Flock Update- 9 down, 2 up plus a few eggs on the go

Friday and Saturday was successful in ‘downsizing’ of the flock. We sold six Muscovy hens to a lady who had travelled over 120km (approx 75 miles) for them- this included 3 of our original girls and 3 youngsters. I was very apprehensive about letting our proven Mums go, particularly the coloured ones. Though we kept our Merle girl and a white hen, I just have to be happy in the knowledge the other 3 girls were going to a great home, with acres to roam and graze and their own dam!

They must be happy there,as the lady sent me a photo of them swimming in a paddling pool in the “quarantine pen” (always a good idea, though am sure not necessary with our girls- but I do the same, you can never be too careful)and another of an egg. We had been getting an egg a day, and duck will not lay, if they do not feel safe and happy.

Mammoth Muscovy approx 2months old

Friday evening we did take a backwards step in our ‘downsizing’, though really I didn’t mind. As we bought 2 Mammoth Muscovy hens. Matt has had his eye on these giant versions of the breed since we saw a Mammoth drake at the local show last year. But I guess we sold more girls than intended, so a new bloodline was a welcome and we could afford to home a few more. These girls are younger than our own, though they were almost or as large already. So I guess we will keep you updated on the differences.

Mammoth Muscovy approx 3months old

Saturday another 3 made their way to a new home. This one wasn’t so far, but 2 girls and a drake were on their way to their new family; leaving us with just one boy to go.

We also added a few more Indian Game eggs and some Indian Game crossed Old English game (cross) to the incubator. It has already been running for a week and a half; these we candled at the weekend and only a few were inactive or appeared to have not developed any further; So fingers crossed for future Indian Game and meat bird flock. As, as my Bamp (grandfather) used to say ‘don’t count your chickens, before they hatched’.

Adding to the incubator at the moment is probably a little presumptuous of us. As we are going to have to rely on our house sitter to continue to turn the eggs and monitor the water levels in our absence. However you have to take advantage of Indian Game’s laying, as they are not very productive birds, and tend to go through laying frenzies and then months of nothing.



For not so attractive birds, they lay very pretty eggs



In Turkey news, we had another 2 eggs from our new arrivals this week; though they are yet to nest in a suitable location. This week’s first, as with last week’s, was laid in the open run. The second in the hens nesting box! Had they laid in the nesting boxes in the large silver poultry shed I’d have left them there. But I still cannot quite understand how the turkey even made into the small hen hutch, let alone laid an egg in the nesting box at the back! Leaving her nest there would stress and inconvenience the chickens too much.  So I have taken the eggs and placed them in the incubator with the other eggs... so fingers crossed.

Speaking of new arrivals, I also wanted to take this opportunity to introduce our very friendly and photogenic roo; who is yet t be named.

He is still pretty young, however he is very inquisitive. And I think as he was raised by a family with very ‘hands on’ children, he is very used to being handled; something I have been going out of my way to encourage and reward. He was been very responsive to bribery in the form of chicken pellets, though he has not had any trouble claiming his share in the pen.

Poultry progress... let the egg tally begin

The geese have settled in well. And the ducklings are growing in both size and bravado! They still manage to squeeze through the fencing, so they wander freely around the front garden and hel themselves to the Indian game’s food supply.

As for the chickens we will be collecting eggs this week for our ‘meat bird’ program; as we swapped our roosters around a few weeks back now. And they should have settled into their new homes and be ‘working’ sufficiently.

As I have explained in the past, most commercial ‘meat birds’ are bred from, or variations of the Ross cob. This cross was bred for its mass, weight gain and appetite.  However I struggle to rear these birds due to their rapid growth and appetite, limits their natural behaviours and their quality of life is affected.  Struggling to stand or walk, sitting in their own mess, eating! We even had to remove their food at night to stop them eating constantly... and ended up rehousing them in a shelter with bedding on the floor, as they could not manage ramps or steps; but then this increased their risk to predators.

