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Post by Shirls on Jun 9, 2017 7:08:34 GMT
I think Tuppence will always struggle with her breathing, she has for a long time mainly because she was overweight quite a bit. However she is still quite a big birdie even though she has lost a little weight. She is at the top of her recommended weight. To answer your question though Hezz, she looks and acts fine in every other respect and is still laying eggs! Thanks for asking Hezz.  I don't think I mentioned that Dusty had gone broody again (second time for her and this year too) but three nights in the crate cured this, so am now waiting for her to lay again which should be within the next week or so. Tilly is recovering from her broodiness and should be laying any day now. Rolling of eyes and looking to heaven!! |
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Post by starlingqueen on Jun 9, 2017 10:31:40 GMT
One of my bantams, Maggie is broody. She's a bugger to break though. Usually Maple follows, but she's been good so far.
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Post by Shirls on Jun 10, 2017 7:13:57 GMT
It is so annoying starlingqueen, especially when you only have three chooks and they all go broody in succession!! Dusty is really good, three nights in the crate and she is back to normal, but obviously doesn't lay for a while. The buffs are worse, they don't lay for weeks!! |
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Post by starlingqueen on Jun 10, 2017 9:46:11 GMT
It takes 6 weeks for the bantams to start laying again. One of them is laying shelless eggs right now, not sure who but I find them just on the floor of the run. My Marans stopped laying completely last year, they've had their menopause I think. |
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Post by Shirls on Jun 10, 2017 10:34:36 GMT
I sometimes wonder why we keep chooks?  They are so entertaining tho' and really worth their weight in gold when everything is running normally. Do you 'crate' your chookies starlingqueen when they go broody? I have a smallish crate that I use when ferrying them to the vet and I put one in there, in the run, up on bricks, just of a night-time. They free range throughout the day and are shut out of nest boxes. Usually it only takes three nights to stop them being broody. |
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Post by starlingqueen on Jun 10, 2017 15:02:58 GMT
No, I just close the nestbox up to stop them going in. Seems to work eventually.
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Post by Shirls on Jun 19, 2017 15:22:05 GMT
How are your girlies coping with the heat starlingqueen. Is it really hot where you are, like it is here in the 90's? I find it so difficulet to keep them cool, they are all panting as soon as it warms up around 9.30 in the morning. They have no end of 'iced' treats and I keep hosing the grass, their favourite sitting places, to keep it cool. I now have two sun shades out there too. Oh you will laugh, the other day Dusty decided to lay down on the railway sleeper, and sun bathe, wing out...... and she fell off! She was o.k. but oh did I laugh? (she didn't see me laugh!!) |
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Post by starlingqueen on Jun 19, 2017 15:41:47 GMT
I have confined mine to the run with a sheet pegged to the side to keep the sun off. They were panting so much, they are big girls with dense feathers and being old ladies I felt it best to keep them in the shade. The bantams have taken to sitting in the corner of the run and are not bothered about moving, they are broody so are sulking because the nest box is closed. They have all had frozen peas and sweetcorn and I have cut up some grapes and frozen those too. They don't like this weather at all do they?
They make me laugh too. It always amazes me when they find something tasty and make those little clucky noises that attracts the others over to see what they have got and then the finder picks it up and runs with it, with the rest in close pursuit. If they kept quiet they wouldn't need to run. The bantams often eat while walking in circles around the food bowl, kind of barging the other out of the way. They are so funny.
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Post by Shirls on Jun 20, 2017 6:49:02 GMT
Mine are actually free ranging and sit in the shade, there are a few places of good shade in my garden, but it doesn't stop them panting. I have been freezing grapes too, by putting them in the ice tray, sweetcorn too. When they are frozen I then put them in a huge container of cold water and they have to bob for them, like bobbing for apples! They like strawberries too. Mine are much like yours - big ladies, with loads of feathers. I sometimes scatter some sweetcorn on the grass and as you say, Tuppence in particular, makes that little clucking noise as she is so excited with all the corn, she walks around with one sweetcorn in her beak and generally misses out 'cos the other two are eating it all for themselves! I shall be so glad when this hot weather stops, for me as well as for them. |
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Post by starlingqueen on Jun 20, 2017 8:55:06 GMT
I'll be honest with you shirls, I can't let mine out as much as I used to since Fern was attacked by the fox it frightens me too much. I will only let them out when I'm out there and even then they have to take it in turns as the big girls can't mix with the little ones. Also Bantams can't be left out alone as the can fly. Besides the foxes we have large cross breed border collies both sides and one side they are quite mad. Their run is 8ft by 8ft so they have lot's of room and I give them stuff to keep them busy.
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Post by Hezz on Jun 20, 2017 19:32:19 GMT
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Post by Shirls on Jun 21, 2017 8:56:39 GMT
Thanks for asking Hezz, she really suffers in the heat as far as breathing is concerned, but in this weather they are all panting with their beaks open. She seems ok apart from that. They are being rather spoilt at the moment with icey treats to keep them cool and the parasol casting shade over their favourite resting place. I will try and get some pics later on today. We are in for a spell of 34 oC today. The forecast is that over the U.K. it will be a little cooler from tomorrow. Oh I really do hope so!! |
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Post by Shirls on Jun 21, 2017 8:59:36 GMT
I'll be honest with you shirls, I can't let mine out as much as I used to since Fern was attacked by the fox it frightens me too much. I will only let them out when I'm out there and even then they have to take it in turns as the big girls can't mix with the little ones. Also Bantams can't be left out alone as the can fly. Besides the foxes we have large cross breed border collies both sides and one side they are quite mad. Their run is 8ft by 8ft so they have lot's of room and I give them stuff to keep them busy. You must have quite a full time job with your girlies then Wendy. I have quite good repellers now as far as foxes are concerned, but am still quite vigilant. If I can't watch them mine are shut in too. I have the advantage though as I can see them from my kitchen and from my lap-top (in the birdie room!!) and I don't stray far from either place!!! |
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Post by starlingqueen on Jun 21, 2017 9:28:28 GMT
They come out most days in the summer but in this heat I just can't sit out in the garden, it's just too hot for me. When we get back to our "normal" summer I will be out there gardening and reading while they scratch about. The run is in the coolest area of the garden so they are better off in there in this silly heat. They wouldn't be coming out today anyway as I am babysitting my daughters dogs while she is at her partners, granddads funeral. The dogs are not used to being around the chooks so I don't want them mixing.
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Post by Shirls on Jun 22, 2017 6:48:44 GMT
I can't sit in this heat either Wendy, otherwise I would be out there with the chooks too, but I do let them free range and keep an eye on them. They find their own shade. Will we ever get a 'normal' summer again???
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They are so entertaining tho' and really worth their weight in gold when everything is running normally. Do you 'crate' your chookies 
