Backyard Chickens in Gatton, Queensland | Just for fun
Backyard Chickens
Locality: Gatton, Queensland
Phone: +61 418 759 237
Address: 305 Ranger Rd 4343 Gatton, QLD, Australia
Website: http://www.acaciaanimalcare.com/
Likes: 1235
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24.01.2022 Seen this morning at home, Rabbits the dog is old enough to listen and not chase them thank goodness so all is peaceful,
24.01.2022 For those who asked , Joseph in the front page of this page, with his coat of many colours, is 7 years old. He is not into grain storage, and prefers to eat it.
23.01.2022 I have two treadle type automatic aluminium poultry feeders for sale, cost $100 for the two, (new $160 each). There are lots of pictures of treadle feeders on the net. Capacity 12 kg each, and they are for sale by collection only. Birds open them at the front by standing on a platform or grating. Birds need to be 2kg in weight to open them, I have some small birds and young ones for which they won't work so I have replaced them with ceiling attached self feeders . They are in good used condition.
22.01.2022 Thankyou to all the people who are liking backyard chickens, my youngest hen of 20 is 7 years old, the oldest 14, and they are starting to feel it. The rain means I am having to dig out the chiclken pen soil, I really need to put a fresh layer in there, otherwise there will be build up of coccidia, I am going to dig it out round their roosting area and redistribute it to the other end of the pen!!! As well I will dig some fresh soil and put over the top of it so they get whole new range of bacteria. They are all moulting and getting new winter feathers at the moment, in reponse ot the short days and cold weather. some have taken on a youthful aspect!!!
18.01.2022 Feather Pecking in Laying hens Feather Picking in Backyard Hens Introduction: According to ground breaking research by Dr Clare Rudkin, feather picking is a pe...rversion of the exploratory drive of laying hens. It can cause serious problems as some birds may become almost bald. They are then more exposed to sunlight and sunburn, insect bites and therefore viral attack from fowl pox, Bird temperature regulations mechanisms are reduced, and laying can decrease. Where birds are penned in small areas, or caged this behaviour becomes more prevalent. The Problem: In my flock (20 hens and a rooster), which has a 10 hectare range and is outside 5-12 hours a day, depending on how energetic I am at letting them out early, pecking has never been a problem. About 3 months ago, I started to notice an occasional hen with feathers missing on their backs and tails. Three weeks ago I noticed birds picking up feathers and eating them, two of the best layer were almost bald, cringing and squarking when other birds cam near them. Dr Rudkin said this was typical of a feather pecking problem, and that there had been an event which had altered their exploratory behaviour. I said Impossible, they have been treated much as usual for the last 15 years and this has never happened. I need you to make house call and sort this out. After offering Dr Rudkin a large lunch (chicken), and some herbal medicines for her flock, she agreed to examine my pens, flock and management practices. The sequence: This is the sequence by which my birds developed these bad habits, and these are the reasons why. I started isolation for COVID in February. This means my special South Australian layer mash was all gone on the occasional day I managed to get to town. I purchased another layer mash, which the birds would not eat. I then started to use my cattle mixed grain finisher from Bremar produce, this has seen 20 kangaroo rats, 200 wild birds, 4 possums, 20 cows and the dog (sneaking it) through the drought, The flock loved this so it provided a good backstay. Unfortunately, the lower protein and higher fibre, induced a moult especially in the better layers, where the protein reduction came a system shock. I noticed that there was some huge feather shedding. From Dr Rudkin: The new feathers coming through are particularly attractive to birds, who do not see the moulted birds as being the same hen as they were before the feather loss. This means they start territorial aggression with what they see as strangers. They peck initially with aggression, then are tempted by this new food source; the growing feathers, which they further explore. Thus the habit becomes established, leaving these poor moulted birds featherless. It is difficult to spot this actually happening, as the birds don’t peck when they are being watched, they are watching the observer instead. Eating small feather off the ground is a sign that feather picking has become habitual as feathers are not a normal part of a chickens diet. In her research, Dr Rudkin used video cameras, which were a constant in the environment and did not attract bird notice. Treatment: The two featherless birds were removed from the flock while it is shut in, and allowed out with the flock for the day. This was done by putting them in the baby chicken pen with the two young pullets, Emily and Ermintrude, which have not grown over the carpet snake fodder size of 1.5 kg. In 3 days, the feather pecked hens were covered with feathers, in 2 weeks they had full plumage and were put back with the flock without problems, although they still prefer to sleep in the baby chicken pen if I let them. A biscuit of mixed Lucerne hay was inserted into an upright chicken feeder to give them further activity options while enclosed, and it was noticed that the hay was being pecked.!!! On his day in, Joseph, the randy rooster, is shut in the baby chicken pen, not shut in with selected hens. His multiple mating with the less agile feather pecked hens reduced their activity levels further, and made them less able to get away from the other hens. Keeping them in the baby chicken pen meant that They were spared Joseph’s attentions. See more
