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

[Anniebee]

After 20+ pages and 2 hours, I can finally reply ( sort of ). My first question is, does anyone know how to fiddle around on this site, so's new comments can be posted to my email address ? ... Used to be so easy. ... not so now. I will keep scrounging to try and find my own way, but any suggestions would be very helpful. I get hundreds of emails a day ( many ultimately deleted ) ... and the BYC links I keep, are pushed down if I don't open my computer for a couple of days. Bookmarks to here, do not work !! Getting a bit beyond a joke ....

So many hatchings, good and bad, pips & no pips, sad losses, other happier situations, weather up the creek, ( family went to Port Douglas when Victorian weather charts showed heaps of rain up there, but they said they had a little on only two days ( late October ).

Re dishonest salespersons / professionals / purchased stock / dirty eggs etc. I have found that many 'sellers' of many things, will tell you just about anything to complete a sale and to protect themselves from any claims back. But not all are like that - and it is worth the effort to find the honest people, off-line. Applies to cats, chickens / birds, dogs, horses etc. Be careful.

Cheers ~
p.s. I have another question !!

 

[Anniebee]

Mandy Welsummer ... almost everyone has heard of her and her strange ways. She can walk / run ( not far ) prefers to sit and contemplate, seems to prefer racing her way across to new spots via low-to-ground wing flapping. ( boy can she move ) ... still eats like a horse, fills her crop - and .... IS LAYING.

She lays about 5 eggs a week, and at over 5 years of age, that is not bad at all. Mindy Araucana keeps her company with about 4 or 5 a week, with the occasional fragile egg that breaks. I add 1/2 tspn calcium carbonate powder to damp multi-grain bread and other green goodies every 2nd day for Mindy, and the problem seems resolved ( so far ).

Molly RIR, who I believed has no more eggs, is however squatting for attention ( or submission ), has a bright red comb, but has not produced an egg. Not since very early this year.

Today I found what could be called a 'fairy' or 'fart' egg - just nearby some large solid formed woopsies. The only one who would have passed that would be Molly. It was about a good human thumb nail size, was oval, and appeared to be like cooked egg white. Not a sign of yolk. I think there was a bit of membrane around it, but not sure. It was sooo tiny - but very egg like.

Can anyone please advise if they have ever seen anything like that ? I ( stupidly ) did not take a photograph of it before throwing it out. Was so astonished, I forgot about cameras. And if there is any advice, does it indicate something wrong with my Molly, or might it be a pre-cursor to proper egg production. ???? I am totally perplexed. Just hope it doesn't mean any nasties for Molly.

 

[LuckysMum]

Sorry I can't help you. Congrats of Mandy laying eggs. Its always a great when we get surprises like that.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Mandy Welsummer ... almost everyone has heard of her and her strange ways. She can walk / run ( not far ) prefers to sit and contemplate, seems to prefer racing her way across to new spots via low-to-ground wing flapping. ( boy can she move ) ... still eats like a horse, fills her crop - and .... IS LAYING.

She lays about 5 eggs a week, and at over 5 years of age, that is not bad at all. Mindy Araucana keeps her company with about 4 or 5 a week, with the occasional fragile egg that breaks. I add 1/2 tspn calcium carbonate powder to damp multi-grain bread and other green goodies every 2nd day for Mindy, and the problem seems resolved ( so far ).

Molly RIR, who I believed has no more eggs, is however squatting for attention ( or submission ), has a bright red comb, but has not produced an egg. Not since very early this year.

Today I found what could be called a 'fairy' or 'fart' egg - just nearby some large solid formed woopsies. The only one who would have passed that would be Molly. It was about a good human thumb nail size, was oval, and appeared to be like cooked egg white. Not a sign of yolk. I think there was a bit of membrane around it, but not sure. It was sooo tiny - but very egg like.

Can anyone please advise if they have ever seen anything like that ? I ( stupidly ) did not take a photograph of it before throwing it out. Was so astonished, I forgot about cameras. And if there is any advice, does it indicate something wrong with my Molly, or might it be a pre-cursor to proper egg production. ???? I am totally perplexed. Just hope it doesn't mean any nasties for Molly.

Congrats on the eggs. Your mystery egg could be a ' Lash egg ' .

 

[Anniebee]

Congrats on the eggs. Your mystery egg could be a ' Lash egg ' .

Thanks Fancy .... for your comment. I sincerely hope it was not a lash egg, as that could indicate salpingitis, however, Molly - of the 3 of my girls, is the most active, the best looking, bright red comb, beautiful clear eyes ... eats ( usually during the day unlike the other two who are morning and night feeders) ... and appears to be extraordinarily healthy. She has not laid any proper egg for approx. 9 months now, but today I found her sitting purring on the nesting area - with no result. She SEEMS to be working her way up to laying, but I personally think she hasn't any eggs left. She does however, squat - which is strange, considering .... .

