Australians - Where are you all????

[MyHaven]

Hi there, I'm new too. We live in Rye in Victoria. I have three bantam hens one is quite small, got them from a friend who says they are Cornish but he's not sure so I'm not either, very new at keeping Chooks and about to get his last chicken before he lops her head off!, she's not laying. I don't care if she isn't laying so I am going to reunite her with her sisters.
My chickens are Saffron Varooka and Gin GIn. It will be good to get used to how this all works so that I can actually participate. Cheers!

 

Welcome. It works by people helping each other by sharing information and opinions. People here are great.

How old are your girls? And the one to come? It's not all about eggs but there may be something to be done about her laying.

It must be cold down your way.

 

[Anniebee]

Hi, I agree. No need to worry.

They will be full and fussy from free-ranging. They are too well fed.

My girls don't get into the scraps as much when they've been out.

If they needed it they'd eat it.

I bet they'd start to eat veggies if you grew them. I have to fence my garden off.

All I can add on veggies is, while I give my girls cooked veg if its left overs I don't cook it especially. I think cooking takes a lot of the goodness out and it's not natural.

Also chickens learn their behaviour and tastes by copying. Battery hens don't even know how to scratch or walk even if they have the strength. You can teach them to scratch by scratching your hand in front of them. You teach incubated chicks to drink by dipping their beaks in water. Either of those techniques may work with the watermelon. Ie 'peck' your finger at it or stick their beaks in it gently.

I haven't had chicks for years before these last ones recently. I watched them more closely and was fascinated to see how they learned. Every new food from grasshoppers to watermelon that I threw in with them was ignored until mum pecked it. Then stand back or you'd loose a finger. . With grasshoppers mum would grab it, incapacitate it and drop it in front of one of her babies.

With my next comment I will try not to offend anyone.

In Australia feeding meat and kitchen scraps containing meat (called swill) to livestock, and that means our chickens, is banned. It has been linked to the spread and cross over of disease between species in other countries. I know a lot of people do it but I don't. My livelihood has depended on our country staying disease free.

My girls only get veggie and fruit scraps. They get their protein from other sources.
1. Worms and grubs from free ranging - and the more they free range the more earth worms there are for the garden.
2. Laying mash. It should be a good balance of all they 'need'. If you are buying the mash from Northside Produce I think it is a bit low in protein. 16%. It was not enough for my pullets at 40wks to start laying. When I increased the protein I got eggs in days. There are different opinions about how much protein they need and it changes - winter, moulting etc. But for laying I think 18% minimum.
3. Protein additives - You will have seen my other posts about the soy meal I have been using of late. So far I love it to bump that mash up from 16%.

Finally, and I know I've given you more than you asked for, it is important to remember that every treat you add to their diet you are detracting from the crucial elements of a balanced diet.

I hope this helps and isn't an overload.

Cheers

To MyHaven - Far from being overload, it is a most interesting post. And an oops for me - I didn't know swill was banned now in Australia ? Can't say I have given swill to my chooks - which to me is anything and everything no matter what, all mixed up - often given to pigs way back when. ( Pigs have more specialised diets these days apparently, and now I know why !! ). Will definitely look into the protein additives for particularly Milly Barnevelder who is eating very well, but is very pale combed, anti-social, quiet, does as much sunbathing as possible, and has an occasional suspect poo. Have dusted her with Pestcene and the coops etc. and will worm them again at the weekend. Then it's higher protein for her especially.

Thanks for all the info .... cheers, AB

 

[MyHaven]

To MyHaven -  Far from being overload, it is a most interesting post.   And an oops for me - I didn't know swill was banned now in Australia ?    Can't say I have given swill to my chooks - which to me is anything and everything no matter what, all mixed up - often given to pigs way back when.   ( Pigs have more specialised diets these days apparently, and now I know why !!  ).   Will definitely look into the protein additives for particularly Milly Barnevelder who is eating very well, but is very pale combed, anti-social, quiet, does as much sunbathing as possible, and has an occasional suspect poo.    Have dusted her with Pestcene and the coops etc. and will worm them again at the weekend.    Then it's higher protein for her especially.  

