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

[Fancychooklady]

Well yesterday we had 45.2c and for members who have been here a while know i like the heat and not the cold but we have had 7 weeks of mostly 35c to 45c and I'm getting over it. Might have to do the unthinkable and move to tassie soon. A few days of cooler weather now thankfully before the heat returns once again.

It was 42 here on Monday , but the nice thing is it was 19 on Tuesday. I feel for everyone in these dreadful fires let’s hope that ADF can get everyone out.

 

[Aussiechickgirl]

These heat waves are frustrating! I've considered Tasmania too but its probably getting too cold there

40°C here last week

 

[MaryJanet]

Hi Aussies

This post is not about chickens, sorry! I'm just sharing something I found on the internet. Maybe you already know about it, but if not, the ACCC keeps a website that tracks the cycle in petrol prices for the capital cities and suggests when to buy. I've been using it for about a month and it seems quite accurate.

https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/petrol-diesel-lpg/petrol-price-cycles

Hope you've all escaped the fires and that your chooks are doing ok in the heat.

 

[Anniebee]

Hello Fancy and Satay ( and everyone else ). You two are the only ones here on this page that I know.

Been such a long time and so much has happened. Needless to say I cannot go back over hundreds of pages since I was last here - at least 18 months has passed since I last visited. Have been in and out of hospital a couple of times, one I was in ICU for 6 days and the hospital for 3 weeks total. Pneumonia, pleural effusion, and ultimately 1/3rd of a collapsed lung, which will now never expand back - will remain collapsed. Still and all, other than that I feel reasonably healthy now with just a couple of nasties that are permanent but not serious. I do so hope you and everyone here are in the pink and doing very well.

Some moons ago, I spoke of my big girl Welsummer Mandy - and how she and I managed her life with her crippled ( but painless ) leg etc. Last August I knew the time had come, so I had her put to sleep - she had stopped eating and was quickly very frail. She had been such a determined, feisty hen with an appetite for anything at all - ate like a horse. She went to chook heaven just 1 week before her 7th birthday. Which left her main nemesis - Araucana Mindy alone but not pining ( they were separated forever anyway as Mandy was murderous ).

Now - here's the thing. Am wondering if anyone has had this experience. Mindy lays blue, olive or light khaki eggs - and has been doing so right up until now - with a few days here and there off in between. At over 7 years of age, she has been producing 5 > 6 eggs per week when on the lay. An occasional entire soft shell egg thrown in which is when I up her calcium carbonate a little. She appears to be wanting to molt, throwing out a few feathers here and there, but still squatting, bright red pea comb and eating up a storm. I am sooo hoping she gives her dear old body a bit of a rest and stops laying, go into retirement and live the good life. She loves being inside, so that might be her reward.

Is this normal ? For a hen of her 7.5 years of age to be still producing so many eggs ?

Good wishes to all -

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

Hello Fancy and Satay ( and everyone else ). You two are the only ones here on this page that I know.

Been such a long time and so much has happened. Needless to say I cannot go back over hundreds of pages since I was last here - at least 18 months has passed since I last visited. Have been in and out of hospital a couple of times, one I was in ICU for 6 days and the hospital for 3 weeks total. Pneumonia, pleural effusion, and ultimately 1/3rd of a collapsed lung, which will now never expand back - will remain collapsed. Still and all, other than that I feel reasonably healthy now with just a couple of nasties that are permanent but not serious. I do so hope you and everyone here are in the pink and doing very well.

Some moons ago, I spoke of my big girl Welsummer Mandy - and how she and I managed her life with her crippled ( but painless ) leg etc. Last August I knew the time had come, so I had her put to sleep - she had stopped eating and was quickly very frail. She had been such a determined, feisty hen with an appetite for anything at all - ate like a horse. She went to chook heaven just 1 week before her 7th birthday. Which left her main nemesis - Araucana Mindy alone but not pining ( they were separated forever anyway as Mandy was murderous ).

