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

[Fancychooklady]

Isn't bacon too salty for chickens?

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

Not something I'd recommend as a regular feed, but mine do so much appreciate the ham bone at Christmas. I have a lovely blue laced Wyandotte pullet that jumps straight into the the bucket of mackerel and pasta. I have to shoo her out several times in order to feed everyone.

 

[User395221]

my imagination kicked in and I started thinking that this is actually their morning meeting.

The minutes of which are hilarious.....

There's no doubt that your girls are divas.

Photos of the chooks that arent here to follow soon.

I am in awe of your self-discipline. You are an example to all of us.

Fancy, your property is beautiful. I'd love to live somewhere like that. Tassie is the best place ever, IMO.

 

[LuckysMum]

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.

Always happy/grateful to get advice. That's the best part of being part of this forum. Sometimes someone will see things in a different way and that helps.

Yes we have been trying to make everything very secure. Because we have been changing things around and building the ne coop some fences we thought were secure weren't. He has even taken a gate off the wall before. This morning he hasn't touched the gates or fences. But the little girls and boys free ranged all day yesterday while Paul took out the old nesting boxes and put in new ones for our little ones to use when they grow up. So Bear probably free ranged

himself last night. YUCK

Paul made the nesting boxes to the size recommended on most sites but they look too small for the Australorps does anyone have measurements of theirs handy, it would be great to compare.

Fancy I hope the fires are out now and everything can settle down now. I love that photo, what a beautiful girl. Are wynadottes friendly maybe I could look at some if they are.

Teila I love the minutes I can just imagine then hen meeting.

Mine ISA's decided not to use the new coop last night not sure why not. They were in there the 2 nights before that. Not sure if it got dark too quick and they didn't get in time. It seems to be getting dark very quick lately.

 

[User395221]

Are wynadottes friendly maybe I could look at some if they are.

Yes, I think they are supposed to be friendly.

Maybe when the new coop and arrangements are set up and Bear gets used to it, he might stop "helping" with the refurbishments.

 

[LuckysMum]

Yes, I think they are supposed to be friendly.

Maybe when the new coop and arrangements are set up and Bear gets used to it, he might stop "helping" with the refurbishments.

That would be good. But he does love helping. (letting everyone out to free range when I'm not there to supervise). I'm sure he thinks he can look after them.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Always happy/grateful to get advice.  That's the best part of being part of this forum. Sometimes someone will see things in a different way and that helps.

Yes we have been trying to make everything very secure. Because we have been changing things around and building the ne coop some fences we thought were secure weren't. He has even taken a gate off the wall before.  This morning he hasn't touched the gates or fences. But the  little girls and boys free ranged all day yesterday while Paul took out the old nesting boxes and put in new ones for our little ones to use when they grow up. So Bear probably free ranged   himself last night. YUCK   
Paul made the nesting boxes to the size recommended on most sites but they look too small for the Australorps does anyone have measurements of theirs handy, it would be great to compare.

Fancy I hope the fires are out now and everything can settle down now. I love that photo, what a beautiful girl. Are wynadottes friendly maybe I could look at some if they are.

Teila  I love the minutes I can just imagine then hen meeting.

Mine ISA's decided not to use the new coop last night not sure why not. They were in there the 2 nights before that.  Not sure if it got dark too quick and they didn't get in time. It seems to be getting dark very quick lately.

It's still raining !
I love my Wyandotte s , yes usually quite friendly if not a little arrogant at times.

Enabler.

 

[LuckysMum]

It's still raining !

I love my Wyandotte s , yes usually quite friendly if not a little arrogant at times.




Enabler.

They look very content. Are they flyers? Our back fence is not very high so I have to be careful when free ranging.

 

[Fancychooklady]

They look very content. Are they flyers? Our back fence is not very high so I have to be careful when free ranging.

They are sitting by the back door , occasionally I get a clever one but nothing a little wing clip won't stop.
There are blue laced red , blacks and silvers in these pics. I also have gold.

 

[Anniebee]

It's still raining !

I love my Wyandotte s , yes usually quite friendly if not a little arrogant at times.




Enabler.

All your birds are beautiful Fancy ... .the pics of the Silkies and their different gorgeous colours were very special.

And this latest photo of your Wyandottes all sitting huddled happily together on the back door mat, is precious.

17 years of love and toil to make such a beautiful home .... congratulations on a such a fantastic effort. Such a lovely home and garden.

Glad to hear of the rain for you all and hope it assists well and truly, to douse the bush-fires. The weather has been waaay too warm for this time of year, here in Victoria as well. This morning ( 4 a.m. ) I was out bringing in my washing, which was blowing in almost hot breezes. Was so warm last night, had difficulty sleeping comfortably - but rain is expected today ( so 'they' say ).

Cheers .......

 

[Anniebee]

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.

Apologies in advance for the subject in detail here !!

Most dogs love eating poo - it's weird but perhaps goes back to the removal of other animal scat by wolves from near wolf dens, to denote and re-establish territory. ( just my thought - I have not researched that ). A dominant dog will pee on top of another dogs' pee to re-establish his ( mainly a male dog thing ) or her territory.

My dogs have always found possum woopsies to be the delight of the day and being that it is all vegetable matter, it doesn't seem to hurt them at all. Two of them used to get into the cat trays if I wasn't careful. Ended up purchasing booda boxes ( can be an expensive item ). !! and even then had to allow access only for the cats, and not for the dogs to get their heads into.

As for chicken poo - that is not too good for a dog. A Vet nurse told me this, and explained the urate in the chicken poo can be a problem.

Birds and mammals if working efficiently, change ammonia into uric acid ( or urea in humans ) ... birds discharge both urine ( ? ) and solid excretia at the same time - all comes out at once. Especially bad for a pup or young dog. The more mature dogs seem to be able to handle it. My own dog Ruby, after the first time ever that she had a 'picnic' in the chook pen ( because I left the gate unlatched and the wind blew it open, while clipping my chickens' wings in the laundry ) - developed quite severe diarrhoea after that episode. The Vet cautiously thought it was her first time introduction to chook woopsies that had caused it. Rice and chicken, to gradual re-introduction of normal food - and some meds, brought it all under control.

Ruby has been banned from fresh droppings ever since, and if my little Mindy has been free ranging in a separate area, I go around with the trowel and pick up as much as possible, her droppings of the afternoon, before Ruby is allowed out to toilet. At which time I watch, and there are a lot of "NO's" from me. She obeys and doesn't touch whatever it might be. She also loves munching on chicken feathers, pockets them in her cheeks and brings them inside to hide. !!! Gotta watch that too.

Only advising here, that perhaps it's best to be safe than sorry.

Old dried up chicken droppings don't have the same impact ( apparently ). It's the fresh stuff that's the potential problem.

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