Thanks for all the info .... cheers,  AB   

Thanks AB,

The Federal Governments definition is - kitchen scraps containing animal matter. Until I read it I thought swill was the dictionary definition. Scraps all mixed up with water.

Pigs - my cousin has a piggery and no one is allowed even enter it these days, unless they work there and follow the strict hygiene regime, because they can walk disease in on their boots.

It's funny you mention 'anti social' behaviour. My mother hen, who has had pale combs since she started sitting, isn't as friendly as she was before the chicks. Now the chicks are on their own. Also the young girls when their combs and wattles were pink and immature, also before they started laying, were more stand offish than now when they are what I call blooming, glowing red - which changed when I started extra protein.

Cheers

 

[Anniebee]

Thanks AB,

The Federal Governments definition is - kitchen scraps containing animal matter. Until I read it I thought swill was the dictionary definition. Scraps all mixed up with water.

Pigs - my cousin has a piggery and no one is allowed even enter it these days, unless they work there and follow the strict hygiene regime, because they can walk disease in on their boots.

It's funny you mention 'anti social' behaviour. My mother hen, who has had pale combs since she started sitting, isn't as friendly as she was before the chicks. Now the chicks are on their own. Also the young girls when their combs and wattles were pink and immature, also before they started laying, were more stand offish than now when they are what I call blooming, glowing red - which changed when I started extra protein.

Cheers

Again - that is very interesting info MyHaven. I have begun extra protein for my two moulting girls - one of whom is the anti-social girl. The two continuing to lay have vivid red combs and are so socially inclined, I fear one day I might fall over them, so close they come to me for whatever they think I might have for them. They in fact don't leave me alone at all. I have concluded ( from reading on other links ) ... that my little Aussie Araucana is into a hard moult, and my Barnevelder is doing a soft moult. Have also thought the reason I hardly see any of her feathers, is that the two 'big' productive girls are most likely eating them as they come out of her. They certainly love eating the white feathers of Mindy Araucana - [ protein? ]. I offered hard boiled egg to my Barnie this morning and she turned her nose up at it ! So the big girls got it - and little Araucana. She demolished it. Locked up the layer gutses, and gave Milly some cheese instead ... she does LOVE that. So meat, cheese and yoghurt is the go for her I think. Plus soy meal that you have suggested. Is that from a stock and produce agent, or from the supermarket ?

As for the piggery ... that is quite amazing. No one allowed in except the workers on strict hygiene ? I remember a while back, dog breeding kennels went down the same track - some even purchased little soft plastic shoe covers so's prospective buyers wouldn't traipse in nasties to the puppies. It makes sense I guess as long is it isn't taken to extremes.

One more question if you don't mind .... you mentioned layer 'mash'. I have looked it up, and there seems to be differences as to what that is. Some relate it to the properly formulated layer pellets ( or grower / finisher etc. ),,, and others call it a soft food for chickens. I feed my chickens Barastock Layer Pellets, and occasionally give my bantam a little of the remaining Finisher which is smaller pellets - she loves those. Have been thinking of seeing how my Barnie responds to the smaller pellets .... which would have more vitamins in them I would think. That wouldn't hurt her - would it ? My 4 chickens are now approaching 10 months of age. The avatar I use here, is of my poor sweet Silkie who died after getting soaked in a large storm we had, and the coop leaked badly. She ended up with a serious respiratory infection, on anti-biotics etc. improved a little and then went downhihll, and just could not go on, so I had her put to sleep before her organs shut down. Back in March that was - a very sad day.

Anyway, again thank you, and if you would like to answer my questions I would be most appreciative.

Cheers for now ..... Anniebee.

