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

[Fancychooklady]

It's absolutely pouring here. I was filming the first ride on our latest ' project ' horse , felt a few spits, then done it came. Needless to say both horse and rider are drenched.

 

[Steampunked]

Today, chicken math happened, and I finally got my araucana:

She's gorgeous.



And I also picked up a French Wheaten Maran:



The maran is sitting on my knees, she's beautiful and incredibly tame.

 

[cwrite]

Beautiful birds Steampunked! I'd love to have one that sits on my knee when she doesn't have muddy feet. How old are they?

 

[Steampunked]

The araucana is eight weeks, the maran more like twelve, I think.

The silkies are fairly well behaved towards them. Maybe they can't see them!

 

[smhoekzema]

Finally broke the worlds most persistent broody! Seriously what a nutter. If I ever need to hatch I'll know who to give the eggs to:/

In other news...I have a Sussex who seems to struggle with every egg she lays. She is about 7 or 8 months old and has been laying for more than a month. She spends hours each day in the nest box and seems to strain. Most of her eggs are either deformed or soft shells.

I feed my girls layer crumble and they have a container of free choice calcium as well as one of grit. Any ideas on how to help her?

 

[birdman55]

day 15 on the eggs so making progress...removed three of them...so down to 27




gotta love the homemade coolerbator...check out the forum below for a step by step

 

[Fancychooklady]

Finally broke the worlds most persistent broody! Seriously what a nutter. If I ever need to hatch I'll know who to give the eggs to:/

In other news...I have a Sussex who seems to struggle with every egg she lays. She is about 7 or 8 months old and has been laying for more than a month. She spends hours each day in the nest box and seems to strain. Most of her eggs are either deformed or soft shells.

I feed my girls layer crumble and they have a container of free choice calcium as well as one of grit. Any ideas on how to help her?

Most misshapen eggs are due to an immature shell gland and correct itself with maturity. Check that the feed contains vitamin D3. An easy way to supplement D3 is to feed sardines once a week. The generic kind in olive oil are nice and cheap.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...ndbook/16/thinshelled-eggs-and-shellless-eggs

 

[satay]

Today, chicken math happened, and I finally got my araucana: She's gorgeous. And I also picked up a French Wheaten Maran: The maran is sitting on my knees, she's beautiful and incredibly tame.

Gratz

 

[smhoekzema]

Grea

Most misshapen eggs are due to an immature shell gland and correct itself with maturity. Check that the feed contains vitamin D3. An easy way to supplement D3 is to feed sardines once a week. The generic kind in olive oil are nice and cheap.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...ndbook/16/thinshelled-eggs-and-shellless-eggs

Great! Thanks i will try this. The feed does contain D3. Maybe she just needs extra?

 

[tandykins]

I don't mind spiders and most other insects but you should have seen me scream like a baby yesterday when I opened the container of crickets hubby brought home for the girls. They are little grasshoppers right???? and I don't do grasshoppers.

They're in the same order Orthoptera but they're not actually that closely related despite the similar appearance. Crickets creep me out though. I can handle spiders but crickets are disgusting.