INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: They are exceptionally sweet friendly birds. Mine are 13 weeks today, what plump lil puffballs

I will try to post pics of them soon. The chicken math disease will cause walls to stretch, buildings to grow.. amazing stuff

Does anyone know how to tell when grass is 'dried'? I want to start using it as chicken bedding, but I'm not sure how to tell if it's dried enough for storage. It's still a light green color, but it feels and looks dry....? Anyone have experiance?

I use our cuttings too, get it with a yard sweeper for leaves. Pigs LOVE to much it too! Usually 2 days in the sun and its good to go. It will feel dry, and no moisture if you squeeze it in your hands. And it will still look a little greenish.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hey all! I'm starting to feel overwhelmed!! I went outside with the chickens and my EE hadn't laid an egg in 2 days which isn't normal for her and so I decided to just check to see if her vent was moist looking to ensure she isn't egg bound and I saw some lice!!! All 3 of my hens have some on their butt areas. 2 weeks ago I found worms in poop and now I found lice! I've have them for barely a month and I just got 4 chicks last week and now I feel like a terrible chicken mom! I scoop poo from the coop everyday, I got DE 2 wks ago when I found out about the worms and I've been sprinkling that everywhere but was afraid I'd use to much and make them sick so just a sprinkle everywhere. What do I do to fix all this?? What am I doing wrong?? All help is appreciated!!

Oh, don't let it get to you, it happens. Just like a dog can get fleas, or worms, all it takes is a wild bird, like a robin, landing around your birds. Sevin dust, the 5% like for the garden will help with the mites. dust the roost next boxes, everything and your chickens. ( wear a mask and do it early so it can air out, its very dusty!) DE doesn't seem to help as well. Worms, search for "Valbazen" it pretty much gets them all. I also alternate wazine in their water for the next worming, will look for the correct dosages and post. As much as I want to keep everything natural, I also do not want my chickens or eggs full of worms mites etc. so I use what I know will work. I got mine from Jeffers equine online catalog. Hope that eases your mind a little

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

When they mate how long is it good for??

It will usually be good for a few weeks, is it frequent? with only one hen you may need to bet her an apron!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Are y'all sick of hearing about these babies yet?

Po! He is a bantam black frizzle Cochin.

Rangi the troublemaking Ancona:




Huka the silver Lakenvelder:




Hika Ma the bantam Easter-egger (Rangi snuck her way into this shot, too

)




Golden Campine Ihi, silver Lakenvelder Huka, and Egyptian Fayoumi Marama:




Po and Ihi

And my 8 happy fuzzybutts!

NEVER! bring on the pics!!!

 

[animallover2202]

She just got mates with today but there in different cages so Ms may can grow her neck/head feathers back so sence she got mated with will every egg she lays be fertile?? Few a few weeks???

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

She just got mates with today but there in different cages so Ms may can grow her neck/head feathers back so sence she got mated with will every egg she lays be fertile?? Few a few weeks???

I would say the next few days, you can start cracking the egg open and have an egg for breakfast every morning! look VERY closely for the bulleye on the yolk. I can post pics if you need them. Once you see fertile eggs, start collecting to set your first batch!
ok, here is a fertile egg, pic is by BYC member SymanSaysFarms

 

[Mother2Hens]

So how many chicks does everyone have?

I always hear about your chickens, but I can't figure out who has just a few (maybe living in the city) and who has more than say 15 or so. I would love to know because that is how my brain works. LOL Are there any on here that raise chickens for profit? If so, how many do you have?

Also would love to know who on here has more than 5 years experience?

I love to learn from anyone's experience, but it would be nice to know who has been through this many times over and who is just starting out, like me.

I am the boring one who just has five hens and has one year of experience. I was feeling so proud of myself for demonstrating self-restraint (unlike EVERYone else on this thread! haha), but my maternal instincts are messing with my brain. I am rationalizing the idea of perhaps adding two more to my flock by noting that friends and neighbors love our eggs and I never have enough. (It's not just chicken math, vickie chickie, it's egg math, too!)

Btw, I have been really busy with work and have been spending a lot of time out in the beautiful weather with my flock the past few days. I am still happy to provide an avatar or map for anyone. Just send me a PM so I make sure to get your info.

 

[Too Fast]

Hi everyone! I joined BYC recently & someone from Kansas pointed me in the Indiana thread direction -- so glad! It's taken me about a week or so, but I finally made it through reading all 6648 posts...whew!

. Haven't got much else done during that time, but at least it seems like I kinda know everyone a bit now! I'm from Goshen (Elkhart County). About 18 months ago we moved from in town to right outside the city limits where we built a house & barn on 6 acres. We already had rabbits (Silver Fox, Thrianta & Polish) for 4-H & showing, but I couldn't wait until I got my first chickens! Last spring we ordered 25 chicks-- buff orpingtons, black australorps, barred rocks, gold & silver laced wyandottes. I kept my buff roo & all the other roos were grown out for freezer camp. We now have 14 layers & averaged 8 - 10 eggs weekly throughout the winter. This spring we picked up 5 cinnamon queens from BigR & ordered 7 isa browns, 4 buffs, 3 gold & 3 silver laced wyandottes & 2 easter eggers. Our feed mill gets chicks once a month through Townline Hatchery for $1.70/pullet chick. They're 4 weeks old now & so far still looking all like pullets! We also have 2 English shepherd dogs, 3 alpacas & barn cats. My son is wanting Ancona ducks & I've been searching for a local source for them (not sure I want to order the minimum15 from a hatchery!) Anyone know of a source nearby? I've also been drooling over the lavender & splash orpingtons ever since I discovered their existence a few months ago -- also been scouring the internet for a local source with no luck. I was soooo excited to read posts here that some of you have lavenders. Pretty please hatch some for me??

My 24 chicks will be grown up & off to college before I know it so I'll need new babies to replace them!! My daughter would love blue laced red wyandottes (OK... I would too & we're trying to come to an agreement over who saw pics of them first & gets to claim them whenever we can get some!)

Glad I found y'all!

Welcome. You will find this a very active thread. I'm originally from St. Joeseph County.

On another note, I heard the first attempts at crowing this morning, from our 10.5 week old SLW. I hope this doesn't mean he will be noisey. Or I should say, he better hope he isnt' noisey or off to freezer camp he goes!

 

[jhfamily5]

Sooo tempting! We just don't have room for that many. Very pretty though.

Thanks I sold the flock last night but still have all the extra pullets and cockerels. If you know anyone interested, please PM me for my cell number. Thanks a bunch!

 

[Quinstar]

I am the boring one who just has five hens and has one year of experience. I was feeling so proud of myself for demonstrating self-restraint (unlike EVERYone else on this thread! haha), but my maternal instincts are messing with my brain. I am rationalizing the idea of perhaps adding two more to my flock by noting that friends and neighbors love our eggs and I never have enough. (It's not just chicken math, vickie chickie, it's egg math, too!)

Btw, I have been really busy with work and have been spending a lot of time out in the beautiful weather with my flock the past few days. I am still happy to provide an avatar or map for anyone. Just send me a PM so I make sure to get your info.

Don't do it! I started with 4 and ended with 10 and I thought I had way to many, then I found this thread. I need someone else to help me stay strong and keep my flock at a reasonable 10-15. Though, I guess a couple more couldn't hurt. You do only have five. I'd say make it an even 10.

Pip- Your chicks are beyond cute! I can't believe that mine were that tiny just a few weeks ago. They grow so fast!