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

[Fancychooklady]

Good morning friends I saw this on FB and had to share: Hey there Chook Newby Welcome to BYC and the thread; lovely to meet you. Your girls are beautiful. Have you tried them on watermelon? Watermelon is always welcome on a hot day here and it will keep them amused while you are away. When I first tried to introduce my girls to watermelon you would have thought I had thrown an unpinned hand grenade in the run, but with time and coaxing, they are now huge fans. I totally agree with Fancy about the “perfect world” and sharing of bubs .. not a chance of that happening here! Anniebee yep, I have quit worrying, Crystal’s toe is no longer the focus of attention now any chance of infection has probably passed. I do, however, have a new focus … we have a mouse! No, not a pet mouse, an intruder mouse who has taken to collecting and piling corn behind the single back up nest box in the other corner of the coop. Now, as you may have all picked up, I do not mind a challenge .. obviously, I keep chickens don’t I? Anyways, I am starting to see a pattern each morning when I give the coop a quick clean from the overnight poops .. corn kernels in a pile and mouse poop. So, because I can safely set a mouse trap behind the box with no chance of the girls getting hurt, I religiously do so for 5 days with peanut butter. The corn kernels and poop return and the trap remains untouched. Mr Mouse is apparently not a fan of peanut butter. Plan B, switch out the peanut butter for cheese. Apparently Mr Mouse likes cheese because he took that, the trap had been triggered but he had managed to evade it. This is where the challenge comes in, I now have to work out how to outsmart Mr Mouse without hurting the girls. I can continue with the cheese trap and hope that I eventually get him or I wonder if others have any chicken friendly ideas? May be if I fatten him up with daily doses of cheese, he might just die of blocked arteries ... eventually

The mouses days are numbered, if you don't get it, the girls will. Vermon control around poultry is always tricky cause we all know that chickens will eat anything. I can't even lay snail baits, so I'm doing the bait under a pot trick .

 

[Teila]

The mouses days are numbered, if you don't get it, the girls will. Vermon control around poultry is always tricky cause we all know that chickens will eat anything.
I can't even lay snail baits, so I'm doing the bait under a pot trick .

Hey Fancy the problem is that the little munchkin only appears to be going into the coop at night to eat/stash his corn. There is not really anywhere in the coop that he could safely hide during the day so I think he is just visiting at night time. Hopefully you are right and he will push his luck, show himself during the day and become lunch

Yeah, I have read some horror stories on people not thinking it through and putting out poison .. vermin eats poison .. chickens or cats eats vermin

I will persevere with the trap

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hi Teila, thanks for the warm welcome!  Yes I have definitey done the watermelon thing with not only the chookies but the dogs as well and it is a massive hit!  Great idea!  Oh and blueberries... my god!  All my animals love their blueberries.  People critise me for buying expensive blueberries and then feed them to the chickens and dogs... well they are cheaper than quality dog treats and meal worms and soooo much better for them all     BTW, love the pic 

Generic frozen veges added to their water on hot days keeps the water cooler and keeps them entertained. We have apples plums and pears coming out of our ears ATM. So the chooks are getting plenty of treats.

 

[User395221]

That's either denial or no sense of adventure.

Denial? I don't know why you'd think that

Quote: You can buy traps that are just boxes where the mice can go in, but not back out again.

Quote: That's what's so strange. He didn't seem the slightest bit frightened, or upset, or anything. You'd have thought he was a tame bird. He let me stroke him, and he just sat perched on my hand without any attempt to fly off. Maybe he was all tuckered out, but he sat there looking at me and didn't seem the slightest bit distressed.

EDIT http://www.bunnings.com.au/the-big-cheese-multi-catch-mouse-trap_p3010134
This is the trap, they also sell "one mouse" sized plastic ones, but you might (probably?) have a family.