Still and all, with that little gem she delivered yesterday ( whether lash or fart egg ) .... could mean something is trying to work. If she continues laying these tiny things, I will take her to the vet for anti-biotics and anything else she might need.

Cheers .........

 

[satay]

Not much to report from me which is not a bad thing. No more losses so far fingers crossed it stays that way.My little marans are doing well. I've moved them into a tractor in the banana garden and they are having a ball picking through the soil we tilled last week to get ready to replant. I have bananas, beans, a few zucchinis and some tomato plants in there so far.

 

[satay]

Thanks Fancy .... for your comment. I sincerely hope it was not a lash egg, as that could indicate salpingitis, however, Molly - of the 3 of my girls, is the most active, the best looking, bright red comb, beautiful clear eyes ... eats ( usually during the day unlike the other two who are morning and night feeders) ... and appears to be extraordinarily healthy. She has not laid any proper egg for approx. 9 months now, but today I found her sitting purring on the nesting area - with no result. She SEEMS to be working her way up to laying, but I personally think she hasn't any eggs left. She does however, squat - which is strange, considering .... .

Still and all, with that little gem she delivered yesterday ( whether lash or fart egg ) .... could mean something is trying to work. If she continues laying these tiny things, I will take her to the vet for anti-biotics and anything else she might need.

Cheers .........

I'm not sure but hope it is not a lash egg too anni and that she continues to lay for you.

 

[satay]

I have flowers on my panama berry tree that is only 6 months old. Now if it sets fruit it would be great as the fruit is supposed to taste like caramel fairy floss. Have lots of fruit trees flowering and ready to set fruit and my choko's are starting to grow to now as well as my passionfruits.(replacements after the trees from the storm earlier this year took out my other ones) Has anyone else got vegies or fruits on as well?

 

[LuckysMum]

Satay We had a loss yesterday. I heard Bear (german shepherd) at the back door panting it was 6.30 am so I new he wouldn't be hot. He does that to get let in when he thinks its hot. So I went out and saw my bantam Australorp dead at his feet. There were 2 more different feather colours so I checked to see who was missing, it was my leghorn and buff frizzle. He had pushed there gate in and broken it on the outer run. That's enclosed so we don't normally shut them out of the there at night. But now they are in the main coop and run for the moment. They have mite so they have been confined till I get that under control. Now they are even more confined. He couldn't get into the run but they could get out. He's never bothered them when they free range. I'm thinking maybe the thrill of the chase got to him. Never the less I was not a happy mum. I've had to lock the ducklings in the patio too. Their make shift run is not strong enough to stand up to his weight. Tomorrow I hope to put them in their new home. My silkie chicks are in a much sturdier tractor run on the lawn, he shouldn't be able to get into that.
We have just finished with mandarins, oranges have small fruit, the apples are flowering (red and green), Nashi have flowered but not the pear yet. We have panama gold passion fruit and the mango is flowering beautifully, I didn't think we'd get anything we had some warm weather in winter it flowered then got frost bite but they are flowering again. I have lemon and lemonade. Peach, apricot, grapes and mulberry waiting to be planted. Oh and blueberries, young berries and cape gooseberries and pomegranite. I think that everything beside the veges, though I haven't planted for summer yet. When I think about all that no wonder the grandkids love coming, they seem to pick all the berries before we get to them and they love the chickens and ducks. They reckon its like a farm. But they think we should sheep too. We are only on the old quarter acre so that's not happening. I tried bananas once but I killed them and same goes for rhubarb we have had to odd feed from them but I seem to kill that too.
I would love to know what you have planted.
I hope everyone has a great weekend.

 

[Anniebee]

I'm not sure but hope it is not a lash egg too anni and that she continues to lay for you.

Satay and Fancy .... Seemed to come from Molly - the barren for 9 months RIR. Then bless her, I 'think' she laid her first 'real' egg yesterday. Mandy Welsummer has been laying like there's no tomorrow, even though she still 'flys' across the ground, stumbling over her huge feet but walking / trotting occasionally. Her eggs are not those of a normal welsummer ( should be quite dark terra cotta with brown spray spots ) ... but they are dark-ish, with some tiny pigments here and there.

Yesterdays' egg ( from Molly RIR I think/hope ) was distinctly lighter, almost pinkish ( which is what she always laid before ) and had no speckling on it whatsoever. All I want to do is find TWO eggs one day, in their chosen nesting area, and I will know for sure that Molly is at last back on the job - to some degree. She is showing all normal signs of wanting to lay.

It's Mandy who astounds me - with her walking difficulties - she is producing about 5 good eggs a week - and so is Mindy Araucana - all of my 3 are over 5 years of age, so I am very proud of them all. Just wish the two prolific layers, would give themselves a few days break here and there.

Cheers .......