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

[Anniebee]

To locknest4 and appps .....

Thank you for your replies about desexing roosters. As soon as I read the word 'caponising' ... I realised sometihng. That way back when I was a young'un, my Mum would serve up a capon on special occasions. . It was supposed to be a real treat. Tender, and ( they are ) fattened for the table.

Ugh ugh ugh - to the way they caponise a rooster.... that is absolutely gross. But I knew nothing back then - otherwise I probably would have refused to eat it. Surely that doesn't happen now ? Does it. ??? So yes, appps .... if that is still done - then it should be banned outright. Laws brought in, with charges to be laid.

..............

Mind you, castration is different for so many species .... e.g. male cats are desexed very quickly, with a local anaesthetic - the quick snip, often done by a vet. nurse. And they suffer nothing, apparently - the incision begins to close very quickly. They come home, stagger around a bit from the effects of the local and a calmative, and are up and ready to do their thing within a couple of hours. The incisions close very rapidly.

Dogs on the other hand are differently made, and require a full on operation for the procedure. There can be complications after a male dog desexing ( don't I know it ) ... and they can swell badly with 'sterile' fluid in the remaining sac. Fixing THAT takes some doing. I found that 3 x times per day, swabs of fairly hefty salt water, helped enormously to the tiny opening in the skin that allowed seepage. I had to lay down underneath my dog, to do it .... but I did - and it worked - beautifully. All good. He was in no pain btw. Happy as a lark while carrying his large bag of whatever I had to dry up with salt solutions. .

Cattle are something else again. Under the age of 6 months, a bull calf can be castrated with local anaesthetic injection - on site. Any bull calf over that age, or further mature, MUST be done by law, by a veterinarian - with ( I believe ) the full process of GA anaesthetisation. Similarly, a gelded horse can be given a strong calmative and local anaesthetic to the region --- and does not respond badly to the procedure ( ideally ). However, [ most I think ], vets. prefer to put the horse under total anaesthetic for gelding. Ideally - in all instances there should be little or no bleeding resulting. And there usually is not.

I did sort of know most of this, but had to check via Google, that what I was waffling about here, is correct.

Cheers all ----

 

[Anniebee]

Update on patsy. i wasn't home when vet came yesterday so info i have is from hubby. Patsys fine vet said her waters are intact so what i thought i saw being broken waters was obviously something else. I am a city chic after all. Waiting on the shearer to arrive this arvo sometime and if nothing is happening after that she is going to give her a shot to bring on her labor properly. Update on zeus. He seems to be getting better each day still.

That is all great news satay .... Patsy might be holding off a little. Perhaps the shearing might bring her on. That can be a bit stressful for sheep, but has to be done.

In any case, if she hasn't started opening and pushing, the vet will have the last say. You must have seen her after she'd had a little pee --- which might have been kind of all over the place, as her lamb would be well down and pressing on her urethra. Have just read that the process of pregnancy and birth in a sheep is very similar to that of a human ( am presuming that to be correct ).

Great news about Zeus .... thrilled to hear that. He will go on to better things as time passes and leg heals.

Cheers --- AB.

 

[Anniebee]

Good morning Friends

[Apologies for what I now realise is a long post]

Got startled awake by an evil black butted nemesis just before 5am this morning, far worse than any wake up alarm .. he was so close and so loud I could have sworn he would have been sitting on my pillow! Wish he was, then I could have smothered him!

At bed time last night GodCilla had returned and earned herself another stint under containment until everyone had gone to bed, then popped her on the roost. However, this morning, while she was being baby GodCilla around the food bowls, I opened up the nest boxes, fully expecting to have to put her back in containment, so far she has ignored them [just checked again and GodCilla may just be in hibernation til next time

]

Aaaw .. those pics are adorable ChristieB. I love BYC but I have learnt that it is advisable to have a thick skin, patience and a sense of humour. I am guilty of taking some comments to heart but remind myself that some of the comments posted are ‘random’.

It is very much like a real life room full of people having a long, deep and meaningful conversation or think tank .. if you throw in a new person, they are going to say stuff without knowing all the facts or that it has already been covered. While some in that scenario would keep quiet until up to speed, others jump in feet first

LanaDucky that is quite a menagerie you have there, you will fit right in

Sorry, that I am unable to help with the duck question, no duck experience here.

Welcome Back Sam …. Nice pics; I hope you had an enjoyable break.

