INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[flyladyrocks]

First, HPAI news. It will suck if any of us have to be depopulated in more ways than one. They are going to a flat rate payment system to "streamline" the process, which screws anyone who has any fancy fowl.

Here's the article:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has revised its highly pathogenic avian influenza response. As part of the plan, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will now use a flat reimbursement rate for all depopulation and virus elimination activities. Iowa Poultry Association Executive Director Randy Olson says he’s pleased APHIS is moving ahead with these changes.
He says the biggest changes USDA is making include the flat rate payment and the streamlining of their bird flu response.
Olson says there are a variety of depopulation methods that producers can use and ventilation shutdown has been proven effective. He says despite some activist concerns, it’s a humane method that quickly depopulates the flock and protect any remaining healthy birds from contracting the flu.
Under the APHIS response revision, turkeys will be reimbursed at a rate of $3.55 per bird, layers at $6.45 per bird and broilers at $1.15 per bird.
- See more at: http://wnax.com/news/180081-usda-revises-bird-flu-response/#sthash.Sm476PzI.dpuf

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Secondly, we got 19 eggs today! Almost all or perhaps all of the pullets are laying, and my mature hens are starting to lay again, too. I need to start checking for fertility and do trims on all the breeders.

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I have a 6 year old Australorp hen with a crop impaction of massive proportion. It's down to 1/3-1/4 of its original size, but this old gal has practically no breast muscle mass. I thought she was dead when I found her. Her crop was so heavy she couldn't stand up or even sit up. I can tell she ate a lot of straw for absolutely no reason--our birds never, ever run out of food. I've been oiling her for and massaging her crop for several days. I'm going to give it a little longer. And then, of course, I have no idea if she even lays. Our Australorps have been our very best layers for that flock, and we are going to cull most of the old girls later when weather permits, and restock with chicks.

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Do any of you have Speckled Sussex in your flock? I want to get a second breed for our replacements, and prefer not to get a sex-link or hybrid. I'd just rather have a traditional breed. I've read good things about SS but don't know how valid that info is.

All done!

 

[flyladyrocks]

So proud of my Orpington roos today! While I was outside cleaning up the yard, one of the roos made the predator alarm call. The hens immediately ran into the coop/run & I saw the small hawk flying low & fast. The roo however did not go inside with the hens. He remained standing out in the open 1/2 way between a pine tree & the safety of the run area. "Dumb bird!" I thought. Because the hawk was still nearby, I went to the garage & got a cap gun to make some noise. When I returned, I noticed that our tiny Sebright was in the pine tree. I didn't notice her before, but my roo did! SHE was the reason the roo stayed outside. He was actually waiting for her. I put out my arm, she jump on, & I brought her into the run. The roo ran along beside me. For the next 2 hours, the roos kept the girls inside the run.

I found it strange that the roo would risk his safety for the Sebright. She's too small for the roos to mate & they seem to view her as a little nuisance. (They don't give her the attention & treats like their hens, but they won't let anyone peck at her either.)

 

[charleschicken]

AAARRRGGGGGG dam it so again 1/8 eggs today again! Oh and I found a pummeled 3 month old americanas chick dead on the coup floor tonight I mean what the hell? Is nothing good enough for these birds Im going to have a culling and shake up the pecking order its obviously not working anymore.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Got a question for everyone .... got a friend well someone I know anyway, that asked me how to get " goat pee smell " out of carpet? I guess she didn't get the memo about not letting your goat live in the house unless poddy broke.... yuk!!! Anyway she has tried shampooing with all kinds of pet oder remover stuff, mean green and mean green orange... and vinegar o and baking soda. I said maybe she just needed to rip up the carpet and start over. Anyone have any ideals???

White vinegar does well, and many other mentioned good ideas too.

Woke up to four more brown eggs opened (about half look Cochin) bumbling around the 'bator! Also got my first green and blue eggs of this batch to hatch (and I even marked which came from what!). One green egg hatched (occupant should lay a darker green egg, I think), and one blue egg hatched (occupant will lay green!). Blue egg was from one of three moms, but if it's Cindy's, the baby won't likely get muffs so it's a good thing I marked it!