Young Indian Game's

So we made the decision to breed and rear our own table birds, that will hopefully be capable of laying eggs. Similar to that of http://castlefarmeggs.co.uk/?page_id=787 . In the hope that they would be able to free range better and have a longer, better quality of life. The idea being we cross a good dual purpose/ or larger breed layer, such as the Sussex or Australorp x’s we already had with a game bird. We have had an Old English Game rooster cross with our layers, and the roosters from that combination carried a fair amount of quality meat for their size. However they also carried the athletic and aggressive traits of the rooster; the same reason we no longer have him. However these are also supposed to be a good free ranging layer. So I still have hopes for the few pullets we have raised. 

But in our quest for a table bird we decided to try them with our resident Indian Games, or Dark Cornish. This breed is heavier, carrying a lot of breast meat and although still flighty, they are far less aggressive... though the females can be pretty feisty when protecting their nests. Matt says they look like a roast chook with their feathers on. And I must admit they do have that neat shape, so hopefully a cross between these birds and the layer may work.

We are unsure which will work better; the Sussex rooster over the game or the Indian game over the layers? I have read a few things that suggest Sussex over Indian game produces a better table bird, though the productivity is likely to be less as Indian game hens produce fewer eggs per annum. Though the layers produce more regularly, there may be issues in regard to whether the Indian Game rooster is capable of servicing the females sufficiently for a good fertility rate due to his stature.

We know both roosters ‘work’ as we have had a few batches of layers from Rocky and we currently have 9 young Indian Game pullets and roosters from Ronnie. These birds have gorgeous patterns and colours through thier feathers- something I hope will pass to thier young, even when crossed.  

We are hoping that these birds will still produce relatively productive layers. As when it comes to maintaining our laying flock, we obviously generate a supply of roosters. Therefore the most efficient format would be to have a single strain of birds that we could raise the females as layers and the males for meat.

So this week will begin collecting for incubation. I will be marking the eggs as to their source (which rooster over which females). So we can assess the virility of the roosters and the success of the resulting offspring as either layers of table birds. So expect a regular egg collection report, this probably wouldn’t hurt so we know when the Old English Game cross pullets and Sussex and Sussex-Australorp cross pullets begin to lay.

Sunday has been a poultry day all round.

First thing we culled and skinned the last of our “Meatbirds”. These were a replacement batch from the hatchery of specifically developed “Ross cobs” (originally a Scottish breed- though these were a New Zealand version). These birds are commercially used for “meat birds”. And whilst they fulfil their purpose (and currently stock our freezer, along with the one roasting in the oven). I have some issue with their lack of chook instincts. At 12 weeks of age these birds were probably older than any we have raised (of this breed) for the table in the past. Mostly as this time around we regularly removed the food and tried to encourage them to scratch and graze- normal chook behaviours.
As commercial poultry these birds would have access to food day and night and be kept in a lit shed, meaning they wopould quite contently sit and feed constantly. Ans as a result are ready for the supermarket shelves in 40 days- ½ the time of ours.
Although I have to be honest, whilst I am always sad to see an animal go. And I know that is what they were bred and raised for- something I reconsile myself with as I know that their life (however short) was probably better for being here. If we had of kept these monsters they would not have been long for this world and it would have been cruel- as their quality of life was dwindling and would probably have died due to the stress on their bodies from their size alone.

But these final birds does mark the beginning of our own “meat birds” (think I prefer the term “table birds”)- A cross between game and dual purpose layers. Hopefully these will be able to free range happily and hopefully be more chook-like.

Today also saw the arrival, and passing of some ducklings. The ill fated batch from the borrowed incubator. As a result this will be returning to its owners by the end of the week.
At present we have one running around contently in the brooder box with the Rhodie red crosses and the 2 w/o duckling with the bad leg. We are waiting on 3, that have pipped and unfortunately the first to pip, struggled to break free. And even with assistance it had begun to dry out, inside the egg and much of it was stuck to the egg or itself. It just didn’t have to strength to survive. So from 20, so far only 5 have had any signs of life. Maybe the settings of the incubator in those early stages were just too high and had already done the damage.