 

[Anniebee]

Hi there, I'm new too. We live in Rye in Victoria. I have three bantam hens one is quite small, got them from a friend who says they are Cornish but he's not sure so I'm not either, very new at keeping Chooks and about to get his last chicken before he lops her head off!, she's not laying. I don't care if she isn't laying so I am going to reunite her with her sisters.

My chickens are Saffron Varooka and Gin GIn. It will be good to get used to how this all works so that I can actually participate. Cheers!

A hearty " welcome " to you Varooka. Chooks are wonderful, and this site is excellent, friendly and full of mostly very good information. It is the first thing I do every time I am on line - check this site as I get emails with links etc. about it all. So nice to know that you are rescuing a chicken who was bound for the pot, so's she can live out her days with her sisters. As for her not laying - she might well surprise you one day. From what I have gathered on this site, chickens can go for 9, 12 months before they lay anything. Not common, but also not unheard of apparently. All depends on what is happening with them at the time ( moult, weather etc. ). It is a fascinating [ and quite addictive ] past-time ... the keeping of chooks. !!

Hope to see more of your posts and news, here ...

Cheers ..... Anniebee.

 

[Teila]

Thanks. I got her caged as soon as it fined up and let her out when it started to rain again. I thought she'd go back on the nest but she didn't. I had tried her a couple of days earlier and she ran back to the nest as fast as her little legs would carry her.

lolz @ "she ran back to the nest as fast as her little legs would carry her." They are just the funniest, most adorable companions!

 

[Teila]

So loved this post, and I honestly wouldn't be worried about the greens they are not eating - if they are picking at grass and clover etc. 1 hour a day, and more on weekends, most likely they are full to the brim of green goodies. Odd though that they don't take to the vegies, although I have noticed mine are slow to tackle lettuce, pale cabbage and broccoli, but eventually have a good go. What mine absolutely adore ( and darn near knock me over to get at ) is watermelon. I could seriously overfeed them that. .... and yoghurt ... they adore it. Cheese is another favourite, and meat they eat like piranha's !! I don't give them enough meat though. I will try to be more vigilant with the meat treats, especially for my Barnevelder who is somewhat off colour at the moment, although is still eating well. Good luck with the vegie eating ... Do you give large chunks of leaves etc ?.- they might just want to play with it. I cut all vegies up into small bits for the girls - [ nothing wrong with me !! ].... they gobble all that down - but tend to throw large bits around the run. What we do for our chooks eh !!

Cheers, AB

Thank you Anniebee .. I am perservering with my little chookie-imposters (imposters because they don't eat vegies or lay eggs lolz). Watermelon = scary. Tomatoes = scary. They have an anti-red thing going on! I did, however, yesterday get them to eat some pasta .. OK, not a vegie but also not seed or meat! Tried grated cheese; turned their beaks up at it. I have one of those hand-chopper things which I use for their food (it is really good) and I have tried that with vegies and also leaving lettuce etc in bigger chunks .. nope, more beak and head turning ... pffft!
As I said, I will keep trying. Thank you for putting my mind at ease that they are probably getting enough green goodies from the garden .... now it is just a matter of chookie-will V mum-will to see who wins the vegie war!

 

[Teila]

Hi, I agree. No need to worry.

They will be full and fussy from free-ranging. They are too well fed.

My girls don't get into the scraps as much when they've been out.

If they needed it they'd eat it.

I bet they'd start to eat veggies if you grew them. I have to fence my garden off.

All I can add on veggies is, while I give my girls cooked veg if its left overs I don't cook it especially. I think cooking takes a lot of the goodness out and it's not natural.

Also chickens learn their behaviour and tastes by copying. Battery hens don't even know how to scratch or walk even if they have the strength. You can teach them to scratch by scratching your hand in front of them. You teach incubated chicks to drink by dipping their beaks in water. Either of those techniques may work with the watermelon. Ie 'peck' your finger at it or stick their beaks in it gently.

