Australians - Where are you all????

[magicpigeon]

ANyone??

 

[duckyfromoz]

I have ducklings hatching.... some little ones in my bedroom...bigger ones outside enjoying the wonderful spring time weather and a tonne of house work to do.


Grossest job of the day is done.... I had to clean the airfilter on the airconditioner getting ready for summer... OMG it was disgusting. I cant take it out so have to get my daughter to hold the vaccum up while I attack... I should have done it at the end of summer. But at least now its done. Time to go tackle some of the not so nasty jobs now.

 

[wooklet]

And here is a touch of humour!

Captioned "controlling the herd!"

Lucky you! Ducky. Here we have the usual rain,rain,rain,rain...... Hubby left the cover off the pen I put all the fresh dry sawdust in yesterday,now it is fresh,wet sawdust!

 

[Julie o1]

Hi all,

I may be number 6 I'm from Ipswich, just a short hop and step and jump from Brisbane and I have six wonderful little ladies. At the moment I am getting three eggs every other day and two every day, not bad for new ones I think. Ok they tend to be pullet bullets but I am so proud of them. Yes you probably guessed it, Im new too.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Wooklet...I like that one... Oh dear... I hve that often in the duckling brooders... mixed with lots of poop too though

Hope the sun comes out soon to dry it out for you .

Julie o1 Please dont tell wooklet what the weather is like up their at the moment... down in these southern States we are still feeling the last of winter chill. What kinds of chooks are your girls???

 

[scoopy82]

Hey guys - I haven't visited this thread in a while, infact I haven't visited the forum in quite a while, been so busy with life in general. But anyway, I'm sure everyone else is in the same boat.
I'm just after some opinions on a little business venture I'm embarking on. My hubby suggested (after the incubator hatched out 22 chicks) that I try selling them, to at least cover costs of keeping my original hens if nothing else. So I figured why not turn a hobby into a self funded one. So I am planning on hatching a handful of chicks every now and then and selling them. I've designed a website and am planning on advertising in the local papers and maybe the weekly times as well as relying on word of mouth and friends passing on my website and details. Anyway I thought I might put the link up to my website to see what you all thought of it - being chicken people in the know.
I would love any suggestions you can make on how I could improve it - like what to include, what I could do without etc. Its not finished, especially the 'Further Information' page but at this point I would just love some feed back! My family have all seen it but they just tell me its great - where I'm after constructive input!
Thanks guys for taking the time to look if you do - the link is: www.pickachook.webs.com
Cheers

 

[duckyfromoz]

The web site looks great..

I hatch ducklings year round to pay for the up keep of my flock. They have paid for a new incubator last year. I only just started keeping accurate records this month as I want to include everything from now on , everything from rubbish bags used when cleaning the night pens- peas and vegies... pellets shavings hay straw.. Electricity for the incubator and brooders, petrol and entry fees for shows - even down to lunches and meals on the road. Even in a slow month I will be in front financially.. Time wise..well that a whole different story. Dont forget about other outlets you may have- the Kyneton Poultry club is looking to have 4 auctions next year. You could do some specific hatches just for those sales as well. I do that for 2 auctions a year with the Footscray club.

Day olds can gain the best profits if you can find a regular outlet. You may get $60 more for a nice rare breed point of lay pullet- but you also have to take into consideration that you have fed and housed her for weeks...and also any males hatched at the same time are virtual freeloaders and factoring in the cost of feeding them has to be taken into account.

 

[Ma Noob]

Aussie Peeps i need some help!!

Looks like my new silkies have lice or mites, im not sure which. But either way, what is the best way to treat them? THey are only 3-6 weeks old, They dont look jumpy but move quite quick and are very small. I think its causing one of my little ones to be sick.

Ive asked in the other groups, but i need aussie products. Thankfully they havent really been around my other chooks so i think they will be ok.

cheers all

 

[guinea fowl galore]

I had this problem a little while ago and what I did was purchase pestene and pour this ALL over the chickens and rub it all into their feathers. And sprinkle it generously over all surfaces, floor, in nesting boxes, on top of nesting boxes, ect. This stuff is pretty safe as I think it just sulphur powder. And also give them HEAPS of garlic. Chop it up into little pieces and give them as much as they eat. Also peel and crush a few cloves and put it in their water. Most chickens love garlic and gobble it up, I do have a few fussy ones but putting the garlic in the water makes sure everybody gets some. Treat all your chickens with the large amounts of garlic. This should be done regulary anyway.
If the chickens that need the garlic the most aren't eating it then put some in their beak and they will swallow it.
I like to use the pesteen and the garlic together because I like the thought that I'm killing the nasties from the inside and out.
Here's a link to google images so you can see what the stuff looks like.
http://www.google.com.au/m/search?s...=en&gl=au&client=safari&q=pestene powder&sa=N

 

[satay]

MA noob I agree with pestene is the best way to go. Julieo1 welsome. I am just up the road from you at Esk.