Tag Archives: Big Angry Trev

The Subterranean Nymphomaniac Jessica’s of Murrawee

Living on a farmlet in the middle of nowhere, one relies heavily on the internet to keep tabs on what is happening in the outside world.  Only one problem with that, as you gaze into the outside world…

…it gazes right back.

Who is she? And how does she know where I am? And why doesn’t her singlet fit properly?

Apparently I have become the focus of quite a few women in the area.  Quite a few, ahem, very forward women.  Women who seem to have some serious cravings that they think only I can take care of.

Subtlety is NOT these women’s strong point

It seems every time I log onto a Transformers site, a movie reviews board or read some comics online these messages magically appear, like these ladies somehow knew I was going to be checking out the latest TF5 news and were lurking on the site waiting for me to put in a showing.

Now this is very flattering and all.  I just have one major issue.  Apparently all these women live within a few miles of me.  Now if I lived in somewhere like Melbourne this may be plausible, but let’s have a look at the view from my veranda:

I can see a few miles in every direction.  Where are all these women?  And something else is disturbing too:

And neither is originality it seems.

Why do they all have the same name?  There can only be one answer.

Obviously there must be a subterranean bunker somewhere.  A giant underground facility that people retreated to during the cold war in case of nuclear attack.  Whilst down there these people have bred and produced nothing but girls and quickly exhausted their (seemingly very limited) imagination regarding names.  Now these women have grown and require male seed in order to produce the next generation of rural cave dwellers.

I must admit this all has me worried.  I’m afraid to go outside in case I get mobbed by a bunch of topless nympho’s (oh where was that problem for 17 year old Trev – he would have been more than happy to deal with it).  I’m worried everything I do online is being watched so these vixens can ferret out my weaknesses and eventually take possession of my sublime physique for their sordid needs.

I guess I should just click “no” every time one of these Jessica’s asks ‘Do I want to f*ck them’ but I’m always worried I’ll get back a hurt message saying ‘why not?’ and then end up having to console some naked woman online for the next half hour.

So to Rachel, Katy, Jen, Julia, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica and of course Jessica – I say to you this:  I am flattered, truly I am.  But I am a happily married man with two children.  I have no need or desire for an underground harem or to create more offspring.  Might I suggest online dating sites?  Or maybe just get out in the fresh air more and perhaps migrate to an area that has a greater abundance of men for you.  I wish you all well…

… and please, let me look at my Transformer sites in peace!

 

Been stalked online by sex-crazed mole-women too?  Let us know in the comments section below!

Toy Review – MP-11ND Dirge

Dirge, oh Dirge.  Nobody loves you but me.

Dirge was my very first ever Transformer figure over 30 years ago and as such he holds a special place in my heart.  For others not so much, arguably the least popular Conehead.  He only ever used his special power of fear-inducement once (as far as I can remember) to freak out Silverbolt in a Marvel Comic and he even committed suicide when getting eaten by The Swarm in the G2 Comics.  In IDW he has done a bit better for himself, even becoming a central character to a plot line that extended for some time.  But whether you like Dirge or not, here he is – perhaps the last outing for the Masterpiece Seeker mold.  He comes with a very hefty price tag – let’s see if he is worth it.

 

Robot Mode

Despite being pretty much the same figure, for some reason Dirge strikes me as less stocky than say MP Thrust (for a review see HERE).  The colours are quite good though I would have preferred to see a pure black like the toy rather than dark grey like the cartoon.  He has the guns that most of the Seekers shared in the cartoon but these can be covered by bigger guns to resemble the machine guns that the toy had.  These have been retooled from MP Ramjets rockets so are slightly different but overall look too big and bulky (which they need to be cover the null rays) and resemble missiles rather than machine guns.  Dirge is as poseable as any of the other MP seekers but there have been no real improvements.  At least the missile racks built into his chest make sense as opposed to the likes of some other Seekers since he actually did deploy missiles from there in at least one episode of the cartoon (The Girl who loved Powerglide).

‘I have a dozen metal nipples –  punk girls friggin love me!’

