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

[LuckysMum]

Ah, the simple pleasures

Just finished my first trial at making my own chilli powder. It is kinda nice to do it all yourself .. grew and harvested the chilli's, dehydrated them and crushed them with a mortar and pestle. These were early bloomers and only a few but it looks like we are going to get a good crop of Caysans and Habanero's this year. With last year's crop still in the freezer, being able to turn this year's into powder will be good

Ouch too hot. It is very satisfying to do things yourself from scratch.

I have just finished checking and treating 53 chickens.

Some loved it, others did not want to be held. I had to wash the muck off a feathered feet girl and she loved it.
I don't know how you do it Fancy with all your animals and birds. I'm finding this lot take a lot of time. They all smell lovely now. haha
I hope the weather is being a bit kinder to and everyone else. At least it was sunny here so we could work in the sun.
I hope everyone has had a great weekend.

 

[LuckysMum]

Fancy Or anyone else. I was just reading that the leg mites can jump onto humans, only one site said this has anyone else heard this.

 

[appps]

Fancy Or anyone else.  I was just reading that the leg mites can jump onto humans, only one site said this has anyone else heard this. 

I've not heard leg mites but the regular kind can and itch like crazy when they do.

 

[Fizzybelle]

Ouch too hot. It is very satisfying to do things yourself from scratch.

I have just finished checking and treating 53 chickens.

Some loved it, others did not want to be held. I had to wash the muck off a feathered feet girl and she loved it.
I don't know how you do it Fancy with all your animals and birds. I'm finding this lot take a lot of time. They all smell lovely now. haha
I hope the weather is being a bit kinder to and everyone else. At least it was sunny here so we could work in the sun.
I hope everyone has had a great weekend.

Lol I was using some of that nude by nature paw paw ointment for scaly leg on my D'Uccle Beatrice, (I had a tube, hadn't used it) and afterwards I thought she smelt like she'd walked through the cosmetics section in Myers or David Jones lol. I found before bedtime worked best, otherwise she'd play in the dirt. I can't imagine doing so many chickens though! Well done on getting through all that!

Not much going on here, which is good. The run is now fully enclosed in wire and secure though, it just needs a few finishing touches, and we still have to build a new coop for the bantams to sleep in. The chicken math urge has struck me, I need to think about what I want. No rush though, but I'm planning on getting two new birds sometime soon. The yard just needs some cleaning first, and the shed still has to go up (this week it should happen).

 

[Fancychooklady]

Fancy Or anyone else.  I was just reading that the leg mites can jump onto humans, only one site said this has anyone else heard this. 

Scales leg mites burrow up under the scales on the legs. They live their entire life on the host. By smothering the Vicks on good and thick you will actually suffocate the little critters.
Weather is awful here sheds and schools loosing roofs. Blowing a gale and the power has already been out once.

 

[SilkieChickStar]

Well I have my very first broody. This is new for me!!! My bantam langshan has a very warm belly and has a bald patch there. She has been sitting for 3 days despite me taking her out of the nest box a few times a day.

Today once everyone had laid an egg I shut the coop for a couple of hours. She went nuts! She was jumping on top of it to find a way in and then on too of our fence. I was scared she was going to end up in the neighbours yard :/

She's back in there now as it is bed time. I can't really have her hatch eggs as we already have more than our quota of chickens. It has only been a few days so I don't know how easy it will be to break her. Someone said to wrap an ice pack in a towel and out it under her lol.

Any pro tips?

 

[Fizzybelle]

SilkieChickStar, I usually give it two days or so, to let them be broody, then I lock them out of the nest for the whole day, and come bed time place them in a milk crate that is elevated on some bricks to allow more airflow in underneath on their belly. The crate is what I have on hand that has a strong but open floor, you might have an old bird cage which is also good. With my girls I found giving them a few days acting broody just helps to snap them out of it quicker, rather than acting straight away. Usually takes only 2-3 days. Last time I acted right away it was up day five with no end in sight. Each hen (and human) are different, it takes a bit of juggling to find what works for you and your girls.

I've a feeling my Araucana Mabel is about to go broody for the first time soon...

 

[SilkieChickStar]

SilkieChickStar, I usually give it two days or so, to let them be broody, then I lock them out of the nest for the whole day, and come bed time place them in a milk crate that is elevated on some bricks to allow more airflow in underneath on their belly. The crate is what I have on hand that has a strong but open floor, you might have an old bird cage which is also good. With my girls I found giving them a few days acting broody just helps to snap them out of it quicker, rather than acting straight away. Usually takes only 2-3 days. Last time I acted right away it was up  day five with no end in sight. Each hen (and human) are different, it takes a bit of juggling to find what works for you and your girls.

I've a feeling my Araucana Mabel is about to go broody for the first time soon...

Thank you for the tip, I don't have anything to use right now. I think I will hunt around for something tomorrow as I'm going to have to break her. It's her first laying season lol.

I have a feeling Daisy the D'uccle is headed down the broody path also. I was really enjoying all these eggs!

 

[LuckysMum]

Scales leg mites burrow up under the scales on the legs. They live their entire life on the host. By smothering the Vicks on good and thick you will actually suffocate the little critters.
Weather is awful here sheds and schools loosing roofs. Blowing a gale and the power has already been out once.

Thanks I smothered the ones that were affected the ones that did not have any bumps or crusts I gave them a thin smear. I hope the weather settles down for you. Its not helpful when the power goes off. The weather has been really weird every where.

SilkieChickStar I now have 3 clucky australorps and 1 silkie I have tried locking them out of the coop but they just huddle together on the ramp. So I think I will have to try a crate too. I wonder if they egg each other on. I started with 1 silkie then I had 2 more(who I gave eggs too). Now I have another silkie and then the australorps copied.

 

[LuckysMum]

Lol I was using some of that nude by nature paw paw ointment for scaly leg on my D'Uccle Beatrice, (I had a tube, hadn't used it) and afterwards I thought she smelt like she'd walked through the cosmetics section in Myers or David Jones lol. I found before bedtime worked best, otherwise she'd play in the dirt. I can't imagine doing so many chickens though! Well done on getting through all that!

Not much going on here, which is good. The run is now fully enclosed in wire and secure though, it just needs a few finishing touches, and we still have to build a new coop for the bantams to sleep in. The chicken math urge has struck me, I need to think about what I want. No rush though, but I'm planning on getting two new birds sometime soon. The yard just needs some cleaning first, and the shed still has to go up (this week it should happen).

My coop smelled of vicks. My only worry is not having somewhere clean to put them down. I think I will redo the bad ones and maybe sweep out one section of the coop completely and lock them in there for a couple of days.

New birds, more happiness.