Crazy Chickens

[SarahSand1]

My Australop hen went broody, so I said what the heck, and placed half a dozen eggs under her. Only one hatched, oh well at least she is happy, Having said that, about half way through the hatching period a New Hampshie cross decided to go broody as well and help the Australop sit on her eggs. Now that the single chick is born both hens are inseperable and guard the chick together. I have enough chickens (30) and did not really want any more as last year we lost a lot to quols

These are very vicious critters and just eat the heads off the poulty. So I decided no more breeding and Auctions were the way to go.

Yesterday went to the local auctions, hardly any one there and was very fortunate in buying two light sussex chooks for $35.00 They normally sell between $35 -$40 AUD each.

to ya all

Sarah

 

[Alice Acres]

Pretty bird!!! Good deal too - so even better

 

[Southern by choice]

So you call them quols... nasty boogers!

Beautiful Sussex!

 

[SarahSand1]

Yep, Quolls or however you spell that. Very nasty buggers, and the worst part is that even if you trap them and take them for a 20 mile drive and release they are very territorial and come back. You are not allowed to kill the varmits as they are a protected species. I told one local Parks ranger that my chickens are also a protected species BY ME and if he wants to fine me then go ahead but he has to prove I killed them which I do not. He left in a huff. Word of advice to any one that tries to trap one in Oz, do not stick your hand in the trap or you will loose a few fingers. Put the animal carrier next to the trap and the rotten things will go into it if you bang the trap hard enough. Hubby laughed his head off when I tried it as it escaped and I ran for my life. The quoll was more scared of me than I was of it. Now the Tasmanian devil neither I or Hubby will mess with and we call the wildlife people to come and get it if it goes into the trap. We use a possom trap and it does not harm the animal. Tassie devils are carrion eaters and will not normally take a chicken unless it is injured or dead. We have never lost an animal or bird to the devil.

This is what a devil looks like and if you think the quolls are a nasty bugger, the devil can take your arm off just for fun if you mess with him.

Mind you for quolls I would love to use a spring loaded rabbit trap (Small version of a bear trap) however with chickens, lambs and other critters running free range I do not want the vet bills or my animals to suffer. Besides then I would get pinned by the ranger. As to quolls I do not care how much those horrid varmits suffer.

to ya all

Sarah

 

[Southern by choice]

Wow!

We have a saying here... SSS... shoot, shovel, and shut-up! Works well, so I've been told.

 

[bonbean01]

ummm...yes...SSS does work...not that we'd ever do it, right?

 

[SarahSand1]

Wow!

We have a saying here... SSS... shoot, shovel, and shut-up! Works well, so I've been told.

Yes, well there are somewhat beurocratic problems with the 3's in Oz. These being that thanks to that crazy dude Martin Bryant that massacared all those people years ago in Port Arthur; gun licences are almost impossible to get. Then, if you do obtain one the ridiculous regulations about storage of your wepons gun safes and the like and not the cost of not only purchasing the gun but the safe as well which can be far more expensive than the gun. Furthermore by the time you get the gun out of the same and insert the bolt and magazine with the ammunition, which by the way has to be stored seperatley from the gun, the critter that you are going to shoot could well be miles away. Then you also have the dilema of proximity of neighbours residences, you cannot discharge a weapon within 250 meters (whatever that is in feet) from a neighbouring dwelling unless you go around and advise your neighbours that you are going to do so. Catch 22.

Trapping is the only solution alas.


to ya all
Sarah