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

[SilkieChickStar]

Teila .... yep - the ghost gives a good giggle.  Tku.   

I so hope the CT angiogram shows nothing in the way of angina.   Stress can play havoc with health, and as for hormones !! ... boy can they mess with everything  - ( as we all know ) ...  please take it easy, if you can.    

I also have a coop clean to do - ( overdue because of rain ) ... and as it is rather a quagmire out there, have to be careful I don't slip while doing all that.   Then again, if I just remove the top layer of woopsies, refresh the bedding etc., I will then wait for a better day.   Due to chip away at the deep litter and bag all of that, which is a big job - even on a nice sunny dry day.

Take care and best of good wishes for tomorrow.  

Cheers ....  

On Friday I did a massive clean out of my run after all the rain. Since all the grass is gone I've added river sand to the run floor. The chickens free range all day usually but it has definitely helped with the mud. Only problem was carrying 5 x 20kg bags of sand to the backyard was a killer

I need more sand but it's helping for now

 

[LuckysMum]

On Friday I did a massive clean out of my run after all the rain. Since all the grass is gone I've added river sand to the run floor. The chickens free range all day usually but it has definitely helped with the mud. Only problem was carrying 5 x 20kg bags of sand to the backyard was a killer

I need more sand but it's helping for now

I've been using pine shaving though they are thicker than real shaving, I've found the floor is now so slippery in the wet and it's not so smelly. Then I just throw in the vege garden.

I have trimmed one wing on a couple of girls. Paul has build high fences so hopefully they won't get out. Though bear is at it again and is trying to break them out. He keeps digging at the bottom of the fences, I'm thinking of putting some sturdy tent pegs so he can't lift the fence.
My granddaughters are beside themselves they think its wonderful having so many chickens and eggs. The youngest (4yrs) is already picking some up and helping to put them in their new coops. She picked up the Hamburg and I noticed the nails needed trimming so she held the chicken while I trimmed. I think she should have been born on a farm, I asked her what animal she wants she told me "a Unicorn so I can ride it."
Sorry to hear about all the unwell feathered friends (and goat) I don't have anything to add except good luck.
No luck so far picking the girls to keep. There are more bantams than full size chooks, I'm not sure how many eggs the really small chooks like the sebrights and phoenix's lay. We'll have to see.
I hope everyone has a great week.

 

[jessbonnitcha]

Update on the phoenix chickens.
Turns out the person from 'Tasmania' was a scammer and used photos from a hatchery in America!!

I've found someone else in Queensland that hopefully has them so I can buy some eggs.

Update on my eggs (Eggs in incubator)
All 12 welsummer eggs were infertile so I've had to take them out.
I've got 12 eggs that are FERTILE left.
> 1 Plymouth Rock X leghorn. (Just to see what it looks like.)
> 11 Light Sussex
> 12 quail. But 5 of them had cracks in them so I had to patch them up.

(Eggs under broody)
She had 12 Light Sussex eggs under her and 6 of them hatched last Thursday. They are so cute!! I'll post some photos soon!!

 

[LuckysMum]

Sorry in my last post I wrote the floor is now slippery, it was supposed to read not slippery. lol

 

[Anniebee]

Update on the phoenix chickens.
Turns out the person from 'Tasmania' was a scammer and used photos from a hatchery in America!!

I've found someone else in Queensland that hopefully has them so I can buy some eggs.

Update on my eggs (Eggs in incubator)
All 12 welsummer eggs were infertile so I've had to take them out.
I've got 12 eggs that are FERTILE left.
> 1 Plymouth Rock X leghorn. (Just to see what it looks like.)
> 11 Light Sussex
> 12 quail. But 5 of them had cracks in them so I had to patch them up.

(Eggs under broody)
She had 12 Light Sussex eggs under her and 6 of them hatched last Thursday. They are so cute!! I'll post some photos soon!!

I cannot imagine having so many little chickens running around. I think I would set up a tent for me to sleep in - I'd be so worried about them all !!

Gotta be so careful doing things on the internet, which is why I never buy there ( have only done it twice by necessity from JB Hi-Fi in Victoria who I knew were safe ). Haven't even plucked up the courage to buy different worming tabs / mixtures yet, but I will. Meantime, I will find a way to get that levamisole down them. And will note the next lot to be dosed twice ??, or try to get the other stuff mentioned here. One thing at a time !! .... more than enough.

Cheers ...

 

[Anniebee]

On Friday I did a massive clean out of my run after all the rain. Since all the grass is gone I've added river sand to the run floor. The chickens free range all day usually but it has definitely helped with the mud. Only problem was carrying 5 x 20kg bags of sand to the backyard was a killer

I need more sand but it's helping for now

SilkieChickStar ....... first - congrats on the lovely array of eggs you have shown. Looks like there is an Araucana in your flock ???

My girls are all laying including Mandy who is much better ( so far )... but still have to wait the required time to eat her eggs.

She laid one yesterday in the drip water container - how she managed that is anyones' guess !!

A nice big yucky clean out of the water container with yolk and white floating around in it. The egg broke presumably on the edge of the water bowl thing ... so that was different.

Cleaned out the girls coops sufficiently for nice clean bedding / floor etc., but have yet to do the deep litter, as mentioned. I don't think too many on this thread use the deep litter method ... would be interested to know if that is correct ?

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

The sand sounds like a great idea ... I couldn't lift 20Kg of anything. I buy layer pellets in 20Kg bags, which I manage to 'roll' with great difficulty, into the boot of my car, and it lasts quite a while - but hubby has to lump it into the laundry.

