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

[Fancychooklady]

I use wood chips in all my pens and houses. It has several advantages - the aromatic wood and leaves from eucalypts and melaleucas etc tend to repel insect pests, and the big one is it is free - the local council has several 
wood chip dumps around the shire where they leave all the mulch from their tree pruning operations. 

I don't get mine free, but I have a truck load delivered for the gardens each year. For my boggy pen I put a bed of straw down then covered it with pine bark . Once every now and again I top it up. I'm still keen to try pine needles, they say it also has acts as a natural insecticide . How's the weather in your end of the woods Ash ?

 

[Ashburnham]

I hadn't thought of that. I'm pretty sure now you mention it there was a sign at our tip last time we were there. Will have to borrow the work trailer this weekend!

Do you just deep litter method it or pull out and replace now and then?

I always deep litter it. Clean it all out a bout once a year.

 

[SilkieChickStar]

I'm concerned about one of the silkies she is very quiet and her crop feels bloated to me. Advice?

 

[Fancychooklady]

I'm concerned about one of the silkies she is very quiet and her crop feels bloated to me. Advice?

If you are concerned that she might have impacted crop it's best to isolate her and remove all food and water, then check her crop to see if it has emptied. Also have a good look at her poop.

 

[SilkieChickStar]

If you are concerned that she might have impacted crop it's best to isolate her and remove all food and water, then check her crop to see if it has emptied. Also have a good look at her poop.

Thank you I will isolate her. I suspect sour crop more than impacted as her crop is feeling bloated and squishy. I will check her again in the morning. She has garlic and acv in her water atm and I syringed some in before as I wasn't sure how much she is drinking. Poor little thing is not doing much

 

[sjturner79]

Just candled and lockdown 16 eggs.

 

[satay]

If you are concerned that she might have impacted crop it's best to isolate her and remove all food and water, then check her crop to see if it has emptied. Also have a good look at her poop.

[/U]

How are you going down there? here parts of Tassie are being evacuated .

 

[satay]

Just candled and lockdown 16 eggs.

e Hope they all hatch for you .

 

[satay]

Finally the horrid westerly winds seem to have gone this morning. It's a nice and cool 6c but feels so much better without those winds.

 

[satay]

I always deep litter it.  Clean it all out a bout once a year. 

That must be a big job when you do it with all your pens. How is your ara breeding going?