 

 

Vehicle Mode

A faithful representation of the character from both the G1 cartoon and the toy.  Dirge has the Decepticon emblem on his nosecone that the toy had but the ones on his wings are smaller than both the original toy and its cartoon depiction.  The guns can be repositioned under the wings but again they really needed to be smaller.  You can put (yet another) holographic pilot in the cockpit but I really would have preferred to see Shawn Berger, since he appeared in two episodes and did go for a ride in Dirge at one point.  Given the huge price point and the fact we are getting a range of different humans in the Autobot line, I think a little Berger figure was warranted (but then maybe not – really rich guys using their power and fame to gain high political office seems to be a bit of a sore point these days).

F-15 Delta-Wing variant. Never actually existed and if it had, guessing it wouldn’t have been this colour

 

Overall

‘I’m also moody and depressive – so I get all the emo chicks as well’

This is the most expensive MP Seeker figure to date that wasn’t a variant of one that has already been done.  That combined with the fact that Dirge was not hugely popular means that this will be a miss for a lot of folk.  But if you are a MP or Seeker completionist or otherwise, like me, are one of the few Dirge fans out there then this is a nice way to end the Masterpiece Seeker line and will complete your collection nicely.

 

 

Got something you want to say about this figure?  Would love to read it in the comments section below!

Burger Review #5: The BAB Burger

Today I will be taking a look at the BAB Burger – billed as for The Big Eaters.

This burger made up 100% of the options for ‘Big Eaters’ so if you don’t like beef you are out of luck

Available at the Commercial Hotel in Swan Hill, this burger comes in at the cost of $23 so I was expecting that it would be substantial (I’m guessing BAB stands for Big Arse Burger) and was not disappointed.  However the size of this burger is really the only notable thing about it.

 

Presentation and Customization

A tower of beef!

First of all, I asked for my burger sans tomato and beetroot and as you can see from the picture above this was apparently too much effort for the chef, though he did remove the relish that I had wanted.  Also as you can see from the photo there were four chips (well – 3 and a broken one) sticking out at an odd angle at the bottom of the burger on one side.  However when looking at the rest the chips on the plate, one realized that they were not put in the burger on purpose, but must have just got caught up in its construction as the other chef dumped the chips on the plate.

 

The Eating 

No burger too big!

Despite the pic above, this burger was too big to eat with the hands in a restaurant (you could probably get away with it at a truck stop cafe or something) so you had to disassemble it and eat it with a knife and fork.  With double bacon, double cheese and the two huge patties there was certainly a lot to get through – you wont walk away hungry!  However there was not a lot of taste to be found despite all the ingredients (they REALLY should not have left the relish off).  The two patties were indeed huge in size, way more meat than you get with say a Mega Mac which boasts 4 patties, but they were made of cheap mince and quite bland.  The underside of the buns were burnt and the egg yolk had disintegrated with the frying so tasted the same as the white.  So a big burger, but every ingredient was either overdone or of such cheap quality that you’d need an electron microscope to search for the taste (for an example of how fine quality ingredients can make all the difference to a burger – read my review of the Cheeseworld Cheeseburger).

 

Overall

It’s a big burger and you get a decent amount of chips with it, so if your idea of a good feed is quantity over quality it is worth the $23 they charge.  Again, you will not walk away from the table hungry after this.  But if you are looking for something to dazzle your tastebuds or made to your particular specifications then definitely don’t bother with this.  If you want quantity AND quality then try the meat at somewhere like The Kings Hotel.

 

 

Got something to add to the above or news of a great burger you would like to share?  Pop it in the comments section below!

 

Moving your Transformers Collection – Part 1: Sorting & Packing

Packing and moving.  Truly a terrible job.  Having to pack up the entire contents of a house and get them to a secondary desitnation safely is time consuming, back breaking and frankly boring.  But you can add to that list a hefty amount of stress if you have something like an expensive collection you have to move.

Sleep well my babies

When I moved out of home at 18, I was able to fit all the belongings of both my buddy and me in a small station wagon and my small box of G1 Transformers stayed at Mum’s.  When I moved to the country at the age of 33, I had accumulated over 900 TF figures and had a respectable amount of  comics, books and clothing to go with it, it took up a nice bit of space in the moving truck.

