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

[Anniebee]

The bird that was dive bombing was a larger one of these.

We are currently having our 2 days of sunshine for the month.

That actually looks like a white backed magpie which are only found here in the south of Australia ( S.A., Victoria, Tassie ). A lot of black backs are in NSW, Q'land, and a speckled variety I think in W.A.

However, I doubt that a magpie would take a chick. But it would most certainly dive bomb, and will continue to do so if it is building a nest and preparing to mate. They mate in late autumn / winter and hatch young mid to late winter, and some late starters - hatch early Spring. They are even more keen to dive bomb when the young have hatched. I would look for where a bird like that might be building a nest - it would be high up in a tree somewhere and will be quite large.

While butcher birds are grey, or black and white, I cannot find any images of one that has an all white back, like the bird in your photograph. So maybe not a butcher bird.

A male white backed magpie can grow himself and his beautiful sleek new feathers to look quite large - it apparently appeals to his wife ( they usually mate for life ). Then when they are feeding their young, he reduces almost alarmingly in size to a rather pathetically thin bird - and so does his mate, the wife, while feeding the ever hungry young.

.......

How do I know ? We had a family living with us for over 20 years ( they live to about 25 years or so ), and they never ever tried to attack us. Mind you, I could feed them from my hands, so I guess they figured it was best to keep the tucker lady happy and not attack her. Nor did they attack visitors here, but anyone walking along the street --- it was 'watch out'.

Weather is chilly but sunny here today .... and we had to take little Sonya to the Vet this morning, as she'd been quite tummy sick overnight. She is on meds. and is asleep at present, but is lively enough - prancing around and playing with toys when awake, but still not quite herself. Can only hope she improves greatly over the next couple of days.

Not much sleep had, unfortunately !!

Cheers .....

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

Fancy I heard on the weather report yesterday that you guys were in for more bad weather and 100+ km/hour winds. I hope all are OK

Aaaaw SilkieChickStar that little one is sooo cute and how could you say (s)he was creating havoc? .. with that cute little face, butter would not melt in it’s beak

sjturner79 yep, looks like a Magpie to me too and I would not put it past one to take a chick; especially if they are raising/protecting/feeding babies.

Anniebee I am sorry to read that Sonya has tummy troubles and hope that she recovers quickly

The girls are due for a worming at the beginning of June but I figured I might as well do it now .. I wonder how much, if any, of the strange coloured, scary water they drink

 

[Fancychooklady]

Good morning folks 

Fancy I heard on the weather report yesterday that you guys were in for more bad weather and 100+ km/hour winds.  I hope all are OK 

Aaaaw SilkieChickStar that little one is sooo cute and how could you say (s)he was creating havoc? .. with that cute little face, butter would not melt in it’s beak 

sjturner79 yep, looks like a Magpie to me too and I would not put it past one to take a chick; especially if they are raising/protecting/feeding babies.

Anniebee I am sorry to read that Sonya has tummy troubles and hope that she recovers quickly 

The girls are due for a worming at the beginning of June but I figured I might as well do it now .. I wonder how much, if any, of the strange coloured, scary water they drink    

We have been lucky to escape the high winds that were forecast. Hobart copped it yesterday, Elizabeth college is closed today as a result of roof damage.
Wormer administered in the water is always a bit dodgy, but I put it in the water dishes the night before , after everyone has gone to bed. That way you have a greater chance of all of them going to the water as they come down from the roost.

 

[sjturner79]

First egg from my frizzle pullets laid today. 2 from my normal hens and a RIR egg for comparison

 

[sjturner79]

First egg from my frizzle pullets laid today. 2 from my normal hens and a RIR egg for comparison

I should have enough eggs to try the incubator again and see if I can get it right in the next few weeks.

 

[appps]

Oh dear, I think our silkie penny is scared of our now grown australorps. I've noticed over the last week that she is last to come out for breakfast and seems to spend all her day on the perch in the house. Even when I let them on the grass she just stays in the house. So this morning I though I'd put her in the broody grass run to get her out of the house. The australorps ran over to see what was going on and she freaked and squeaked and ran and jumped up away from them. She's always been nervous of them, even when they were babies. I've never seen them be mean or even pay her much attention. What on earth do you do when you have a scary cat chicken?

 

[SilkieChickStar]

Oh dear, I think our silkie penny is scared of our now grown australorps. I've noticed over the last week that she is last to come out for breakfast and seems to spend all her day on the perch in the house. Even when I let them on the grass she just stays in the house. So this morning I though I'd put her in the broody grass run to get her out of the house. The australorps ran over to see what was going on and she freaked and squeaked and ran and jumped up away from them. She's always been nervous of them, even when they were babies. I've never seen them be mean or even pay her much attention. What on earth do you do when you have a scary cat chicken?

I have no idea, poor Penny! Do they pick on her in the coop that you know of? Maybe it's just their size that freaks her out bit given she has grown up with then you would think she would be used to then.

 

[Fizzybelle]

Sjturner79 congrats on the first egg from your frizzles!

 

[satay]

First egg from my frizzle pullets laid today. 2 from my normal hens and a RIR egg for comparison

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[appps]

I have no idea, poor Penny! Do they pick on her in the coop that you know of? Maybe it's just their size that freaks her out bit given she has grown up with then you would think she would be used to then.

They don't bother her at all but she's the only one they aren't nervous of themselves so they tend to be their most boisterous around her. They even try and sit next to her on the perch but she moves as far away as she can.