I haven't had chicks for years before these last ones recently. I watched them more closely and was fascinated to see how they learned. Every new food from grasshoppers to watermelon that I threw in with them was ignored until mum pecked it. Then stand back or you'd loose a finger. . With grasshoppers mum would grab it, incapacitate it and drop it in front of one of her babies.

With my next comment I will try not to offend anyone.

In Australia feeding meat and kitchen scraps containing meat (called swill) to livestock, and that means our chickens, is banned. It has been linked to the spread and cross over of disease between species in other countries. I know a lot of people do it but I don't. My livelihood has depended on our country staying disease free.

My girls only get veggie and fruit scraps. They get their protein from other sources.
1. Worms and grubs from free ranging - and the more they free range the more earth worms there are for the garden.
2. Laying mash. It should be a good balance of all they 'need'. If you are buying the mash from Northside Produce I think it is a bit low in protein. 16%. It was not enough for my pullets at 40wks to start laying. When I increased the protein I got eggs in days. There are different opinions about how much protein they need and it changes - winter, moulting etc. But for laying I think 18% minimum.
3. Protein additives - You will have seen my other posts about the soy meal I have been using of late. So far I love it to bump that mash up from 16%.

Finally, and I know I've given you more than you asked for, it is important to remember that every treat you add to their diet you are detracting from the crucial elements of a balanced diet.

I hope this helps and isn't an overload.

Cheers

Thank you MyHaven .. another reply which has put my mind at ease

As I mentioned to AB, now it is a battle of wills between mum and chookies!

Quote: "I bet they'd start to eat veggies if you grew them. I have to fence my garden off." Your right! I forgot the snow pea sprouts they leveled are classed as a vegetable!

Thanks again, all helpful information

 

[Teila]

Hi there, I'm new too. We live in Rye in Victoria. I have three bantam hens one is quite small, got them from a friend who says they are Cornish but he's not sure so I'm not either, very new at keeping Chooks and about to get his last chicken before he lops her head off!, she's not laying. I don't care if she isn't laying so I am going to reunite her with her sisters.

My chickens are Saffron Varooka and Gin GIn. It will be good to get used to how this all works so that I can actually participate. Cheers!

Howdy Varooka and welcome ... lovely to meet another Aussie Bantie Mum

 

[MyHaven]

Again - that is very interesting info MyHaven. I have begun extra protein for my two moulting girls - one of whom is the anti-social girl. The two continuing to lay have vivid red combs and are so socially inclined, I fear one day I might fall over them, so close they come to me for whatever they think I might have for them. They in fact don't leave me alone at all. I have concluded ( from reading on other links ) ... that my little Aussie Araucana is into a hard moult, and my Barnevelder is doing a soft moult. Have also thought the reason I hardly see any of her feathers, is that the two 'big' productive girls are most likely eating them as they come out of her. They certainly love eating the white feathers of Mindy Araucana - [ protein? ]. I offered hard boiled egg to my Barnie this morning and she turned her nose up at it ! So the big girls got it - and little Araucana. She demolished it. Locked up the layer gutses, and gave Milly some cheese instead ... she does LOVE that. So meat, cheese and yoghurt is the go for her I think. Plus soy meal that you have suggested. Is that from a stock and produce agent, or from the supermarket ?

As for the piggery ... that is quite amazing. No one allowed in except the workers on strict hygiene ? I remember a while back, dog breeding kennels went down the same track - some even purchased little soft plastic shoe covers so's prospective buyers wouldn't traipse in nasties to the puppies. It makes sense I guess as long is it isn't taken to extremes.