Now nearing 40 I am moving again and this time across states, a solid 10 hour drive from where I am now.  And my collection has grown expodentially!  Currently my collection boasts:

  • 2000 figures – over 100 of them MISB/MOSC
  • 500+ Comics
  • 40+ Books
  • 60+ DVDs/Blu Rays/Video Games
  • 80+ Pieces of clothing
  • Lots and LOTS of MISC (cups, mugs, board games, lunch boxes, backpacks, posters etc).

So probably about 3000 pieces all up.

 

Moving all this is very daunting.  Not only the sheer scope of packing it all in the first place, but packing it all in such a way that nothing will get lost or broken.  In this two part blog I will be sharing my tips for how to move your collection in such a way that it stays safe.  And thus we will start with Part 1: Packing.

 

Step 1: Sorting

Sorting action figures

Hot Shots in baggie

To make sure you leave nothing behind I strongly suggest you sort your collection.  How  you do this is up to you.  You may choose to sort via the toyline (G1, Beast Wars, Armada, Movieverse etc) but personally as a Multiverse collector I choose to go by the individual character.  This has the advantage of being able to bag them to keep them grouped whereas an entire toyline , especially ones that have big figures like Cybertron, might be too big for a single crate.  Also if your collection is smaller you might take the time to transform them all into vehicle modes to be more compact, though this was something time precluded me from doing.

In cases where you have a lot of characters you might even give them their own crate.  I have these for Optimus, Bumblebee, Starscream, Megatron etc.  With my Optimus I needed two huge crates, one for loose figures and one for MISB’s.

Too many Optimus for a baggie!

 

Sorting Paperwork

I have to give my wife credit for this one.  Very occasionally I get stuck with a TF that I haven’t transformed in many years and have forgotten how.  When this happens rather than dig through over 1000 instruction manuals I turn to youtube.  However where we are moving we wont have internet for quite a while so my wife sorted all my instruction manuals into 26 individual alphabetical plastic pockets.  This was also handy for checking I was not missing any accessories.

 

 

Sorting accessories

Missiles & launchers

Primarily you want to have them bagged with the figure they come with.  However if you have thousands of the buggers time may stop you from doing this.  In that case I recommend sorting them into bags of missiles, rifles, shields etc.  I’d also bag all your smaller figures like Kre-O in a similar fashion.

 

Step 2: Packing

As I’ve shown above, large plastic sealable bags are the go for keeping your robots separate.  But now the larger packing begins.  For this you will mainly use three different materials: cardboard boxes, cardboard tubes and plastic crates.

 

Cardboard boxes

Proper moving boxes
The TF boxes that other TF boxes come in

In these you can pack items that are not breakable.  This includes TF boxes you have kept (such as perhaps Unite Warriors or from busts) and Transformers clothing.  Other misc items such as backpacks, lunch boxes etc can be packed the same way.

 

Cardboard tubes

Used for all your Transformer posters.

 

Plastic Packing crates.

Expensive when you need a lot but worth it

Now these are really what you need for your figures.  The stronger construction will protect the figures from getting damaged and you can buy them up to a 140L size for around $20 each from places like The Reject Shop.  When packing these crates, try and pack them with similar toys.  I have all my versions of the Combaticon and Stunticon characters in one crate, all my versions of the 84’ Autobot cars in another and so on.

 

Bubble Wrap

Resist the urge to pop – you wont be able to stop!

If you wanna go the extra mile and pad all your plastic crates with bubble wrap on the inside it’s a good idea.  However if you have a collection as big as mine its probably impractical and I would suggest just bubble wrapping any of your irriplacable or particularly fragile items.

 

So, by following the above you should be able to get your collection, no matter how large or small, ready to move to its new home.  Please check back for part two – The Move!

All packed up and ready to go!

 

Got any tips to add to the above?  Would love to read them in the comments section below!

Multiverse Blurr Toys Gallery

The sixth of my Multiverse galleries.  Blurr first showed up in the 86′ toyline and animated movie.  We had to until Armada to get another version of him but since then the speedster has taken off once again!

