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

[Fancychooklady]

Here are the photos!

What a lovely egg basket you will have.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Lamington is the sweetest little crumpet. We call him Lammy Lamington. He's terribly gentle and loves a good cuddle. I want to encourage this as much as I can while he's young. My hens are getting a bit entitled when it comes to food. The dining table is right next to the back window so when they see me inside eating meals they're crowded around the window wondering where theirs is. I've noticed that chickens fall for the false-food-throw as much as dogs do. >.> Yeah sexing is hard at this age - especially with crossbreeds when you don't know which chickens made which chicks. The little boy is looking super cute. I'm pretty sure his dad is actually my GSH roo. He's black with a golden spangled spot around his chest and he's getting golden tips on his wings. I'm interested to see how he turns out! Bumblebee is doing really well - except that she's still so shy she tries to go to bed on the laundry door Every. Single. Night. Srsly? Come on. So this is a thing right now. I've found one of these every single day for the last week or so. I'm not sure which bird it's coming from - but I suspect my moulting Silver Laced Wyandotte Buttface. I'm not even sure what this is. A thin-shelled and weirdly shaped egg of some description. They've been on the poop board every day so they're being laid on the roost. She's a bit malnourished (started to moult immediately after brooding eggs/chicks) and I'm wondering if it's thrown everything out of whack. It's -quite- large. I can't fathom the other chickens I've got who aren't laying (too young or also getting over broodiness/moulting) laying something this large as they're both smaller chickens. Buttface normally lays quite large eggs. Ideas? I'd suspect some kind of lash egg if it didn't appear to be a totally normal egg with a weird, messed-up thin shel (with a weird shell-tail on one end that seems to be made of a strip of shell curled up).

I wouldn't worry . A full molt can be quite stressful on birds, my SLW are molting ATM. Do you have calcium carbonate /oyster shell on free take for them ?

 

[tandykins]

I wouldn't worry . A full molt can be quite stressful on birds, my SLW are molting ATM. Do you have calcium carbonate /oyster shell on free take for them ?

I don't. I can't actually figure out where is best to get it. I've started looking into it for this reason. So far all I can find is about 200g for $30 which seems absolutely insane but is for ornamental birds (which always jacks the price up) - unless 200g is a lot more than it sounds like. I'll start keeping it out for them at all times. As soon as I find it, that is.

EDIT: Well it looks like the bulb in my brooder lamp burnt out (after all of 2 weeks) and I'm going to the pet/feed store today (45km away) whether I like it or not.

My Speckled Sussex who my dog mauled yesterday is worse than I thought. Found her left side all torn up too.

I've terramycined both wounds and she's seems ok. Eating, drinking and pooping.
She even laid an egg yesterday, found it in the cage with her when I got home.
My poor sausage

Keep us updated, hope she's okay.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I don't.  I can't actually figure out where is best to get it.  I've started looking into it for this reason.  So far all I can find is about 200g for $30 which seems absolutely insane but is for ornamental birds (which always jacks the price up) - unless 200g is a lot more than it sounds like.  I'll start keeping it out for them at all times.  As soon as I find it, that is.

EDIT: Well it looks like the bulb in my brooder lamp burnt out (after all of 2 weeks) and I'm going to the pet/feed store today (45km away) whether I like it or not.

I only pay a couple of dollars for mine. Here's a link .
Always keep a spare bulb, and if you can spend a few dollars more on the better quality. Those $7 ones aren't very reliable.

http://www.myshopping.com.au/ZM--923237260_Pet_Supplies

 

[tandykins]

I only pay a couple of dollars for mine. Here's a link .
Always keep a spare bulb, and if you can spend a few dollars more on the better quality. Those $7 ones aren't very reliable.

http://www.myshopping.com.au/ZM--923237260_Pet_Supplies

Oooh thanks! That is MUCH better.

