"Thanks Lynda, they seem to be eating fine now, I gave them a fairly dry mash to start with and they hoe-ed into it, and they are now eating like the other chooks"
Nigel Thomson's Groups
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Herbs
271 members
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Poultry in Urbania
368 members
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South Waikato NZ
25 members
Nigel Thomson's Page
Latest Activity
Nigel Thomson commented on Janet Luke's group Poultry in Urbania"Hi all, we have just got a couple of ex-battery chooks to add to our flock.
Is there anything special we should be feeding them, as i am sure i have read that they are fed a very specialised diet and may be unfamiliar with normal chook food, in our…"
Nigel Thomson commented on Hester's group Herbs"Hi all.
Trying to do the all natural companion planting thing and would like to track down Tansy as our carport (and main house entrance) ends up black with flies over summer, would like to get a few plants growing eventually, but I cannot seem to…"
Nigel Thomson added a discussion to the group Poultry in Urbania
Chicken not laying and getting fat
We have four chooks, 2 wyandottes, a white leghorn and a geriatric shaverThe two Wyandottes have suddenly(over the last month or so) started to bulk up, one of them had started to lay again prior to this weight gain, but for 6 weeks or so we haven't had any eggs from the Wyandottes even though their combs are fairly red, The Leghorn and Shaver haven't put on any additional weight and the leghorn is laying, (the shaver is probably past it), one of the leghorn is entering her second laying…See More
Nigel Thomson commented on Janet Luke's group Poultry in Urbania"Chooks won't use new water dispenser.
I got a new water dispenser a month ago, one of those hanging bell shaped ones, but the chooks will not drink out of it, they prefer either puddles/cat bowls or the old dispenser.
It has been cleaned out…"
Nigel Thomson commented on Daniel Martin's group South Waikato NZ"Nooooooo, don't say no sub-tropicals in Putaruru, I grew up swiping figs from the grandparents neighbours tree in Hamilton, and my parents have a healthy one in Morrinsville, I might just have to light the fire and burn some green wood to hurry…"
Nigel Thomson commented on Daniel Martin's group South Waikato NZ"Now Winter is here, what are you planting.
My silverbeet are doing beautifully, but thats about it
As for my summer plants, some are still going
One cucumber plant is still going, producing it final cucumber
One capsicum plant, is…"
Nigel Thomson commented on wallgardener's photo
Wallgarden Vertical Garden
"It does look good, any ideas if there is a freestanding version, as i really don't like the idea of it up against our wooden house.
"
Nigel Thomson added a discussion to the group Poultry in UrbaniaBlue Shaver - Why not?
Being the renowned expert on chooks that I am, (I have read a book), i am curious to why there is no such thing as a blue shaver.Sort of a cross between an Aracuna and a Shaver, with the shavers laying ability (although the aracuna doesn't seem too bad on that front) , and the Aracunas blue/green eggs. Certainly brighten up the old egg trays? See More
Nigel Thomson posted a blog postGarden Update so far this year
Well the only success this year is i finally grew a cucumber, although to be fair until it was ready i thought it was an odd looking Zucchini Tomatoes - rotting off the vinePumpkin - Wiped out by late frostRaspberries - rotting on the bush and infested with tiny bugsCorn - Doing okay-ish but getting knocked around by windChooks - Getting about 1 egg a day from 3 chooks for the last couple of monthsSee More
Nigel Thomson replied to Nigel Thomson's discussion Good cheap laying breed in the group Poultry in Urbania"Thanks Guys, will probably get a shaver, the barred rocks look gorgeous, BUT, from a read on wikipedia it appears some strains of are good layers while others are meat, and i have no seen any listings anywhere that differentiate between the two.
At…"
Jill Green replied to Nigel Thomson's discussion Good cheap laying breed in the group Poultry in Urbania"
Hi I Have had brown shavers( rescue) that have laid for years And I mean 10 years right up to a few days before they passed on. My last girl passed last year.I got two young pullets from the poultry farm(their becks were already clipped)…"
Kelly Hobbs replied to Nigel Thomson's discussion Good cheap laying breed in the group Poultry in Urbania"Our Barred Rock is our best layer. Almost always an egg a day even in the winter. She isn't a light breed but isn't as huge as our orpington. I'd get more barred rocks if we had the space."
