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

[Ashburnham]

If you think foxes don't come around your property every night, have a look at these pictures from my game cams,
in the last few days.
Ignore the dates - I hadn't reset the time and dates.



This is what I get in most of the photos- lol

 

[Kooka]

You always take the most stunning pics fancy

I think the pic of the chick in an egg cup is a 100% "classic" would have no probs at any level in a photo comp. 11/10 photo that.

 

[Anniebee]

Haven't been here for such a long time. ...... when it got to over 700 I had not seen, I figured I had best have a really good look at everyones' posts. ...... and still ploughing through them. ... All super interesting as usual. Stalled a bit with the snake stories !!!

Admit I have another reason for being here though ( altho I think / hope, I have it covered !! ) ......

My two 'big girls' - Mandy Welsummer and Molly RIR ... are in moult, particularly Mandy who is beginning to look like nothing on earth.

Molly is being ultra slow - but both have reduced comb colour ( more pink than red now ) and have ceased laying. ... They have also ceased eating much ??? But they ARE drinking water - thank heavens.

I read where that it is quite normal for reduced eating during a moult - on BYC - another thread. But I love them dearly and was worried.

They are now getting 5 days of protein - be it cheese, cooked meat, mashed eggs or combos of that ( will have to resort to purchased eggs shortly ??? )

and I do think it has helped them with their strength. ... They were squatting quietly and dozing much of the day - yet would find the energy to run to me if they thought I might have something more interesting to eat. ?

Have I spoiled my chickens too much ?

Mindy Araucana, will be going into moult soon too I would think. ... Yet she is still laying eggs, but smaller than normal. ... And 2 of them have been soft shelled, which she has eaten, after they split - one was without a yolk ?? How do I know ? ... what was left was the soft shell, some white, and not the slightest smidgin sign of yellow yolk. I don't believe she could have eaten precisely and absolutely ALL of the yolk if there had been one there. I am guessing this might be normal for a chook about to go into moult. ? ..... Anyone who could confirm or otherwise, all this .. it would be much appreciated.

Meanwhile, I sit and wait for the moults to subside - then afterwards, will have to get them all inside for a new wing clip.

Good thing is, that perhaps ( fingers crossed ) the moults mean an early Autumn for Victoria ??? We haven't had much of a summer ( thank heavens ) ..... but only 1 day of good rains recently. The trees are already turning, but we have the remainder of February to get through yet. .... and some of March !!! Weird weather - don't trust it at all.

...........

btw - while here - I did read of some roosting problems someone was having ... and some advice to bung them up on the roost and they'd learn within a week. My two big girls have taken 2 YEARS to learn to roost - which they are doing now.

.... And depending on the weather ( chill or whatever ) .... they still squat in a nesting box occasionally, snuggled up together - or on the straw in the coop. Mindy Araucana has been roosting for at least 2 years. She lives separately to the two big girls ... for her safety and life !! ( Mandy would kill her ) ........ her companions are lace-necked doves.

Nice to be back here - with a few queries and a couple of comments here and there.

Take care all .........

Cheers .... Annie B.

 

[ChristieB]

Hi Annie
2 years! That's insane ! Might need to add another nest box some how if they aren't going to learn soon. I never got a chance to put an extra roost in but I've been checking and it seems the Sussex and barnevelder have gone back to roosting like they were before and it's just the bantams in the nest box, I'm wondering if it was a pecking order thing and one of the bossy bantams was pushing them down so they were on the same level? Haven't seen any division or pecking for a while now so they must have sorted it out and the bigger girls have been allowed back up? Dunno, who knows how a chicken thinks!

My araucana has been missing for 2 days now, third time she's disappeared, but she's usually back by morning, I'm thinking she's gone, I've checked the yard and watched my dog but unless he's buried her under the house I don't think he's responsible this time.

Last time I had chickens they arrived in moult and never really recovered, they did lay but only one ever got a full compliment of feathers back, they were rescues so I didn't worry too much,
Soft shells is usually not enough calcium, you said the moulting ones are getting extra protien, has the other been getting it too because that would reduce her calcium intake causing the soft shells

 

[Fancychooklady]

Haven't been here for such a long time.   ...... when it got to over 700 I had not seen, I figured I had best have a really good look at everyones' posts.  ...... and still ploughing through them. ... All super interesting as usual.   Stalled a bit with the snake stories !!! 

Admit I have another reason for being here though ( altho I think / hope,  I have it covered !! ) ...... 

My two 'big girls' - Mandy Welsummer and Molly RIR ... are in moult,  particularly Mandy who is beginning to look like nothing on earth. 

Molly is being ultra slow - but both have reduced comb colour ( more pink than red now ) and have ceased laying.   ... They have also ceased eating much ???    But they ARE drinking water - thank heavens.  

I read where that it is quite normal for reduced eating during a moult  - on BYC - another thread.   But I love them dearly and was worried. 

They are now getting 5 days of protein - be it cheese, cooked meat, mashed eggs or combos of that  ( will have to resort to purchased eggs shortly  ??? )  and I do think it has helped them with their strength.   ... They were squatting quietly and dozing much of the day - yet would find the energy to run to me if they thought I might have something more interesting to eat. ?   

Have I spoiled my chickens too much ?   

Mindy Araucana, will be going into moult soon too I would think. ... Yet she is still laying eggs, but smaller than normal.  ... And 2 of them have been soft shelled, which she has eaten, after they split - one was without a yolk ??   How do I know ?  ... what was left was the soft shell, some white, and not the slightest smidgin sign of yellow yolk.   I don't believe she could have eaten precisely and absolutely ALL of the yolk if there had been one there.   I am guessing this might be normal for a chook about to go into moult. ? ..... Anyone who could confirm or otherwise, all this .. it would be much appreciated. 