18.01.2022 This was downloaded from u tube!!!
17.01.2022 Baiting rats and mice The most common poison is a long acting one called Brodifacoum, this is some research which showed that rodents may not die straight away..., if your pet catches and eats a rodent with this freshly in the stomach , they will get poisoned. The intestines and liver of the acffected rodent can be poisonous 24-56 hours later. Chickens , and wild birds can also get poisoned by eating affected rodents. it is a bad situation as the cold has driven the rodents into the sheltered areas, and they have multiplied with the good season. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brodifacoum. Brodifacoum elimination showed a first order kinetic and a 56-day half-life. PMID:17503253 Olmos V1, Lopez CM; Clin Toxicol (Phila) 45 (5): 487-9 (2007) In warfarin-sensitive rats dosed orally with 0.2 mg/kg brodifacoum and sacrificed at various times up to 120 hr after dosing, brodifacoum disappeared slowly from serum with a half-life of 156 hr. Disappearance from the small intestine was rapid, for 24 hr, but intestinal levels began increase from 24 to 72 hr after the dose. Concentration in liver were rapidly established, and exceeded serum concentration by 20-fold. Brodifacoum levels in liver remained relatively constant for 96 hr. Symtpoms of posionoing in cats and dogs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brodifacoum
16.01.2022 I bought three new Bond red hens from our local produce shop in Cresecent St Gatton, Raelene . Joanna and Dearie ( after John, Ray and Mr Deardon from the produce shop, the father of the broncos star, our local hero). The lady who takes roosters, who is a kind soul, said she is sure they will get homes for my two boys, always a sad day when I give them away. !!! If anyone wants a rooster, text me and I will send her your phone no. These are a substantial pullets, well grown, and the debeaking is minimal.
16.01.2022 Well ain't that the truth!
15.01.2022 For people wanting more information about Carpet snakes and Brown snakes, checkout the Queensland Museums website, and you tube Queensland Museumwww.qm.qld.gov.au
15.01.2022 Here is a picture of my new hens, Joanna ( pretty one) Raelene, (intrepid one up top), and Dearie who is hiding, they were not brave enough to go out, an hour later when all the other hens had gone bush, they came out into the pen!!!
15.01.2022 Erysipelas This info is a summary from Sharon Wilson at Poultry health bytes, which any one can subscribe to. It is important to be aware if you are running pigs, sheep, rats and mice and poultry ( ducks, tukeys and chickens) together, especially free range, as this disease can be caught by humans, where the first signs are a nasty skin rash, which is often not itchy, See your doctor. Erysipelas is characterised by sudden deaths or a short illness characterised by scour an...d death in birds. The disease is typically seen in turkeys, although it is in free range chickens and ducks. In turkeys typically the head is purple colour, and the snood is engorged. In ducks congestion of the foot webs can be seen. Mortality can be anything up to 50%. Lesions Apart from the skin lesions noted above, there is a congestion of the whole carcase in affected turkeys. There are small hemorhages all through the meat. DO NOT EAT These BIRDS Control Hygiene is paramount and good clean outs between flocks are essential . Rats and mice should be controlled. Most strains of E. rhusiopathiae are sensitive to penicillins, erythromycin and clindamycin and medication with amoxycillin is usually effective. Vaccination Vaccination is often practised in turkeys and more recently in free range chickens. If you think you have a problem, consult the DPI or your vet. See more
13.01.2022 This video clip shows what can be done with imprintning with poultry at an early age, my own chickens will come like this if I call them enough, this is because they were raised in the baby chicken pen with me talking to them . Birds can hear sounds though the egg wall, and imprinting is also done while they are in the egg, the sound of my voice talking to the brooding hen will carry through to the chickens in the egg. The ones which came from the roduce shed are fearful , ...and you can tell these as they dont come lke the home grown ones do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuxUcMHwHbk&vl=en https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuxUcMHwHbk&vl=en
