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

[tandykins]

Thanks for bringing it up folks, worming time!

Hahaha, thanks for reminding me, Rodney - I need to do the second round of our worming. XD

I've been incredibly stressed out the last few days. Tetra's hatch was due on Thursday and nothing happened. On Friday I finally saw one chick and was extremely worried that no more of the 7 eggs underneath her would hatch. Tetra had been lockdown for days already and was paling day by day. Saturday morning there were two. Alright, so there was hope. I also saw three pipped eggs beneath her. I got her to take a drink and felt a bit better.

This morning I saw four chicks. Now day 24. I decided that I was going to set up my tiny reserve incubator right across from her brooder and was going to quickly smuggle all unhatched eggs out from under her. Then I smelled a broody poop and knew it was under her - with her chicks. I had to remove her, chucking her extremely indignant and fluffy body off the net while I cleaned it. There were SIX chicks. 6/7 eggs had hatched. I very quickly moved the remaining egg, sitting solidly in a pile of broody poop, tossed the poop out, added a bit of fresh bedding, wiped the poop off of the egg and put it into my tiny incubator - just in case it does hatch. Tetra was reunited with her six beautiful chicks - one of the bizarrely bright yellow after only a few minutes, and the remaining egg is safely in an incubator in hatching mode.

The lateness of her hatch actually puts this egg on par with another hatch I have today - so I have the option of either returning the chick to her (if it hatches) or putting it in with my other chicks in the incubator - who are due to hatch this evening.

This turned out so much better than I was worried it would. :|

 

[sjturner79]

Hahaha, thanks for reminding me, Rodney - I need to do the second round of our worming. XD

I've been incredibly stressed out the last few days.  Tetra's hatch was due on Thursday and nothing happened.  On Friday I finally saw one chick and was extremely worried that no more of the 7 eggs underneath her would hatch.  Tetra had been lockdown for days already and was paling day by day.  Saturday morning there were two.  Alright, so there was hope.  I also saw three pipped eggs beneath her.  I got her to take a drink and felt a bit better.  


This morning I saw four chicks.  Now day 24.  I decided that I was going to set up my tiny reserve incubator right across from her brooder and was going to quickly smuggle all unhatched eggs out from under her.  Then I smelled a broody poop and knew it was under her - with her chicks.  I had to remove her, chucking her extremely indignant and fluffy body off the net while I cleaned it.  There were SIX chicks.  6/7 eggs had hatched.  I very quickly moved the remaining egg, sitting solidly in a pile of broody poop, tossed the poop out, added a bit of fresh bedding, wiped the poop off of the egg and put it into my tiny incubator - just in case it does hatch.    Tetra was reunited with her six beautiful chicks - one of the bizarrely bright yellow after only a few minutes, and the remaining egg is safely in an incubator in hatching mode.

The lateness of her hatch actually puts this egg on par with another hatch I have today - so I have the option of either returning the chick to her (if it hatches) or putting it in with my other chicks in the incubator - who are due to hatch this evening.

This turned out so much better than I was worried it would. :|

When shadow was broody she hatched her chicks starting day 24 and finished them on day 30. The first 6 I lost cause the wandered out of the nest overnight and froze to death. I have a better hatching spot for them now to prevent that.

 

[Lavender11]

I put my 4 1/2 week old Pekin bantams in their coop this afternoon. Is it okay that they just on grass for the time being and then I'll cover it with pine shavings? I kind of rushed their move because they really have outgrown where they were. Also should I open the top part up,where the roosts are, or leave it shut until they're used to the coop?

 

[Lavender11]

Sorry about the sideways picture. My phone is being a pain.

 

[EllaLouise94]

Hey guys I posted a while ago about my chickens not having any feathers on their butts and I can't remember if I asked this but... Now we are in the hottest months, am I able to put sunscreen on the chickens? If not then why not?
I don't want to do it in case it chemically burns them in some way if their skin is different to ours!! Thank you

 

[RodneyRooster]

No idea sorry @EllaLouise94 but im sure someone will have an answer for u soon

Good morning Friends  

Or should I say afternoon? It is a bit late in the morning for me.  I was up at 04:40am answering the ‘where is our breakfast’ call and afterwards thought, nope, I am tired, going back to bed … woke up again at 8am!!!  Must have needed a full recharge and not just a quick zap 

Aaaaw RodneyRooster poor Miss Vonte.

I have my mister set up to run down both sides of the run [on the outside].  Because it is a fine mist it blows around and keeps the surrounding area cool; I did not want it actually directed onto the deep litter run or able to get the coop wet.

I also use the hand held ‘mist’ setting on my hose to mist the vegetation in their favourite spot in the garden which is not only good for the plants to keep cool but keeps the gals cool also.

Anniebee working in IT, nothing that happens on computers surprises me anymore 

Just a word of warning if I may,. the wormer I use [Kilverm] is ‘Contraindicated in extremely hot weather’ which is why I picked the forecast 'cooler' days I did for worming.

Anyways, cos I had a wonderful sleep in .. gotta get busy and get the lawns mowed [again!].  Predicted 27C and overcast today, much better than the 32C predicted 2 weeks ago when I last mowed.

Have a great day folks!

Yay!!! Such a sleep in, for u especially

Thanks for the feedback on misters. I think i will definitely either attach it to the chook shed pointing outwards or along the top of a fence about a metre or 2 away from their shed.

miss vonte has stayed with the adults all day today and roosted with them again for the first time last night. Seperation complete.

27?! I should definitely have come for a visit this weekend! If it werent for my poor little darlings being sooo hot. 41 yesterday, 42 today, overnight low of 28! And 39 tomoro. Apparently dry thunder and lightening storms tomoro too so everyones on severe fire watch as thats very dangerous.