And then this weekend was the annual Sarina Show, so having dropped Rockie and Ronnie off for their Show debuts bright and early yesterday morning.

Rockie- Light Sussex

Ronnie- Indian Game

We collected them lunch time today. Both had placed (3^rd & 2^nd) in their respective classes. Even if I did (unintentionally) enter them both as “cocks”- so they were competing against fully fledged roosters (nothing else). As opposed to the “cockerels” that they should have been, which are birds under 12 months. The confusion lay as I understood cockerels to be a young male, as “pullets” are young females. Only once a female is laying (usually 18-22 weeks), I thought they were then “layers“ or “hens“. And by association young males become “cocks” or roosters once they are crowing and working.

But apparently not, guess as the saying goes "you learn something new everyday". So considering they were being compared to fully grown birds, they did very well. But I have to admit this is an experience neither of us are too keen to repeat. Whilst I entered them as a bit of fun, fun was the last thing it seemed for our birds. It was stressful, and clearly something they were neither used to, or comfortable with- confinement. That is without the stress caused by catching them (and to me and the scratches I sustained as a result), as well as transporting them there and back. Whilst this seems a regular thing for many of those locally who keep birds (as well as all around Oz and at home). I guess it just wasn’t for us, I’m happier watching our birds roam, and being birds.

Highs and lows of smallholding

By the time I returned home from work last night 4 healthy ducklings had arrived, to  our excitement.

I excitedly attempted to blig this pic from mobile
last night, but without success

These were moved from the incubator to the brooder box this morning with the nine 3 day old chicks- with a mixed reception.

The first duckling was amusing- I dipped its beak in the water, placed it down. The chicks were making a noise and scuttling around, due to my appearance. The duckling responded to the chirping and waddled up to them... all of which gathered in the furthest corner. Each other duckling then in turn, waddled up to its sibling and chirped, and then again to the cowering group.

I must admit, I had, had reservations about introducing the day old ducklings to the slightly older chicks, as although we have them cohabiting as adults. They would (temporarily) outnumbered and birds can be pretty brutal!

But their confidence put me at ease (though I did check on them quite a few times, before making my way to work this morning). In fairness as long as they have sufficient food and room they should be fine. Our adults cohabit quite contently, most of the time the ducks seem quite oblivious to the chickens. And the babies, although initially more curious, did not appear bothered by the lack of response and continued to waddle about and explore their new environment.  Hopefully we get to boost their numbering this evening and/or tomorrow, making the odds a little more even.

As for the remaining hatchlings we have 3 drying off in the incubator, two on the way and one no longer with us. So to date we have 7 from the initial 20 eggs, although only 14 were fertile when we candled them. We do have 2 of the remaining eggs that have “pipped” and I am hopeful they will successfully hatch.

“Pipping” is the term for the bird breaking into the air sac for the “internal pip”- at this stage you may see the egg move slightly, hear chirps or a tapping on the shell. Then the bird will break an area of the shell with its beak for the “external pip”, before they eventually pop an end off the egg to make their big entrance.

Unfortunately there are 4 eggs that we hold no hope for. One had “internally pipped” but that was Sunday… and it’s stopped moving too. The others we’ve not seen any movement or heard any sound from.  Which is sad as they were fertile and developing when we had candled them.
What was more upsetting, especially for me this morning- was we had one little one hatched but wasn’t so healthy and as a result (by my hand) is no longer with us.
This I will explain if you chose to read on. As I guess this is the reality of this “farming” or “smallholding” life, but is not something I did lightly and may not be for the sensitive.

This little duckling had hatched but had its stomach (intestines etc) on the wrong side of its belly button. Yes birds have belly buttons; they have an umbilical sac that is sometimes attached when hatching, that they absorb. This is the last of the nutrients from the egg. It’s quite amazing, really. However the sac is a yellowy- brown colour and quite gooey, which will eventually dry up and drop off. This was not.