For my review of Titans Return Blurr see HERE

For my review of Combiner Force Blurr see HERE 

 

Individual Figure Pic’s

Name: Blurr
Toyline: Generation 1
Mode: Robot
Mode: Cybertronian Hover Car

 

Name: Blurr
Toyline: Armada
Mode: Robot
Mode: Cybertronian Speedcar

 

Name: Blurr
Toyline: Animated
Mode: Robot
Mode: Cybertronian Speedster

 

Name: Blurr
Toyline: Generations
Mode: Robot
Mode: Sports Car

 

Name: Blurr
Toyline: Rescue Bots
Mode: Robot
Mode: Race Car

 

Name: Blurr
Toyline: Titans Return
Mode: Robot
Mode: Cybertronian Hover Car

 

Name: Blurr
Toyline: Combiner Force
Mode: Robot
Mode: Race Car

 

Comparison Pic’s

Robot Modes
Vehicle Modes

It’s valid for you to feel stressed

Stress.  Ironically in a country where it could be argued we’ve never had it so good, more and more people are suffering from it in Australia.

And I never thought I’d be among those ranks but I’m one of them.

Stress is a bastard of a thing.  It stops you sleeping, it stops you eating properly, it makes you feel like there is a giant knot in your gut that won’t go away.  It’s most certainly something that stops life being as fun as it could be.

 

But is the stress you are feeling valid?

 

Well I don’t know you but I’m going to go out on a limb here and say yesYes it is.  Because you can’t control what stresses you – if you did you would most likely put a stop to it so you could stop being stressed.  Stress isn’t like say a teenage-angst depression (rather than the full blown one) where people get, as the song goes, addicted to a certain kind of sadness.  And since you can’t control what stresses you and that stress is particular to you then that stress is valid.  But it can be hard to maintain perspective.

 

Two pieces in the media last week have made me think about my own stress.  One was a half hour special on the ABC from the show ‘You can’t ask that!’ where they posed questions to former soldiers.  These people have, almost across the board, crippling physical, emotional and psychological impairments and will never be the same from what they went through in service of their country.  Many of them have had their relationships end or otherwise have trouble forming ones to begin with.

The other was a story on JJJ’s Hack program where they had people talking about how with the current state of the rental property market in Australia. To afford a place to rent these people have to sacrifice using the heater, eating properly and so on.  Now that may have been my world when attending Uni (I didn’t use the heater, I sat in a chair with a blanket over me and a hot water bottle between my legs) but then I wasn’t working a 40 hour week with children to support.  Amazing the amount of cold you can ignore while playing Mario Kart 64.

Now compared to those two groups I’ve got it pretty damn good.  Besides a back that plays up from time to time I don’t have any ongoing physical injuries and besides having the odd dream where I am back in high school, where I was constantly beaten up and bullied, I don’t have any emotional or psychological problems.  Financially I’m earning more money than I ever have and am comfortably ahead on my mortgage repayments.  Relationship wise I have the most wonderful wife in the world and our mutual love is never in doubt for a moment for either of us, likewise our love for our kids and theirs for us is rock solid.  Yep, compared to many I’ve got it pretty bloody good…

…yet I’m stressed as hell!

Does this mean my stress is less valid than others?  Well maybe the above groups would see me the same way I reacted to the suicide of Robin Williams a few years ago.  The outpouring of sadness from the public was phenomenal.  My reaction was somewhat different.  All I could think was “He had children – how DARE he kill himself!  When you have kids suicide is off the table, even if they are grown up –  period!  And what was wrong with his life anyway?  A multi-millionaire, internationally famous and beloved – what the f*ck did he have to kill himself over?  I’d kill to have the life he just threw away!”

In retrospect I didn’t know the man personally.  I don’t know what stresses he had in his life, though it was probably more a deep seated depression that caused him to take the action he did.  Just as other groups could look at me and be disgusted at me being stressed considering my relative good fortune, I reacted the same way to him and that was not the right thing to do.  Just because on the surface he had it a lot better than I doesn’t mean the stresses he felt in his life were any less valid.

 

I don’t want to go in to my own stresses too much.  Suffice it to say I am desperately trying to change careers and am feeling very trapped at my inability to do so due to my lack of experience in other fields.  I’m being turned down for jobs that pay half as much and require more hours yet provide less yearly leave than I get now.  I can’t simply quit my current job as I have a mortgage and bills to pay and a family to support – my actions affect far more than me.  My beautiful daughter still does not sleep properly and there is only one or two nights a week that my wife and I get enough sleep – sleep deprivation really does your head in, especially when it’s been going on for years.  I keep trying and failing at quitting cigarettes, mainly because I am stressed and I smoke when I’m stressed, and the fact I am smoking is making me stress about that too.  There are other stresses in my life but these are probably the big 3.

