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

[chicken-clucky]

I think a have a new Layer

 

[harriettasmania]

Hi!

Figured I should post here! As my username so subtly suggests! I am Harriet from Tasmania!
Great to see so many Aussies here!!!

Being a newbie I have posted my intro in the new arrivals forum!

I have 2 layers Hy line Browns a wonderful broody (Snow) who just hatched 5 gorgeous chicks - 2 wks Wednesday. I also have 2 sweet as duckling - 2 weeks today. Mallard/khaki Campbell.

I love my feathered friends!

Harriet x

 

[User395221]

HI Harriet, welcome to the forum and welcome to the thread. I'd love to see some photos of your birdies, if you feel inclined to post.

I love ducks, I wonder if I could fit ducks into my menagerie......

Congratulations chicken-clucky, that's a decent-sized egg...

Teila, have you considered using silo feeders when your girls are on their own. Unless they got inside, I don't see how the crows could get at the feed, with the tray down low??

 

[harriettasmania]

...

HI Harriet, welcome to the forum and welcome to the thread.  I'd love to see some photos of your birdies, if you feel inclined to post.  

I hope this works!?
Thanks for your welcome! Here are 4 of my 5 babies, only a day old here! My broody has been the best mum!

H x

 

[satay]

I think a have a new Layer e

Yay I am hanging out waiting for all my new Belgians to lay. I think i might still have quite a wait. I asked Telia this morning where her egg is as she is the oldest but she just looked at me like egg, really ....: don't be silly now and ran off

 

[satay]

Hi!

Figured I should post here! As my username so subtly suggests! I am Harriet from Tasmania!
Great to see so many Aussies here!!!

Being a newbie I have posted my intro in the new arrivals forum!

I have 2 layers Hy line Browns a wonderful broody (Snow) who just hatched 5 gorgeous chicks - 2 wks Wednesday. I also have 2 sweet as duckling - 2 weeks today. Mallard/khaki Campbell.

I love my feathered friends!

Harriet x

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hi!

Figured I should post here! As my username so subtly suggests! I am Harriet from Tasmania!
Great to see so many Aussies here!!!

Being a newbie I have posted my intro in the new arrivals forum!

I have 2 layers Hy line Browns a wonderful broody (Snow) who just hatched 5 gorgeous chicks - 2 wks Wednesday. I also have 2 sweet as duckling - 2 weeks today. Mallard/khaki Campbell.

I love my feathered friends!

Harriet x

 

[Teila]

Tee hee chicken-clucky I think it must just be the weather or something; silly chickens doing silly things.

Hey there Harriettasmania nice to meet you and welcome to the thread and BYC

Cute bubby pic!

Thanks potato chip I confess to not considering silo feeders and just putting in a container of food each morning; I will definitely give it some thought.

Because of the covered run, it is not generally a problem the majority of the time and is mainly just on weekends and free range when the run is open and/or the feed is outside within easy reach for the girls. I have taken to leaving the feed in the run so that the girls have to go back in there for a nibble but the Crows are more than happy to wander in there also and into the coop to steal eggs. Blondie’s food in the broody crate was obviously too much temptation for them.

So, Crystal laid her egg with KiKi sitting on the roost watching her .. as soon as Crystal was singing the egg song KiKi was on the egg and chastising me for moving her.

I only have one real broody breaker and Blondie is in it. Also, KiKi is a problem broody in that if I lock her in the broody breaker she frets and carries on to the point that I am worried she will hurt herself.

So, Blondie will have to stay in the breaker, KiKi will have to be broken gradually by nest box and coop lock out when I can.

Good job I love my little feathered problem children

 

[Fizzybelle]

Thank you Fizzybelle ..... that is a special comment for me, as I lost little Moppitt 2+ years ago, after she developed pneumonia from being in a coop that I did NOT know leaked ( during a fierce overnight storm we had here - which I was unaware of, as I sleep heavily ).

Being a silkie, her feathers did not shuck off the water, and it got through to her ultra-thin skin. Enough hours being drenched, turned into upper respiratory problems ( tried to save her from that with anti-biotics / vet help ) but it turned into pneumonia, and she had to be put to sleep.

She was the most beautiful, lovable little chicken. If I ever have silkies again, I think I shall keep them inside the house, and only let them out on all days that do not have rain - - - and check on weather forecasts for same.

That's the problem with silkies, they do not have the oily type flat feathers that other breeds have, and can be brittle in bad weather conditions. When my Mindy Araucana gets drenched ( she loves that - has a secret agenda methinks ) .... I bring her inside, dry her off as best I can on my lap, and then put her in the cat carrier that she adores ( she talks to our dog Miss Ruby, when inside that ) ... to dry off completely. Sure, she has the flat feathers and all, but I am paranoid about it after Moppitts' demise, and Mindy is small, but not exactly delicate !!.

The other two ? - first sign of rain - they are in their coop, sheltering. They do display some sense !!

Love the "Bart Simpson look" on your beautiful Silkie. Mindy Araucana managed to grow feathers after her last moult, that do not cover up her eyes, so have not had to get the scissors out there - - - this time.. Except that is to clip wings - after a moult, when wing feathers grow back fully. Am not into 'climbing trees' to retrieve wayward flight-able chooks. They can still use their wings to get to a roost or wherever, but do not take flight into high branches etc.


Cheers .......

Thanks Anniebee. It's devastating when you lose one isn't it? Some really stand out in their own special way.

With regards to leaky coops, actually the new coop I got for Agnes and her flock mates leaked where I didn't expect it too, so now at the first sign of rain I throw a tarp over it. The run needs covering too, it's not as good as I initially though, and will need some further modding, I alreadyremoved a section for more ventilation. Days where it's rainy all day long, all three little chickens spend it inside. I go through a lot of newspaper, but the piece of mind is worth it. Aggie's only five months, so there's still lots to look forward to, and I want all of them around for as long as possible. Actually Annabelle, my RIR hybrid isn't as waterproof as her pal Ada, so usually requires a rub down or blow dry. So far all chickens I've used the hair dryer on seem to love it, and aren't bothered by the noise. Annabelle also actually liked being swaddled in a towel like a baby, silly girl.

Chicken-clucky congrats on the egg!

It's always exciting to find that first one, makes you feel so proud.

Harriettasmania hello and welcome!

In other news on Saturday I go to the hatchery to get my final flock member, I'm hoping to get a Belgian D'uccle!!! can't wait

 

[appps]

So, Crystal laid her egg with KiKi sitting on the roost watching her .. as soon as Crystal was singing the egg song KiKi was on the egg and chastising me for moving her.

I only have one real broody breaker and Blondie is in it.  Also, KiKi is a problem broody in that if I lock her in the broody breaker she frets and carries on to the point that I am worried she will hurt herself.

So, Blondie will have to stay in the breaker, KiKi will have to be broken gradually by nest box and coop lock out when I can.

Good job I love my little feathered problem children 

How big is your run? This is our broody breaker when the weather is nice.

It's just some plastic wire from Bunnings and some tomato stakes at the end of their run. This is Al in confinement a while back but Penny has been in there yesterday and today because she has decided to go clucky. Works just as well as a small cage. In fact I think it's probably better because they aren't just sitting round like they would on a nest. 3 days and we are generally done so same time frame as a cage. She spends till about 4:30pm in there then I lock the nest box and let her out.