MJ's little flock

[RoyalChick]

That's an excellent idea. There's always someone on the beach with their metal detector. Next time I see someone I'll ask them how much to do the yard.

I'll do the magnet sweep up too.

I think metal detectors tend to pick up big stuff. The magnets on telescopic sticks are for little things like screws and filings.
Bob mentioned the one you linked is a bit small at the end - even with the bigger ones it is a tedious exercise, I think the small one is setting you up for frustration.
Try and get a bigger one - I think Bob posted an example. If you cannot find one, you can work with the one you have got as long as you have a metal lid from a biscuit tin. If the magnet attaches to the biscuit tin lid, then the lid becomes your magnet to sweep the ground but with a bigger magnetic surface.
Of course a bigger magnet would still be better and you can get an even bigger biscuit tin lid!

 

[RoyalChick]

That's going to be a little small to sweep a large area. You can get them with wider sweeps and wheels.

https://www.harborfreight.com/17-in...-4xPbdzYQ8gmFuX-58ingp1iXZ7bmJiRoClVcQAvD_BwE

That is a very good one. I should really get one of those.
I use one like this:
https://a.co/d/70qwwvR
But yours is superior and I will get one. I sweep my area a couple of times a year to catch as much as I can. Usually find a couple of things.

 

[MaryJanet]

That's going to be a little small to sweep a large area. You can get them with wider sweeps and wheels.

https://www.harborfreight.com/17-in...-4xPbdzYQ8gmFuX-58ingp1iXZ7bmJiRoClVcQAvD_BwE

Thanks for pointing that out Bob. I'll get one of the ones on wheels instead. They're much more expensive but that makes sense when I consider how large the magnet is.

 

[MaryJanet]

If I sweep the yard and test the soil, with remediation if necessary, I should be able to avoid heavy metal toxicity in future.

 

[MaryJanet]

She looks quite perky to me!

It's possible I'm over-empathising. She was enjoying her salad.

 

[MaryJanet]

This morning's poop inspection in the roosting box showed well-formed, average sized poops. So I'll continue to assume the other hens do not have inflamed guts.

 

[MaryJanet]

I think this magnetic sweeper is about right?

https://magnet.com.au/products/magnetic-sweeper-36

 

[RoyalChick]

I think this magnetic sweeper is about right?

https://magnet.com.au/products/magnetic-sweeper-36

Looks perfect.

 

[MaryJanet]

Looks perfect.

Thanks RC

 

[MaryJanet]

Dr Marika says Katie can come home tomorrow! Unfortunately I've got meetings nearly all day, so I won't be picking her up until 5.

She's continuing to improve slowly and she'll have more blood tests in a week to make sure her kidneys are still doing ok.