INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[racinchickins]

I do have a Barnevelder, but she is a blue, not a silver. Greenfire's silvers were only available in bantam size, and I tend to shy away from bantam breeds.

 

[slutter]

I just ordered 26 chicks to be shipped February 1, I just hope it is warm by then!!!

 

[funnyfarmmom]

I spoke too soon about keeping this batch of chicks for myself...I didnt post of facebook they were hatching or anything. Hubby called me from work a few minutes ago...his co-worker bought every single one and already paid him for them. Grrrr. I want chicks! Lol

 

[Mother2Hens]

I do have a Barnevelder, but she is a blue, not a silver. Greenfire's silvers were only available in bantam size, and I tend to shy away from bantam breeds.

What is her personality like? When I first got into chickens I thought I wouldn't like bantams, but an advantage is smaller sized poop.

I just randomly picked out that photo, but I just looked at Greenfire's site. It would be too risky for me to order a $59 chick plus $35 shipping for it to be unsexed. I can legally have roos, but we think they're too loud for our subdivision.
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[amwchickin]

Well, had my first losses of the year. The other night the wind was howling something horrible when it was snowing. (Yuck). Normally I can hear pretty much anything going on outside otherwise. I woke up to what seemed like 5 inches of snow, so I bundled up and headed out to the coop to check on waterers. I saw some random feathers along the way, and since I have a few molting (poor darlings) I didn't think anything of it. I wrench open the coop door (because everything is Frozen... and there are feathers EVERYWHERE. Like someone shot a down pillow inside. I start counting and realize I am missing my Barred Rock, a Sumatra, a Mille Fleur (the prettiest one of course) and two young Sulmtaler roos. The feathers strewn about account for my missing peeps. I step back out and look around. I had been putting something in front of the chicken door, but it had been torn through.

Roxy, (my dear keeper of the chicken kingdom) had already been out sniffing around. She was trailing the several paths that lead away from the coop with a few feathers and blood. I could tell that the birds were carried off, not dragged. So now I am actually boarding up the doorway, complete with heavy sandbags. I'm glad tax season is close, because an automatic door is in need!!


It never gets easier losing a member of the flock. Even though, for the rest of the day I watched the rest of the flock go on about their business, watching the younger ones that haven't seen snow yet figure it all out, and playing frisbee with Roxy until I couldn't feel my toes, I dwelled on the incident. I should have done a better job at keeping them safe, I need to get my fence put up, etc.

 

[BackyardBitten]

Ok. This is ridiculous. Even my heated waterers were mostly frozen this morning. ugh. I'm grateful it had been unseasonably warm for so long, but I'm ready to get back to it. This cold sucks!

Yes i agree, this cold totally sucks! I keep watching the weather and thinking "what if I still had chickens?" I would be worrying about them all the time in this weather lolol. I have a non-chicken question. If my memory serves me right, couple years ago when we had our first chicken gathering, did you at that time have honey bee boxes? Are you still doing the "bee thing?" I'm going to be taking a bee 101 class in february at Agrian and wondered if you ever did or still do collect honey.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Well, had my first losses of the year. The other night the wind was howling something horrible when it was snowing. (Yuck). Normally I can hear pretty much anything going on outside otherwise. I woke up to what seemed like 5 inches of snow, so I bundled up and headed out to the coop to check on waterers. I saw some random feathers along the way, and since I have a few molting (poor darlings) I didn't think anything of it. I wrench open the coop door (because everything is Frozen... and there are feathers EVERYWHERE. Like someone shot a down pillow inside. I start counting and realize I am missing my Barred Rock, a Sumatra, a Mille Fleur (the prettiest one of course) and two young Sulmtaler roos. The feathers strewn about account for my missing peeps. I step back out and look around. I had been putting something in front of the chicken door, but it had been torn through.

Roxy, (my dear keeper of the chicken kingdom) had already been out sniffing around. She was trailing the several paths that lead away from the coop with a few feathers and blood. I could tell that the birds were carried off, not dragged. So now I am actually boarding up the doorway, complete with heavy sandbags. I'm glad tax season is close, because an automatic door is in need!!


It never gets easier losing a member of the flock. Even though, for the rest of the day I watched the rest of the flock go on about their business, watching the younger ones that haven't seen snow yet figure it all out, and playing frisbee with Roxy until I couldn't feel my toes, I dwelled on the incident. I should have done a better job at keeping them safe, I need to get my fence put up, etc.

It happens and yes its terribly painful. I have a "wild bunch" of chickens thats fully free range, my extra roosters. They have a purpose of backups for specific breeds. Usually if I have a loss its from that group. I am so sorry for your loss.

