INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Greenthumb83]

It does seem awfully quiet here lately... *cricket chirps* ...

Actually, we have been a bit busy over here. My mom, brother, and I (but mostly my mom because she's amazing) have been working for the past week or two on an 8x16 foot, predator-proof, solid-roofed, 'covered porch' structure on the front of the coop, for extra shelter space in the winter, predator protection during times when we usually see hawks (namely mid-winter, which is when we've had losses to hawks), and extra air flow in the coop overnight during the summer thanks to being able to leave the coop doors open to their porch overnight. Yep, the girls are just a little spoiled.

That sounds wonderful.

You're going to have to get them little rocking chairs now too ya know.

 

[Greenthumb83]

I have been quiet, but read most days. We've just been super busy...had family in from out of state, a camping trip for DH and kids, and I've been under the weather. Something in my lungs, not sure what. Had a battery of test done at the hospital yesterday. Just trying to keep up. It's way too busy this time of year to be sick! I managed to get pickles canned today though.

One of our pullets has been hanging out in the nest boxes a a bit. She is our youngest; 18 weeks. I think she will lay soon. The 20 week olds are not all that interested lol.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

@pipdzipdnreadytogo


That is wonderful!!!!! You better be posting some photos. 

You'll be so glad you have that in the winter that you'll wonder why you didn't do it before.



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Yes, I am stoked! It's something I've always really wanted to do, but we never had the money. My brother (a true hero ) donated to the cause this year, so we're finally getting it done!

Of course there are pictures! This is where we are as of today--please don't mind the mess, we're still working on it. I opted for a solid floor rather than slats like a porch so that I could put some shavings down in the winter to keep their tootsies warm. And you can hardly see it in this picture, but on the left side, I have started to put up the fence, 1/2 inch, 19 gauge hardware cloth secured with screws and washers, and then covered on the lower half to the ground with welded wire fence for added security (well, and to keep the girls from sneaking out of their chicken yard by going underneath the deck )

A closer look at the fenced part so far. We're gradually replacing the chicken yard fence on that side as the hardware cloth goes up, which is why there's a mess there on the other side of the fence.

Before the studs went up to hold the fence in place. Lots of building inspectors at work in this picture.

And Scooter, trying to give me a heart attack. But she's cute, right?

That sounds wonderful. You're going to have to get them little rocking chairs now too ya know.

Yep, I can see it now, 42 rocking chairs all around the edge of it. It'll look like a Cracker Barrel by the time we're done!

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Well...I'm not too far from you but no ducks here.

@PeacefulWalls

Do you folks have any ducks over your way?

We still have Benji's flock of Ancona ducks which he wouldn't mind selling since he's tired of them! They're 3 years old now. I think we have 12 ducks total -- 3 or 4 are drakes.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I also forgot to ask before I sent that. Does anyone in NWI happen to have a female Muscvoy they would like to rehome or sell? Duke, our male who was rehomed to us, is very lonely and could use a forever mate. Poor Duke has been hanging out with my Peking gals, mostly Suzie&Lucy. Which in return kind of upsets Ace a little since he wants his girls LOL. Photo is of Duke with Lucy&Suzie hanging out in neighbor's yard.


About posting, I have to admit I've been very busy mommy. Between my entire bird crew and my two very own offspring (LOL, my kids), I've been super crazy busy, even more so once school starts back up on the 17th. After finishing up the pond, our latest project is building two more coops so everyone is more comfortable when Winter season comes. Well I hope everyone has a wonderful/safe weekend.
God Bless

Some of us in central IN do keep them. I have a large hatch coming due and a couple juveniles am not sure about yet. There is one black pied hen who is not fitting into either flock. She is low pecking order and would do better with just one drake. I had to move her to the pekin pen, both Scovy pens terrorized her. PM if you are interested, and will tell you more about her.

I have been quiet, but read most days. We've just been super busy...had family in from out of state, a camping trip for DH and kids, and I've been under the weather. Something in my lungs, not sure what. Had a battery of test done at the hospital yesterday. Just trying to keep up. It's way too busy this time of year to be sick! I managed to get pickles canned today though.

One of our pullets has been hanging out in the nest boxes a a bit. She is our youngest; 18 weeks. I think she will lay soon. The 20 week olds are not all that interested lol.

Summer is crazy busy for me too. This is my last year for the garden I think, tiller is broke again and not getting fixed. DH just works too many hours (construction) and has little time for anything. Its got corn and tomatoes thriving, but weeding by hand has been about hopeless.
I hope you get good results and feel better soon!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@jchny2000

You need to try our trick in your garden. We get cardboard boxes - either from work or wherever you can get them like a grocery store. Cut them open and lay them flat in the rows of the garden.

NO WEEDING EVER.

And as you are watering and what-not, they begin to break down. By the next year it is mostly deteriorated and we start all over again.

In the fall we just put raked leaves on it and if we have wood chips cured in the pile we put some of those on too. We haven't had to till the garden in the last 2 years. Just dig down into the mulch, plant then put on the cardboard boxes. We have to use a few rocks or bricks here and there to keep them from being blown up in a high wind.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

@jchny2000

You need to try our trick in your garden. We get cardboard boxes - either from work or wherever you can get them like a grocery store. Cut them open and lay them flat in the rows of the garden.

