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

[Outpost JWB]

Hi guys, I'm only 1234 posts behind so sorry I don't have time to catch up on all that has gone on

I hope everyone and their feathered friends are well. Here is an egg pic from my phone We have lots of new birds so I'll take some more pics of our new additions later.

Those are gorgeous!!

We got some EE, OE, and FM this past year. Hopefully next spring, they will be popping out beauties like you have.

 

[Anniebee]

Annie, she may have killed it , I know mine will kill rats if they make the mistake of coming out during daylight. A rat may well have killed the young bird too, that's not to say that your Araucana wouldn't have had a pick at the corpse.

From Satay : I agree sounds like a rat but could a cat get in the run? they will do that too.

Thank you Fancy and Satay .... for your answers. We do have rats, but definitely no cats around. Rats and mice are almost plague here in Victoria at present. They are rare daytime visitors, but mostly come out and scurry along the fenceline to their 'holes' ( from I think the wood pile or behind the coops ) .... at dusk.

So it could have been Mindy, or more likely a rat ? I do think Mindy probably ate some of it though. Ugh ! The chooks don't seem to mind rats and mice at all ?? Live quite happily with them.

Our coops are now totally rat and mouse proofed - but they still arrive to see if they can get ( or chew their way through wood ) in. Found 5 little field mice behind the coop the other night ( late ) - all blinded by the torch light, looking up at me.

Found a chicken egg in our FRONT garden two days after ( early evening ) - our girls don't even know we HAVE a front garden, and it was a creamy white small bantam sized egg. Might have been carried by a rat and dropped, as it was only partly cracked. I am thinking there is one very very big rat out there somewhere - ..... would love to catch the darned thing, so will be setting traps near the largest tunnel under the fence this coming weekend. And of course Miss Mindy won't be permitted out until we have de-activated it - hopefully with a large rat in it.

Again, thanks for your responses.

Cheers ........ AB

 

[cwrite]

Hi guys, I'm only 1234 posts behind so sorry I don't have time to catch up on all that has gone on

I hope everyone and their feathered friends are well. Here is an egg pic from my phone We have lots of new birds so I'll take some more pics of our new additions later.

Wow! What breed produces those almost maroon coloured eggs?

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Quote:
Its a reply to your last message. I'll send it through again.

 

[satay]

Wow!  What breed produces those almost maroon coloured eggs?

I would be guessing from her marans.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

They are her Marans hens that lay those dark browns.

 

[collingwood]

Hello! go pies!

 

[TheChookPatch]

Thanks guys, yes the dark brown ones are from my Marans

 

[cwrite]

They are very pretty Chookpatch. : ) I was thinking Marans or Welsummers, but I didn't know they had a reddish tint. Maybe it's just my eyes.
My chickens are winning the who is training who side of things. Since I've become aware that my neighbours are not enjoying Steve's loud complaining (why am I not eating grass right now!) I seem to be getting up earlier & earlier. 5:50am this morning! I'm thinking blackout curtains. Is anyone else having a problem with early & vocal risers? And what can I do about it. I've tried the spraying them, but they just move into the coop & vocalise angrily from there.

Once I'm back in bed of course.

 

[Teila]

G'Day Collingwood and welcome .. nice to see you found us