I spoke too soon about keeping this batch of chicks for myself...I didnt post of facebook they were hatching or anything. Hubby called me from work a few minutes ago...his co-worker bought every single one and already paid him for them. Grrrr. I want chicks! Lol

Depending on what you wanted, I will probably be hatching soon. I know my Sumatra are laying, and my Lavender orpington.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Darn it all, I just typed up an entire post on Dorking love and chickies and breeding for personality, and accidentally closed the page before I could post it! UGH, it's been too long of a day!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Okay, let's try this again. :/

[COLOR=8B4513]@pipdzipdnreadytogo ~ I've been tucking my only Silkie, Smalty, between my Jubilee Orp, Adeline, and my bantam Orp, Bonbon. My crazy bantam Cochin, Screech, is relegated to the perch at the edge of the poop box! Screech has plenty of feathers except for on her head where they've been pecked out since she's too headstrong. [/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]I could relate to your assessment of you "feeling broody." I've been trying to fight those feelings since winter is not the optimal time for chicks. Since my other Silkie, Ditzy, was murdered in Oct. and Eliza just died, I only have 7 chickens— 4 LF and 3 different sized bantams. A funny flock. I hope Bonbon goes broody in spring since she was such a good surrogate hatcher and mother. Otherwise, I'll have to get motherless chicks. I know that I want a couple of Silkies and hope to buy eggs or chicks from[/COLOR] @kabhyper1 .[COLOR=8B4513] I would love a black/white cuckoo Silkie. (oooh -- I just looked ahead and saw @Momma 2 silkies post/photo and think I see one!) And I'd like a Frizzle anything. I love my crazy, but very loving Bantam Cochin, Screech, from[/COLOR] @ellymayRans ,[COLOR=8B4513] so I'm curious about a LF Cochin. And I loved my Jersey Giant, but I know that I can't count on another one with my Jersey's personality. You need to work on that in your genetics class!! After I think about breeds I like, then I tell myself to try something new. Tell us again why you love your Dorkings. Are they sweet as in liking to be held? They are great looking, and I like their large combs. I only have one chicken left with a large comb— my flock leader BR, Tweedy. I also like the look of this silver Barnefelder, which would complement my SLW and BR. Seems like someone added this breed—maybe[/COLOR] @ChickCrazed or @racinchickins [COLOR=8B4513]? (This photo is from Greenfire's site).[/COLOR]

I don't consider them motherless when I raise them, personally. They are my babies! I actually was thinking about letting my Silkie girl, Marge, hatch some over the summer, though, just to get a few sons out of Reuben. He's been my only rooster for such a long time now, and I really miss all the crowing, to be honest. Especially with the Guinea pen rebuilt and them so content, it's been so quiet here! Well, and they'd be Silkies or Silkie mixes, so that should be interesting. I'll let you know on LF Cochins--I have 2 on order for the spring! EDIT: Oh, I forgot. In regards to breeding for personality, it actually does happen! If I remember correctly, there are lines of Delawares bred specifically for rooster personality. It can be done. So, I poured my heart into a loving few paragraphs about how much I love my Dorkings, and I'm not sure how well I'll recreate that, but here goes nothing. They are the most docile, lovable, hug-able ladies I own. They're such loves, but not pushy about it like some of my other girls, waiting patiently for me to get ready before hopping into my lap. They are so gentle that they make good companions for new or recovering birds coming into the flock, rarely (well, never up until the case of Elly with Crash) getting bossy with anyone over anything. They never flee from me when I want to pick them up, and nothing beats a dual Dorking cuddle when both of them decide they want attention at once. They have the softest feathers and the sweetest, gentle voices, and you can't help but carry on conversations with them on the occasions when they get chatty. Also, one of the best parts for me is that they just seem to know when I need them most. Elly especially has this emotional radar in her brain, and if I am even just having a bad day, she follows me around until I let her get in my lap for cuddles. They are just the perfect pet chickens in my opinion, and wonderful therapists as well. They're the best. And those Silver Double-Laced Barnevelders! I need those! I do believe Brad had some way back when, but I doubt he still has them. :/ Oh, well, some day!

Well, had my first losses of the year. It never gets easier losing a member of the flock. Even though, for the rest of the day I watched the rest of the flock go on about their business, watching the younger ones that haven't seen snow yet figure it all out, and playing frisbee with Roxy until I couldn't feel my toes, I dwelled on the incident. I should have done a better job at keeping them safe, I need to get my fence put up, etc.

So, so sorry for your losses. It definitely doesn't get easier, unfortunately. All you can do is use the experience to prevent it from happening another time.

 

[funnyfarmmom]

It happens and yes its terribly painful. I have a "wild bunch" of chickens thats fully free range, my extra roosters. They have a purpose of backups for specific breeds. Usually if I have a loss its from that group. I am so sorry for your loss.

Depending on what you wanted, I will probably be hatching soon. I know my Sumatra are laying, and my Lavender orpington.

Thank you for your kind offer! These are just the little mix chicks we were talking about yesterday, I just wanted to keep a few cause they are so pretty and friendly. I had 4 held back from the last hatch that I was raising for this coworker because thats what he told me he wanted. Then hubby blabbed that I hatched more and he wants them all lol. Ah well, i have more baking . I do love Lavender Orpingtons though! All the ones Ive found though have been $10+ per chick straightrun and hubby nixed them. Maybe someday...lol.