gavclojak Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Gosh crows, I never thought about that but one blessing is you don't have foxes. All sounds good from redsunset land....apart from those naughty broody girls, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 I'm glad things seem to be settling for you, and hope for no myco. I was concerned about both crows and seagulls when the Pekins were small, but never have since they've been fully grown. Maybe I should - we have both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted May 22, 2016 Author Share Posted May 22, 2016 Mullethunter, think in a suburban garden you are ok re the crows etc. It's when very open and exposed land and on a direct flight path to their nests that they become opportunistic as may/June are when they are feeding their young. Crows don't like closed in gardens with lots of foliage as no fast escape path. Though don't take that for granted either! 9 Broodies here driving me mad! 2 speck Sussex, 3 buff orp, 1 favorelles, 1 SLW cross Wyandotte, and two cross brahmas!...... Dry forecast coming up so will try the deneguard tomorrow for five days. My lav leghorn still looks terrible, mopping about and picking food here and there. Don't know what to do as been like this for weeks now since the ILT? Do I leave her be and give her a chance? She escapes in to my bit of garden daily and hangs about with my 14 week old Marans/leghorns who seem to be ok, so hasn't infected them or they would have shown signs by now. Think I'll give her a chance.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Shame about the poor lady with the crows So glad for you though that things have finally turned a corner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted May 29, 2016 Author Share Posted May 29, 2016 The lav leghorn didn't make it sadly. She was the last one to be a casualty. Took her indoors for her last few hours, you just know. Anyway the rest have been enjoying the beautiful sunny dry weather and have the littlies at 15 weeks now in amongst the main flock and seem perfectly healthy and happy. They do roam around in their own wee gang and sleep in a heap under trees in the sun. Have 3 speckled Sussex in a row of three nest boxes and get very stony glares when I lift lid! Feel like they should be knitting or something to pass the time! Am so happy the chooks are all well and the garden has dried up, and more dry weather to come. Love this time of year as its still daylight at 10.45pm at night and coop cleaning is a doddle.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 Yippee to longer daylight hours for you And us too - it's just got dark at about 10pm. Would love to see some photos of your little ones under the tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 The littlies aren't so little anymore as now 17 weeks tomorrow. Now all little hens (maybe couple of boys?) They have been loving this amazing warm, sometimes hot dry spell and forever filling up the water drinkers. Chooks for the most part all well, tho sadly lost the last of my first ever 6 tonight (my bluebelle was dead in nest box at tea time) . She was four and a half and did see gunk inside beak and purple tinge to comb so wondering if the ILT is still prevalent? Bit disheartening if so. Have to say I'm not as enthusiastic about chicken keeping as I was this time last year. If illness had been treatable then yes, but as not then I am still wary. Takes the enjoyment out of it wondering if it's dormant now or not. Eight boys were gone last Saturday and when I say gone, I mean they are no longer. Not nice but for girls sake I had to. Did keep the big pillow of lavender feathers mr orp, plus a speckled Sussex. Think I have a young cuckoo maran boy and maybe a lav leghorn boy but happy to let them be for now. Still have a ton of Broodies driving me mad! Am concentrating on the garden this year as not hatching (tho have lots of helpers eagerly awaiting goodies) as a spade is a magnet to a chook........treasure being dug up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Have my fingers crossed for you that any illness has gone and is not laying dormant somewhere. Sounds like you have had some lovely weather up there Grey and warm here with dribs and drabs of rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 I'm sure the spark will return once the worry has passed Redsunset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 I do still love my mob of chooks, still have a lot. I know I had far to many before I will actually finally admit!! Case of OCD in obsessive chook disorder. I still hear a gurgle in large shed but can never tell who from as I'm pretty hard of hearing. I know fine well I shouldn't have any cockerels due to this illness and a ton of Broodies but seeing how the only batch of littlies I hatched and put out this year are doing fine, I've taken a chance. Still don't like the look of my remaining appenzeller girl but hoping. Spent a fortune on plants the last few days, so will be busy with that lot in my own wee section of garden as so limited with what I can plant in the 2/3rds that is the chooks. Luckily I had loads of large shrubs and trees before I ever got them as it would be murder to establish now. Wee bit drizzly today but ok to start weeding in. Not had proper rain now for a few weeks so good to see things take off and dry out. No weeds in chook section, or grass! Got rid of petrol mowers and bought a small electric one. Hope every one has a good weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 P.s. Any ideas for shrubs the chooks won't touch? So far I've found grisilinnia, escalonia, and rhodedendrons are fine plus fushia tree types. Paeonie ok as is astilbe if