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

[Teila]

Good morning folks

Oh Fancy I am so very sorry to read of you woes and loss. That second picture from your verandah is scary! My thoughts are so very much with you, your family and all the critters .. stay safe!

Anniebee I share your concerns about what happens after an animal is trapped and handed over to Council which is why I did not hand over Brax when he visited and also why I am not going to trap Mr Floppy Ears.

Funnily enough, after making the decision to befriend him, I have not seen him since and apparently he does not want to be BFF's

I will, however, keep you updated.

Again, kudos to you for raising your little varmint/angel mix.

I would love to get into a fostering program but our current pets and the landlord probably would not share my enthusiasm

Also, the thing I know I definitely would struggle with is the parting with them when they find a forever home.

I believe this is the first time you have helped in the Assistance Program? How do you condition yourself to the fact that she is not staying; not get too attached etc?

I too am beginning to accept that eggs may be a thing of the past

No eggs here since the 20th of April and like you, only a token few from KiKi before we lost her.

Cilla who is 3 years and 5 months last laid on the 19th of January
Dusty who is also 3 years and 5 months last laid on the 5th of March
LuLu, 2 years and 7 months, last laid on the 13th of December!
Blondie, 2 years and 5 months, last laid on the 20th of January and
Crystal, 1 year and 4 months, last laid on the 30th of March

Everyone appears happy and healthy and as I have mentioned, Cilla has been scratching around in the nest box and I saw her pecking at the oyster shell the other day. Her comb has reddened up nicely but no squatting as yet. Maybe she is getting ready and we may get an egg soon

But that only means she would be closer to another bout of broodiness

LuLu could probably be classified as a bit chubby but she always has been.

No idea what Dusty's, Blondie's and Crystal's excuses are .... Well, besides hard moults and broodiness that is

Eggs were always only ever a bonus to having such wonderful little girls and it is OK if they never lay again as long as they are happy and healthy.

Appps hear, hear on the “Can’t understand people who don’t keep pets contained” +1

 

[Anniebee]

Good morning folks

Oh Fancy I am so very sorry to read of you woes and loss. That second picture from your verandah is scary! My thoughts are so very much with you, your family and all the critters .. stay safe!

Anniebee I share your concerns about what happens after an animal is trapped and handed over to Council which is why I did not hand over Brax when he visited and also why I am not going to trap Mr Floppy Ears.

Funnily enough, after making the decision to befriend him, I have not seen him since and apparently he does not want to be BFF's

I will, however, keep you updated.

Again, kudos to you for raising your little varmint/angel mix.

I would love to get into a fostering program but our current pets and the landlord probably would not share my enthusiasm

Also, the thing I know I definitely would struggle with is the parting with them when they find a forever home.

I believe this is the first time you have helped in the Assistance Program? How do you condition yourself to the fact that she is not staying; not get too attached etc?

I too am beginning to accept that eggs may be a thing of the past

No eggs here since the 20th of April and like you, only a token few from KiKi before we lost her.

Cilla who is 3 years and 5 months last laid on the 19th of January
Dusty who is also 3 years and 5 months last laid on the 5th of March
LuLu, 2 years and 7 months, last laid on the 13th of December!
Blondie, 2 years and 5 months, last laid on the 20th of January and
Crystal, 1 year and 4 months, last laid on the 30th of March

Everyone appears happy and healthy and as I have mentioned, Cilla has been scratching around in the nest box and I saw her pecking at the oyster shell the other day. Her comb has reddened up nicely but no squatting as yet. Maybe she is getting ready and we may get an egg soon

But that only means she would be closer to another bout of broodiness

LuLu could probably be classified as a bit chubby but she always has been.

No idea what Dusty's, Blondie's and Crystal's excuses are .... Well, besides hard moults and broodiness that is

Eggs were always only ever a bonus to having such wonderful little girls and it is OK if they never lay again as long as they are happy and healthy.

