyard in the mornings, they retreat under their bush for the main part of the day and then come out again (I leave their gate open) in the late afternoon, and put themselves to bed when they are ready, then I go lock the gate.
I will have to research other breeds (any suggestions?) as I only know of the free range egg place and they only have the one breed there. Not sure if anyone down here has other breeds (I'm a couple of hours south of Perth.)

 

[Fancychooklady]

They are getting a premium layer pellet, which we mixed with the budget feed we had already. They were laying on the budget mix previously, but when they stopped we bought a premium pellet. They weren't really keen on it, and I was worried they weren't eating enough so we mixed probably 2/3rds of the pellets into the budget mix. That's in a feeder in the run, which they have free access to. They have oyster shell in a separate container near their feeder.

As far as treats go, I get lettuce leaves when I go shopping, and we have a small icecream tub that we put kitchen scraps in and they get that when its full. I crush egg shells and feed them to them (usually via that icecream tub.)

I let them out to 'free range' in the backyard in the mornings, they retreat under their bush for the main part of the day and then come out again (I leave their gate open) in the late afternoon, and put themselves to bed when they are ready, then I go lock the gate. 

I will have to research other breeds (any suggestions?) as I only know of the free range egg place and they only have the one breed there. Not sure if anyone down here has other breeds (I'm a couple of hours south of Perth.)

Sounds like they have a good varied diet!
Where do I begin on recommending a particular breed ? You could try to access the notice board on backyard poultry in your state. Australorp, barnevelder , Orpington any of the Sussex breed.
It really just depends on what takes your fancy. ( pardon the pun )
@ bens hens is near Perth and has a few contacts, PM him , I'm sure he will be very helpful.
Have a look at the back of the feed bag for the protein level. At this time of the year you want it to be up around 20% or more.

 

[Anniebee]

Thanks Sam and satay, we are very proud of her. She trains very hard and keeps her horses in tip top condition. Rusty's fetlock has healed quite well, and being as he has been out with injury for 6 weeks , he performed like a trooper.


Got some great pics from the comp, will upload later.

Great photo's. A very kind eye in the first pic of your daughters' horse. Soft and mellow. Beautiful head in the second pic. Thoroughbred in there ? ( I would think for sure ). Well done to your daughter and her dedicated efforts. Where in Victoria will she have to compete ? Werribee ? Good luck to her and her lovely horses. Hope she scoops the pool down here in Vic.

Cheers ..... AB

 

[Karen Whitfield]

Hi everyone, I got some pics of my last hatch of Australorps. They are 6 months old and 2 have started to lay. Blue Australorp Pullet 1 Blue Australorp Pullet 2 - My Favourite of the blues however not a great photo Black Australorp Pullet 1 - My Favourite overall Black Australorp Pullet 2 - Worst in quality however still beautiful in my eyes. She will make a great egg layer

loving the ladies ♡♡♡

 

[Karen Whitfield]

I'm from yarra valley too!

welcome Darcey

 

[Karen Whitfield]

Thanks Sam and satay, we are very proud of her. She trains very hard and keeps her horses in tip top condition. Rusty's fetlock has healed quite well, and being as he has been out with injury for 6 weeks , he performed like a trooper.

Got some great pics from the comp, will upload later.

nice photos fancy. Good going Jess!

 

[Anniebee]

Hi everyone. I have been reading threads on BYC for quite a while and have finally joined up. I live in Western Australia. We have had chickens for about a year, they were pullets and just laying when we got them. I think one is molting as she is losing some feathers (I see new feathers coming through) but the other doesn't appear to be molting. However, neither has laid an egg for about 3 months. I have treated them for lice and bought wormer from the pet store however I don't know if they have worms. I was hoping to post a pic if that is okay of their poo and maybe get someone's opinion. Hubby is at the point where he wants to get rid of them and I really don't want to, I love having them. I want to get more pullets when the local free range egg place has them towards the end of March. Thankyou for reading.

First - DeeBeeoz ....you are doing everything you can to make your chickens comfortable, healthy and well. I have only 3 chickens now, and believe me, they beggar belief with their antics and odd behaviour. Changes in weather can throw them way out of whack. Especially sudden changes. And especially very hot weather - that can jigger them up a lot.

Personally I wouldn't ask Coles for the offcuts of outer leaves of lettuce for your chickens. First, those are the leaves that would have the most pesticide spray on them, from the farm where they are grown. And believe me, lettuce, cabbage etc. ARE sprayed with insecticides / pesticides. Second - only a little lettuce ( washed and more inner leaves ) is enough for them, as it is not at all high in nutrition. Cabbage, broccoli, grass, a little cauliflower, mature cucumber - [ and cheese ( which they love ), for protein and calcium.] Some cooked meat doesn't go unwanted either.

They need a goodly amount of protein ... and that can be obtained from feeding them bran among other things. I do a mix ( which they would kill for !! ) ... which is cooked rice with cooked
frozen mixed vegies in it, added to a handful of raw uncooked oats, a handful of bran, some finely cut up greens ( broccoli - flowerets, stalk and leaves - or something similar ) .... plus a couple of handfuls of scratch mix ( seeds, shell, black sunflower seeds - all bought in the one bag usually ) ... and added to that occasionally, a couple of hard cooked mashed eggs. They get that two or three times a week and demolish it in minutes. It honestly does not take long to make.

Previous comments about the yellow poo, are all spot on. It is the smelliest of the droppings, but natural and normal. I hope hubby changes his mind about keeping chickens, but from my experience, they are THE most difficult of bird / animal to predict as to what they are going to do next, and why.

. which of course, makes them so very interesting.

You are doing well .... keep it up and your chickens ultimately will do all the right things unless there is heat, broodiness, molting, thunderstorms, sudden cold, and anything else that could ( but not necessarily will ) upset their little apple-carts. !! Even if there are adverse conditions from time to time, they will come back to the lay when they are ready, and over whatever it is that has upset them in some way in the first place. They have such diverse personalities. My little Araucana gets bent out of shape at the drop of a hat - my RIR and Welsumer .... pffft ... who cares Mum !! They didn't even seem to mind the heat we had here ( Victoria ) early February. I hated it - a lot - it was gross !!

Good luck with your chooks ... they are fascinating ... can drive you mad at times, but ultimately worth every moment.

Cheers ......... AB