Australians - Where are you all????

[Anniebee]

Hi, my girls are a bit off the lay too. In the past few weeks the sand flies here on the bay where I live are the worst they have been in more than 30 years. Two of my 5week olds that are the least feathered of my nine are red raw. I have had to start bringing them all, Mums included, into the house at night. I think the swarms have stressed the big girls. I have spread lime and looked for breeding spots. Pet insect repellent and burning coils are the only things I can think of to do but neither treatments last through the night for the big girls. The sand flies are attacking 24/7, not just dawn and dusk.

If anyone has any other suggestions I'd appreciate it.

AB, you could try "conditioning" Ruby to be "neutral" to the chooks. I could give you some tips if you like.

Cheers to all.

Oh yes please My Haven .... thank you for the offer. Ruby doesn't want to do anything but play ... that's it ... I totally believe she would not hurt any chook, as I have seen her stand stock still over a chicken ( when it got out the gate I left slightly ajar quite a while back ) .... and Molly thought ' wow - a rooster - I will crouch' .... which is what she did, and I picked her up; Ruby just accepted all that. HOWEVER, Ruby is now a little older and a great deal bigger - and nuttier. ( Goldens don't mature in common sense and proper obedience, until almost 3 in my experience ... but when they do, they make a ** darned ** good job of it ) .... ** I had to change a word there - got all ***** in the post !! LOL. It was only to do with blood if you get my meaning ?

Any help with suggestions as to how to teach Ruby to ignore completely the chickens, would be most appreciated. I am more concerned that SHE will be "chicken tweaked " with blooded nose results, than I am that she would hurt the chooks.

Much appreciated if you have some solutions ...

Hope all is well with you and that you find some solution to the sand fly problem. They are bitey creatures, and would be most likely the cause of your chickens off the lay .... they would be annoying the absolute HELL out of them. Hope whatever you use, stops the little beasties. I do not unfortunately, have any solutions to offer you at present. But will look up a few things, and if I find anything, will let you know via this forum.

Cheers ....... AB.

 

[MyHaven]

Oh yes please My Haven .... thank you for the offer.   Ruby doesn't want to do anything but play ... that's it ... I totally believe she would not hurt any chook, as I have seen her stand stock still over a chicken ( when it got out the gate I left slightly ajar quite a while back ) .... and Molly  thought ' wow - a rooster - I will crouch'  .... which is what she did, and I picked her up;  Ruby just accepted all that.   HOWEVER,  Ruby is now a little older and a great deal bigger - and nuttier.   ( Goldens don't mature in common sense and proper obedience,  until almost 3 in my experience ...  but when they do, they make a ** darned ** good job of it ) ....   ** I had to change a word there - got all ***** in the post !! LOL.     It was only to do with blood if you get my meaning ?   

Any help with suggestions as to how to teach Ruby to ignore completely the chickens, would be most appreciated.    I am more concerned that SHE will be "chicken tweaked " with blooded nose results, than I am that she would hurt the chooks.  

Much appreciated if you have some solutions ... 

Hope all is well with you and that you find some solution to the sand fly problem.   They are bitey creatures, and would be most likely the cause of your chickens off the lay .... they would be annoying the absolute HELL out of them.   Hope whatever you use, stops the little beasties.   I do not unfortunately, have any solutions to offer you at present.  But will look up a few things, and if I find anything, will let you know via this forum.   

Cheers ....... AB.   

Oh that's funny and probably just a language thing. We should start a new thread "where the b&@%dy he&ll are you?

These sand flies bite me and itch and pain for days. I had become somewhat immune to them but they thinned out for so long I'm not used to them. I can only imagine how the toxin is making the little ones feel.

My sister and mother have nothing but golden retrievers. They have beautiful natures. But one of the old dogs grabbed and killed a chook when visiting elsewhere. She was playing but the chook was just as dead as it would have been if it was aggressively attacked.

You use food, play and obedience to do it. I'll give you some tips and then you can also research it to make sure you're happy with the advice. Everyone is an expert when it comes to dog training. But I did do it professionally for a while. I'm telling you that so you know I have some credentials.