Guess I could con him into 5 x 20 kgs of sand, but my runs are huge - and would take a lot more I would think. Will have a think on that good idea, maybe even for smaller areas of the runs. Give them a choice - mud or sand !!

.

My chickens free range, but only for a while. After a half hour or so, when I go to check on them - they are usually back in their run or coop, so I shut the gate, then open it a bit later -- can be several times a day - it's their routine, not mine !! . Mindy Araucana however, would stay out in her free range area, day and night if she could.

I have had to explain to the new next door neighbours, that the shrieking and terrible screams they may hear from our back garden, is not a human sound, ain't me !!--- but is Mindy trying to pretend she is a roo. It's an awful noise - fortunately she does not keep it up for very long, and it has little or nothing to do with egg laying - which she has done for the last 8 days without a break. !! Huge yolks in relatively medium to smallish eggs too ... she's quite the girl.

Cheers ......

 

[SilkieChickStar]

SilkieChickStar ....... first - congrats on the lovely array of eggs you have shown.   Looks like there is an Araucana in your flock ??? 

My girls are all laying including Mandy who is much better ( so far )... but still have to wait the required time to eat her eggs.   She laid one yesterday in the drip water container - how she managed that is anyones' guess !!      A nice big yucky clean out of the water container with yolk and white floating around in it.   The egg broke presumably on the edge of the water bowl thing ... so that was different. 

Cleaned out the girls coops sufficiently for nice clean bedding / floor etc., but have yet to do the deep litter, as mentioned.   I don't think too many on this thread use the deep litter method ... would be interested to know if that is correct ?  

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

The sand sounds like a great idea ... I couldn't lift 20Kg of anything.  I buy layer pellets in 20Kg bags, which I manage to 'roll' with great difficulty, into the boot of my car, and it  lasts quite a while - but hubby has to lump it into the laundry. 

Guess I could con him into 5 x 20 kgs of sand, but my runs are huge - and would take a lot more I would think.  Will have a think on that good idea, maybe even for smaller areas of the runs.   Give them a choice - mud or sand !! . 

My chickens free range, but only for a while.   After a half hour or so, when I go to check on them - they are usually back in their run or coop, so I shut the gate, then open it a bit later -- can be several times a day - it's their routine, not mine !! .   Mindy Araucana however, would stay out in her free range area,  day and night if she could.  

I have had to explain to the new next door neighbours, that the shrieking and terrible screams they may hear from our back garden, is not a human sound, ain't me !!--- but is Mindy trying to pretend she is a roo.   It's an awful noise - fortunately she does not keep it up for very long, and it has little or nothing to do with egg laying - which she has done for the last 8 days without a break. !!   Huge yolks in relatively medium to smallish eggs too ... she's quite the girl. 

Cheers ...... 

Oh no Mindy! LOL! I'm glad she is feeling better though. Our Jemima silkie is now a Jim. I really want to keep him but he is not quiet lol. He only crows about twice a day so far, my husband has conniption when he hears it lol.

I do have an Araucana, she's a bantam and her name is Aurora. She has laid all through winter! The browner eggs are from our bantam Langshan. Both eggs despite being small have a decent yolk in them.

I still need more sand I think though it made a big difference with this latest lot of rain. I don't have the energy to do it again just yet lol.

 

[satay]

Todays hatching so far. Some marans, Belgians and a few quails. Teila and Anni are finally mums too

 

[LuckysMum]

Update on the phoenix chickens.
Turns out the person from 'Tasmania' was a scammer and used photos from a hatchery in America!!

I've found someone else in Queensland that hopefully has them so I can buy some eggs.

Update on my eggs (Eggs in incubator)
All 12 welsummer eggs were infertile so I've had to take them out.
I've got 12 eggs that are FERTILE left.
> 1 Plymouth Rock X leghorn. (Just to see what it looks like.)
> 11 Light Sussex
> 12 quail. But 5 of them had cracks in them so I had to patch them up.

(Eggs under broody)
She had 12 Light Sussex eggs under her and 6 of them hatched last Thursday. They are so cute!! I'll post some photos soon!!

I can't wait to see the photos. Good luck with the eggs I hope you have a good hatch. Not nice getting your hopes up and being scammed. I wish you were in Perth I have some Phoenix that I may have to give to a good home.
Anniebee It's funny how our girls seem to find the most unlikely places to lay eggs. I sometimes wonder is they know if its coming or not.
I do a sort of deep litter with the pine shavings/chips. It works well especially now I have so many in the coop.

SilkieChickStar Our beautiful black silkie was a male to we ended up having to rehome. It got noisier each day in the end it was crowing pretty much constantly. I have heard different things. Some say they don't crow very much. I hope yours is one that doesn't

 

[satay]

I cannot imagine having so many little chickens running around.   I think I would set up a tent for me to sleep in - I'd be so worried about them all !!  

Gotta be so careful doing things on the internet, which is why I never buy  there ( have only done it twice by necessity from JB Hi-Fi in Victoria who I knew were safe ).    Haven't even plucked up the courage to buy different worming tabs / mixtures yet, but I will.   Meantime, I will find a way to get that levamisole down them.    And will note the next lot to be dosed twice ??, or try to get the other stuff mentioned here.    One thing at a time !! .... more than enough.  

Cheers ... 

You get used to the numbers Anni. I would be lost now if i only had a few.