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

[Fizzybelle]

Only thing they want more than food is food that somebody else has.

I can't even leave a glass of water out near mine, they walk up right and help themselves.

 

[User395221]

I can't even leave a glass of water out near mine, they walk up right and help themselves.

Yuck, chicken spit in your drink erk. I don't understand the way they are when it comes to food. I go into the yard, I fling about lots of yummy stuff, then they follow me out. The grass is always greener, they'll leave stuff they have in anticipation of the stuff they think they might get (and they're not getting it, because I've just served it up). They are very strange little people, aren't they?

 

[MyHaven]

Teila   so glad Braxton got home. If he's been looked after while his owners away maybe he's gone looking for them.

MyHaven  also "forgot" to mention that I got two (or didn't get). I couldn't introduce one bird to the flock. The other is a buff colour. I also got (didn't get) a tiny frizzle-x-Silkie for $5. It was so messed up I had to bring it home (not bring it home). I think I have a real problem. Lol
Haha I like the chicks you didn't get. Well done. I might have to go driving and see what I don't get. New to just getting chicks I always used one supplier for my ISA's so I guess I will check gumtree.
The fertile eggs I get are from a friend too.

 
Bears at it again. Paul put some plastic mesh to stop the ISA's from coming out from under the coop to the path he made, Bear ripped it out last night and was in the run. For some reason he likes to eat their poo.  That's why we try so hard to stop him from getting into any of our runs/coops. We didn't have anything stronger at the time so I guess its off to Bunnings to get something stronger.

On the subject of perches and nesting boxes. My ISA's decided when they went into the new coop to sit in the nesting boxes some where on the perches but there was poo in the boxes. So last night Paul blocked off the boxes so they'd perch (its the same wood that they were use to in the old coop), when I got up this morning to check on the girls I thought I'd open the nesting box outer door and pull the wood out so they could use them. LOL there was on hen in there it has squeezed over the top and got in. Must have been determined. While I'm trying to get the wood out another hen is trying to get in the box. They must like Paul's new nesting boxes. That  was when I found Bear's handy work.

 The sun is shining here today. It's horrible to say when we need to rain so badly, but its nice to see the sun shine and a beautiful blue sky.

I hope everyone has a great day.

Photos of the chooks that arent here to follow soon.

You really need to make sure you make Bear neutral to the poo and get onto it straight away. every time he does it he is building the behaviour. Make sure if you're blocking off you do it so he absolutely can't break in or you are just teaching him how to break in and you'll never get him to stop it. Sry if you weren't looking for advice.

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

MyHaven you cracked me up with the “didn’t gets”

I have tried the fermented feed and initially my gals liked it but then they went off it and to be honest, I didn’t notice any change in them. I decided the additional effort did not seem worth it for the results.

I did have to switch to only seed based feed when fermenting because the pellets in the feed I was using at the time turned into a soggy mush that they would not eat.

They were on fermented feed for probably 6 months.

Only having 4 banties at the time, I used the 3 day / 3 jar method which is quite easy:

http://ohlardy.com/fermented-chicken-feed

Fancy I hope the fires are bought under control quickly and no damage done

Inlet Farm is beautiful!

potato chip lol at “Only thing they want more than food is food that somebody else has” and yep, that includes food that hoomans, cats and goldfish have! Dusty ‘helps’ me feed the goldfish every day; I am sure she thinks they are getting something that she should have

The dried crickets arrived on Tuesday, along with the live and dried meal worms. KiKi loved them from the get go! Dusty was kind of interested. I thought Blondie, who loves grasshoppers, would like them but she was not so keen. I tried them on a few more again yesterday and there were more interested .. must be an acquired taste

KiKi and Dusty will take one whole and bash it to bite sized pieces themselves where the remainder of the flock seem to prefer it if I crush them a little.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Good morning folks 

MyHaven you cracked me up with the “didn’t gets” 

I have tried the fermented feed and initially my gals liked it but then they went off it and to be honest, I didn’t notice any change in them.  I decided the additional effort did not seem worth it for the results.  

I did have to switch to only seed based feed when fermenting because the pellets in the feed I was using at the time turned into a soggy mush that they would not eat.

They were on fermented feed for probably 6 months. 

Only having 4 banties at the time, I used the 3 day / 3 jar method which is quite easy:

http://ohlardy.com/fermented-chicken-feed

Fancy I hope the fires are bought under control quickly and no damage done   Inlet Farm is beautiful!

potato chip lol at “Only thing they want more than food is food that somebody else has” and yep, that includes food that hoomans, cats and goldfish have!  Dusty ‘helps’ me feed the goldfish every day; I am sure she thinks they are getting something that she should have 

The dried crickets arrived on Tuesday, along with the live and dried meal worms.  KiKi loved them from the get go!  Dusty was kind of interested.  I thought Blondie, who loves grasshoppers, would like them but she was not so keen.  I tried them on a few more again yesterday and there were more interested .. must be an acquired taste    KiKi and Dusty will take one whole and bash it to bite sized pieces themselves where the remainder of the flock seem to prefer it if I crush them a little.