I'll PM you with the detail when I get a chance as it's probably getting off track of the forum and will get long winded I suspect.

Cheers

 

[tillyita]

Thanks so much Tillyita.   She seems to be growing her new feathers again now too.  I have noticed some new down on her sides, just today - so poor Mandy is coping - and that's about all.  

PLUS, and I didn't even think about this ... our very large 1 yr old "puppy" Golden Retriever Ruby, has more access to them now - meaning she can get closer to the chicken run fences.    Molly RIR stands up to her big time - and comes over just waiting to have a good peck at her nose - and if that happens, it might teach Ruby not to try and play with chooks through fences.    Mandy Welsummer has always been a very aloof chicken, and aggressive towards other chickens, but not towards her mate Molly  RIR ( little wonder huh ? ).    Ruby thinks it is wonderful  when Molly approaches her - head held high and standing as tall as she can.     Ruby's backside goes up in the air all ready for some fun - but she might be in for a bit of a surprise one day if she keeps it up.   I cannot now, keep Ruby away from the fences, but certainly she does NOT get in with the chickens ( that would be chaos ).   We are in for a spell of warmer weather, but can't say that we've been exactly warm down here in Victoria, these past few weeks !!  

Will have to figure some way to stop Ruby going near the fences - oh hubby WILL be pleased  ( not ).    He has just created a lovely new garden and chicken runs, coops etc.   And Molly is back laying a bit more perhaps - another egg this morning - 2 in 2 days.  Maybe because she has shown Ruby that she is not afraid of her  ??          

Again thank you - your answer has lessened my concerns a great deal.    

Cheers .......... AB 

In the mean time (before your training "takes effect" you can always put some shade cloth or "panels" around the bottom of the chook pen so she can't see them (and they can't see her).

I have herding dogs amd the only guaranteed way I have of not having them "herd" the chickens all day is to keep them where they can't see each other. It's not such a problem with my older dogs and older hens - but I have a new pup at the moment who thinks chickens were put on this earth just so that he can round them up, and I have some young (under 6 months) light sussex chickens that haven't learnt yet that if they don't run the dogs won't chase them! Not a good combination (and I'm down to 2 eggs a day when I was averaging 7 only a few weeks ago).

 

[tillyita]

Hi, my girls are a bit off the lay too. In the past few weeks the sand flies here on the bay where I live are the worst they have been in more than 30 years. Two of my 5week olds that are the least feathered of my nine are red raw. I have had to start bringing them all, Mums included, into the house at night. I think the swarms have stressed the big girls. I have spread lime and looked for breeding spots. Pet insect repellent and burning coils are the only things I can think of to do but neither treatments last through the night for the big girls. The sand flies are attacking 24/7, not just dawn and dusk.

If anyone has any other suggestions I'd appreciate it.

AB, you could try "conditioning" Ruby to be "neutral" to the chooks. I could give you some tips if you like.

Cheers to all.

You can try Rosemary and Cedar Wood repelant. It is a cream (oil) that use to be used primarily for horses but is now sold for humans as well - It doesn't work for March flys but works for pretty much everything else (and it sticks!) I would also try to plant wormwood around your pen - it's a very good natural repellant and will help control ticks, lice and intestinal worms in your flock.

 

[MyHaven]

You can try Rosemary and Cedar Wood repelant. It is a cream (oil) that use to be used primarily for horses but is now sold for humans as well - It doesn't work for March flys but works for pretty much everything else (and it sticks!) I would also try to plant wormwood around your pen - it's a very good natural repellant and will help control ticks, lice and intestinal worms in your flock.

Thanks, that's good advice about plantings. Where would I get the repellents you mentioned from. Would I try the produce first?

This morning was windy so they had a little relief.

Thanks very much.

 

[tillyita]

Thanks, that's good advice about plantings. Where would I get the repellents you mentioned from. Would I try the produce first?

This morning was windy so they had a little relief.

Thanks very much.

Yep try the produce stores (particularly if they stock horse stuff) after that just look it up online - I've found it at a few online stores.