All total, I think we're up to eleven chicks hatched and more on the way! All of them look to have feathered feet, which doesn't really tell me much because eight laying hens and four roosters (most are likely Mag's, even though he's passed away) have feathered feet.

Woohoo hatching vibes!

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yes X2 sleepwalking boys!

Quote: I like the open concept too. Its important to have the open facing south, so the wind is warmer. Deep enough a building so a hard windy rain wont blow in too.

So my plan is i am absolutely building pens for every breed very soon, a layer pen and 1 for the turkeys and ducks. I wanted to do this last year and just didn't. This year is a must. Ive lost too many since this past summer. Very bad predator issues. Daytime hawks, coyotes and opossums killing chickens and a Tom, to nighttime predators owl and fox, juvie pea and female ducks!! I can't win!

I like this open style but the coops will each only house approximately 10 chickens each, some less. Is this even possible on a very small scale to be affective?

Thoughts?

My plans are drawn out for the runs and the coop portion is a work in progress. .i plan to free range all of the chickens rotating about an hour each day for each individual pen.

11 runs total. The turkey and duck housing will just be a lean to type as they sleep outside in the elements by choice anyway. The peas will be the only ones not penned. They go in the coop during the day to roost and sleep when all the chickens are out so my hope is that they will roost at night in an empty house which will solve my owl predator issue with them. To date that is the only predator that has successfully ever gotten one.

I know i am adding only 2 more breeds this spring if all goes well with the Sand Hill order several of us here went in together on last spring. That will be Salmon Faverolles and Spangled Russian Orlaf for me.

Ive struggled every year with breeding by breed, such a pain, now adding the losses this is just a must here.

I hate i have soo many breeds but there isn't a one that i am willing to part with but the layer flock as they are just some crosses and other randoms I've taken in or hatchery birds.

Figured i should keep a layer flock so I'm not eating my breeder eggs.. that layer flock though is getting close to rotating out...it will be nice to separate and see who is laying well and able to actually keep records, which i plan to do also!!

A ton of work but what a relief once its all done.. i will then be able to restock my duck hens. So frustrating.

I lost my last duck hen the last snow we got. Got it on my game cam...a fox. Walked right onto the deck and got both in pics, she flew across the pool and it just ran across it since frozen and got her. It was a small fox but that morning no sign of her besides the pics i got of them. I feel awful. Built up from 2 to 4 and one by one within that week all gone. I still have both drakes but seeing the size of the fox they are just too big for it, same for the peas and turkeys out there.

Sorry Janet. I always feel 100x's worse when it was someone else's babies.

Hoping Patrick sets me up with some eggs before his vaca otherwise i will be shopping for hens very soon. I'm keeping penned from day one here. I wish i would have kept it that way. I just couldn't get them after already releasing.
Sorry, just still really sore over the whole ordeal!

hugs to you and I know how you feel. I just sent all my extra scovy hens with @racinchickins but hatching is clearly coming early this year. I am faced with the same, the scovy ducks seem to be a prime target for any predator. My 4 hens thats left here are already confined, and they aren't happy. Huey won't even look at me! But its better than finding them eaten, or go missing. Cold months seems to bring the worst predator attacks.
I am at the same crossroads. If I can't confine them, they are being sold. Just can't face them being taken by a predator. Its saddens me that they can't be safe enjoying our pond and just being ducks.
Once we enlarge our pasture to include the pond, They will again be able to enjoy free range with the safety of the donkey, goat and cow police

Hi everyone,
I have been reading for a while not through the whole thread I must admit.
We ordered our chickens from Cackle hatchery and they are now 9mths old. We have 5 light brahmas mine and 5 speckled Sussex which belong to hubby one of the Sussex is a cockerel "Bruce" Anyone ever seen this cross because Bruce loves him some big fluffly butts.
We are thinking (well me) to add some geese this year, would love some goats to help with honeysuckle and brush control lol but might push hubby over the top.
All this talk of chicks make me wants to buy some would love some dark brahmas and buff and cochins

and now I understand chicken math. Maybe if I get an incubator

Abby

Welcome to BYC and our thread!

