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

[Fancychooklady]

Well the rain has finally arrived!!! If it keeps up like this we will be on flood watch .

 

[LuckysMum]

Potato chip your're right the chicks look so grown up now and I'm used to the ISA's waiting at the door in the morning to be let out, that I think whats wrong the them why aren't they in a hurry to get out they love it out there. Poor things I have to go to work early today so they will have to stay inside. My shepherd Bear keeps finding ways to let my 2 week olds out so they will have to stay in today as well. It wont be a happy place for babies at my place till I get home from work.
appps how is carl today? Hopefully better.

Btw, does anyone have any advice for repelling flies in the yard? They're really bad here, and are getting worse. I rake and hose the grass to break up fresh droppings as much as I can, but chickens just keep on pooping, which attracts the flies.

When they are bad here I get the Jar fly traps from bunnings and they seem to trap hundreds not much fun emptying them but I use three in the back yard and it seems to work. Also keeps them away from the house as they are attracted to the jars. I use sticky yellow insect sheets in the coops because the jars stink, they also help with the mosquitoes. Hope that helps. Good Luck

 

[LuckysMum]

Fancychooklady We would love some rain, I will keep my fingers crossed and hope you don't get flooded.

 

[MyHaven]

Belgians do have a huge impact for a little bird.

I agree that the deep litter method works. I don't turn mine over every afternoon like Teila and it still works.

I have been going to start fermented feed. I hadn't heard it helps control flies.

I did have another thought. I ensure I do not feed scraps in the afternoon or if there is too much for them to get through before bed. I find this keeps flies, rats and crows down.

Hmmm a trip your way Satay that could be hard to take. Marans and D'uccles to tempt me.

D'uccles in all the colours of the rainbow, yep I can go with that.

Potatochip my friends grandfather bred pigeons with feathers on their feet that are the same size as a D'uccle.

On the topic of rain. My grandfather in the midst of drought when others got rain, would say - rain somewhere else is better than no rain anywhere.

 

[User395221]

They don't get very big.

Thanks, if she's her "grown up" size, that's very true because she's tiny.

Quote:
This, the fly traps (get the big, Jumbo size) work really well. They are disgusting when they fill up (good in the compost though) and they stink, but they do the trick.

Quote: Thanks, I didn't realise they are that small. I hope the big girls don't pick on her when (if) they go in together with them - although with the flying skills the tiny girls have, they could easily fly up and away. I'll have to put some high perches in there, maybe.

 

[Teila]

Fear not, I am not going to totally bore everyone to death with constant pictures but this one is kind of exciting and significant in that it is the first purchase and first step to our new coop and run.

I am also going to keep a costing spreadsheet as I am interested to see how much we spend.

Anyways, I am excited to share Phase 1, the timber for the sliding coop floor which means that we are actually doing this thing

 

[appps]

Found some replacement probiotics but I'm wondering about the dose rate as they just have dose for chicks. I'm thinking same rate though as full grown will still be drinking a proportional larger amount per body weight?

I'm quite excited to find it because it goes in her water. She is very good at avoiding eating the powder I add to food so this will be much better.

@luckymum. She is still much the same but I'm hoping things will start to get back to normal now she can only eat chicken feed and no dirt. She is eating well which is a good sign as this is the best she has been eating since her crop surgery. She is starting to try and dodge me when I go to pick her up in the mornings now though so she isn't a big fan of being in seclusion. I'll give her a couple more days in containment and if still no improvement (that will be a week) in her stools I'll take her back to see the vet. There was a little bit of white in a poop yesterday though so I'm hoping that's the start of a return to normal.

 

[appps]

Anyways, I am excited to share Phase 1, the timber for the sliding coop floor which means that we are actually doing this thing

So the floor will pull out to clean? I like that idea, would be great for my aviary.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Found some replacement probiotics but I'm wondering about the dose rate as they just have dose for chicks. I'm thinking same rate though as full grown will still be drinking a proportional larger amount per body weight?

I'm quite excited to find it because it goes in her water. She is very good at avoiding eating the powder I add to food so this will be much better.

@luckymum. She is still much the same but I'm hoping things will start to get back to normal now she can only eat chicken feed and no dirt. She is eating well which is a good sign as this is the best she has been eating since her crop surgery. She is starting to try and dodge me when I go to pick her up in the mornings now though so she isn't a big fan of being in seclusion. I'll give her a couple more days in containment and if still no improvement (that will be a week) in her stools I'll take her back to see the vet. There was a little bit of white in a poop yesterday though so I'm hoping that's the start of a return to normal.

Yep same ratio. Vetafarm also do polivisol plus, you just make it up to sticky paste and mine love it . Something everyone should have in their first aid box.

http://www.thebirdcottage.com/s-poly-aidplus.asp

 

[Teila]

So the floor will pull out to clean? I like that idea, would be great for my aviary.

Hey appps yep, as I like the slatted timber floors I have in the current coops that lift up and out, we are sticking with the slatted timber but yep it will slide out, similar to those in budgies cages etc but on a grander scale

As I mentioned, I am not going to bore everyone with the details but if anyone is interested in any particular phase of the build, I am happy to expand/share; ooopsies included