 

[satay]

I'm sad this morning as i just had to sell all my sheep. We have been having problems with our back gate for months someone kept cutting the lock and opening the gate. We have to have a big gate on the back of our property as there is a council easement that runs behind and they have to be able to access it from our place if they ever want to. Mind you they haven't ever in the 9 years we have been here, We aren't allowed to run electric fence along there either. So after months of this happening and only being able to catch a dark figure in a hoodie on the camera/ (not much use in a country town unless you know who it actually is .) Someone cut the lock on Monday night and when i went to feed them they were no were to be seen., 2 and half hours later i finally found them and got them back into our place. They were just about out on the highway, I made the tough decision to sell them. I couldn't stand the thought of them being hit by a car or truck on the highway, Thankfully the shearer who sheared them last year has taken them and they are going to have lots of land where they will be safe which is best for them i know. I just wish people didn't have to be such a hol's sometimes.

 

[MyHaven]

Well, I finally caught up my BYC chicken thread read after missing only a day.

Welcome new guys, birthday wishes, congrats on chicks, poor Diamond, great tips on first aid and top pics posted. I'm glad everyone kept up the great work.

Now Everyone stop telling Teila to write a book. It's okay. I have copied all her posts into a manuscript and called it "The Chook Mothers Diaries" I might split the royalties with her. They might make a series out of it.

Seriously you wouldn't have much more to do if you compiled your posts. I often have a giggle when I reflect on one of your stories or descriptions. I love the compost bin/insect dispenser reference.

Well, nearly at my destination (train) so on that note here's a pic of the Wyandottes I DID NOT drive into the city to look at.

A bad pic. The one in front is moulting.

And while I was typing this in, I look and there are more posts to read. Oh my

Satay I am so sorry to hear you have had to loose you sheep because if some jerk. Just be careful though, some people will look for other mischief.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I'm sad this morning as i just had to sell all my sheep. We have been having problems with our back gate for months someone kept cutting the lock and opening the gate. We have to have a big gate on the back of our property as there is a council easement that runs behind and they have to be able to access it from our place if they ever want to. Mind you they haven't ever in the 9 years we have been here, We aren't allowed to run electric fence along there either. So after months of this happening and only being able to catch a dark figure in a hoodie on the camera/ (not much use in a country town unless you know who it actually is .) Someone cut the lock on Monday night and when i went to feed them they were no were to be seen., 2 and half hours later i finally found them and got them back into our place. They were just about out on the highway, I made the tough decision to sell them. I couldn't stand the thought of them being hit by a car or truck on the highway, Thankfully the shearer who sheared them last year has taken them and they are going to have lots of land where they will be safe which is best for them i know. I just wish people didn't have to be such a hol's sometimes.

Some people are such pains in the ---- . We had someone cutting our electric fences and unfortunately our game camera only got a mysterious hooded figure too. Too late now but I would have run an electric tape on the inside, then once he made his complaint at least you'd know who it was. Look on the bright side , the sheep now get free haircuts for the rest of their days.

 

[User395221]

here's a pic of the Wyandottes I DID NOT drive into the city to look at.

and did NOT bring home to your house? Same as me, that's my plan. I'm not driving into the country, looking, or bringing home. Your imaginary chickens are very pretty. I love those Wyandottes...

(wonder if I could not look at those while I'm out in the sticks?)

 

[Chook Newby]

Chook Newby

A hearty

to you. You will enjoy every minute of your visits here ... heaps of help, lots of fun and laughter ( via the keyboard ).

Your new chickens are lovely. The idea of frozen water bottles is great ... keeps an area cool. And is that GRASS I can see in the foreground. ? I am wondering how long it will remain like that !!

..... I should enter our chook created 'moonscape' in some Nat. Geog. competition --- - it might win something !!

Coming into Autumn, ( if that is still a season in Australia !! ) .... chickens often moult - so your girls might have their first moult soon. Then again, maybe not. If they do moult, then you could expect eggs late winter, early spring ( on my calculations ) ..... my 3 girls are all in moult - so no eggs. Have to buy them

Cheers -

Hi Anniebee! Thanks for the welcome! Im already addicted haha. Yes they are nibbling at grass in the photo but they are not on the grass full time so I think it will be ok Funny little things

 

[Chook Newby]

Generic frozen veges added to their water on hot days keeps the water cooler and keeps them entertained. We have apples plums and pears coming out of our ears ATM. So the chooks are getting plenty of treats.

Great idea! Nice and cheap too