Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Anniebee]

Look what went past our front gate today. Such a lovely sight.

Isn't that just beautiful.

Two gorgeous Clydies pulled a large white open carriage for my husbands' niece when she was married 5 years back. Carried her and her 4 attendants.

That was fantastic, but the closed carriage is superb. Rather think I'd prefer the closed one, myself. ... lovely photos as usual.

Cheers ........

 

[User395221]

and while I am at it - here are photos of our little assistance dog loan for 12 months - Sonya at 8 weeks of age ....
( oh what a terror she can be ) :

She's adorable. Sooooo pretty. I wouldn't be wanting to teach her anything, I'd just be wanting to cuddle her.

Mandy is also a stunner.

(one of my chickens is called Sonja - Sonja Henie)

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks so much Anniebee!  Im going to give her a couple of days and then I think it will be off to the vet.  The white spot doesnt seem to be getting worse but is certainly still there.  I might try catching her and bathing it too... just to help if it is infection.

Please if you decide to wash the eye, just irrigate it with saline. Water has way too many contaminants. I use a syringe without needle draw up and squirt from the beak out.
The saline at chemists used for cleaning contacts is fine.

 

[User395221]

The saline at chemists used for cleaning contacts is fine.

They also sell saline in little squirty tube things. I got them for my first aid kit.

 

[Anniebee]

Hi guys!!! It's been forever. Over 4000 posts since last time I was here

read some about broody doves then skipped to the last page lol

I haven't been coping with single mumming so well hence the extended absence. It's been drama after drama, one of which has been the neighbours making constant complaints to animal control about my dog and finally my chooks. All unfounded, one complaint was that my dog attacked someone walking past when she was out, she like most dogs is aggressive through the fence, barking and running when the mail man comes or kids ride past (only when I'm not in view funnily enough, she won't bark if she can see me) but without the fence between this dog is the most passive submissive dog in existence, she flops on her back when I try to put her lead on! Needless to say I'm not too happy when I have to listen to their little yappers going all day at nothing.

then the last straw I had 2 animal control officers come saying there had been a complaint about the location of the coop. Some back story, after the most of the chicks had gone to new homes and the duccles I was raising had gone back to their owner I discovered I had a lice infestation so moved the girls into the front yard where I'd kept the duccles so I could completely empty the tank stand coop and treat the birds. I was lazy so they stayed in the front yard for ages (at least 6 months) finally I moved them back to the tank stand, one week later the complaint came, definitely no time for any smell and so close to my house I would smell it in an instant if there was. as I said this was the last straw, my depression had been looking for a crack and it hit me like a brick wall, my mum decided to take my kids to live with her for a while and we basically purged my house to try get on top of the clutter that was taking over. After a lot of umming and ahhing it was decided that the majority of my chooks would go to the farm to make it a bit easier on me, I decided to just keep the bantams the 2 pekins and 1 duccle, can't even believe how hard it was to see them go

it's so quiet now in the mornings.
So that's me! kids still living with my mum but I see them every day/night, maybe another month and they can come home. planning a few minor renovations while they are gone, decided to sell the house as part of the divorce so using my alone time to focus on that.
Also planning a new coop that I can easily pull apart and put back together as I will probably be renting for a while, and we all know how quickly a flock can expand (especially when you have perpetually broody pekins) that's what brought me back here as all roads lead to byc

@Fancychooklady thought of your daughter the other day when I saw a young girl died in a jumping accident, hope that it wasn't someone you know!

I do empathise with you ChristieB .... you have had such a heap of problems to contend with, at this time. And divorce tends to create much uproar in the mind, body and soul. It is so good that you have a Mum who is able to help you cope. And it's also good that you have plans for yourself, in selling the house etc. - although that will bring its' own wrenches to your psyche and heart, when it happens. Steel yourself for that ... but you sound like you can be a very strong woman, who is going through a period that is horrid.

And doesn't it seem always the way, that when one nasty occurs - all the other nasties come to visit. e.g. This garbage brought on by your neighbour, and visiting animal control officers. Think of it this way - selling your home, while stressful, will remove you from your horrid neighbours. Broody hens do not add joy to your situation - so good luck with breaking them of their hormonal uproars. Separation, if possible - and way away from any sight of nesting boxes.

You are keeping your most precious of hens, and that is excellent - the future will see more hens I have no doubt - and you will work it all out - one day at a time.

Best of good wishes to you, and may your life get progressively better, from now on - ... day by day.

Cheers ........

 

[Anniebee]

If you have to trim a beak, what do you use? Nail clippers?

Preferably ( I would think ) dog nail clippers. Human nail clippers are ok on cats and rabbits, as their claws are fairly fragile. Dog claws are tough, as I would suspect a chickens beak would tend to be. ( I might be wrong about how tough a chooks beak is ).

Only a tiny bit at a time - you don't want to make any mistakes that result in bleeding. I have read that using a nail file or emery board is enough to file back a hens beak, although I cannot imagine how one would do that without one heilluva rucus .... from the hen !!

Claws / nails also need to be attended to, at times.

Good luck .........

 

[Anniebee]

Yes, it's surprising how easy it is. Usually the bird will keep it trimmed itself, it's always a good idea to have some bigger rocks laying around and often you will see them rubbing their beak from side to side in an attempt to file it down. The tip will eventually chip off.

,.....

Fancy !! And here's me thinking they were ' wiping their beaks ' of softer food that sticks to their beaks ( and faces at times ) .... like good old yoghurt.

Boy do they ever rub their beaks on the ground after eating that ( and other goodies ). Mind you, they should rub more than that - the stuff sprays everywhere, and they end up looking like they've been in a snow storm.

The bigger rocks is a great idea - thanks for that. They have some bricks they wipe their beaks on, but not much else in their runs, except some largish clean tree branches that they occasionally climb onto, or use as a back rub ?? ( true - they often dust bathe and roll against the old branches there ).

I don't know what the heck happened above here ??????

 

[User395221]

Preferably ( I would think ) dog nail clippers.

Yes, the scissor-type, I'd imagine. I only have pet clippers, I don't have any human ones LOL

I have a nailfile machine for my dog. It's like a Dremel, with a little spinning head thing with emery paper on it. I expect you could also use something like that, in theory - good luck getting it anywhere near them LOL

 

[Fancychooklady]

Yes, the scissor-type, I'd imagine.  I only have pet clippers, I don't have any human ones LOL 

I have a nailfile machine for my dog.  It's like a Dremel, with a little spinning head thing with emery paper on it.  I expect you could also use something like that, in theory - good luck getting it anywhere near them LOL

I just use human nail clippers, I find them much easier to handle and you'd be surprised how brittle the beak is. As I said they should in the course of the day wear the beak down.
A bit like goats hooves on rocky ground, even wild horses manage to wear away the hoof but they aren't pampered like ours on soft pasture. Adding some pebbles or stones to the run should certainly help.

 

[User395221]

As I said they should in the course of the day wear the beak down.

None of mine has needed anything (yet....), so they must be taking care of it themselves. I have rocks everywhere so they have plenty of "grinding spots" around and about. At least my big girls do. The "silly" chooks might need something in the covered run they can use. I'll have to have a look at them close-up tomorrow.