Great pics also locknest4 .. love the compost dwellers!
My gals have learnt that the compost bin is some sort of chicken treat dispenser and spend much time waiting patiently at the air hole for something to crawl out.

Woah Bethan! While I will put my hand up and take a slight percentage of the blame for bantam number three .. number four is 100% on you! Lol

Seriously now .. congratulations! Can’t wait to see them. Yep, two is much better as they will have each other for company while integrating … chicken math strikes again!

The look-do-not-touch set up you have now is a good start. I usually do that for at least a week or so. Quarantine is also recommended but I understand with your courtyard situation, this is probably not possible. I have had to wave quarantine at times and have been lucky.

After the above, I let them free range, supervised .. space and distractions are wonderful aids during integration. A water pistol comes in handy also for any pecking that gets a bit intense.

One thing I have found very helpful is to actually leave the existing chickens in the coop/run and let the newbies have an explore of the garden, without the threat of being picked on. This gives them the chance to feel comfortable and also know where the good hiding spots are and where to run if picked on. While the existing flock are not happy about being locked in while the newbies are outside, they get over it and it may help them to realise that the newbies belong.

I also reverse this .. let the existing flock out but keep the newbies locked in but with access to all areas so that when the divider does come down, there are already familiar with the whole coop and run.

Anniebee I totally agree with your social media comments .. Facebook in particular. While I do not spend very much time on it, I like Facebook because of the ease at which I can stay in touch and share news/photos with family and friends interstate and overseas without having to find time for what are usually long phone calls, but yep, I have lost a couple of friends because I did not want to see graphic pics and read their rants about particular subjects they are passionate about. I know the world is not perfect and I also know that I cannot live in a bubble and while staying up to date on current events, I prefer to research that and gather all the facts … not be greated by graphic pics before totally awake and only two sips into a cup of coffee

Thank you for your very kind words about my writing .. a couple of people have told me that. While I do enjoy writing and hopefully make some people laugh, I am not everyone’s cup of tea …. Maybe one day, when I retire

I actually think that is a good question about chicken calmers .. there may be some food or herb etc that does that. I know there is the old myth that Turkey contains Tryptophan which makes you sleepy and while there is a bit of truth to that, research also indicates it is because of all the extra helpings of food that go with it that you get sleepy.

I agree with locknest4 and appps in that caponizing is done by some and like appps, just the thought of it makes me shudder; definitely not something I would consider.

I also found a thread I remembered reading on surgery to modify the voice box of the rooster: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/705084/decrowing-roosters

There was another one somewhere also that I could not find but the poster had lost a couple of roosters during the procedure and also from infection following the procedure.

PS. Someone mentioned that they have no idea what I look like so, as I know I am sometimes intrigued as to what others look like .. this is me:



Even though it turns this already long post into a novella, I just wanted to add:

I knew I should have trusted my gut and not the sweet faced ‘I will be good mum’ Cilla … I just checked again and no Cilla .. found her happily hunkered down in a nest box … what is the bet that 30mins on a LuLu egg has undone 4 days of good work?

The GodCilla containment zone once again has a resident

First ... a lovely photo of you Teila ... thank you on behalf of all here. And it was me ( and perhaps others ) who said "no idea what you look like". Might gather some courage and post one of myself, one of these days.

Secondly - I think I have to admit to being one of the bods who opens mouth and puts foot in, here ( at times ). I don't mean to --- but might answer a question or comment, and then find it's been dealt with 2 pages on. I should take to making lists - of who said what and when. It's such a busy thread here - difficult to keep up at times. But that's no excuse - need to be better organised.

Sad to hear that GodCilla has returned .... a split personality chook ? But you love her despite her undesirable attitude.

Poor wee girl --- would bringing her inside - in a cat crate or container, help --- do you think ? It would be a totally new experience for her - and might make her chooky brain think along a different path. ??? Keep her inside overnight ( she would be docile and sleepy ) ... just on newspaper ( no comfortable straw bedding ) .... and let her out by herself for an hour in the garden - say, midday, and then back inside for a while on the newspaper again etc. - repeat procedure .... break her of her naughty habits ? Just a thought.

.........

p.s. ... as for you not being 'everyone's cup of tea' re writing a good fun novel .... I disagree, but will not push the envelope any further. Will just sit back and enjoy your great posts.

Cheers ........ Anniebee.

 

[Anniebee]

A little update about Mindy Araucana and her soft-shell eggs.