Candled broody pearl's eggs they are developing nicely two will probably hatch way before the others don't what to do now. Don't think she'll still sit on them

Yay! Always a tough decision as to what to do there

I have pekin babies. A black and a buff so far.

Whoo1!!

Hahaha, thanks for reminding me, Rodney - I need to do the second round of our worming. XD

I've been incredibly stressed out the last few days.  Tetra's hatch was due on Thursday and nothing happened.  On Friday I finally saw one chick and was extremely worried that no more of the 7 eggs underneath her would hatch.  Tetra had been lockdown for days already and was paling day by day.  Saturday morning there were two.  Alright, so there was hope.  I also saw three pipped eggs beneath her.  I got her to take a drink and felt a bit better.  


This morning I saw four chicks.  Now day 24.  I decided that I was going to set up my tiny reserve incubator right across from her brooder and was going to quickly smuggle all unhatched eggs out from under her.  Then I smelled a broody poop and knew it was under her - with her chicks.  I had to remove her, chucking her extremely indignant and fluffy body off the net while I cleaned it.  There were SIX chicks.  6/7 eggs had hatched.  I very quickly moved the remaining egg, sitting solidly in a pile of broody poop, tossed the poop out, added a bit of fresh bedding, wiped the poop off of the egg and put it into my tiny incubator - just in case it does hatch.    Tetra was reunited with her six beautiful chicks - one of the bizarrely bright yellow after only a few minutes, and the remaining egg is safely in an incubator in hatching mode.

The lateness of her hatch actually puts this egg on par with another hatch I have today - so I have the option of either returning the chick to her (if it hatches) or putting it in with my other chicks in the incubator - who are due to hatch this evening.

This turned out so much better than I was worried it would. :|

Awwwwww. Awesome. So great to hear that and that u didnt give up on her too soon. Yeah not sure if u remember but my 2nd lot were about a week late! And the last half of them were another few days behind! Unfortunately i lost 8 as she left them by that time :-( know for next tolime to have a plan b there..

So my chooks have had the usual water sprayed everywhere a few times today (like 6 lol), watermelon, peaches, frozen grapes, and i also bought them a paddling pool. Have tried it before and they never used it so i had to dunk them all the time when it was hot but hopefully the chicks will at least use it this year. Have filled it just enough that they should all get good use out of it if they choose but it wont be too deep for the chicks.

Well i had been thinking of getting an arborist around to assess our trees since we moved in in september but only voiced it to hubby this last week. He said i dont know what that is but sounds expensive. Wasnt very interested. Yesterday a huge branch snapped off of one of our gum trees. Massive. Luckily right next to the driveway not over it and not on our cars or the aviary less than a metre away, not on the kids or anyone either. Bloody lucky placement. At least i know i had the right idea and def getting one in now, thats my cue!

Omg weve done absolutely nothing this weekend its way too hot!!! I feel like such a sook but sheesh!

 

[appps]

I put my 4 1/2 week old Pekin bantams in their coop this afternoon. Is it okay that they just on grass for the time being and then I'll cover it with pine shavings? I kind of rushed their move because they really have outgrown where they were. Also should I open the top part up,where the roosts are, or leave it shut until they're used to the coop?

Hate to say it but that's the 3-4 hen coop plus double nesting box we bought that in reality turned out only big enough to use the whole thing, roosting space and all as a 2-3 chicken nesting box. I hope yours is a scaled up version!

You may also find you need to put a hinge on the ramp and put a brick under it so it's not so steep. Mine couldn't navigate it al all at the angle it came as.

I just let mine have access to the whole thing. And grass is better down the bottom. Just make sure they have some grit and keep them on short grass.

 

[appps]

Hey guys I posted a while ago about my chickens not having any feathers on their butts and I can't remember if I asked this but... Now we are in the hottest months, am I able to put sunscreen on the chickens? If not then why not?
I don't want to do it in case it chemically burns them in some way if their skin is different to ours!! Thank you

Hmmm I would think if you use one for sensitive skin? You would be better off making sure they have heaps and heaps of shade instead though. Mine spend very little time in the sun except first thing in the morning. I don't think they would stay in it long enough in summer to get burnt if given the option of shade.

 

[Lavender11]

Hate to say it but that's the 3-4 hen coop plus double nesting box we bought that in reality turned out only big enough to use the whole thing, roosting space and all as a 2-3 chicken nesting box. I hope yours is a scaled up version!

You may also find you need to put a hinge on the ramp and put a brick under it so it's not so steep. Mine couldn't navigate it al all at the angle it came as.

I just let mine have access to the whole thing. And grass is better down the bottom. Just make sure they have some grit and keep them on short grass.

I agree that it definitely won't be big enough (the box said for 6) but it might be a scaled up version of the one you bought as they aren't having any problem with the ramp. It was all I could afford at the moment and I'm hoping it will do until I figure out which ones are roos and maybe have the confidence to build my own. Also the backyard is not overly huge especially with my bathtub garden beds. I really need to rearrange my yard. I've got the materials to build them a bit of a run but I'd like to free range them when their older. I felt it was extremely important to get them out of where they were. They've grown so much in just the last 3 days. It's crazy. The photo is so you can get an idea of how big the coop is next to a 5 year old girl.

 

[sjturner79]

Hey guys I posted a while ago about my chickens not having any feathers on their butts and I can't remember if I asked this but... Now we are in the hottest months, am I able to put sunscreen on the chickens? If not then why not?
I don't want to do it in case it chemically burns them in some way if their skin is different to ours!! Thank you

I certainly wouldn't. There are plenty of humans that get bad chemical burns from sunscreen