I try to combat this by thinking of all the good I have.  I have a wonderful wife, 2 beautiful children, a nice house and hobby a farm in the country. My job at least pays well and is reasonably secure.  I’m in no imminent danger of not having food in my belly or a roof over my head.  Does this dwelling on the positives always work? Often but certainly not always.  There are times I’m lying there awake for hours in the middle of the night and all the negatives in my life join forces and become a bit too much.  Those nights the giant knot in my gut rules the roost.

So how does one combat stress?  Well, there are a million experts out there that will give you the answer (and probably charge you a pretty penny for doing so) so I won’t really go into that.  All I can say is do what works for you.  Whether that’s spending time with friends and family, losing yourself in movies and television, having a beer at the end of a long day – it’s what relaxes you.  But, if I had all the answers I wouldn’t be stressed myself.

Sometimes true

So don’t stress that your stress is not valid.  If you are feeling stressed and think you shouldn’t because there are those worse off than you, just remember that there are also people that are better off than you and they get stressed as well.

Now if you excuse me, I’m off to play with my kids and then sit on my veranda and have a beer -that’s what works well for me.

 

Got something to add or say about the article above?  Would love to read it in the comments section below!

Toys Review – Combiner Force: Blurr, Windblade & Soundwave

 

The Robots in Disguise(15) toyline continues, despite being wound down somewhat to accommodate shelf space in shops for the upcoming TF5 toys.  Today we will be looking at the latest wave which oddly does not involve semi-creature modes in any form.  No, this wave consists of new versions of much loved (in two cases anyway) classic characters.  Despite being part of the Combiner Force subline these figures do not combine, but rather try to seduce you with a mixture of new alt-modes and nostalgia.  So let’s take a look at the Warrior-class Robots in Disguise: Combiner Force Blurr, Windblade and Soundwave.

 

Blurr – Robot Mode

I likes to play it fast baby!

Seems to be a nice amalgamation of Blurr’s look from Rescue Bots (which RID does do crossover episodes with) with the look he has been sporting in the Generations line.  He has the more rounded head with the large goggles that he has in the RB cartoon/toyline but the lighter colours and high shoulder pads one associates with Generations/G1 Blurr.  The proportions are quite nice and he is able to be posed in a number of positions due to the ankle, knee, elbow and shoulder joints.  The head is quite maneuverable too, tilting in pretty much any angle you desire.  Being from RID instead of RB, this Blurr is now sporting a blaster as well.

Blurr – Vehicle Mode

Sleek and Sexy!

Almost a cross between the first and second Generations Blurr toys.  Most definitely a stylized Earth vehicle however with the distinctive pointiness that the latest Titans Return version has.  Quite a sexy futuristic sportscar with its spoiler, big wheels and dome.  The blaster can be put on either side of the vehicle or on top, giving you different battle options when at play.

 

Windblade – Robot Mode

My mask hides my pain. Well… actually it hides what is otherwise a cool face design.

Windblade is sporting here her battle mask and due to her having such a distinctive face it is a shame it cannot be removed, detracting somewhat from the figure overall.  A nice touch I found was the different options you have with the sword and sheath.  You can either have her holding her sword with the sheath on her hip (as pictured) or the sheath can act as a giant second sword.  Also the sheath splits in two  so you can have half on each hip if that is the look you like.  The way her wings affix to her body looks far superior to the Generations version with which she shares the more lithe arms with.  If it wasn’t for the head, overall I would say this is actually superior to the Generations version but as it is that one will have to go to the judges.

Windblade – Vehicle Mode

Do VTOL turbines still work if you cover them?

What is disappointing is that her wind turbines are covered by caps on the top in her VTOL jet mode.  With the Generations version you could actually blow on the turbines and make them spin, here they are not even visible in her vehicle mode.  It’s not a badly proportioned jet and is very indicative of the screen character.  Her sword sheath can be affixed underneath but I only recommend this as a way to not lose the piece – otherwise it looks simply terrible and certainly ruins the aerodynamic look of the jet which is somewhat already hampered by the way the robot arms jut out from the sides, much like many of the Combiner Wars figures.

