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

[IamSamSam]

A nesting pad is what you put for them in the layer box where they lay the eggs to keep the eggs clean.

America and Australia do things a little different. BUT essentially everyone does their own thing as to best suites them. I use straw others use wood shavings I think a yoga mat or similar padding was used by U.S. Friend. I replace my straw and put my old straw under my citrus tree every three days

 

[Fancychooklady]

America and Australia do things a little different. BUT essentially everyone does their own thing as to best suites them. I use straw others use wood shavings I think a yoga mat or similar padding was used by U.S. Friend. I replace my straw and put my old straw under my citrus tree every three days

Some things are a little lost in translation. I've heard of people using puppy training pads, the disposable ones.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Do you guys think this sounds a bit strange. I throw my hens a couple handfuls scratch mix each morning. They would rather that than their feed or any other treats I give them. Ie scrambled eggs etc

Well since carls crop was a bit slow I decided to sprout some as I'd read soaking overnight made seed easier to digest and sprouted has more vitamins. Figured a little sprinkled over her food would help entice her to eat.

I've been trying to sprout it now for over a week and nothing. Not even the beginnings of a single seed trying to sprout. Does that sound normal? I'm starting to wonder how old this seed in the scratch mix is.

It has to be full grain , any damaged or cracked grain won't sprout. I soak the grain for 24 hrs then rinse , lay in trays with drainage holes and run water over them daily raking them around with my hand to rotate them a little. Barley and wheat will sprout the quickest and it's much cheaper to buy a bag of barley than scratch.

 

[appps]

It has to be full grain , any damaged or cracked grain won't sprout. I soak the grain for 24 hrs then rinse , lay in trays with drainage holes and run water over them daily raking them around with my hand to rotate them a little. Barley and wheat will sprout the quickest and it's much cheaper to buy a bag of barley than scratch.

This doesn't look damaged at all. Even the sunflower seeds in it haven't sprouted and I used to do them from my cockatiels birdseed sometimes with no problems. In fact I've never had problems sprouting anything before but this stuff...nothing. Just wondering how good it is nutrient wise if it's too old to sprout or if it's been treated with something.

 

[Fancychooklady]

This doesn't look damaged at all. Even the sunflower seeds in it haven't sprouted and I used to do them from my cockatiels birdseed sometimes with no problems. In fact I've never had problems sprouting anything before but this stuff...nothing. Just wondering how good it is nutrient wise if it's too old to sprout or if it's been treated with something.

Give it a few days and if nothing happens ditch it. Get some barley it has the highest nutritional value , once sprouted.

 

[IamSamSam]

Apps I have found sometimes they hit it with heat and that will stop it sprouting as will molasses coating or salt. Check the panel labelling. Or due to short light days and cold it won't sprout. I have mine under a lamp on a timer so they think it's spring LOL like a hydroponic set up Edit to add then I do what fancy does

 

[Ashburnham]

No I mean like what you put in the laying box/nesting box to keep it clean. I have been using shredded paper but found people in the USA using nesting pads which are like plastic mats the chickens like to sit on to lay and you can easily clean them. To post to Australia though is a fortune!

I have found it doesn't matter greatly what you put in the nesting boxes. I have used hay, straw, sugar cane mulch, rice hulls and garden mulch over the years.
As long as the hens aren't sleeping in the boxes and sh*tting in there, the biggest cause of dirty eggs is the chooks dirty feet in wet weather.
Don't place your nest boxes too close to the door of the pen so the chooks can walk through clean litter in the pen before they get on the nest,
and hopefully clean their feet a bit.

xxxx M

 

[KerryF]

Being as this isn't a country prone to earthquakes i would say you had a visitor of the canid variety...either a dog or a fox. Or maybe a larger feral cat.

Lol 678 in last 12 months and counting...

http://www.ga.gov.au/earthquakes/se...pe=desc&rowsPerPage=25&paging=true&prevPage=1

 

[Kooka]

Regarding nesting pads.

We breed TOUGH hens in Australia.....They will lay on ANYTHING, in ANYTHING....... Having said that on a serious note droppings on eggs aint' good so keeping it all clean around is the key and fresh nesting material as often as possible is HIGH on my list now. Further the area around the nesting boxes poop free is also as high on the agenda. I am switching to sand, just lift the back flap, sweep out with a dustpan& brush and spread where it will do most good.....usually a grassy area as that appreciates sand.

Cheers

 

[sjturner79]

No I mean like what you put in the laying box/nesting box to keep it clean. I have been using shredded paper but found people in the USA using nesting pads which are like plastic mats the chickens like to sit on to lay and you can easily clean them. To post to Australia though is a fortune!

almost anything at all.
Sand , kitty litter, any of the pet pads that they sell at the supermarket, shellgrit, carpet, fake turf, wood shavings, hay( you need to be careful with that) it all depends on you and your chooks. Since a chook actually stands while laying they usually don't care what the surface is, just that it is a safe place. I found the real trick was to get them to use the boxes instead of the roost.