Chicken breeders or Folks in South Africa?

[Nadene]

I haven't seen anything here by Weeruva, I was just at the shop yesterday to get more cat food and I was looking for a new brand but we don't get much here. I try to switch between a few of the better brands I can find here so she at least doesn't get too much of the same thing.

I buy Complete for my cat. He doesn't really want to eat it though. He only wants meat... and we are vegetarian! Hahaha. We caught a few rats for him, but he is too lazy to catch them himself. We stay on a plot, so there are plenty of rats and mice around. He does catch birds though. Lately, I have been preparing bone meal for him instead. I boil the sawdust (bone meal), with a little garlic, then I mix in some mielie meal or rice and sometimes some carrots and broccoli as well. That is actually the dogs' food, but the cat eats that as well. So, now, when I prepare the dogs' food, I take some of the oil that comes from the sawdust and soak some of the cat's pellets in it, then I give him a spoonful of the meat as well. Now he eats all his cat food, without moaning lol!

 

[Nadene]

@Nadene are you sure you don't want an incubator and a Roo? lol [COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR]

Hahaha, I already have 3 roo's. I was actually tempted in getting an incubator when my last broody hens didn't pull through in hatching the eggs I gave them, and all those eggs were wasted. But since I work full time and sometimes only get home at around 8 at night, the incubator thing won't work for me. It's much easier to just leave the hens to do that job of raising chicks hahaha! But thanks anyway.

 

[Nadene]

Sorry, I was busy answering you when I lost my connection. Been trying all afternoon to get it back but it's not working so now I'm on my phone. I candled the eggs properly this morning and 9 are fertile and developing nicely. The other two hadn't developed at all so I removed them to make sure the others get enough heat. Not too bad under the circumstances.

what do you mean with 'candled'? Sounds interesting

 

[Nadene]

I have a huge problem with the Myna birds on my weavers nest, they are growing but the Mynas are hovering waiting for first flight I think.  Horrible things.

My vet is so cross with me about treating Xara with homeopathic medicine, I took her today and he said she has hepatitis. So has Beastie cat, Reuben, Muzzie and me.  Got new results back today, really not having a good year so far.  Feeling very low  Sorry being very selfish moaning.

Ah, nooo! That is bad news. I get the bad year thing. Feels the same way here as well. Just as you think there is a little light breaking through the clouds, another thunderstorm rush in. Makes it difficult to see and enjoy the silver/gold lining around the clouds.

I hope you all get well soon.

As for the mynas... we shot a few for the cat (my husband is a very good shoot), but then we found 3 baby mynas on the lawn, beaten up by the chickens... must have been some of the mynas' we shot's babies. I felt so bad about it. We haven't shot another one since, and just ignore them. Our roosters does seem to keep them in check though, or perhaps it's the cat? We don't have too much problems with them. I know there is a nest in the palm tree by our window.

 

[chameleon]

When you get animals, you have to spend some time with them. Even 15min a day is better than nothing, but then you need to make sure that there are other ways your pets can keep occupied throughout the day without getting bored.

I had 2 dogs and a cat. The cat tried to catch some chicks 2x in one day. Both times, I intervened and the cat got a spanking. After that, I didn't have any problems with the cat and the chickens. But Mercy (he was never spayed) went onto an outing and never returned. Our one dog (he was my baby for very long), a JRx, never even looked at the chickens. He actually was afraid of them. He passed away 2 years ago. The other dog, Bullet (Fox terrier), learned to leave our chickens alone, but he couldn't resist the chicks. That we managed, by keeping the chicks and Bullet away from each other. We did try and get another dog (I believe a dog should have another dog friend, as they are pack animals. And also because I work during the day and don't like him to be bored alone), but that was disastrous. Vlooi was a nice pup, but wanted to kill the cat and he killed a lot of my chickens. I had to return him. So Bullet also passed away in December and we were left without any 4 legged children. I got a kitten (ginger cat), and for quite some time were looking for a puppy. We rescued 2 puppies. One is a Boerboel x Bullmastiff, Buddy, and the other one is a Rotty x Labby, Mia. Buddy is just over 3 months now and Mia is around 10 weeks. Thus far, I had no problems with them and the chickens. Buddy is very chilled and clever, Mia is very playful and impulsive, but lazy though. None of them is interested in playing ball.

This is Mia


Mia and Biscuit the cat


My 3 four legged babies together.


Isn't Buddy such a handsome goofball?



