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

[sjturner79]

Phew, getting hot here. Currently 33 and have just noticed that Friday its forecast to be 38 yikes!

Yeah we have already had 37 twice this month.
I think it's ironic that the chicken that seems to be most stressed by the heat is the Australian breed - the astralorp. The others don't mind as much.

 

[appps]

Yeah we have already had 37 twice this month.
I think it's ironic that the chicken that seems to be most stressed by the heat is the Australian breed - the astralorp. The others don't mind as much.

Don't tell me that :-(. Lol. Was just wondering how my little Australorps babies are going to cope with it.

 

[ChristieB]

Wow teila your girls are spoiled! I just chuck all food scraps out the kitchen window for them to do what they wish lol. I do break up big bits of bread but otherwise it's however it comes.

 

[sjturner79]

Don't tell me that :-(. Lol. Was just wondering how my little Australorps babies are going to cope with it.

Organize a way to keep them cool now. Young astralorps are far less likely to survive a 40 degree day then other breeds.
Perhaps a mister or double shade over the coop and run or bring them inside.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Organize a way to keep them cool now. Young astralorps are far less likely to survive a 40 degree day then other breeds.
Perhaps a mister or double shade over the coop and run or bring them inside.

I've always found that star comb birds tolerate the heat better than rose or walnut combed birds. Of course rose and walnut comb birds tolerate the cold better, which is always good in tassie.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Don't tell me that :-(. Lol. Was just wondering how my little Australorps babies are going to cope with it.

Young birds will always be more susceptible to extremes in the weather but it also depends on what you feed them. In hot weather it is best to cut out corn /maize and acv .

 

[appps]

Ta guys. They seemed to have done fine today at 33 but 38 is a whole lot hotter again, especially since most of their lives we have been having quite cool temperatures and they have spent time seeking out the sunny spots. I think I'll just bring them inside once the temps get over about 35 on Friday. It was actually two more than forecast today so could end up even hotter.

 

[locknest4]

Apps we hav experienced quite a few hot days here in Perth. When the chicks were younger and they were hot (open beaks and wings raised a bit) I wld use cool water in a hand held sprayer and spray them a couple of times a day. When they got a bit older 8 weeks plus I gave them a light hose down with the hose.they weren't happy about it but were definately a lot cooler ! Also noticed that the leghorn get hotter than the australorps.

teila you definately did the right thing

Finally got sick of being sick and went to the doctors 2day. He has given me a 10 day course of antibiotics to help clear up my 4 week old sinus infection. Hope they work!!!

 

[Cryssie]

Hi fellow Aussies. Glad to see there is a few of us on BYC.

 

[Anniebee]

Good morning Friends

sjturner79 I bet your chooks would feel much better without those mites; any form of nastie nipping at them must be very uncomfortable.

Thanks Anniebee with hindsight I know I did the right thing but sometimes it is difficult to gauge if you are being helpful or just interfering. Anyways, all quiet last night and hopefully will remain that way.

Anyone else spend heaps of time chopping up stuff for their chickens? Having bantams, I seemed to spend a lot time chopping up a slice of roast into bantam sized pieces or steak etc; sometimes 10mins or so chopping it, then constantly cutting into it with kitchen scissors to get it down to a size they would eat.

I couldn’t use my full size blender/processor etc because the amount we are talking about is not large and literally sat under the spinning blades, not even getting touched .. just a bit wind blown.

I tried two of those hand choppers where you put the stuff in the bottom and punch the handle on the top a couple of times but the meat just packed itself in between the blades and I ended up just bouncing the stuff up and down like some freaky show ride; no actual chopping happening.

I had seen an electric mini-chopper in Woolworths for $15 when doing the grocery shopping and each week I would look at it, shall I? Shan’t I? and I would talk myself out of it because it was not going to work either and moved on.

Then, after getting frustrated with this nearly nightly event, I made the decision that when I did the grocery shopping on Sunday, I would get one. Of course, after seeing them for weeks on end, that Sunday they had gone .. not a mini chopper to be seen on the shelf

Fast forward a couple of months to last Sunday and they were back! No second thoughts … "it is only $15 and will not take up much room in the cupboard when it does not work"

So, Sunday night, I put the slice of roast beef in the mini chopper with great hope … I gotta tell ya, this thing is my new best friend!! Three 5-7sec bursts and I have bantam bite sized pieces … OMG! Where have you been all my chicken owner life?

So, if you have suffered as I have and have a Woolworths that stocks the little mini chopper, I wholeheartedly recommend it!

Teila .... you have saved me from thinking that I am altogether loopy. !! Especially since husband has retired, and caught me using scissors on greens. ( silver beet, broccoli , kale and some hand picked long grass most often go under the scissors ) !!! The broccoli comes off in the tiniest of flowers, when I give a broc. bunch a bit of a hair-do.

The look on his face ? ... if only I'd had a camera. He said with a non-grin rather dark look " what is this ? - the Windsor for chooks", ( a Melbourne 6 star hotel ) shrugged and left the room shaking his head.

I know full well that they can demolish whole lettuce, cauli, cabbage leaves, and even denude a cooked roast bone .... but I do the scissors bit, for adding to my rice-oats-bran-other stuff-scratchmix 'specialty'. Am not feeding meat at the moment, but when I do, during moults ( and when we have more roasts in winter, which = moults usually ) I have one of those old fashioned type meat grinders ( to make shepherds pie or rissoles from left overs ) ... They are readily available all over Australia .... but gee, they are expensive.

$89.95 for THIS !! : ( this might be more designed for a commercial kitchen methinks ).



Mine is much prettier !! It is only about 8 years old and is rather snazzy - dark orange in colour with all bits removable for washing etc. Suction cup beneath, clings to bench surface with a handle that sucks out all the air. Never moves either.

Still and all, you have your mini-chopper now - and it sounds fantastic. In fact wouldn't mind one myself, as getting the meat grinder out for little bits would be a drag. So I think I will be off to Woolies to find one, as you have described. At $15 it's a great bargain. Saves the hands getting sore using scissors too, ( well mine do ). And they can get a little meat here and there, until next winter when they get more.

I never give the girls man-made meat ... sausages, ham, kabana etc. though. Would most on here agree with that ?

Cheers .......