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- Putaruru
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- 3411
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Nigel Thomson's Blog
Garden Update so far this year
Well the only success this year is i finally grew a cucumber, although to be fair until it was ready i thought it was an odd looking Zucchini
Tomatoes - rotting off the vine
Pumpkin - Wiped out by late frost
Raspberries - rotting on the bush and infested with tiny bugs
Corn - Doing okay-ish but getting knocked around by wind
Chooks - Getting about 1 egg a day from 3 chooks for the last couple of months
Posted on January 10, 2012 at 4:27pm
Comment Wall (14 comments)
- At 1:50pm on August 12, 2011,
Robyn Wolfe said… About chooks. I got some of those posts used for electric fences. ..about $30.00 for 10 at Farmland. I got some wind break material and used clip washing pegs to fence them in. Wire tent-type pegs for the bottom. They were good for shifting around to the next bit of grass. Or some lengths of plastic wirenetting from Warehouse with bamboo sticks. I used both. but you need the pins for the bottom as the little sods get out. Might work for children to?
Save your toilet rolls. They're good for planting corn which I will start to do at the end of the month. Then plant the whole thing at end of October. I plant about a dozen or 20 at a time so that i have them coming at different times. i got five plantings last year. Pak Choi is a good wee veg to plant now. It's ready to eat quicker than most veg. I plant inside, prick out and keep in a sheltered place untill they are ready to plant out, then plant really close together.
- At 9:30am on August 9, 2011, Robyn Wolfe said…
hello, again. It's a while since I've been on Oooby. I see things flicker past and saw your message.
I've found an excellent site for guidance in your vege garden
It is
http://www.gardengrow.co.nz/
It is for NZ conditions and for our particular climate.Hope this helps. you can choose to have them send, weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
- At 8:01pm on June 9, 2011,
Daniel Martin said… - Hi Nigel, you still in Putaruru? Are you in employment at the moment, I do hope so. reply and let me know how the chooks are going. Regards Daniel Martin
- At 10:52am on February 28, 2011, Daniel Martin said…
- Hi Nigel, Dan's wife here, He has left the full bags out by the letter box . you can collect anytime. Cheers sarah
- At 7:58pm on February 27, 2011, Daniel Martin said…
Hi Nigel - Shavings are ready to pick up. Leave me a message tonight here on Ooooby if you want to come around and get them. I will be up till about 10.00pm if you want to get them today.
Or I can leave them at the letterbox for you to collect tomorrow. I am off tomorrow to the Coromandel for some Land Based Game Fishing!!
Cheers
Daniel
- At 12:54pm on February 19, 2011, Daniel Martin said…
62 Neal Street
Just leave a couple of bags in the Letter box - I may or may not be home.
I will leave you a note here when you can pick them up.
- At 4:39pm on February 14, 2011, Daniel Martin said…
- Hi Nigel
Drop me around some bags (in the letter box is ok) and I will fill them up for you.
Are you interested in a backyard beekeeping seminar at my place Saturday 26th - I am getting in to it and the lady that will deliver the info is president of beekeeper group in Hamilton.
Just looking to get enough people to get it going
- At 8:04pm on June 8, 2010, Daniel Martin said…
- Hi Nigel - Sorry I only get to check this site on a very adhock basis. Hope all is well for you in Putaruru - do you work locally?
- At 9:10pm on April 18, 2010, Daniel Martin said…
- Hi all - feel free to get a visit sorted between yourselves, and invite friends to get in on the act also!!
I have a very messy back yard to get sorted this winter. We now have a chicken run, so we will wait until June/July when the Litchfield poultry farm has some more Hens available - might even look at a couple of cute Bantams also - ex Trademe.
- At 5:46pm on February 25, 2010, Robyn Wolfe said…
- Yes, live ones. we got three at the beginning of last year and they were all laying well. Just now only one is still going but we're patient! Easy to keep. I mix all the edible throwaway food with three cups of mash for them in the morning with some hot water. A few laying pellets at night with a bit of wheat but they're not fussy about the evening meal. Clean water. They are stupid and sleep in the nesting boxes but I don't mind. The nests are lined with two layers of newspaper each morning and after three weeks or so the whole lot is biffed into the compost and we start again. For a run I use garden netting pinned to bamboo stakes that can be moved easily. Also some wind shield netting. You need metal pins to anchor around the bottom. There is a group for poultry on Ooooby but I haven't looked at it. Hope that helps/
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