NO WEEDING EVER.

And as you are watering and what-not, they begin to break down. By the next year it is mostly deteriorated and we start all over again.

In the fall we just put raked leaves on it and if we have wood chips cured in the pile we put some of those on too. We haven't had to till the garden in the last 2 years. Just dig down into the mulch, plant then put on the cardboard boxes. We have to use a few rocks or bricks here and there to keep them from being blown up in a high wind.

Thank you! I have seen this before but never tried it. I can see how this would really help. I refuse to use pesticide or weed killers on our garden or the property. My other issue is to not directly sow seeds (except corn) but the boxes could be placed between rows. Since we are allowing pasture areas to grow and seed the weeds this year are crazy.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have been struggling with free time myself, summer especially going into fall gets so busy. They are planning to finally do one of my Moms rotator cup Wednesday so she has use of an arm. One of the key things I start looking towards is livestock management with fall coming. We will not be keeping Turkeys anymore. Love poults, love turkeys, period but they have been pretty unproductive for us overall. I may consider restarting in a couple years but have to focus more on what species are really working for us.
Downsizing more on chickens. Will be keeping small groups of the breeds that fit. They will coop well, free range smart and rarely see predator issues. The duck breeds are staying. Geese, Peafowl, Guinea and quail. I have also learned not to hatch without a deposit. Too many commitments not met results in chicks that need a home.
Livestock, keeping my Hampshire pair and Berkshire sow. Love my Oberhasli goats, staying! Adding a new buck in the spring from another breeder. Keeping our current Buck but want to have new bloodline for my pairs offspring. Cows, oh yes sold! My bull is flat awesome so far. I can check hooves, walk him on lead. He has learned butting is NOT OK. Both our new heifers seem to have attached to him, likely since he is the oldest of the 8 calves.

 

[Greenthumb83]

@jchny2000

You need to try our trick in your garden. We get cardboard boxes - either from work or wherever you can get them like a grocery store. Cut them open and lay them flat in the rows of the garden.

NO WEEDING EVER.

And as you are watering and what-not, they begin to break down. By the next year it is mostly deteriorated and we start all over again.

In the fall we just put raked leaves on it and if we have wood chips cured in the pile we put some of those on too. We haven't had to till the garden in the last 2 years. Just dig down into the mulch, plant then put on the cardboard boxes. We have to use a few rocks or bricks here and there to keep them from being blown up in a high wind.

I have been chatting a lot this season with Lazy Gardner in the gardening forum about this. She uses the BTE (Back to Eden) method with layering and wood chips. I don't know why we never tried this, at least the cardboard. Weeding is for the birds! I go out every morning as soon as the sun peeks in and feed all the animals and pull weeds in my squash, pumpkins and melons. And everyday, it looks like I was not there the day before lol! I mow in between the tomatoes and other veggies. We decided to lay down cardboard this fall when we take the garden up and we are buying a wood chipper (it's really needed to help clean up this property). Plus there will be plenty of wood chips for the run also.

It is nice to hear from folks who have tried it. I was worried if I layered wood chips and such, if it would be hard to direct sow. I direct sow as much as I can, even my tomatoes. I may just stick with cardboard and compost the first year. And no tilling is always a good thing!

 

[missflock]

I agree, Try the cardboard, you'll be so glad you did! We use is it in all our Gardens. I also refuse to use any pesticides or weed killers. This year we put up several raised garden beds(along with our regular garden which is about a half acre)... put cardboard down where the grass was, built around/over it, covered in in soil (and finally used some from our compost), and got to planting. I haven't picked weeds once this year and our fruits and veggies are booming. Well, they are booming but we don't get nearly as much as we'd like. We can't keep the chickens out for the life of us. We have just over 15 Acres, 3 Acres of it are fenced (6 ft. tall fence) for the kids and where our Gardens are. The chicken coop and run is just outside of the fence. But whenever we let them free range if we turn our back for two seconds the chickens will have flown the fence.... then my zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, melons, peppers, etc will be dinner to the chickens. I don't want to keep them from free ranging, and really not wanting to put netting all over my yard..Husband says they need their wings clipped... and I don't want to do that either! Two chickens do it more than any of the others. They happen to be my two favorite (One is a little golden sebright bantam-"Ducky" the other is our scissor beaked EE- "Chase")...They are stubborn, entertaining, escape artists...and although it frustrates me when they get in the garden, I always kind of have to just laugh and shake my head... because these girls are good at making sure they get wherever they want to go and they look so proud of themselves. I swear there are times when they will "hop our fence" and they look at the girls and roosters that didn't make it over and they laugh at them. The other day it couldn't have been 5 minutes after I got them out of the garden and back to where they free range and I hear my 5 year old yelling "Ducky is in the fence and on my trampoline!" No sooner than I got her back out, I turn around and Chase is inside and perched on the swing set with a Strawberry hanging out of her beak.

I might have to give in and have wings clipped....but I have a feeling those two would still somehow manage to easily make it in.

Maybe I should just plant them their own garden outside of the fence next year.... hm...