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

[kat79]

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The main problem with rearing chickens and ducks together is that the ducks like to swill food in the water and that can cause major health problems with chickens. Also the ducks outgrow the chicks very fast. Having water available for ducklings to swim in is also a drowning hazard for chicks.
I've done this several times and have experienced most of these complications.[/quot thanks for that fancy didnt know they couldnt be together at all but thats fine I will keep them seperated all the time. I usually allow them to be running around together for daylight hours and thats how cuddles got in there and grumpy got the egg. Its not hard as they have seperat waterers and feeders anyway.

 

[Fizzybelle]

It looks like maturity has finally found my little Mabel, she's also yelling quite a lot today, and did a submissive squat when Annabelle tried to pick on her. Her combs still little, but there's some slight growth too. Blue eggs should be on the way soon!

Anyone else with bearded chickens find they get all sorts of grass and food stuck in it, or is my Mabel just special?

 

[Fancychooklady]

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The main problem with rearing chickens and ducks together is that the ducks like to swill food in the water and that can cause major health problems with chickens. Also the ducks outgrow the chicks very fast. Having water available for ducklings to swim in is also a drowning hazard for chicks.
I've done this several times and have experienced most of these complications.[/quot thanks for that fancy didnt know they couldnt be together at all but thats fine I will keep them seperated all the time. I usually allow them to be running around together for daylight hours and thats how cuddles got in there and grumpy got the egg. Its not hard as they have seperat waterers and feeders anyway.

They are OK for the first 2-3 weeks.

 

[appps]

So Kat79. Did You say she's sitting on a duck and chicken egg?

what is plan b for if mum leaves it after the chick hatches but before the duck ones ready?

"Eggs from common ducks like Pekins require 28 days to hatch. Eggs from Muscovy ducks hatch in about 35 days after setting. When larger numbers of duck eggs are to be hatched, large commercial incubators (setters) and hatchers are normally used."

Just thinking the chick will be out in 21 days so she might give up on the duck egg and tend to it instead.

 

[Fancychooklady]

So Kat79. Did You say she's sitting on a duck and chicken egg?

what is plan b for if mum leaves it after the chick hatches but before the duck ones ready?

"Eggs from common ducks like Pekins require 28 days to hatch. Eggs from Muscovy ducks hatch in about 35 days after setting. When larger numbers of duck eggs are to be hatched, large commercial incubators (setters) and hatchers are normally used."

Just thinking the chick will be out in 21 days so she might give up on the duck egg and tend to it instead.

Good point. I usually have a spare broody around but Kat might not.

 

[sjturner79]

So Kat79. Did You say she's sitting on a duck and chicken egg?

what is plan b for if mum leaves it after the chick hatches but before the duck ones ready?

"Eggs from common ducks like Pekins require 28 days to hatch. Eggs from Muscovy ducks hatch in about 35 days after setting. When larger numbers of duck eggs are to be hatched, large commercial incubators (setters) and hatchers are normally used."

Just thinking the chick will be out in 21 days so she might give up on the duck egg and tend to it instead.

I should have remembered to note that also. In my hatch the chicken eggs were added about 2 weeks after the duck eggs.

 

[MyHaven]

As the days grow warmer ones mind starts to wander to that inevitable question....to hatch or not to hatch..

I've pretty much given up on ever getting my blue australorp after two years of trying and so am thinking maybe plan B and some lovely coloured egg layers instead. I've hatched only girls the last 2 years so am thinking I might be due for a hatch of nothing but boys this time so am wondering if I should just dodge that bullet and take a break this year lol

What are everyone else's plans for the spring hatching season?

Oh, I do love my blue Aussies.

No way can I hatch anything for a few years until this lot pass. Then I'll start again with eggs only.

Did I ever tell the story on here of my mothers spangled hamburgs? She hatched clutch after clutch of nothing but roosters - she never got a single girl.

 

[MyHaven]

It took forever but my Ara finally earned her keep.

I didn't think she was ever going to lay. She's been squatting for months.
Now just waiting on that EE to start.

 

[appps]

Oh, I do love my blue Aussies.

No way can I hatch anything for a few years until this lot pass. Then I'll start again with eggs only.

Did I ever tell the story on here of my mothers spangled hamburgs? She hatched clutch after clutch of nothing but roosters - she never got a single girl.

Oh dear, I think I will count myself lucky it was only the colour I kept getting wrong lol

Congrats on the eggs!

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

First up … Shaming Time! So, I have a cold and my voice has developed a rather hoarse/raspy tone. Most loved ones would be offering hugs, chicken soup, hot drink, sympathy etc .. not beloved hubby, he is walking around the house going "squawk" "squawk" whenever I talk to him! LOL

Anyways, that is one of the reasons I have been AWOL for a few days, feeling a little under the weather and of course, with such good timing, work has been really busy.

Anniebee thank you for the clarification.

I have seen that video but thank you for sharing it .. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it again. Such a beautiful mumma cat.

Chucky continues to visit every afternoon and no sign of the adult bird again. It has only been spotted that one time with the carcass.

Because I have been feeling crook and flat out working, I did manage to knock off at 3pm yesterday instead of 4. So, I let the girls out early and Chucky was sitting in the Mango Tree, singing up a storm. He has a beautiful voice. I walked up and talked to him and he kept singing away.

PS. He is not a fan of sardines

appps In answer to the plans for the spring hatching season. I have no plans but I am fairly sure that my broody bunch have some plans of their own

Fizzybelle My Silkie, Tina [RIP sweet girl] would do Peacock impersonations when she was brooding; she would sit quietly on the nest but whenever she took a break she would stand in the middle of her run and screech like a Peacock.

KiKi [RIP also] and Crystal are Silkie X’s and yep, very loud and duck like. You can not mistake Crystal’s voice. Imagine a duck doing the egg song

MyHaven congrats on the Ara egg!