protected from trampling on until grown. Have spirea, wild rose plus red berberis, iris, and large hebe. Any others? My spelling may be wrong for previous ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Lavender is one of the few things mine don't touch. Not even to just pull apart, like they did with the pansies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 Thanks cat tails, but I've tried lavender in the past and can't get it to last more than one season? Maybe too far north? Another chook passed this am, one of the lovely barred rocks I only bought last November, didn't see that one coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Roses Buxus Try rosa rugosa De L'Hay very good rose. frequent bloomer fragrant and needs no maintenance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 Thanks Mars, have rosa rugosa. Had loads of this at this old house when I bought it 22 years ago. Stripped 3/4 of it out but still have some which is chook prof and has a lovely scented flower but a horror to clip due to thorns every year! Buxus are good too,tho they have flattened a couple sitting on them in large pots! ....mine are hooligans! I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted July 29, 2016 Author Share Posted July 29, 2016 Hello, hope everyone is doing well. Not been on here for ages as thought I'd be depressing everyone with my tales of woe re chook keeping! Anyway all is well now and healthy, and even a couple of baby chicks between two mums running around I wasn't supposed to, but they are happy and healthy so far Two baby Thuringians might have been hatched indoors I think...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 Yey!! Hello Redsunset Glad all is well with you. My chooks are on holiday in their old, small, house at my mums at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Jeeh! Babies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Thought you hadn't posted for a while, glad you're back Pleased things have been going well and you have new chicks ....... any pictures You know how we all love pictures of little ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 Been awol for a whiley? No reason but just busy with chooks and work! All chooks are fine . Wee two Thuringians are out with the big guns now, first intro wasn't good as one squared up to a maran who squashed it flat to gravel with one claw! Back to run an tried again a week after and all fine? Have one box of mixed Thuringians and mostly Perkins (a first for me) to intro in 3 weeks? Then winter!! Current Thuringians are sleeping outside! One on run, one in trees, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 So good to see you post again redsunset, I know what you mean, sometimes life takes over! Great to hear your girls and boys are all well, bet your not looking forward to winter though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 12, 2016 Author Share Posted September 12, 2016 No, I sure ain't looking forward to winter! It's the time where I'd happily give my chickens away Nov - March! A fair weather highlander and totally hate the mucking out of coops/shed then as they go to bed so early! Once the brighter days finally return peace is restored. What was I thinking hatching four little Perkins with fluffy feet! Still indoors for a few weeks yet, then well see how they do in rain and a 'bit of mud' All chooks well again, tho my hybrids are getting to be old ladies now at 3 and a half so I expect a few casualties by spring. 2 big boys, lav orp plus a speckled Sussex. Have a feeling the two chamois Thuringians are boys but they are so totty and cute they'd not do anyone any damage. Two more Thuringians chicks with the four Perkins so see what's a boy/girl much later Hope everyone's chooks are well and despite the rain wind this am, flat calm tonight and the dreaded midgies were out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 You have pekins ????????? Erm, any photos of them They do like to accumulate mud balls between their furry slippers And mine seem prone to Bumblefoot but I think I am just unlucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 13, 2016 Author Share Posted September 13, 2016 Luvachicken, that's what I'm worried about! Mud balls in fluffy little feet! I rem when I had the brahmas, the big huge boy got bumble and despite vet/treating it wasn't sorted and travelled up his joint so wasn't a good outcome. The brahma girl was ok until that nasty disease I had got hold of her. I swore then no more fluffy feet........but I forgot Perkins have fluffy feet! They are just coming up to 4 weeks old so still indoors in a rabbit hutch. Supposed to be a mix of porcelain and Millie fleur but so far look like neither. Will wait till they fully feather out to see what like? One little black/white spangled and one I call leopard print thuringian in with them. Don't know why I like the tiny little Thuringians but just do as they are so cute. Two chamois now among the big girls outside and they are so totty! No idea of sex but don't care, they are staying. Next to the big huge lavender orp boy they look like wee budgies..... Beautiful day and went out with hose this eve to do the gravel and lasted 15 mins as not a breath of wind. Came in full of welts scratching for Scotland, yup, blooming midgies who think I'm caviar on legs..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 13, 2016 Author Share Posted September 13, 2016 I'd take pics but it's so much work downloading to photo bucket that it takes forever and never have the time. If it was direct from iPad no prob but photo bucket takes an age as downloads all your prior pics till you find the one you want! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
