INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[racinchickins]

Almost had a hawk issue yesterday. I was letting the laying flock free range while I worked on the barn. I had just come off the ladder, and had to go in the barn to find a piece of wood. On the way, I noticed that the flock had spread out into the field next to the barn, and were a bit farther away from the barn than they had been. So I went over to the door that looked over the field just to watch them doing what chickens do. I hadn't been there more than 30 seconds when a hawk came across the field and over the fence. I yelled and ran into the field waving my arms, and startled the hawk into changing course and then flying off. Suddenly I was surrounded by chickens and turkeys fleeing across the field and into the barn. I'm pretty sure I would have lost one if I hadn't happened to be there at that particular moment.
Needless to say, free range time was over for the day, I lured them back into their run and shut them up safe before I went back to work. It sucks that I have to pen them up to keep them safe. It was so great seeing them wandering and scratching and just being chickens.

 

[barb s]

I don't think you harmed the chick by flipping the egg this early (but I'm no expert). You definitely want to make sure the air cell is up from this point on. If you wouldn't have corrected this, you were almost certainly in for issues later, so I think you did the right thing.

That's good to know. We tried candling when we set them and again at 4 days, but had no clue what we were doing. Last night when we candled them we could definitely see veins and movement. I just hope we that we don't screw things up and can get a few chicks to hatch out of this. Actually I am surprised things are going this well.

 

[animallover2202]

so its been a year since my uncle dyed of cancer and it was rainning like this too what a weird coincidences... but ima stay stong its the best thing to do. so in my foods class were making chicken Parmesan and im excited lol hope everyone is doing good with there animals

 

[CVAN732000]

Three weeks until I put my first flock of chickens outside. Is it crazy that I am already anxious and just want them all to live in the house where I can keep them safe?! Ugh. Is it just me or is this a hard thing to do?!

 

[hoosiercheetah]

It sucks that I have to pen them up to keep them safe. It was so great seeing them wandering and scratching and just being chickens.

I know exactly what you mean. I would love to just fence my back yard and let the chickens roam, but they'd all get eaten. I'll only be able to let mine range under supervision.

 

[LonelyPageTurne]

Oy, I have got to start replying to posts as I see them! I just had to skim through the last 50 pages to pick up all the things I wanted to reply to!
Thank you for your input! I really want a way to preserve my eggs for the winter--was hoping freezing would do the trick, but it sounds like it might not work out so well after all! Any other input on the topic? (I hope I didn't miss any when I was skimming!)

Hey, glad to see you posting again! My first thought when I saw your post was to ask how Penny was doing! Rangi's protective of her nest, too, although she usually only starts pecking when it's me checking for eggs!
Silkies are my nemesis as far as sexing them. I don't see any difference between the males and females here.
Ah, thanks for posting this as well! I never really thought much of bees until I asked about them here!
It's true, most breeds do vary. I think, though, most of the variability in personality comes into play with hatchery stock. I was just reading a review the other day about Barred Rocks and the person thought they were horrid and mean. My BR girls are a bit pushy, but they're so sweet and cuddly! I was shocked to see such remarks about the same breed!

On the topic of Silver Sebrights, I can't say a whole lot because my three arrived as adults from what was clearly an abusive / neglectful home. They are very shy, but from how they behaved when they arrived and the impression I got of their previous owner, I can hardly blame them. No one should ever do anything like this to a chicken, much less a Sebright bantam!:

This is Frannie, by the way, and she will live out the rest of her life being spoiled (albeit from afar) in my free-range flock.
Yikes, I know this was a while ago, but I hope it went well! A long time ago, we decided to trim the spurs on my oldest boy, Toes (don't ask ), and didn't realize that their spurs had a quick in them. That was not pretty.
e Can't wait! I'm hoping I can make it this year, but that's going to depend on the date!
I have several hens that have spurs. Most of them grew them when they were older, but Huka, my less-than-year-old silver Lakenvelder, has fully developed spurs as well and grew them when she was quite young. Rangi also has spur bumps and she's the same age as Huka.
How many boys do you have versus the number of girls in your flock? You may just have too many boys for your flock size. I'm having to put Po aside when the girls aren't out to free-range because he's wearing out the feathers on the 4 or 5 hens that will actually submit to him. :/ I guess spring is in the air? I just had to bust two broodies as well.

Oh my god what did he do to her and WHY?

