Ribh's D'Coopage

[WhoDatChick]

There's quite a lot of different callistimons [the bottlebrush family] & the nut job horticulturalists out here have been busy adding to that by creating hybrids so if you wanted a tree variety you would have to check with your nursery or wherever you buy your plants. They are super hardy. Just your sort of plant. I have a couple I'm waiting to put in the ground just now but for really good info you want my hubby. He is a horticulturalist & generally rolls his eyes @ how I go about things.

Waiting to see how my girls organise their morning. This room service bit could wear thin very quickly.

Glad you are feeling better. I'm prone to migraines & there's nothing worse...

Oops. Meant to add this. Just for lookies.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/bottlebrush/

Thanks! That was great! I think I may have the “slim” variety.. I went and cut off all the dead flowers.. it’s a miracle that I didn’t get stung! There were hundreds of honey bees
I can see where I hadn’t cut it before.. it was starting to get scraggly! And they look better now .. thanks for the tips!!

And yes, the room service is getting old!! ... the chicks are adorable but I can’t wait till they are grown up chickens!!!

 

[Ribh]

Thanks! That was great! I think I may have the “slim” variety.. I went and cut off all the dead flowers.. it’s a miracle that I didn’t get stung! There were hundreds of honey bees
I can see where I hadn’t cut it before.. it was starting to get scraggly! And they look better now .. thanks for the tips!!

And yes, the room service is getting old!! ... the chicks are adorable but I can’t wait till they are grown up chickens!!!

lol Yep. I have penned my Hepzibah. She's my favourite but she is being the bully so she is on her own this morning because everyone else is downstairs! I need this flock to settle down & get along because we have a ton of work to get through just now & I need to not be over~coddling my girls.

Yep, bees & birds love the bottlebrushes.

 

[WhoDatChick]

lol Yep. I have penned my Hepzibah. She's my favourite but she is being the bully so she is on her own this morning because everyone else is downstairs! I need this flock to settle down & get along because we have a ton of work to get through just now & I need to not be over~coddling my girls.

Yep, bees & birds love the bottlebrushes.

Been meaning to tell you this... you know when you get a song stuck in your head? Well, I get *Hepzibah* stuck in my head
I’ll wake up in the morning making my coffee and all the while going.. “ Hepzibah... Hep-zi-bah... Hepzibah...”
Hoping it’s the meaning that’ll stick

 

[Ribh]

Been meaning to tell you this... you know when you get a song stuck in your head? Well, I get *Hepzibah* stuck in my head
I’ll wake up in the morning making my coffee and all the while going.. “ Hepzibah... Hep-zi-bah... Hepzibah...”
Hoping it’s the meaning that’ll stick

So sorry. She is my beautiful girl though. The name really suites her.

 

[Ribh]

Hi, @MaryJanet. How are you & your girls?

 

[MaryJanet]

Just for lookies.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/bottlebrush/

I like that slim variety! I've been trying to get a hedge growing along an ugly side fence but the lily pilly variety I tried in that spot failed when we had that super-hot week in January when it got up to 46.6C. I probably should've watered it more.

Anyway, I might try the slim callistemon in that spot. It'd probably grow well in sand too. And it'd be a bonanza for the bees too.

Thanks!

 

[MaryJanet]

Hi, @MaryJanet. How are you & your girls?

Ah! We must've been writing our messages at the same time!

Mary the Australorp is having a mild moult - mainly her hackle feathers, a couple of saddle feathers and some butt fluff. So her laying has slowed down to one egg every two days.

Janet the Barnevelder is slowly coming to appreciate pellets and is gaining weight, which I like to see. She's usually a slightly slower layer than Mary, but she's a bit faster at the moment due to Mary's moulting.

I've had very long days at work lately, so they've not had the attention they're used to. Looking forward to the weekend so I can give them a bit more of my time.

I'm pondering what breed to add. What do people think of orpingtons? I'm not worried about the summer heat because the coop has a misting system which brings the temp down by about 10 degrees.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Ah! We must've been writing our messages at the same time!

Mary the Australorp is having a mild moult - mainly her hackle feathers, a couple of saddle feathers and some butt fluff. So her laying has slowed down to one egg every two days.

Janet the Barnevelder is slowly coming to appreciate pellets and is gaining weight, which I like to see. She's usually a slightly slower layer than Mary, but she's a bit faster at the moment due to Mary's moulting.

I've had very long days at work lately, so they've not had the attention they're used to. Looking forward to the weekend so I can give them a bit more of my time.

I'm pondering what breed to add. What do people think of orpingtons? I'm not worried about the summer heat because the coop has a misting system which brings the temp down by about 10 degrees.

My Buff Orpington is lovely and she lays well... I think you will most likely always hear good things about Orpingtons.. I love my Rhode Island Red! She lays great! My Easter Egger is the sweetest and quirkiest! And they lay green or blue eggs... just some for thought..

 

[Ribh]

Ah! We must've been writing our messages at the same time!

Mary the Australorp is having a mild moult - mainly her hackle feathers, a couple of saddle feathers and some butt fluff. So her laying has slowed down to one egg every two days.

Janet the Barnevelder is slowly coming to appreciate pellets and is gaining weight, which I like to see. She's usually a slightly slower layer than Mary, but she's a bit faster at the moment due to Mary's moulting.

I've had very long days at work lately, so they've not had the attention they're used to. Looking forward to the weekend so I can give them a bit more of my time.

I'm pondering what breed to add. What do people think of orpingtons? I'm not worried about the summer heat because the coop has a misting system which brings the temp down by about 10 degrees.

Everyone who has Orps loves them. I can't comment as I haven't. My Favorelle Xs are sweet. My BRs go broody in the heat. Had a dreadful summer with them.

My Aussies are molting too. One seems to be having quite a heavy molt. She's rather bare in patches.

 

[Ribh]

I like that slim variety! I've been trying to get a hedge growing along an ugly side fence but the lily pilly variety I tried in that spot failed when we had that super-hot week in January when it got up to 46.6C. I probably should've watered it more.

Anyway, I might try the slim callistemon in that spot. It'd probably grow well in sand too. And it'd be a bonanza for the bees too.

Thanks!

I think they really like sandy soils. Lillipillies seem to like something heavier ~ not that I'm a fan; all those little berries staining everything they land on though some people make jam of them. Bees is always a plus. I'm going to approach our local bee club shortly & look into bees properly.