 

[Anniebee]

Oh that's funny and probably just a language thing. We should start a new thread "where the b&@%dy he&ll are you?

These sand flies bite me and itch and pain for days. I had become somewhat immune to them but they thinned out for so long I'm not used to them. I can only imagine how the toxin is making the little ones feel.

My sister and mother have nothing but golden retrievers. They have beautiful natures. But one of the old dogs grabbed and killed a chook when visiting elsewhere. She was playing but the chook was just as dead as it would have been if it was aggressively attacked.

You use food, play and obedience to do it. I'll give you some tips and then you can also research it to make sure you're happy with the advice. Everyone is an expert when it comes to dog training. But I did do it professionally for a while. I'm telling you that so you know I have some credentials.

I'll PM you with the detail when I get a chance as it's probably getting off track of the forum and will get long winded I suspect.

Cheers

Thanks MyHaven for your helpful advice and prompt reply. I have trained Goldens before myself, using the treat, play and obedience method and eventually they responded, however Ruby is something else again. She's great with some things, woeful with others. Yes they have absolutely beautiful natures, and can be trusted possibly more than most any other dogs, but that doesn't make them fool-proof. So sorry to hear one of your sister/mum's Goldens inadvertently killed a chicken - it perhaps died from shock. Awful, but Goldens can 'play' rough - that's for sure, like most dogs do.

It has taken me quite a while to get Ruby to respond properly, but will have to do it ref. the chooks now as well. That WILL be interesting. She has the attention span of a gnat. ! However, I will be very much interested in your thoughts through PM on how to go about it, as we've never had chickens before, so that is a whole new ball game for me - in dog training that is. Would very much appreciate your thoughts and experience. As for the shade cloth - or panels --- I had panels up - until hubby pulled the whole thing apart to make his new garden ( which the girls dig up if permitted in certain parts ! ) .... and new chicken runs he made which I appreciate very much - but certain rules have now been trotted out by 'himself' and I have to try and find my way around them

.

Interesting comments on repellents - Rosemary and Cedar Wood ... must look into that one myself for whatever ails the chickens at any given time - we have a lot of nasty little flies around at the moment - but not March flys or anything big.

Take care ..... and thanks again.

Cheers ......... AB

 

[qldchook]

Thank you so very much tillyita .. very helpful.
Quote: "The only thing that I will add is that the chicks can eat anything mum can eat provided they have some grit (or plain old dirt from the garden) in their diet so that they can break it down. If they are confined so they don't have access to any then you should only feed the starter crumble (and that goes for mum too)."
I did not know that!

Hi Teila,

I have always provided my mum and chicks with treats and often lived in places (PNG) where chick starter was non existent. While providing chick starter, it is great to offer treats during your "visit tme". Take the treats in and sit down with the family. Pick up the little ones and give them a cuddle, mum will object but quickly become reassured as you replace one and cuddle another.

LOVED TREATS: Raw oats - grind smaller but not too fine in coffee grinder, blender etc. Boiled egg -finely chopped. Finely chopped tomato,grapes,paw paw. They will then identify you with the really yummy stuff. I also place in Fresh grass (ensure from somewhere you 100% know is not sprayed. I pull out a whole clump, dirt and all and place in daily. Biggest threat is drowning from unsuitable water containers. I use plastic or terracotta pot plant bases and line with washed pebbles (stones are fine). This makes them heavy so cannot be tipped over plus a chick cannot drown if it jumps in.

It really is such a lovely experience having a broody and chicks. ENJOY!

 

[Millsy]

Hi I'm from Townsville, new to BYC got my first 2 chickens yesterday nothing fancy just some commercial egg layers. Going to be adding some frizzles or polish in a week or so for something different.

 

[MyHaven]

Hi I'm from Townsville, new to BYC got my first 2 chickens yesterday nothing fancy just some commercial egg layers. Going to be adding some frizzles or polish in a week or so for something different.

How's dry old Townsville going? Love the place.

Love Frizzles.

Welcome to BYC.