 

[LonelyPageTurne]

[COLOR=A52A2A]sue giebler ~ Welcome to the Indiana Thread![/COLOR]   [COLOR=8B4513]I was a little confused about who you were referring to in your posts, so I edited them to show your question/information in case anyone from your area who reads this can help you. I've bought three chickens from chickenscratchpoultry.com in McLeansboro, IL. I liked that I could drive there, and they are very nice people. You could check them out online to see what's available.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=8B4513]Btw-- We have a few out-of-state honorary Indiana members, so you are welcome to join us anytime![/COLOR]
[rule][COLOR=A52A2A]Dish chickens ~ Welcome to the Indiana Thread![/COLOR][COLOR=8B4513] You have beautiful birds! We're glad you found us![/COLOR]

[COLOR=8B4513]To any new posters or lurkers[/COLOR] ~ [COLOR=A52A2A]Please see information about our great thread on page 2629 post 26284.[/COLOR]
[rule][COLOR=008000]hoosiercheetah[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]~ Enjoyed your photos and descriptions! Your head hen reminds me of my crazy RIR head chicken, Nene who is very self-important. She sleeps in a little nook at the top of the inside coop box door. Since the door wood is narrow, I added some foam pipe insulation tube to make it more comfortable for Her Highness.  [/COLOR]
[rule][COLOR=000080]ChickCrazed~[/COLOR][COLOR=8B4513] It's so nice to hear about the care you've given to your horse! They are wonderful animals.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=8B4513]Congrats on your intelligent chicks getting the hang of the perch --your babies are growing up! [/COLOR]

[COLOR=A52A2A]Bedtime Drama[/COLOR]
[COLOR=8B4513]My poor Blue Splash English Orp from Kiniska who was raised with her brother (now at jchny's) and three Silkies from bradselig is so confused at bedtime. She really wants to be on the perch like a normal Orp, but the Silkies who are like her babies want to sleep in the shallow Rubbermaid tote. The Orp (who has yet to be named because I want a British name, but find something wrong with every possibility) is torn between the perch and the box. All of her stress came to a head tonight when she started flying into the window screen separating her from my flock of five mean hens. I removed the screen to see what was going to happen, and she marched right up the steps to the coop box, much to the dismay of the five mean hens. They couldn't believe their eyes-- especially when she got up on the main perch right in the middle! Immediately she was pecked from all sides as I tried to shield her from the pointy weapons. Then she flew up to join Nene on her special top of the door perch. Bad idea! With one major peck, the Orp was knocked off the door top. She decide to go back to her part of the coop with the Silkies, but was obviously not happy about how things turned out. She kept readjusting herself in the box with the Silkies who wondered what had just happened. Of course, I feel guilty that I raised such different breeds together and confused both of them. If we have some breaks in the rain tomorrow, I'm going to work on flock integration. I don't think Nene and the mean hens will be on the same page, though![/COLOR]

[COLOR=8B4513]Meanwhile Bonbon (another English Orp, but a bantam who settled for a French name) no doubt heard all the [/COLOR][COLOR=8B4513]ruckus since she's housed a few feet away in her own little coop. When she hatches-- on approx. May 3 - 5, we'll have another pecking order / flock integration fiasco. [/COLOR]
[rule][COLOR=008080]family tradition[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]~ Your cute little boy looks so happy with Beautiful Belle! Interesting breed. I think you had mentioned that you're a scientist/geneticist -- genetics relating to humans, chickens, dogs? Just curious. I was born that way. [/COLOR]
[rule][COLOR=4B0082]chick rookie[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]~ Yes, I received your PM -- glad you like your new avatar. [/COLOR]
[rule]Originally Posted by leslea
[COLOR=333333]My chicks come a week from this coming Tuesday.  [/COLOR][COLOR=333333] [/COLOR][COLOR=333333] [/COLOR][COLOR=333333]e [/COLOR][COLOR=333333] [/COLOR][COLOR=333333] [/COLOR][COLOR=333333] My youngest son (the model with the door) says to me "I hope mine is alive when it gets here." I guess I have been to frank about the dangers of shipping.  Oh, well, I guess he is "prepared" just in case.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=3399CC]leslea[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]~ Your handsome son looks like he's confident about raising chickens-- as long as they arrive alive. He can take it from there![/COLOR]
[rule][COLOR=800080]kabhyper ~[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]You always have such beautiful animals pictured in your idyllic setting. I agree with Backyard Bitten! [/COLOR]

I've read a lot of not so good things about their birds on the forums. They're pretty expensive pets.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

so its been a year since my uncle dyed of cancer

and it was rainning like this too what a weird coincidences... but ima stay stong its the best thing to do. so in my foods class were making chicken Parmesan and im excited lol

hope everyone is doing good with there animals

I'm sorry for your loss. I still think of my dad every January, and it's funny the details that will come to mind after all these years. We never forget, but we do go on. Prayers for you.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Three weeks until I put my first flock of chickens outside. Is it crazy that I am already anxious and just want them all to live in the house where I can keep them safe?! Ugh. Is it just me or is this a hard thing to do?!

I always am sad to put the babies outside. I keep mine in my room for the first few weeks and I have a hard time sleeping with noise. So for a few weeks I don't sleep very well, but then I dont sleep well after I put then outside! Lol

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

The other day someone layed an egg on the roosting bar! Now that takes some agility lol