Chicky Bits

30/07/2024

FUN FACTS

Did you know …


- Chickens can see 300 degrees around because their eyes are in the sides of their heads.
- Chickens are tetrachromatic. They have 4 types of cones that let them see red, blue, and green light, as well as ultraviolet light. Therefore, they see many more colors and shades than we do.
- Chickens can distinguish between more than 100 faces of their own species.
- Not only can chickens recognise when their name is called if it is used consistently enough, they can also recognise the names of other chickens around them.

10/07/2024

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19/06/2024

Caring for your chooks as they go through Autumn moult.Feeding the right proteins, offering treats and helping them develop new feathers with Super Mash.

10/09/2023

🥚Hatching eggs🥚

There has been lots of chatter on many poultry pages about holding breeders of poultry accountable for eggs they purchased not hatching or appearing infertile (especially if posted) and or the quality of the chicks that they do get to hatch and grow are not 'show quality' when eggs are possibly from 'show quality' parents.

🟢This is my view on the matter

🔹️Do we guarantee hatching eggs? NO
🔹️But why?
Because once the eggs leave here I have no idea how Australia Post have handled them, for all I know they could've played football with the package. I don't know what you have done to them, you could have left them in a hot car for a few hours or days, gone 4WD or any number of other things, nor do i know what temp and humidity your incubator is set at.
We are constantly testing fertility and only release eggs that are around 98% fertility and hatchability.

So now that is clear, what about the 'show quality' label?

If you want 'show quality' birds, go to a poultry show and bid on some proven show birds. Expect to pay hundreds of dollars for a show bird though. Don't buy eggs and complain to people about the quality of birds you hatch.

When people who are passionate about showing they often hatch hundreds of eggs and raise the chicks up until point of lay to select 3-4 'show worthy' birds. It is time-consuming and expensive but they love the challenge.

🔸️Should breeders offering eggs have to show photos of the stock eggs are coming from? Yes, they should.
🔸️Should they have to guarantee outcomes? No

But what happens if i order eggs of 1 coloured breed (eg: Blue Faverolles) and a chick hatches white or maybe they only have 4 toes, not 5 and 1 chick doesn't have a beard or muffing? Well that is just the way things work, genetics rolls a random dice 🎲 every now and then and there are lots of recessive genes that pop their head up every now and then that aren't expressed in the breeding stock.

Buying hatching eggs is a gamble, so weigh up the cost, do you have the spare money to potentially loose if things don't work out the way you had hoped or do you save a bit longer and purchse some birds you actually go and see and hold in your hot little hands.

11/03/2023

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22/12/2022

Treating Bumblefoot:

Bumblefoot is very common in chickens, especially ones that have access to harder surfaces. Make sure you are checking your chickies feet.

Procedure:
1. Soak your chicken in warm water with epsom salt for half an hour to soften their feet. If you do it at night in the bathtub they are usually too d***y to jump out. If you have silkies, they aren’t flying anywhere anyway so you can just do it during the day 😂
2. Wipe over the foot with disinfectant soap.
3. Remove the bumble with the tweezers. Do not dig around and if it is bleeding stop. DO NOT cut anything out. It’s weirdly satisfying pulling out the bumble core
4. Wipe again with antibacterial soap
5. Pop some Betadine on the wound
6. Cover with a Band-Aid
7. Wrap securely with vet wrap
8. Disinfect everything and your hands - bumblefoot is a staph infection

This process will need to be repeated every 2 days until your chickens foot is healed.

Some of them may be fixed after just a couple of sessions. Some unfortunately take weeks to fix, but with perseverance they should get better.

If left, the infection can go to the bone and cripple your chicken or worst case scenario, kill them.

Hope this helps!

20/09/2022

01/06/2022

🎃 Pumpkin Seeds for Chickens 🎃

Chickens go crazy for pumpkin, probably because it’s so good for them. The flesh of pumpkins is full of vitamins A, B, and C. It’s also packed with zinc and potassium. All of these are key nutrients that your birds need, and may even be deficient in.

✅ Pumpkins are rich in Vitamin A, a vitamin that is essential for the plumage and overall health of your chickens. The deficiency of this vitamin can make them vulnerable to health issues like poor feathering, pale wattles and combs, and nasal discharge.

✅ Pumpkin contains Vitamin C in abundance, which is indispensable in maintaining their immune responses and protecting them from all kinds of diseases and infections.

✅ Pumpkins also contain potassium, a key mineral in helping your chickens deal with extreme heat. Additionally, if the egg-laying hens eat these fruits, their potassium will lend a deeper orange shade to the yolk of their eggs.

Pumpkins are one of those fruits that are filled with all goodness. However, they can only benefit your pets when fed in moderation.

Pumpkin as a dewormer:

Pumpkin has long been touted as a natural dewormer. There was one study done in mice that showed extracts from pumpkin seeds reduced the worm load when fed in 8 grams of pumpkin per 1 kg of animal weight.

Other plants that are possible dewormers are:
- Dill
- Carrots
- Chicory
- Cucumber
- Dill
- Garlic
- Hyssop
- Mint
- Nasturtium
- Plantain
- Squash

Some of our natural supplements containing pumpkin seed:
👇👇👇👇

- Calci Protein Blend
- Superfood Blend
- Sunflower Surprise

10/03/2022

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06/11/2021

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12/09/2021

"I'm Thinking About Getting More Chickens"
Order Here:https://www.happyfarmtee.com/ck69

28/08/2021

Welcome to Chicky Bits 🐣🐥🐔🐓🥚

For any inquires in supplying fertile eggs; please feel free to PM regarding your'e selected preference!

Price List Update 2021 Season

ARAUCANA $55/doz
- Lavender

AUSTRALORP (Standard)
- Black/Blue Mix ($50/doz)
- White ($80/doz)

MUSCOVY ($50/doz)

BLACK COPPER MARAN ($50/doz)

SILKIES ($40)
- Black/Blue/Splash Mix
- White

ORPINGTONS
- Buff ($40/doz)
- Cuckoo ($70/doz)

ALL EGGS ARE POSTED IN EGGSAFE PACKAGING.

Postage is available at Buyers Expense and Risk.
$28 1 doz
$35 2 doz
Can do mixed dozens

Pick up and drop off is easily arranged!
Fertile egg guarantee on eggs, expect 85% or better on hatching pick up only.
NO GUARANTEE on POSTED

25/08/2021

🦆Duck Eggs vs. Chicken Eggs 🐓

Both duck and chicken eggs can provide a nutritious start to your day, but duck eggs pull through with some higher nutrient levels than chicken eggs.

They have higher levels in seven of eight minerals, seven of nine vitamins, and eleven of eighteen amino acids. For example: need more iron in your diet? 100 grams of duck egg has about 3.85mg of iron compared to the 1.75mg in chicken eggs.

One duck egg will also have higher levels of protein, energy, lipids, and carbohydrates compared to even extra-large chicken eggs.

Like the ducks themselves, their eggs are hardy and have evolved to survive wet, swampy environments. Their stronger shell membranes mean they're less likely to leak compared to chicken eggs. However, this make them harder to crack for the those new to ducks.

Tell us your thoughts on duck eggs in the comments!

(🥚Eggs in order of left to right: Cayuga, Khaki Campbell, large chicken, Runner, Pekin)

10/08/2021

23/07/2021

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