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

[Ashburnham]

Ok hard decision, we are only allowed 6 birds in town here. I have 7 , 4 large 3 bantams 3 of my last lot from are gone, 2 were roosters one was killed by the dog. They still have some left from that same hatch and have said I'm welcome to come choose some to replace the others. I would probably get 2 so they aren't alone in quarantine. But quarantine is already full and that would mean according to chicken math I have 9 of my allowed 6 so no more room for the ducks I want.
What do I do!!!

Councils are usually reactive and would rarely come around and count your birds unless some neighbour made a complaint.
Design a pen with lots of hiding spots, barriers, bushes etc, that would make it very hard for a nosy
neighbour to see all your chooks at once and count them.

xxxx M

 

[satay]

Okay NOW it's hatching day! XD QUOTE] Gratz

 

[tandykins]

Councils are usually reactive and would rarely come around and count your birds unless some neighbour made a complaint.
Design a pen with lots of hiding spots, barriers, bushes etc, that would make it very hard for a nosy
neighbour to see all your chooks at once and count them.

xxxx M

Absolutely. I have an elderly hoarder neighbour who has so many chickens she actually doesn't know how many she has (I'm trying to get her to give some away because she can't take care of them and they're housed in unacceptable conditions). She's bodged together a huge coop out of old sheds, bedsprings, corrugaed panels and it's like a maze. When I go to feed them I sometimes can't even find the entry way in to get to whole groups of chickens. I have never been able to count how many chickens she actually has. Depending on the day it varies from 60 - 90. If you make a maze it can be VERY hard to determine the number of chickens you have.

 

[cwrite]

Okay NOW it's hatching day! XD



<3 Mumma hen was none too happy that I stole him away for his baby pictures. I popped him right back under her. He was greeted with a purr and a snuggle. I was greeted with shrieking and a peck. XD

Gorgeous!

Snowy has gone back into full broody mode. She slept on the nest last night, is growling up a storm and has ripped out a whole heap of feathers. She's really going all out this time. I didn't think I would be even remotely tempted but I am.

Maybe just two eggs this time.

 

[tandykins]

Gorgeous!

Snowy has gone back into full broody mode. She slept on the nest last night, is growling up a storm and has ripped out a whole heap of feathers. She's really going all out this time. I didn't think I would be even remotely tempted but I am.

Maybe just two eggs this time.

It's so tempting isn't it? Hubby is building me an Arduino incubator next week and I'm STUPID excited to hatch even more eggs. XD

I've gotten lucky so far with my hens. They don't go full psycho when broody. They're very devoted but quite calm.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hi all

We have had several (6) days of 40+ degrees, and finally the rain has broken through.  The trouble is, as it is still so hot and humid and still, that my entire dirt run has grown a fine layer of fluffy mould over it!

It is too big to consider putting a layer of sand or anything else over it, and even if I did it would just grow mould over that layer anyway!

What should I do?  I can rake it all to break it up, but these conditions (hot, humid and wet) are predicted to hang around until next week. 

Will my birds be ok?  Their coop is dry, but it's still too hot for them to be in there during the day.

I can put hay around the feeders but again, I guess that would grow mould too.  Their feed is dry though, so that's one good thing..

Thoughts?

- Krista

Mould spores can cause respiratory problems. You could try sprinkling a little lime around. @Ashburnham might have some ideas.

 

[cwrite]

Mould spores can cause respiratory problems. You could try sprinkling a little lime around. @Ashburnham might have some ideas.

I recently looked into lime and it looks pretty good for correcting PH of your lawn and getting rid of unwanted insects/moss. @krista74 Be very careful of using hydrated lime. Ag lime is the one you want. Dolomite may have the same effect, but I'm not sure of that.

http://www.poultryonthegwydirweebly...-and-hydrated-lime-in-your-poultry-yards.html

 

[LordStark]

Over 700 posts since last visit lol. Sold nineteen chicks recently, not a bad start. Had one sitting but the eggs went rotten, I blame the heat. Thinking of getting an incubator myself, maybe hatch some turkeys. Nice drop of rain today, good relief from the heat and good for the farm/garden.

Also found heliothis in my corn and tomatoes, anyone know how do deal with them?

 

[vehve]

We have a lawn lime product made completely out of egg shells, that's what I usually use for the lawn, and I use the same stuff as calcium for the chickens. So I'm thinking oyster shell could also maybe double as a ph raiser.

 

[appps]

I've been wondering about something. I read that Marek's or coccidiosis (sorry brain dead at this hour forget which) lives in the soil for up to 5 years and is transferred through contact with faeces.

So when we throw dynamic lifter around our garden which is made from chook poo do you think we are risking disease?

And hubby works on a farm where they regularly fertilise with chicken manure bought by the truckload. Could he be bringing it home on his boots?