One more question if you don't mind .... you mentioned layer 'mash'. I have looked it up, and there seems to be differences as to what that is. Some relate it to the properly formulated layer pellets ( or grower / finisher etc. ),,, and others call it a soft food for chickens. I feed my chickens Barastock Layer Pellets, and occasionally give my bantam a little of the remaining Finisher which is smaller pellets - she loves those. Have been thinking of seeing how my Barnie responds to the smaller pellets .... which would have more vitamins in them I would think. That wouldn't hurt her - would it ? My 4 chickens are now approaching 10 months of age. The avatar I use here, is of my poor sweet Silkie who died after getting soaked in a large storm we had, and the coop leaked badly. She ended up with a serious respiratory infection, on anti-biotics etc. improved a little and then went downhihll, and just could not go on, so I had her put to sleep before her organs shut down. Back in March that was - a very sad day.

Anyway, again thank you, and if you would like to answer my questions I would be most appreciative.

Cheers for now ..... Anniebee.

Hi Anniebee,

I would continue to try the hardboiled egg with Milly. Maybe she is wary of new foods.

The owner of my produce gave me a bag of Soy Meal. I didn’t take notice of the weight. It might have been 1 kilo or1½ kilos. It had $4-50 written on it. You sprinkle 1tsp over their laying mash for 6 hens and limit their greens. Make friends with your produce agent and you get good tips. (I guess that only applies if they are good agents.) Ask them about it and check in case the density/strength varies. I have hardly put a dint in my bag. It will last a long time. I have not been giving it out the last couple of days because the babies who are now about 12 weeks old are eating with the grownups and I don’t want them to get too much too soon. I understand it can cause them trouble later in life if they have too much protein too young. I’ll give them more when they are at POL.

There are numerous blends of laying mash around. My understanding is that generally they contain grain and added calcium and protein which is in my experience in pellet/crumble form. You should look at the nutrient information to check the protein and calcium level etc. as they vary between manufacturers. I believe most are around 16 to 18% - but can’t say for certain. Mine is 16%.

What I buy is called “Course Laying Mash for Poultry” and is made by a mob here in Queensland. It is sold as a complete food for laying birds from 20 to 80 weeks old. It contains wheat, cracked maize, Sorghum (some people call it milo), grey sunflower seeds, soybean oil, AGM Vitamin and Mineral Pre-Mix, Lime and Molasses. It lists different quantities for each bird depending on their stage.

I have had trouble with my mash of late. People who use automatic feeders complained that it was too wet and was getting caught in the feeders. When I say wet it is actually dust dry. So they changed the blend by reducing the molasses which is used to keep the crumble all together. I bought a bag and the crumble turned to dust. That’s when I found out about the change in the blend and got the freebees from the produce.

I haven’t heard of Barastock Layer Pellets, it is probably a brand local to you. I’d just check the Finisher to see its nutrient content. If it is high in protein it should be good for Milly in her condition but I’d really hate for you to rely on what I say without checking it with your produce or wherever you bought the product.

By the way I also use Ag Lime around my coop and run. It cuts down the flys and adds calcium.

My flock is made up of the “Old Girls”’ the “New Girls” and the “Babies”. My new girls will be approaching 10 months old as well.

I am so sorry about your Silkie. She was beautiful. You did the right thing by her even though I know it must have been difficult. I have a Silkie too as you would have read in my posts. I just went and put the girls to bed and she was damp . . . . . . . . Hold on, I know what you are thinking – yes I dried her off and made sure she was in a dry spot and there are no leaks in the coop. Did you give your girl haircuts around her eyes. I do or the poor thing crashes into things. Give her a “new do” and she’s running around the yard chasing moths that she couldn’t see before. She is my sons, but I love her too.

When I was trying to find a way to vaccinate my babies before they hatched, I found the Queensland Government had some good information on their website here is the link http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/27_2708.htm . No solutions to vaccinating backyard hatched chickens though.

Re: Strict hygiene. On closing, having a food handling/processing background, I have formed the belief that one day a tiny little bug will knock us and our animals all flat if we are not careful and keep our immunities up.

I hope this helps,
All the best and
Cheers