The bulb is one of the Reptile One infrared heat lamp. Definitely not one of the $7 ones. But as it turned out, the power board it was plugged into had tripped. It's actually alright (whew).

I'm currently sitting at the table watching my Ancona hen Ophelia trying to figure out how to open the cracked corn bin. She's pretty sure she's an eagle. Having clipped her wings I still constantly find her on top of the coop 3m from the ground. She sees me coming and starts yelling before I even try to get her off. "AGAIN?! SERIOUSLY OPHELIA."

 

[satay]

My Speckled Sussex who my dog mauled yesterday is worse than I thought. Found her left side all torn up too.

I've terramycined both wounds and she's seems ok. Eating, drinking and pooping.
She even laid an egg yesterday, found it in the cage with her when I got home.
My poor sausage

Your poor girl after being such a great mum to the marans. Hope she's on the mend soon.

 

[satay]

Hi Teila,

Stampy is laying on and off.  We found an odd shaped egg this morning, but the shells have improved with me going back to layer feed and offering crushed egg shells.  They also have grower feed so I'm just hoping for the best with the younger pullets for now.

K Spot - hope your chook recovers ok & lucky galah that you happened by.

It's been a hectic week with two kids changing schools and getting used to new things and a much longer school run.  It was all good until yesterday when I arrived home from the school run to find a bulldozer mowing down the trees in a straight line towards my back fence.  I have no words for how distressed I was yesterday.  Now I just want to move.  Before we bought here I checked the FINAL plans for the development and the strip behind our home was going to remain as a nature corridor.  It turns out that FINAL means nothing when the developers realised they could squeeze in a few more houses on a tiny strip of land so all the environmental ethos is complete bullsh*t because all that they have left are the areas that will flood or are for runoff.

I am going to fight this but most of the trees are already gone.

Anyway, I'll be slowly reducing my flock as I prepare to move.  It may take a while but it's just a matter of time.

 

[AussieChics]

Oooh thanks!  That is MUCH better.

The bulb is one of the Reptile One infrared heat lamp.  Definitely not one of the $7 ones.  But as it turned out, the power board it was plugged into had tripped.  It's actually alright (whew).  

I'm currently sitting at the table watching my Ancona hen Ophelia trying to figure out how to open the cracked corn bin. She's pretty sure she's an eagle.  Having clipped her wings I still constantly find her on top of the coop 3m from the ground.  She sees me coming and starts yelling before I even try to get her off. "AGAIN?! SERIOUSLY OPHELIA."

I paod $2.50 for the calcium from a fodder store. Its lasting ages cos they won't eat it. I just give them the egg shells. They like those.

 

[Teila]

Tee hee City Farm yep, that is funny and while I have seen it before, it still makes me laugh

Cwrite good to read that Stampy is OK. My gals have been a bit hit and miss on the laying of late. Being Bantams that is par for the course but I also think the heat is playing it’s part.

Gees, losing your nature corridor is the pits!

Lolz tandykins yeah, my gals also fall for the false-food- throw!

When the flock of 4 are gathered for treats, Dusty has perfected the vertical take-off to give her that extra height advantage. None of them have any qualms about taking the mealworms directly out of their sisters’ beaks!

Aaaaw K Spot I am sorry to read that your SS really took a beating. Poor little gal; fingers crossed that she makes a full recovery

Congratulations sweetbeak and Coco!

Well, if I struggle to come up with news in a week, I definitely have nothing since my post yesterday!

I do however, want to wish Cilla and Dusty a very happy second birthday!

 

[Fancychooklady]

I paod $2.50 for the calcium from a fodder store. Its lasting ages cos they won't eat it. I just give them the egg shells. They like those.

They will only eat it if they require it. Unfortunately they have no choice if it is added to the feed and too much calcium can be as detrimental as too little. I buy the 200 g bags and put it in each of the coops undercover . I also try to keep the calcium levels in the feed below 2% as I have Roos in my flock.