Meanwhile, I sit and wait for the moults to subside - then afterwards, will have to get them all inside for a new wing clip.

Good thing is, that perhaps ( fingers crossed ) the moults  mean an early Autumn for Victoria ???   We haven't had much of a summer ( thank heavens ) ..... but only 1 day of good rains recently.  The trees are already turning, but we have the remainder of February to get through yet.  .... and some of March !!!    Weird weather - don't trust it at all.  

...........

btw - while here - I did read of some roosting problems someone was having ... and some advice to bung them up on the roost and they'd learn within a week.   My two big girls have taken 2 YEARS to learn to roost - which they are doing now. e   .... And depending on the weather ( chill or whatever ) .... they still squat in a nesting box occasionally, snuggled up together - or on the straw in the coop.   Mindy Araucana has been roosting for at least 2 years.  She lives separately to the two big girls ... for her safety and life !! ( Mandy would kill her )  ........ her companions are lace-necked doves.   

Nice to be back here - with a few queries and a couple of comments here and there.

Take care all .........

Cheers .... Annie B.   

Hi Annie, a full moult can take it out of them. I up their protein during this time and add a poultry multi vitamin to the water. Now is also a good time to worm them.( being as you aren't getting any eggs , there will be no withdrawal period ). I feed laucke game bird finisher 50/50 with a free range mix. And I've said it before and I'll say it again, sardines in olive oil, mixed with cooked rice or pasta. The oil and omega 3 give the feathers a head start. The sardines are quite high in sodium so this is just a once a week treat. Hope this helps you with your girls.

http://www.lauckemills.com.au/poultry-game2.html

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

Once again, behind the times!

ChristieB love the pictures of the chicken jungle; I found the Pekin

Megacakes good to hear that you are still getting eggs with the molt.

Steampunked nice pics on your thread! Your little rooster sounds like a sweetheart; I also hope he stays that way for you.

Nu2chooks15 is the drum roll still going? No eggs?

My gals also put themselves to bed but I usually watch them as squabbles for the best position on the roost are normal and I worry that someone who has been pushed off the roost ends up sleeping on her own on the coop floor, so I always check that they have settled OK.

Fancy, beautiful pictures of your garden and puppy dawgs. Your rooster is a very handsome little man. Thank you for sharing Walter’s antics, sounds like a cheeky little fella.

AussieChics I never bank on getting bond back either; they always find some way to hang onto most if not all of it, regardless of how well you look after the property.

When we were renting in WA, I was working at the hospital and when we vacated, I got the chap who cleaned the carpets at the hospital and who I was friends with to come over and clean the townhouse carpets. Of course he did a great job but when we moved out, they reckoned the carpets had not been cleaned and charged me for cleaning.

Kooka I see you got some good feedback to your question but just wanted to say that I hope the move to the big outside world went well for your little ones.

Nice drawings tandykins, the charms are so cute.

Snakes!

satay like everyone else, you have my sympathies regarding the egg-stink-bomb but I confess that I could not contain a chuckle.

Ashburnham eeew at the foxes but your goat pic is a classic!

Welcome back Anniebee, I have had Dusty go through a hard molt a while back and now LuLu, my frizzle, is doing the same. Like Fancy, I up their protein. They both went off the lay and were a little moody during the molt, but I did not notice them go off their food. Having said that, they are the greedy guts of the flock so I doubt much would turn them off food.

Speaking of smells and poo, I am seriously contemplating going back to bed this morning. My poor little puddy cat, Chimee, has a touch of diarrhoea and I am keeping a very close eye on her this morning, she has made a few trips to the litter and is now curled up in one of the many hidey-boxes they have around the house; obviously not feeling very well. If she does not improve soon, emergency trip to the Vet with Sunday fees! Oh Joy! Still, better to be safe than sorry and she is worth every penny. So, I have spent the morning cleaning up after her many trips to the litter, then she threw up a hair ball and when I went out to feed the gals and clean the coop, had to deal with two intestinal lining offerings! Hoping my nose will go into shock, shut down and cease working for the remainder of the day!

As per usual, I have nothing to offer, everything cruising along nicely; except for Chimee. Fingers crossed it is nothing serious

 

[Nu2chooks15]

Good morning folks

Nu2chooks15 is the drum roll still going? No eggs?

My gals also put themselves to bed but I usually watch them as squabbles for the best position on the roost are normal and I worry that someone who has been pushed off the roost ends up sleeping on her own on the coop floor, so I always check that they have settled OK.


Drum roll still going --- still no eggs worst luck but they're getting nice food (good grain and laying mix as recommended to me) but most of them are starting to grow redder now ... gee I hope it's not too much longer otherwise I'll start thinking they're "barren" lol

Snakes!

Agree re Snakes eeeeekkkkkk

 

[Kooka]

I messed up posting to here , I thought, ended up as a new thread on where am I, where are you. "Rooster Stategy Oh Dear!"

 

[AussieChics]

Teila I'm usually good at getting my bond back. Ive been here 9 years and he's never painted or put in new carpet. So if he has a problem I'll ring his mother lol. Besides the smartest thing to do with this place is bulldoze subdivide and sell.

 

[Outpost JWB]

Morning all

or good evening for you all.... @Fancychooklady I love your lawn! Seen the post a few days ago but didn't have time to post anything. Working a lot. Your lawn looks like it should be in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Green grass and sunshine, beautiful. @Birdman and all of us in the Northern US are freezing! We are in some sort of frozen tundra world. I am getting ready to go out in it (5:09am here) and give them all some warm water then head off to work. DH is not allowed in this cold (-15C or 5F here now). Our grass is white....

Everyone have a good day. I'll try to play catch up later when I get a day off.