 

Soundwave – Robot Mode

Soundwave superior-ish

Like Blurr being an amalgamation of RB and Generations Blurr figures, this Soundwave seems to be an amalgamation of the TFPrime and Fall of Cybertron Soundwave toys. The head sculpt is most definitely a carry over from TFPRime (the precursor cartoon to the current RID series) and the proportions are very in line with most of the other RID figures.  However with the added shoulder cannon, distinctive chest and bulkier limbs he is certainly as shout out to the Soundwave figures of old.  The light piping in the back of the head can make for some good effects and the shoulder cannon can be removed to be used as a handgun.

Soundwave – Vehicle Mode

Gun or periscope?

This is where the toy really calls out to the Fall of Cybertron figure.  Ruby translucent wheels along with a roof cannon and a bulky blue Cybertronian-armored car is the flavor here and the flavor is good!  He has a more distinctive cockpit which is a definite plus, but the peg that holds the roof cannon in is way too long, it makes it look ungainly sitting on top.  Despite this I couldn’t bring myself to remove it as it seems intrinsic to an otherwise odd alt-mode.  This peg flaw is made up for somewhat by the fact that the cannon can not only be swiveled 360 degrees but also be tilted up and down.

 

Overall

Well I’d say Blurr is a definite must-grab if you like the character and fits in well with the other multiverse versions of him.  Windblade has her pros and cons and it will really be decided on whether you like the character and whether you already have the previous RID version of her.  Soundwave… well… it’s damn hard to pass up a new Soundwave figure!  However there is another SW RID figure on the horizon which, whilst looking inferior, will come with Laserbeak so it may be worth waiting for that toy to be released and then compare before making your purchase.

 

Related Post: Multiverse Blurr Toys Gallery

Like the reviews above or got something to add?  Would love to read it in the comments section below!

 

Video: Trev wins $500 answering Transformers questions!

Being a dedicated JJJ listener I didn’t listen to Fox FM back when I lived in Melbourne.  But my girlfriend (now wife) did and on their morning show in 2006 they had a competition called Fan-Tastic!  Essentially you sent in an email discussing what you were a rabid fan of and if you sounded interesting you would get a follow-up call.  If that went well they would ring you one morning for a short interview about your obsession then ask you 3 questions on the subject.  Each time you answered correctly and the money went up with the option to take the money at any time – the max you could win was $500.

 

Well at my girlfriends suggestion I did indeed email them discussing my love of The Transformers.  I received the follow up call – not knowing that I was not on air I tried to be as amusing as possible.  This got me on air the following week and… well, best you watch the video and listen for yourself what happened eh!

 

 

Did you enjoy this video?  Would love to hear from you in the comments section below!

Ask Trev: How to deal with molting chickens

One of my favorite readers is Madds whom I have greatly enjoyed watching grow into a fully-fledged chicken-fancier.  Once again we have an ‘Ask Trev’ question regarding chooks from her – this one regarding the molt:

 

Dear Farmer Trev,
Yep, me again seeking more chook advice please.
My girls are losing all their feathers!
At the start of winter!
They’re grumpy, sensitive and edgy, picking on each other, all off the lay.
The place is bedlam – feathers everywhere!
It has been suggested to me that they are having their first ‘molt’.
Is this a thing? Why are they so grumpy?
Why are hey molting in the cold weather?
What the hell do I do with all these feathers?
How long will it last? What can I do to help them?

Thanks Big Farmer Trev,
You noob chicken pal, Madsy.

Worry not sir – just a routine feather inspection.

Well Madds, I will answer your queries one by one:

It has been suggested to me that they are having their first ‘molt’.  Is this a thing? Why are they so grumpy? The molt is most definitely ‘a thing’.  In Australia chooks tend to molt most often in Autumn between March and May so them losing their feathers near the end of April puts them slap bang in the middle of that window.  As for being grumpy, imagine someone nicking your nice warm coat as you were about to traipse off to work on a blustery cold day – you’d be a bit pissed too!

Why are they molting in the cold weather?  So they can get rid of old feathers and start to grow thick luscious new ones to keep them warm when the really cold weather hits in 6 weeks.  They wont lay eggs during this time as all the protein in their bodies will be geared towards new feather growth rather than egg production.