Love LOVE love my geese!!! If I had to choose 1 waterfowl species, my geese would stay period. We have White/Brown Chinese, Embden and American Buff. My total breeder flock is 15 right now, I have had around 70 some at once! I try for them to be started well before we sell.
Goats are amazing, lovely & wonderful friends and the best automatic weed eater you can ever invest in. Like geese, I have kept goats most of my life also. I currently keep Oberhasli, but am adding Nubian this year also. They are like a dog, and will bond to and love you. I stay away from small breeds, the bucks seem to be a bit more of a handful. They will eat poison Ivy, kill out the hawthorne trees and wild blackberry. My buck strips the hawthorn bark, thorns and all and gobbles it down.When I am milking my does, I keep them on hay, and good feed only though.
Our member list has folks listed by what they breed in chickens, you can check it out here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zqcpdsOAzQeuVVHn8z-MK57ml5LMd7-F167MOavaFl0/edit?usp=sharing

Quote: Brown coturnix quail are super easy to sex around 4 to 6 weeks. Hens have a speckled chest, cocks have a red chest. The hens make a trill like a cricket! Also an egg song that's quiet and short but noticeable, like short repetitive whistles. The cocks do have a raspy crow, no where near as loud as a chicken. They start laying at 6 to 8 weeks. Mom prefers the eggs because she eats very little at each meal, and I encourage it because they are so loaded with great nutrients and protein. Kids like them too! Youngest DD and I used to have peeling contests on the hard boiled eggs. She always won, it was to see who got the longest peels lol!
I usually process the boys at 8 weeks old about a pound each. Can do a bird in less than 5 minutes at the kitchen sink, its a very clean, humane and quick job.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Ok, my order from Ideal Poultry came this morning! All chicks are alive and seem healthy. I ordered 12 and they sent at least 25 (haven't got an accurate count yet). The extra 'males for warmth" are either Black Australorps or Jersey Giants. If anyone is interested, I would give them away free.

I always welcome roosters. Once you know, send me a PM and will work out details.

Anxious for any Naked Neck chicks or hens to add to my flock.

I have a pair, can holler when she is laying.

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So far its only the one county thankfully. If the rooster is the only roo, thats commonly the cause for human aggression.

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Mine are not laying yet, but I know @racinchickins ducks are.

Quote: I keep Blacks and Lavenders. Some of my hens still throw chocolate chicks, but none are laying yet here.

Quote: I have a very dry house lol its old! So my humidity can drop to 10% if I don't monitor daily. We have electric heat only and that makes it worse. Incubation should be at least 40% humidity. I try to be at 70% humidity at lockdown. Everyones situation is different, I have a sportsman cabinet so I rotate eggs weekly. Auto turner is a definite help. For me, its best to have a cheap still air incubator going just for a hatcher, then my incubating eggs in the cabinet are not exposed to constant drastic humidity changes.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

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I thought I had read last year with all the AI stuff that they were not reimbursing backyard flocks. Not sure if that is the case but if so, then it sucks for any BYCers who are "depopulated".

So here is the question for everyone - DH and DS will be in Jasper this Saturday (I'm staying home to watch the puppy!), which freaks me out. That is where the headquarters they are working out of is located. Am I stupid to be freaked? How I wish the robotics tournament was not in Jasper! They will not be near any farms, at a school, and only outside as long as it takes to get from the car to the building. Just a worry wart.

From AI situation updates. This is from today's updates which includes some new info http://www.in.gov/boah/2745.htm
A Unified Incident Command Post (UCP) has been established in Jasper, Indiana. The post is currently staffed by the District 1 Incident Management Team (IMT), along with federal and local partners. The District 1 IMT will be transferring operations to the District 10 IMT on Friday, January 29. With depopulation complete, much of the response staff and equipment is being demobilized. Some staff and equipment will remain in Dubois County to oversee continued testing, composting and disinfection.