13.01.2022 Snake repeller This is not working, the carpet snake has returned!!!!!
13.01.2022 This is on the wall of a Corperoo restaurant looks just like my rooster Joseph, what good taste, his great great grandfather!!!
11.01.2022 all chickens need to indulge their exploratory drive, if you keep your chickens in a small space, it is great if they can run even if it is for only half an hour a day before feed time. All chickens feel like this, told by the chics girl band. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9NG7cLNzbs
10.01.2022 Carpet Snakes This is the season of the carpet snake, the rain and weather are a good cover for their predatory activities, and anyone with small chiks should beware, they can take in a bird up to 1.5 kg in weight , young birds need to be in snake proof cages , especially at night when they are sleeping, the snake usually takes them head first smothering them in saliva on the way down. A friend recenly captured one in the middle of taking a young bird, as she put it in the b...in it had feathers on its mouth. Carpet snake capture is best done by grabbing the tail, dont let them wrap around you , if the tail is grabbed and the head kept on the ground they will usually try to get away and as they are not venemous , this is somewhat safe . Once they are released into a large bag or bin, they can be carried to a bush location and released, I released one half a km away, and it was back to the chookyard 2 days later. The release needs to be some distance away onto a sheltered damp area, near a river is good. Snake repellers which are solar charged and cheap on e bay, are somewhat useful in chicken pens, though not infallable. Carpet snakes are usually fat, like 3-5 cm diameter, however some brown snakes can be quite large . These generally do not hunt chickens , but can be in chookyards chasing rats. It is wise not to try this with a brown snake. See more
09.01.2022 Raising and keeping suburban chickens In Brisbane suburbia u r allowed by council to keep 3 hens and no rooster, in rural semi rural areas you can keep up to 30 hens and a Roister, provided the neighbours do not com plain. The biggest problem and cause of death r the neighbours dogs.Tthe second cause is a combination of worms and coccidia..
09.01.2022 This is Joseph, whose behaviour has become a problem!!! See cover photo of this site!!!
07.01.2022 This is time when the lice and mites really get going, make sure to change your bedding twice a week~~~these can cause anemia and in backyard chicks some diced organic liver spread around between them can really lift the health of the birds, Chickesn are ominverous and just love liver, too much and they will get loose motions so the need only a few mouthfuls each.!!!You can give it daily for 3 t0 5 days if you have had a mite problem, when you change the bedding or cuddle the chickens you will get bitten yourself so it is easy to find out. If you have got in early and dont get bitten, all the better. FOR NEST SPRAYS BEFORE NEW BEDDING USE A SPRAY OF 10 DROPS EACH OF THYME AND CEDAR OIL IN 1 DESERTPOON LEMON JUICE AND A LITRE OF WATER https://www.merckvetmanual.com//ectoparas/mites-of-poultry
06.01.2022 BEHAVIOUR IN CHICKENS IS VERY IMPORTANT, LATELY I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH FEATHER PICKING . The problem has been due to the agressive nature of the young rooster, He is a large bird whi has matured and has now become more dominant than usual. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FREE RANGE Them all AS OFTEN AS USUAL, 4 TIMES A WEEK INSTEAD OF 7, He has admittedly been put in a large area , which has not cause porblems with any previous roosters. It is a cascade, he then chases hens , w...hoi becomes stressed, then feather peck at each other as a diversionary behviour to their usual foraging, On the days when he cannot be free ranged i am now shutting him away individually, which has improved things This article is written by Dr Rukim, an expertin poultry behviourist, who i have sked to comment on this site. It shows how birds react to caging, and how difficult it is for them to maintin normal behaviour. https://www.uq.edu.au//2000/02/busy-chooks-are-happy-chooks See more