( I hope I am not putting the moz on her by mentioning it ) .....

She has laid 3 perfectly formed, well shelled eggs in the past 4 days. I didn't dare post about the first one !!!

Didn't have to do anything special, except feed her my special 'mix' of rice vegies etc., and to not top up her layer pellets, but to introduce fresh new pellets every day. Have not even had to introduce extra calcium powder ??

I have NO idea if that did the trick, and there may be many here who empty out unused pellets every day anyway .... I have always just topped them up - which is easy for the big girls who go through them at the rate of knots, so they get fresh new pellets every day ... but little Mindy took her time - on occasions. But never were the pellets damp or mouldy - for sure. I always made sure of that.

From now on, she gets small amounts per day that can be changed to totally new pellets every single evening. ..... well at least that's a start.

 

[RodneyRooster]

Update on patsy. i wasn't home when vet came yesterday so info i have is from hubby. Patsys fine vet said her waters are intact so what i thought i saw being broken waters was obviously something else. I am a city chic after all. Waiting on the shearer to arrive this arvo sometime and if nothing is happening after that she is going to give her a shot to bring on her labor properly. Update on zeus. He seems to be getting better each day still.

Fantastic news all round!! :-D

We have plenty of magpies here that have a go at the chooks but no injuries so far. Maybe bantams are more of a target tho of course due to their small size.

Great to hear AB! well done

 

[satay]

Morning all. Well the shearer was a no show so at 6pm the vet came out and gave patsy a shot . At just before midnight she delivered a little boy which unfortunately didn't make it. He looked fine maybe a little small but other than that I don't know. I guess some just aren't meant to make it. Bit sad for patsy to go through all that and not have a bubby for all her efforts.

 

[satay]

First ... a lovely photo of you Teila ... thank you on behalf of all here.    And it was me ( and perhaps others ) who said "no idea what you look like".   Might gather some courage and post one of myself, one of these days.   

Secondly -  I think I have to admit to being one of the bods who opens mouth and puts foot in,  here ( at times ).   I don't mean to --- but might answer a question or comment, and then find it's been dealt with 2 pages on.   I should take to making lists - of who said what and when.  It's such a busy thread here - difficult to keep up at times.   But that's no excuse - need to be better organised.  

Sad to hear that GodCilla has returned .... a split personality chook ?    But you love her despite her undesirable attitude.  

Poor wee girl --- would bringing her inside - in a cat crate or container, help --- do you think ?   It would be a totally new experience for her - and might make her chooky brain think along a different path.  ???   Keep her inside overnight ( she would be docile and sleepy ) ... just on newspaper ( no comfortable straw bedding ) .... and let her out by herself for an hour in the garden - say, midday, and then back inside for a while on the newspaper again etc.  - repeat procedure  .... break her of her naughty habits ?    Just a thought.  

.........

p.s. ... as for you not being 'everyone's cup of tea' re writing a good fun novel .... I disagree, but will not push the envelope any further.   Will just sit back and enjoy your great posts.   

Cheers ........ Anniebee. 

The input for many is the great thing about this thread anni. Whether 1 or 7 of us have answered the question doesn't matter as the more opinions the more it gives people to think about.
I agree with you on Telia I love to read her posts with the adventures of her girls etc, I try to make sure I don't have a mouth full of tea at anytime when I am reading one as I am sure it would end up being spat on the screen with laughter

 

[IamSamSam]

The input for many is the great thing about this thread anni. Whether 1 or 7 of us have answered the question doesn't matter as the more opinions the more it gives people to think about.
I agree with you on Telia I love to read her posts with the adventures of her girls etc, I try to make sure I don't have a mouth full of tea at anytime when I am reading one as I am sure it would end up being spat on the screen with laughter

. X2 Lol. Mostly I won't post an answer if I think it's covered. Keep up the posts Teila!

 

[Fancychooklady]

Morning all. Well the shearer was a no show so at 6pm the vet came out and gave patsy a shot . At just before midnight she delivered a little boy which unfortunately didn't make it. He looked fine maybe a little small but other than that I don't know. I guess some just aren't meant to make it. Bit sad for patsy to go through all that and not have a bubby for all her efforts.

Oh that's sad, but at least patsy pulled through. :/

 

[satay]

Oh that's sad, but at least patsy pulled through. :/

Thanks yes she seems to be doing well this morning. Back hanging out with her mate Sunday.