Now - here's the thing. Am wondering if anyone has had this experience. Mindy lays blue, olive or light khaki eggs - and has been doing so right up until now - with a few days here and there off in between. At over 7 years of age, she has been producing 5 > 6 eggs per week when on the lay. An occasional entire soft shell egg thrown in which is when I up her calcium carbonate a little. She appears to be wanting to molt, throwing out a few feathers here and there, but still squatting, bright red pea comb and eating up a storm. I am sooo hoping she gives her dear old body a bit of a rest and stops laying, go into retirement and live the good life. She loves being inside, so that might be her reward.

Is this normal ? For a hen of her 7.5 years of age to be still producing so many eggs ?

Good wishes to all -

Hi Anniebee!
I signed up around the time you took a break. Sorry for all your hardship. It does sound odd a chicken that age is laying so frequently, but then I've only had them for 4yrs so I'm no pro

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hello Fancy and Satay ( and everyone else ). You two are the only ones here on this page that I know.

Been such a long time and so much has happened. Needless to say I cannot go back over hundreds of pages since I was last here - at least 18 months has passed since I last visited. Have been in and out of hospital a couple of times, one I was in ICU for 6 days and the hospital for 3 weeks total. Pneumonia, pleural effusion, and ultimately 1/3rd of a collapsed lung, which will now never expand back - will remain collapsed. Still and all, other than that I feel reasonably healthy now with just a couple of nasties that are permanent but not serious. I do so hope you and everyone here are in the pink and doing very well.

Some moons ago, I spoke of my big girl Welsummer Mandy - and how she and I managed her life with her crippled ( but painless ) leg etc. Last August I knew the time had come, so I had her put to sleep - she had stopped eating and was quickly very frail. She had been such a determined, feisty hen with an appetite for anything at all - ate like a horse. She went to chook heaven just 1 week before her 7th birthday. Which left her main nemesis - Araucana Mindy alone but not pining ( they were separated forever anyway as Mandy was murderous ).

Now - here's the thing. Am wondering if anyone has had this experience. Mindy lays blue, olive or light khaki eggs - and has been doing so right up until now - with a few days here and there off in between. At over 7 years of age, she has been producing 5 > 6 eggs per week when on the lay. An occasional entire soft shell egg thrown in which is when I up her calcium carbonate a little. She appears to be wanting to molt, throwing out a few feathers here and there, but still squatting, bright red pea comb and eating up a storm. I am sooo hoping she gives her dear old body a bit of a rest and stops laying, go into retirement and live the good life. She loves being inside, so that might be her reward.

Is this normal ? For a hen of her 7.5 years of age to be still producing so many eggs ?

Good wishes to all -

Hello Annie, yes it’s been awhile. This year has played havoc with my birds. We’ve had an extra moult due to the long dry spell and high temps. At the grand old age of 7-5 Mandy will be likely to be less reliable or predictable in her laying, this is to be expected. Calcivet liquid added to the water is the quickest way to supplement her calcium. The forecast is for rain , here’s hoping.

 

[LuckysMum]

Good morning everyone, I haven't been on since the beginnning of December I hope everyone is safe. I can see from the last few pages its been hot for most of you, lucky for WA the last couple of weeks are only in the mid 30's.
Its so nice to see you on here Anniebee it has been a long time. Sorry to hear you have been so unwell. I hope that it has turned around now and you get some reprieve from being sick. I'm hoping everyone gets some much need rain.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

WE have had a couple of big, wet thunderstorms here today. Hopefully it has put out some fires without starting more!

How is everyone else going?

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

Good evening @Aussie-Chookmum! Glad you're getting some rain over there. This has been my day so far, dust, rain, and another dust storm just now, hopefully another storm behind it!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Good evening @Aussie-Chookmum! Glad you're getting some rain over there. This has been my day so far, dust, rain, and another dust storm just now, hopefully another storm behind it!View attachment 2003679View attachment 2003680

Ooh! That looks like water? Is it water?