We are currently being teased with a light shower. Yesterday was strange, at 5 pm the sun was a big red ball in the sky and the the full moon popped up in the opposite horizon and it too was red. The helicopter traffic was stirring the horses up so hopefully today will be quieter .

 

[Fancychooklady]

My chooks are getting their ' Friday special ' today because some are going to new homes today and I didn't want them to miss out. Mmm, my kids hate the smell of mackerel .

 

[MyHaven]

Thank you. I do love my silkies. It's taken 17 years to get restore Inlet Farm , when we bought it there were no windows or doors and the cows were living in it.
It is a special place.

A very very special place. Congratulations! If that is the right word.

 

[Teila]

Fancy that is sweet of you to ensure that your chickens who are starting out on their new adventure do not miss out.

As I mentioned the girls have taken to coming down from the coop for breakfast and then going back up again, just chilling in the coop, which is not something they have done in the past.

As the road works have not started yet today, I truly believe that they are doing this because they can now that they have a nice roomy coop and/or because they are enjoying the radio.

Anyways, my imagination kicked in and I started thinking that this is actually their morning meeting. Even though Cilla is matriarch, I imagine her handing the role of chairing the meeting over to Dusty which would go something like this ….

Business carried over from last meeting:

Meal Worm Crisis:
Dusty advised that due to the arrival of new supplies of meal worms, the previously agreed on nomination process for a sacrificial chicken to ensure supplies did not completely run out has been put on hold. Bottom of the pecking order, Crystal, was heard to breathe a sigh of relief.

General business:

Dusty thanked KiKi for her enthusiastic efforts in her role of Coop Crier but suggested it could be toned down a little.

LuLu raised the issue of KiKi picking on her and ‘Should KiKi stop this practice?’ was put to a vote. The ‘No’s won with Blondie and Crystal voting in the negative because that means KiKi was not picking on them and Cilla and Dusty abstained due to lack of care factor.

Discussion was held around the previously unanimously voted practice of demanding free range an hour before the scheduled time. While the consensus was that it was not working, a decision was made to continue the trial.

Dusty tabled that herself and KiKi were continuing with the Dried Crickets trial and that a decision on whether they should be eaten or not should be available at the next meeting. There was some disgruntled discussion from the floor that the decision was taking so long because Dusty and KiKi wanted to keep all the dried crickets for themselves.

There was some discussion around the practice of moulting and when to terminate the activity for this season but as Crystal was still moulting, this has been deferred.

Discussion was also had around the practice of laying eggs and whether it should be reinstated. It was unanimously agreed that it would not be reinstated and the current practice of nominating an individual chicken to lay one token egg every couple of days would remain. KiKi volunteered to lay the token egg for today.

It was agreed that there should be at least a bi-weekly alarm drill to ensure that the hooman was still responsive and to ensure the drill was effective, a decision was made that an individual could randomly and falsely raise the alarm at any given time.

Meeting closed with the flock being asked to ponder whether they petition the hooman to change the radio station.

 

[MyHaven]

Chickens really only know one language FOOD ! I'm quite sure they would prefer a pumpkin.
I dropped a bacon rasher in the pen this morning , one chook grabbed it and ran with everyone in pursuit. Then they played tug of war with it.

Isn't bacon too salty for chickens?

I do like watching a good tug of war or grub scramble.

 

[MyHaven]

Good morning folks 

MyHaven you cracked me up with the “didn’t gets” 

I have tried the fermented feed and initially my gals liked it but then they went off it and to be honest, I didn’t notice any change in them.  I decided the additional effort did not seem worth it for the results.  

I did have to switch to only seed based feed when fermenting because the pellets in the feed I was using at the time turned into a soggy mush that they would not eat.

They were on fermented feed for probably 6 months. 

Only having 4 banties at the time, I used the 3 day / 3 jar method which is quite easy:

http://ohlardy.com/fermented-chicken-feed

Fancy I hope the fires are bought under control quickly and no damage done   Inlet Farm is beautiful!

potato chip lol at “Only thing they want more than food is food that somebody else has” and yep, that includes food that hoomans, cats and goldfish have!  Dusty ‘helps’ me feed the goldfish every day; I am sure she thinks they are getting something that she should have 

The dried crickets arrived on Tuesday, along with the live and dried meal worms.  KiKi loved them from the get go!  Dusty was kind of interested.  I thought Blondie, who loves grasshoppers, would like them but she was not so keen.  I tried them on a few more again yesterday and there were more interested .. must be an acquired taste    KiKi and Dusty will take one whole and bash it to bite sized pieces themselves where the remainder of the flock seem to prefer it if I crush them a little.

Tks I'll have a read of the article - I've been reading a few.

I've been using the 17% jenco it contains cracked grain. They don't like the straight Red Hen 17 fermented but love it as it comes. Mine just eat the mush. I even find soaking the cracked corn I supplement the cockerels grower feed with benefits. But that's soaking 12-24 hours. I find they eat the FF more quickly and the wild birds don't like it - or haven't tried it yet so I save there too. I'm loving FF so far but early days. Trying it when half the flock is finishing a moult doesn't help gauge effect.

Meal worms aren't that hard to breed/grow yourself.