MJ's little flock

[Perris]

I'm very fortunate to live in the house my great grandfather built for his family

that must feel great, even if it's overdue for an overhaul! You have roots there, real deep ones.

 

[MaryJanet]

that must feel great, even if it's overdue for an overhaul! You have roots there, real deep ones.

Yes, I'm very privileged to live in this house and looking after it is something I do with a lot of joy, love and satisfaction. One of the reasons the house is in this very sandy location is that great grandfather was a ship captain and he needed to live within walking distance the port - there being no cars back then. He co-owned a ketch with one of the big colonial companies - many people did back then because there were no roads and it was essential to take groceries or whatever was needed out to the country ports and to bring crops and wool back to the city. He was hospitalised in one of those country ports when a temporary captain sunk her while she was carrying wheat, which expanded and made her unsalvageable. She's a dive site now and I have a notion of learning to dive and visiting her one day, but there are a lot of sharks out that way and many other things more urgent on my list! Anyway, the insurance money paid for the house to be built so it represents his life's labour and his care for his wife and daughters. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[BY Bob]

I very nearly bought eggs for her last weekend, but held off when I realised she might have vet appointment on the cards. So it doesn't feel sudden to me.

But it was a very eventful day! Immediately after my last post, I went into the run to refresh the ground-based nest boxes and discovered they were full of insects and ants. No wonder Mary had ants on her. The nest boxes would not do for three weeks of sitting and I'd have to give up the plan of hatching on the ground.

I took a look at the old little coop but isn't redeemable. So I went off to Bunnings and got the last cheap flat pack coop. It'll do for this summer at least, maybe longer. The customer service staff and I stuffed it into the hatchback and managed to get it home without being stopped by the police for carrying a load that blocked the rear view mirrors and passenger side windows. Hey ho!

I got it unloaded and into the run. By now Mary was moving about in the travel basket, where she had stayed after coming home from the vet. With the other hens out in the garden, I took the basket into the run and she took an hour or two for drinks, food, dust bathing, and relieving herself.

Did I mention she let out a horrendous torrent of shit all over the vet's thermometer this morning? I mean all broody poops are horrendous, but we were obliged to be in close proximity! I was holding Mary at the time, fortunately not at the receiving end. More importantly, the vet found no internal swelling or signs of EYP or anything else we'd worry about when a hen lays a soft-shelled egg.

Back to assembling the new flat pack coop. I did it! I made a couple of mistakes that were easily reversed, but other than that it went together well, if slowly. I think it took me a couple of hours, but I was single-handed and relying on leverage and angles for manoeuvring the thing. Things I left out of the new coop on purpose: the nest box divider, the sliding door to the nest box, and the roosting bars.

I got fresh straw into the new coop's nest box and sprinkled it with pestene in the hope of deterring insects. I also went around the base of it with surface spray.

At this time, she's in one of the old nests, but I'll go out tonight and switch her over to her new nest.

Right now, I'm going to order eggs. They should arrive Monday. Tuesday at the latest.

Wow! What a day! Great job getting the coop together. I'm sure Mary is going to love it.

 

[BY Bob]

I got her six eggs and they are 2 Pyle Brahma, 2 Cream Legbar, and 2 Welsummer.

I opted to pick them up instead of having them delivered. It'll be a lovely drive!

That's awesome. Enjoy the trip. I love a good chicken oriented trip.

 

[BY Bob]

There was a change to the eggs. The Brahma and Cream Legbar eggs would not be available for several weeks, so I switched to 3 Welsummer and 3 Chocolate bantam Orpington, which are available now. They'll be ready for pick up on Tuesday.

Chocolate bantam orpingtons.....

 

[BY Bob]

Unfortunately, no. They are careful about biosecurity and the eggs will be packed and waiting for me in their carport.

I agree it's handy to know who's laying by their egg colour, that's why I had cream legbars on the list. But I'll manage somehow.

To be honest, I've had such bad luck with hatches I'm only half expecting chicks to hatch.

Of my 11 that were shipped, only 3 hatched. Of the 3 that were hand delivered, Sydney hatched all three.

When I decided on the 11, I actually only ordered 10, an extra polish egg was thrown in, I did the math this way.

I figured 50% non-fertile/ shipping damage, that would take me to 5 and 50% boys, so 2 to 3 hens out of 10. I got 1 hen out of 11 eggs.

Add to that with I have no idea what kind of chicken she is other than wonderful. It surely was an interesting hatch this year but it was so worth it. I just love watching the mums work and this was Glynda's only chance to hatch. I'm so glad I let her do so.

 

[BY Bob]

So here's Mary's Hatchery.

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The nest box is wider than the one on the old little coop. But it has a slatted floor, which worries me. I'm going to line it with something insulative. Not sure what, will keep thinking.

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I don't like the slatted floor at all. I would put a piece of plywood over it.

 

[fuentemoon]

The research tying breakfast to learning is quite strong. Sometimes at uni we assume youngsters are given breakfast at home before setting out for the day, but two of those kids were so scatter brained I asked what they had for brekky that morning (thinking it was cocopops) and they said they didn't have any breakfast. Then I asked what time they got up, 6 or 7? And they were dumbfounded that anyone would get up so early, so I said it's the nicest time of day, so quiet and nothing to worry about and time for a cuppa and some toast.

I have another anecdote, this one second-hand, about a father who won't let his talented son go to uni because of the HECS debt (which the son could pay off in 3-4 years with an IT degree and I didn't even notice my HECS debt being paid off, suddenly it was all gone). When the kid was told the debt doesn't really matter because he'll be earning so much within his first five years after graduating, he said that's going to be a very difficult conversation with his Dad because Dad earns half of that.

Here's me assuming a Dad would be proud of a son who out-earns him. Just goes to show many parents are still children themselves even though they are old in years.

This is all too common in many populations in the US too. Seems especially so for those in the worst situations, it is an attitude I find bewildering.

 

[fuentemoon]

So excited for your hatching

What a great story to have about your house.

 

[LozzyR]

So here's Mary's Hatchery.

View attachment 3963478

View attachment 3963479

The nest box is wider than the one on the old little coop. But it has a slatted floor, which worries me. I'm going to line it with something insulative. Not sure what, will keep thinking.

View attachment 3963481

We’ve got that coop! Hubby made an emergency dash to Bunnings when the tractor had a catastrophic failure.