It was clearly not right, and what most alarming was the little one was losing blood from it and was unable to coordinate itself and was very weak. And yes their all initially weak on hatching, it’s a big process- but this was different. So, as upsetting as it was I could not leave it all day, to suffer and die a slowly, just because I didn’t want to have to do it. Now I’ve never actually done this part myself, so it was not an easy decision. And not one I took lightly, but as I said I guess it is a reality that we face. And a decision I did not want to, but had to make. Now some may read this and think get over it, others maybe horrified, but I guess the major thing I struggled with, was although we rear animals for the plate. I reconcile it with the knowledge they had a good life, for which we are responsible. This little one didn’t even get that.   

Now not to be all doom and gloom I guess what I need to focus on is that we have 7 healthy ducklings and the hope and excitement the possible arrival of a few more… so fingers crossed.

It's raining, it's pouring

Well it has been pouring here! Especially considering it’s the dry season? We had 63mm of rain over night alone.  I am unsure what we had over the last few days in total, as Matt had been emptying the rain gauge. And we were a little distracted last night

With the recent rainfall, and the fact that the tanks are “empty” (especially since none of that rain being collected since we disconnected them the other week) the second tank popped up. So we spent yesterday evening lifting it out, in preparation for moving.

 Unfortunately with the rain we had a little more bad news, the duck nested in the corner where the rainwater flows. Her nest has been waterlogged twice, so I am not holding out any hope for her clutch hatching. Although the ones in the incubator (that we thought may have been cooked) appears to still be developing- so we have hope there.

On a slightly more positive note, the chicken eggs we have in our incubator started hatching last night. This morning there were 3 started. So will keep you posted… could be an interesting weekend.

Incubator update- mixed feelings

As I said so far this 'fan-dangled' incubator is giving us mixed feelings. Whilst we are grateful for the chance to hatch an extra batch of eggs. I have to be fair it is very fiddley and tempromental. So far I am preferring the quiet adn simplisty of our incubator. I don't think I'll be running this one again.

Excitingly we had our 1st Indian Game/ Dark Corknish egg yesterday! So we (hopefully)placed it in the incubator with 2 dozen eggs from a friend (breeding Rhode Island Red's). As they usually use the borrowed incubator we are currently running; with mixed results.

As we had candled the eggs in ours, there was fortunatley more room in ours, as we have been having a few issues with the borrowed incubator. Whilst the temperature on the front is in celsius and only goes up to 99.5... so we had been using the digital themometer we use for ours. However it has been placed on the base of the incubator and not hte shelves. When we measured the temperature at the shelves yesterday it was over 40! Anything over 39degrees will kill any incubation process... so 18 of or frinds eggs went in ours. The rest and our set of ducks eggs remains to be seen.

We were very disappointed, as there does appear to have been some development (when we had candled them). Though now we're going to wait a few days and see whether there has been any further development. As if it was too high, it had been all along.

So guess for now we just wait and hope.

As for the original eggs we placed in our incubator, we are hoping for chicks by Saturday and ducklings by next Thursday... so we're on count down now. Will have to move the other birds out of the brooder box soon!

Candling eggs

We currently have a few duck eggs and chicken eggs in the incubator. No this is not an expensive (we picked it up from EBay for a little over $60)and yes we do turn the eggs manually. However we have successfully hatched 2 rounds of chickens, so since our ducks have started to lay, we’re attempting them too.

So I thought I’d just take a few pics of the ‘candling process’. Essentially after approximately a week (for chicken or in this case duck eggs) we take a small (hand sized) LED torch, place it close to the egg shell, in a darkened room (or corner) and you can clearly see the actively inside.

Now anon-fertilised egg will remain distinctly fluid and you will be able to identify the yolk, it will bob to the top of the egg as it is turn. We remove these (allowing more room for the eventual hatching chicks/ducklings).

In these pictures (although their not great quality- I’ll try and get better ones next time) you can clearly see a solid form developing, and veins. These eggs have been fertilised and are growing little birds!

Place these back in as soon as possible and replace the lid, as they need to be kept at a consistent temperature and humidity. Too long out of the incubator could destroy their development.