The chickens keep their distance from the dogs and the cat. Sunday morning at around 4:30 we awoke with a bang, when Buddy gave a loud yelp and started whining. We jumped out of bed and rushed outside, where 2 of our roosters stood, looking at him. We think that the roosters kicked him when he caught a rat in the garden.

Awww, your babies are all adorable! My cat stalks the chickens sometimes but she's never hurt them, and I keep her away from the chicks. I work from home and my 3 year old is at home with me all day too, so all my animals get plenty of attention. But I suddenly have 20 chickens, a cat and 2 bunnies, and that's about as much as I can take care of at the moment. I'd love to have dogs too though, maybe when my daughter is old enough to help take care of them.

 

[chameleon]

I buy Complete for my cat. He doesn't really want to eat it though. He only wants meat... and we are vegetarian! Hahaha. We caught a few rats for him, but he is too lazy to catch them himself. We stay on a plot, so there are plenty of rats and mice around. He does catch birds though. Lately, I have been preparing bone meal for him instead. I boil the sawdust (bone meal), with a little garlic, then I mix in some mielie meal or rice and sometimes some carrots and broccoli as well. That is actually the dogs' food, but the cat eats that as well. So, now, when I prepare the dogs' food, I take some of the oil that comes from the sawdust and soak some of the cat's pellets in it, then I give him a spoonful of the meat as well. Now he eats all his cat food, without moaning lol!

LOL, sounds like some very lucky animals. We stay in a cottage on farm, and our cat has completely wiped out the rat and mouse population here, now she also just catches birds. Every now and then a mouse finds it's way into the chicken coop, then I just let her in there for a few minutes and she sorts it out

 

[chameleon]

what do you mean with 'candled'? Sounds interesting

It's when you hold a bright torch against the egg to see what's inside. All 9 hatched by the way. They're almost 2 weeks old now

This was just after they hatched.

 

[Nadene]

Awww, your babies are all adorable! My cat stalks the chickens sometimes but she's never hurt them, and I keep her away from the chicks. I work from home and my 3 year old is at home with me all day too, so all my animals get plenty of attention. But I suddenly have 20 chickens, a cat and 2 bunnies, and that's about as much as I can take care of at the moment. I'd love to have dogs too though, maybe when my daughter is old enough to help take care of them.

My daughter is 15months and 3weeks now. She grew up with Bullet. He was so kind and gentle with her (miss him dearly), and she adored him.

Ah, I have so many photos of them...

But I can see the difference she have in behavior since Bullet died. She always was gentle with the animals; gave them gentle strokes, hugs and laughed at them. The 3 months that we didn't have a dog, changed her. Now she is very agitated with them and handles them hard; hitting them, dragging them around on their ears and necks and tails. She is better now with the cat. She puts the blanket around him and then cuddles him like: 'doe-doe baba' (too adorable for words). Buddy is very wary of her.
And I can't help but wonder what if. What if Bullet never died. He was super hyper. She is also a hyper body. The new pups still need to learn everything that Bullet knew. How to handle softly, calm down, not to jump up, not to bite, not to lick in the face. Even how to play ball and sit still for a dress up and a photo session or three.

And I do have to say: training 2 puppies, a kitten and a baby toddler at the same time is tiresome (I think I might have bitten off more than I can chew at the moment hahaha), but I wouldn't want it any other way. I grew up with pets, by girl should too. And I want them all to grow up together and be the best of friends.

P.S. I would love to have bunnies too! lol, but my little zoo is also about as much as I can handle!

 

[Nadene]

LOL, sounds like some very lucky animals. We stay in a cottage on farm, and our cat has completely wiped out the rat and mouse population here, now she also just catches birds. Every now and then a mouse finds it's way into the chicken coop, then I just let her in there for a few minutes and she sorts it out

We stay in an old house on a plot. When we moved in here, we had a rat and mouse disaster. The pests ran over your feet when you sat down, and we couldn't take anything from the cupboards without washing it first. Then we got Mercy. And he wiped them all out. He had to wander further and further from the house to get more prey. Biscuit didn't have that abundance of mice, so he doesn't catch them.
Tonight, our power tripped. My husband went to switch it back on, and found a little mouse, shocked to near death, on the switch board. We fed it to the cat. About half an hour later, same thing happened. This time the mouse got away. So the cat will soon have more food hahaha, since it seems like the mice is multiplying again.

 

[Nadene]

It's when you hold a bright torch against the egg to see what's inside. All 9 hatched by the way. They're almost 2 weeks old now This was just after they hatched.

They are so cute. I also had such a hen. She was a good brood, but then the landlord's dog came and had some take-away KFC with her. I hope your chicks grow up healthy chickens