Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[Bens-Hens]

Honestly Oz, I have a few missions of different kinds going on, and chicken support is one, some family stuff is another and then there is work alway ticking over plus my own interests.

The backyard flock is something I do for fun, it's a lot of work, and sometimes worry some, but it's a fun part of my life. Everything that comes with it is part of the fun, and I love sharing my families experience with my 'chicken family' that have helped teach me all I know. I especially like when my more immediate family help when it's time to pick up the poo hahahahaha.

I also have my training, all kicked off with Oz's chicken mission, which I had been working on a 50mile (80km) run to fund my trip to the Philippines. I have had some difficulty in the funding and insurance side of that run. In training I am doing someone elses race, another slightly shorter Ultra marathon @ 50km. I have been out pounding the pavement 6 nights a week trying to get ready. I have now nearly logged 1500km running since June 2013, about 8 months. I love the races, but the preparation is hard work.

With two small lads, a business and a hunger to read and learn added into the picture I have a pretty full life! If only I was so eager earlier in my life.

 

[mamahen1980]

Have you been able to get with your friends to see how their flock is doing? I sure hope they have started doing something different. Your flock has grown quickly since I was last on here all those pretty birdies!

 

[Bens-Hens]

Hiya Mamahen! How is your little bird going? Did she make a full recovery?

Yes, I got to their flock yesterday to follow up what I left on their doorstep (ACV and wormer)

We went for a drive to the feed store I use as I had to pick up some supplies anyway. I recommended layer crumbles and Super Poultry Mix. We went back to their place and I lugged the bags out to the backyard and mixed them into their feed bin at a 50:50 ratio. We topped up the feeder with the mix and the girls dug in. The water containers had already had a big scrub and we added some ACV to the bowls to help clear up the vent gleet. The lady had no idea it was that bad until I picked one up and showed her the vent area. I also looked for mites, but they were that dirty it was very hard to see any skin.

So for now, they are on ACV and some decent feed mix, once this mix is gone they will go back to layer crumbles and stay on ACV. I have some DE here they could have, but I am not a fan of the stuff so I would not use it unless I had to.

I might also slip them some sardines when I go over next as I have some handy work to do. 

I am also going to make some roosts for them to sleep on, an encouraged them to boil up some extra eggs and shells for the girls as a treat to help put some meat back on them.

For Pam and Nova, I have a picture from today of Sav White Beard on my phone, i will load it up after this. The other cockerels have not sold yet, so I have some fresh pics to advertise them, they need a new home as they are certainly noisy during the day as the three young males are trying to outdo each other.

 

[mamahen1980]

Ive lost 4 to hawks this week, 1 to a dog, Charlie never came back after escaping the run, and Blondie (the hen that was pecked nearly to death) is sitting on 7, I so need to candle its day 15 I'm so glad to hear your friends flock are on the path of getting better. I also lost 2 hens to fowl pox, the rest did great. Gave 4 roosters to a neighbor, I cant bring myself to eat any of them. Leaves me with 13 hens and 3 roosters and need to give the other 4 roosters away also.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Wow, full house! Sorry to hear you lost some to animal attacks. I have seen cats hanging around our property again, but no dogs thank god.

I also happened to be given about 20m of decent tin roofing today, he said I can grab more tomorrow if I like so the expansion coop may have a full covered run after all!

 

[mamahen1980]

Thats great! good shade and shelter. We have cats in the neighborhood but they just hang out with the chicken. Now little chicks I wouldn't trust them around.

 

[Wrightsx4]

What a fluff-face! I can see the red/brown coming in on his shoulders. Is his chest turning black yet? By the time he's full grown I bet his coloring will conform to standard except his beard - going by the pics of the flock he came from.
Today one of my remaining sf roos that I'm not keeping crowed (quietly!) in front of me for the first time and I realized he had to be a brother to Pierre, who I gave away. Same crow. I know the breeder I got the eggs from has many hens and several roos, but chances are good they are closely related. I'm hoping my only female isn't a full sister to Bruno, the male I'm keeping.
I wish we could do a fully covered run. It's quite a large area though. In the summer I put netting over the smaller enclosure and across the corners to give safer zones where hawks won't swoop down. Netting has to come down for winter though. I'm thinking of putting barbed wire around the top of the fence all the way around and on the posts to deter climbing predators. Don't know if it would work or not, but I have a spool of it that was left in a shed from the previous owner of our property. I don't like surprises like I had a few weeks ago when a possum was inside the pen with my chickens.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Possums an issue? We don't get those here either, but they are native in other parts of Australia. One lady on here has them sleep in her nest boxes!

Sav, has a white chest so far, and a pure white beard. The Marn roo pics on him a bit lately as the adolescent power struggle takes shape.

 

[ozexpat]

Possums an issue? We don't get those here either, but they are native in other parts of Australia. One lady on here has them sleep in her nest boxes!

Sav, has a white chest so far, and a pure white beard. The Marn roo pics on him a bit lately as the adolescent power struggle takes shape.

Merkan possums are not like cute aussie marsupials.

They are nasty rodents

 

[Bens-Hens]

I forgot I had these two pics in my phone too. Sorry they are small, could not be bothered getting my phone cord so I just loaded them direct.

Sal, lovely natured girl

Rosie coming out of her moult with the two Rock chicks.