What the hell do I do with all these feathers?  Sell them to a hippy tribal shop to make dream-catchers out of or perhaps stuff a pillow like my mother used to do with all the shed hair from her Shetland Sheepdog.  Otherwise throw into the compost along with the rest of their straw bedding or simply in the buggers.

How long will it last? What can I do to help them?  How long the molt lasts depends from chook to chook and breed to breed but usually goes for a few months.  What you can do to help them is feed them protein-rich foods.  It takes a helluva lot of protein to grow new feathers so they are going to need a lot right now.  Of course don’t feed them an all-protein diet – they still need variety in their tucker.

The best ways to boost protein for your chooks is by feeding them the following:

*Scrambled egg:  Eggs are a rich source of protein and they will chow down on scrambled eggs in jig time!  Don’t give them raw eggs as that will encourage them to eat their own in the future.

*Starter Feed/Shell grit: As I mentioned in this article, starter feed is great for young chooks before you move them onto laying pellets.  However starter feed/shell grit has more protein in it than laying pellets so it’s ok to move them back to it for a while.

*Some fish: Get a big can of tuna or sardines and pop that in for your chooks – they will go mad for it!  Make sure it’s fish in spring water though, not oil or brine.

*Pumpkin Seeds: I’m loathe to mention this as we all know that pumpkins are a filthy disgusting vegetable that deserve eradication from the planet.  But if you are one of those nutjobs that actually likes pumpkin and cooks it from time to time, scoop out the seeds and throw it to your chickens.  This also has the benefit of making sure those seeds don’t go on to make new pumpkins – bastards of things!

 

A combination of the above should certainly help your chickens start regrowing their feathers in time for winter.  But again, make sure it’s not all you give them.  You don’t want them to have a nothing-but-protein diet as that won’t do them any good either.  But their normal diet with some extra protein added should have them starting to get all feathery and happy again by the time winter hits. Hope this helps Madds my friend!

 

Got any other tips for Madds or other hobby farming questions?  Would love to hear them in the comments section below!

The Blog turns 1 year old!

At the start of 2016, my in-laws suggested that I start a blog in order to provide a creative outlet for the myriad of random thoughts that constantly run through this odd brain of mine, as well as it possibly being a new career.  So one year ago in April of 2016 BigAngryTrev.com was born.

Happy birthday to me!

And here we are on the sites first anniversary!  It’s been a lot of fun writing this and has proven quite educational.  I’ve learned my audience is much more interested in Transformers than Hobby Farming, that spiders killing snakes (or at least skinks) makes for great news and that it’s often not what you write but where someone else shares it that determines the amount of views you get.  Also that I must not be particularly photogenic as the most popular video I put up is the only one I am not pictured in. Over the course of the Blogs first year I’ve had over 10,000 views – a respectable number indeed.  However well short of the 100,000 a month I would need to start making money out of it.  So share away guys!  Send in ‘Ask Trev‘ questions, subscribe for new stories, encourage your friends to follow the blog on Facebook and Twitter and keep reading, I need a new career badly!  I really appreciate those who have followed me along this journey and hope I can keep informing and entertaining you all in the future.

Not too shabby so far

To celebrate the first year of BigAngryTrev.com I thought I’d list below what has proven the most popular posts in each section.  Enjoy!

 

Ask Trev: Who should I vote for in the Federal Election?

Competition: Win Transformer Top Trump Packs!

Fan Art: More campaign Fan Art from Scottie!

Hobby Farming: What to plant in Primary School gardens.

Meaty Goodness!: Meat Review – The Kings Hotel in Bathurst

Random Rants: Snake, Earthworm or Lizard – the debate heats up! 

Random Reviews: Collection Critique: Jordan’s Gigantic Stash!

Tales of the Trev: Redback Spider killing Blind Snake – my morning surprise!

Video: Redback Spider kills Blind Snake – television news report

 

And for all you Transformer fans out there:

Transformatorium: Transformers Wrist-Rest Mouse Pads

Transformer Multiverse Toy Galleries: Multiverse Grapple

Transformer Toy Reviews: Titans Return Soundwave

 

Thank you to all of you and if you have any suggestions on how I can improve the blog or something new you would like to see featured on here please give me a shout out!