Appps hear, hear on the “Can’t understand people who don’t keep pets contained” +1

Hi Teila ... How strange that Mr. Floppy Ears has not appeared these past few days. Maybe he has found his way home - let's hope so, and that he is warm and healthy.
You can only guess at this stage.

.............

As for parting with Sonya ( she had her name when she arrived - from the 'S' group of puppies ) .... I always refer to ourselves as "Mum and Dad" for Ruby and the chooks,
but to Sonya we are 'uncle and auntie' ( oh for gosh sakes !!! ).

I have no idea how I will feel, but I constantly remind myself that she does not belong to us, and never will ( unless she is considered fit to be a pet only - then we have first refusal ).
Have often taken care of a magnificent Golden Retriever called "Indy" ... for family members. I absolutely adore that dog, and often feel sad when he leaves, but he does not belong to us or me, so I am hoping I have had a bit of practice at handing back a dog to owners.

It is actually Guide Dogs who own her. I think I can say which programme she's from - they have rules about publicity ( supposed to seek permission ).

As far as I am aware, they own the dogs from birth to their ultimate demise. I cannot begin to imagine how a visually impaired or totally blind person feels, if the Guide Dog they have becomes unfit for further duties so is 'retired' - and they are given another one to continue. THAT I couldn't cope with, if I were in that situation.

Guide Dogs does a lot of 'over-seeing' ... and one is never in doubt as to who the dog belongs to.

............

Your lack of eggs situation is very strange - all those different dates ?. There might be an answer, in my response to satay. ( might be !! ).

satay : Your aras have laid right through winter which is great - and being the age they are, double great - Not being able to break your pekins broodiness is indeed odd. I only give my girls the boss that comes in scratch mix, and they only get that 2 > 3 times a week. I do have some boss, so will introduce that a couple of days a week as well. It is very oily, and I'd hate to see Mandy get any bigger than she already is ! .... can only try - however ........

I have found out ( googling again !! ) .... that someone said 8 hours a day of sunshine, is a 'little on the low side' ... my poor girls have had little to no sun for ages, because of rain and constant heavy cloud cover, and even though we have cut back trees to let in more sunshine, the darned sun needs to actually shine. Today it is sunny, there are no leaves left on the large tree behind them ( which provides good shade for them in a hot summer, even though they get plenty of sunshine in summer as well ), so they are enjoying that immensely. It is rare to see Mindy seeking sun, even in summer. She does however, love a mud bath

She runs to her favourite spot to hide ( behind trees in her run ), when she hears currawongs nearby. The two big girls also run inside their coop. Cannot fathom what is so frightening about currawong songs. They have been very vocal recently, announcing freeze and rain almost every day for ages, so there's been a lot 'hiding' going on.

So - lack of adequate sunlight ??? ... rather than weather. Just a thought.

Don't know how your chickens are placed as regards sunshine, Teila.

Cheers .......

 

[sjturner79]

satay  ......  It will be interesting to see just how long it takes for those little stumps to grow back into full size spurs.   Different lengths of time, mentioned on various sites .... probably because each animal / bird is different in rate of growth. 

( Take a puppy for instance ---- ya want one - ? )   Got a beautiful Lab puppy here who is up for adoption on occasions, but doesn't belong to us so can't go down that track, and wouldn't anyway  she's gorgeous ).   Some of her behaviour is excellent, while she misses the beat completely in other areas.    Just her rate of mind growth, physical growth - ( she's on track for physical growth )  .... and the fact that she is dominant one day, and submissive the next.   It is a long sloooow process ... and I think I know now why the Assistance Programme we are helping, farm out these difficult to raise dogs ( according to info I have searched ), to volunteers to raise them. ..... 


A varmint terror one day, an angel the next.   Thing is she is growing at her own speed, as all youngsters do.   ...... so wny not with roosters and hens, no matter their age. .

Speaking of hens ??     I am wondering if we will EVER  get another egg from any of my 3 ???     Two have moulted and regrown their feathers now - but Mindy Araucana, who moulted heavily in April, and then part moulted her head, has begun what I can only describe as her third moult.   Yet eats like there's no tomorrow !!!   .... the perfect gutz.  