This quote is from http://www.hoosieragtoday.com/indiana-avian-flu-event-is-not-over-yet/
Although tests in the Dubois County avian influenza incident continue to prove negative, much more work must still be completed before this event can be considered over, according to Indiana State Veterinarian Bret D. Marsh, DVM. “We are optimistic with each day that yields more negative flock tests,” said Dr. Marsh. “But we are mindful that the situation could change, and that continued testing and surveillance are the vitally important next steps that will be ongoing for a few weeks.”

Thank you everyone for being a lovely way to procrastinate the work I am supposed to be doing. I better get to it!

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They are sussex, so its likely you will get a large, gentle bird. Pink eggs are a plus!
I would say to be safe have him strip at the door and wash the clothes he wore. You are being careful to protect your flock. Tell him leave shoes outside and set them on a pan of bleach water.

One of @kittydoc 's orps? My 2 boys from her are stellar! They must have an agreement with the Tom. They patrol one side of the coop, the Tom patrols the other.
Quote:
A good rooster protects all of his flock, no matter what the individual is like. You have good roos!

AAARRRGGGGGG dam it so again 1/8 eggs today again! Oh and I found a pummeled 3 month old americanas chick dead on the coup floor tonight I mean what the hell? Is nothing good enough for these birds Im going to have a culling and shake up the pecking order its obviously not working anymore.

I am so sorry to hear! Its upsetting to find. If they are trampling, there are a few reasons. Feed ran out or water. Young roos will try to mate chicks and trample. Breeds that are less dominant are also more likely to be pushed out of feed, become weak and trampled also. I won't keep certain breeds because they are too docile to comingle with RIR for example. Leghorn are also a very dominant breed, along with Wyandottes. Trampling occurs from several reasons, less dominant, smaller flock members are usually the ones that are killed.

 

[Faraday40]

So proud of my Orpington roos today! While I was outside cleaning up the yard, one of the roos made the predator alarm call. The hens immediately ran into the coop/run & I saw the small hawk flying low & fast. The roo however did not go inside with the hens. He remained standing out in the open 1/2 way between a pine tree & the safety of the run area. "Dumb bird!" I thought. Because the hawk was still nearby, I went to the garage & got a cap gun to make some noise. When I returned, I noticed that our tiny Sebright was in the pine tree. I didn't notice her before, but my roo did! SHE was the reason the roo stayed outside. He was actually waiting for her. I put out my arm, she jump on, & I brought her into the run. The roo ran along beside me. For the next 2 hours, the roos kept the girls inside the run.

I found it strange that the roo would risk his safety for the Sebright. She's too small for the roos to mate & they seem to view her as a little nuisance. (They don't give her the attention & treats like their hens, but they won't let anyone peck at her either.)

Yes. You guessed it. My orps are from Kittydoc - Copgburn's sons. ......and to think, I was nervous when I saw early signs of maturity. Once (at only 5 weeks old & still in the brooder) he stood alert and stared at me when a chick gave a frightened peep. Then he started crowing & mating my older hens at only 3.5 months old. Due to an unauthorized incubation, he became a daddy at only 5 mo old. He's about 9.5 mo old now & a perfect gentleman. His brother is also a great protector, but he still chases the girls rather than wait for them to submit. I hope he grows out of that. Otherwise, they're both wonderful. I can even let my kids outside without locking them up.

 

[birdman55]

and everyone was wondering where is the birdman...and i say wam....here i am...lol....been awhile all is well and just had mamma hen hatch out four all black chickens...so eggcited...so glad to see everyone still doing the chicken thing....have a wonderful night

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: @kittydoc 's Cogburn absolutely has produced some pretty awesome fellas. My guy, Cogburn Jr went missing the 26th of january, we we not home all day. Just like last year, my most loved social roosters disappeared. Included in the group was my backup Dark Cornish rooster, Lurch. Loving, social sit in your lap roo. Made another report but our cop friend felt its kids. He is sitting in our barn drive at random times running radar again. If I am away a full day we seem to have losses in my free range flock.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

and everyone was wondering where is the birdman...and i say wam....here i am...lol....been awhile all is well and just had mamma hen hatch out four all black chickens...so eggcited...so glad to see everyone still doing the chicken thing....have a wonderful night

Its so AWESOME to see you post!!!!