06.01.2022 The best mailbox ever, Redbank CK Rd Adare https://scontent-syd2-1.xx.fbcdn.net//124442213_2741468396
04.01.2022 Carpet snakes and other chicken predators. When tryng to raise chickens from eggs, snakes are a major problem, they love to eat the smaller birds. In the picture at the top of the website, there is a snake repeller. These are cheep on e bay, are solar powered, and although they will not totally get rid of red bellied black snakes, they work well for the carpet snake. This one is just outside the pen belonging to young Ermintrude and Emily, Sally in the background looks the s...ame size, she is aged ( 7yo) and just moulted following the change in weather, so she is with them for a week. She actually weighs 2 kg. They will need to be kepit n this pen until they are heavier, they look quite big , it is mostly feathers and they ony weight 700 g. .It will be another 2 months before they can be safely let out at night. Their hiding skills are enough to repell the kookaburras and hawks Fortunately we do not have wedgetails , which will take a full grown bird, even a large rooster. The fine heavy mesh of the baby chcken pen can be seen in this picture, this mesh goes undebround and on the floor of the pen as well. Although this has been effective, the snake repller takes care of the one that might lurk just outside and wait til they go out in the morning. They do not go out at all until they are 4 months old. Foxes , even in the suburbs can also be a problem, The borroms of fences need to be dug in as foxes can both dig and climb, side of pens need to be at leas 6 feet. Lots of clanging things like pans and old bits of wellmesh can also repel them. Keeping grass down around pens also reduces both foxes and snakes!!! See more
03.01.2022 With the change in climate and the rain, the rats have really increased in numbers, there are lots of good rat proof feeders that depend on the chicken standing on them to open. I have not found them any good as they get stuck or the smaller birds cannot operate them. I have somewhat reduced the problem of the Peacful doves, the possums , the rats , the magpies , the crows, the lizards eating all the chook food by feeding them twice a day. It you want to do baiting you can, I would rather have the wildlife. Peaceful doves do not have great sight and will fly into wire so don't have small enclosed areas where they can get in, I will have to shut the baby chicken pen again. I spent 5 minutes a resuscitating a dove who had knocked itself out last night. https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/Peaceful-Dove
02.01.2022 Mareks disease This is a herpes virus of chckens which causes lymphatic proliferation in nerves, leading to blindness and paralysis. It is treatable herbally but birds remain carriers, through what can be long lives eg 14-16 yo. It reduces egg numbers, and new born viability; chickens which survive are reisitant so hang on to them. If there is disease for other reasons, eg fowlpox, coccidia, the mareks may surface as the body'ss immune sytem is challenged. On scanning face...book chicken keeping pages, it appears that many people's birds are having problems with this disease in one of its forms. It was formerly prevented by the Qld Qept of Ag breeding resistant birds, and in the 1990s this was the only control. Once the vaccine was introduced , birds became more susceptable if not vaccinated. Vaccine must be given at day old or 19 days old in ovo. The bottles contain 2000 doses and are expensive, and have to be used when opened, so most backyard flocks are unvaccinated. Produce store chickens are usually vaccinated, as they usaully come from commercial producers. There has however been a trend for commercial producers to rely on heavy biosecurity so this cannot be guaranteed, Heavy biosecurity includes the use of special footwear, clothing and footbaths, and locking doors, and locking front gates. It is carried by feathers and dander which contaminate soil and bedding, by mating, and can be carried therefore on feet or clothing. If you are lucky enough to have a free flock, be careful who visits them, and what you introduce. https://www.zoetis.com.au/product-cla//poulvac-md-vac.aspx