I refuse to worry about her, as she seems to be fully clothed at present and very healthy - but new shed white feathers keep appearing in her coop and run.   I cannot fathom that.

Does anyone else who might read this, have any ideas about that ?  

Cheers ..........      

I would expect the bigger birds to be laying again from August to November.
Those with older bantams should also be getting eggs about those months. I have the new run rebuild properly now, and my purple boy has arrived. I have him and the7 baby silkies in there, and once I happy that he is well and nobody looks sick, probably in 2 weeks or so, I will start bringing the rest of the flock out. I am still getting eggs, but not exactly sure how many or who's laying as I only get back to my flock a couple of times a week until I can get them to the new home.

 

[Anniebee]

I would expect the bigger birds to be laying again from August to November.
Those with older bantams should also be getting eggs about those months. I have the new run rebuild properly now, and my purple boy has arrived. I have him and the7 baby silkies in there, and once I happy that he is well and nobody looks sick, probably in 2 weeks or so, I will start bringing the rest of the flock out. I am still getting eggs, but not exactly sure how many or who's laying as I only get back to my flock a couple of times a week until I can get them to the new home.

Thanks sjturner79 .... for your answer.

I would think ( hope ) Spring should bring about some kind of egg laying activity .... with more sunshine hopefully, longer warmer days. Previous years my girls have laid through summer as well. Just have to wait and see.

I recall something about your purple boy in another comment, but what breed is he ? You may have mentioned his breed, back many posts now. I am gathering he is very young, as you are confident enough to put him with baby silkies.

Are you yourself moving house ( with new runs etc ) , or is it just your flock being rehoused in the rebuilt run ?

Cheers ......

 

[sjturner79]

Thanks sjturner79 .... for your answer.    

I would think ( hope ) Spring should bring about some kind of egg laying activity .... with more sunshine hopefully, longer warmer days.  Previous years my girls have laid through summer as well.  Just have to wait and see.  

I recall something about your purple boy in another comment, but what breed is he ?  You may have mentioned his breed, back many posts now.  I am gathering he is very young, as you are confident enough to put him with baby silkies.  

Are you yourself moving house ( with new runs etc ) , or is it just your flock being rehoused in the  rebuilt run ?

Cheers ......       

Purple boy is also a baby Silkie, older than my others, but still to young to crow. I am indeed moving house. The chooks and myself are at my brothers farm until I get a new permanent home for them.

 

[sjturner79]

 

[sjturner79]

The chooks home until I get a new place for them. As I said I will start to move the flock as I get more confident that nothing was picked up in transit down the east coast and across to SA

 

[sjturner79]

The chooks home until I get a new place for them. As I said I will start to move the flock as I get more confident that nothing was picked up in transit down the east coast and across to SA

 

[sjturner79]

The chooks home until I get a new place for them. As I said I will start to move the flock as I get more confident that nothing was picked up in transit down the east coast and across to SA

I realized you can't see them in the first pics, so got a better one.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks sjturner79 .... for your answer.    

I would think ( hope ) Spring should bring about some kind of egg laying activity .... with more sunshine hopefully, longer warmer days.  Previous years my girls have laid through summer as well.  Just have to wait and see.  

I recall something about your purple boy in another comment, but what breed is he ?  You may have mentioned his breed, back many posts now.  I am gathering he is very young, as you are confident enough to put him with baby silkies.  

Are you yourself moving house ( with new runs etc ) , or is it just your flock being rehoused in the  rebuilt run ?

Cheers ......       

There are so many things to factor in, like moult , broodiness , overall health and breed.
My silkies and Wyandotte lay right through winter. By spring time the silkies are usually full on broody or raising young and both equate to no eggs. A good pinch of paprika is said to stimulate the blood and help bring a bird into lay, might be worth a try. I give mine a ' pick me up ' when they are coming out of a moult.