Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

I hope both of those roosters get well soon

X2

 

[biophiliac]

The numbers of Australian species wiped out by introduced species is uncountable but understood to be very high.

Sadly if Joe is carrying something we don't yet have, he could accidentally wipe out 1000s amd 1000s of other birds. Do we prefer one death or many?

Actually I prefer quarantine, if his owner is willing to cover the costs. As a racing pigeon, his owner would be easy to find and if they can't pay for quarantining Joe they may prefer that he's killed. I can't recall the cost of quarantine but when I looked at it for fertile chicken eggs, it was rather high because of the duration required.

UPDATE

The pigeon is not a racing homer and is wearing a fake ring.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Chicken Tax.

View attachment 2488144​

I keep seeing a wet chicken next to a hedgehog! These pullets are very cool.

 

[LozzyR]

The cost to the native species could be catastrophic.

But I'd prefer if Joe went into quarantine somewhere for as long as it takes.

Me too.

 

[LozzyR]

So true. It was very noisy.

Chickie was like that when Bessie and Charlie rocked up.

 

[LozzyR]

Then quarantine the bird until it proves it is healthy and not disease ridden. You do have pigeons don't you? It's not a new invasive bird to your continent, is it?

I'd prefer he was quarantined rather than killed. Maybe someone might set up a gofundme page? There's already a petition on change.org.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

That's true! But pigeons usually stay at home, don't they? Only the racing pigeons fly so far and they're trying to get home.

I've read it's far more common that racing pigeons from China show up in Australia. I presume all those are killed too. I daresay we get a few from New Zealand too.

I think if a bird is banded, remove it to quarantine as soon as possible, then contact the owner and invite them to choose between quarantinng then release, returning home on the next available flight, or culling, with a deadline on the decision eg one week. If the owner does not respond, cull the bird unless others have offered to cover the cost of its quarantine.

That would be a wonderful plan! Very sound practices for all ends.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I love dust bath videos. Clearly Queenie is now a member of the flock. Your Buckeyes seem like pretty go along get along ladies.

Yes, more or less it seems they are. There's a bit of competition I don't see they do with each other, like today one Buckeye was body-blocking Queenie from the mash dish they were both eating at, in a kind of passive-aggressive way, by sidling around it slowly, forcing her to keep moving left as she ate until she had to step back to get around the leg of the saw horse. On the other side she opted for the other mash dish instead. She is also a go-along-to-get-along type, and rolls with any bothering. So far pretty mild stuff! At this point only Queenie and Hazel are laying, but Peanut was in the nest box this morning doing some inspection. In the mild weather all of them are very interested in free-ranging and getting out on the packed snow. They don't venture onto any fresh snow though.

 

[LozzyR]

UPDATE

The pigeon is not a racing homer and is wearing a fake ring.

That is interesting.

 

[featherhead007]

Plus if it is already mixing with local birds, isn't it a bit late ?

Save that pigeon !