INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[SallyinIndiana]

Wish we could attend the get-together, but we will be in Cincinnati that weekend. It would have been fun to meet everyone.

Does anyone have advice on the best time to order chicks? We will probably order from Meyer sometime next spring, but that can mean anything from February to June. We are thinking of starting with a mixed flock of 5-6 hens. (No fellers!)

It really depends on what you are looking for. if you want meat chickens then a warm march or cool april is a good time as well as a cool fall. for meat birds you are looking for 8 weeks of cool but not cold weather. Heat will increase the smell of the meat birds.
If you are wanting layers, then there are several factors to consider. First sign up for Meyer specials. They just offered Free shipping earlier this month. Next is food, the chicks stay in a temperature controlled area for the first 4-6 weeks. Many people will hatch chicks at the end of winter for this reason. After all if you have to feed a chick all of its intake, with little free ranging winter is the time for chicks as there is no free ranging anyway. Another way of looking at that is if you get chicks in October or November they will not be able to free range effectively till at least March and you will be feeding almost full size birds over the winter with no eggs. If you get chicks now, there is a chance they will start to lay before winter and given the right condition will keep laying. Then you at least get eggs for all of the winter feed that your birds are eating.

Another option is many of us here sell chicks and some of them are started chicks. Have you checked out the members list to see if there is someone close to you with the chicken breed you are interested in? you say you are traveling to OH, you might even be able to pick up birds from a person on the OH thread. I don't know them as I have never even read the OH thread, I'm just wanted you to have options. The hatchery shipping is fair but not cheap as USPS charges a lot to ship live animals. For 6 chicks at Meyer hatchery you are looking at $33.56 for shipping plus at least $12 for the chicks. You might be able to find breeder quality chicks close to you or along your path for that price. Again I'm not against the hatchery but as another poster puts it, it costs the same to feed quality chickens as it does to feed hatchery chickens. Plus shipping can be hard on day old chicks.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

We aren't going to be able to get my dog into the vet until next week, so I won't have any updates on her until then. Thank you all for your support in the mean time. I'm really going to need it now, as the bad news keeps coming. It looks like one of my beloved hens is laying internally now. It has not been a great week for me.

I'm probably not going to be on much, so sorry if I miss anything for me. And again, thanks for listening. It's nice to have somewhere to get things off my chest.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

We aren't going to be able to get my dog into the vet until next week, so I won't have any updates on her until then. Thank you all for your support in the mean time.

I'm really going to need it now, as the bad news keeps coming. It looks like one of my beloved hens is laying internally now. It has not been a great week for me.

I'm probably not going to be on much, so sorry if I miss anything for me. And again, thanks for listening. It's nice to have somewhere to get things off my chest.

I'm really sorry about your dog and hen. Is it possible that she will be ok even though she is laying interenally?

 

[countrychristy]

Yes I love Corydon too, very quiet & pretty. I'm a transplant from Louisville & kind of a counterfeit country girl lol (well not anymore really) I always wanted to live way out in the country so at 23 I bought 4 acres & took the plunge to Harrison county & everyone thought I lost my mind. Now 12 years later, I'm married with 2 kids, 20 chickens, a miniature horse, a great dane & a cat! Wouldn't change a thing! Hoping I get my 3rd egg today!!

 

[Mother2Hens]

Thanks everyone, for the encouraging words about my little patient Violet!
CRSelvey~ Thanks for the suggestions about perches for Adeline. I originally had a dowel rod across the cage like you showed. I secured mine with a little Quick Tak. The girls were never interested in it although they perched on small branches outside. After Adeline hurt her leg, I took the dowel rod out. When Adeline seemed like she was looking for a perch last night, I put it back in. I knew that Violet could not even attempt to get up on it. However, Adeline was still interested in the dowel rod. Maybe I could find a branch to use. I just wish the temps would cool off so they could be outside for a while. P.S.~ I would have stayed in the Sacramento area! : - )

mcurry~ I'm sure that you had a lot to do with the poultry successes of the males in your family! Congrats to all.

Peaceful Walls~ What a day you had! I felt the most sorry for the septic tank guys who had to service your tank during a heatwave!

bradselig~ Darling babies! What kind are they? I'm not knowledgable enough to tell and I can't remember what everyone has been hatching.

toodlesmom~ Sorry we won't see you at the racinchickin poultry event. Have fun in Cincy!

pipd~ We'll be thinking of you.

JAG and freeflyin and Shawna~ Nice to see you back and posting!

Welcome to the Indiana Thread! irtehun ~ Eliaria ~ LuvMyArabs ~ countrychristy

Member Info:
Do you want to be listed on the BYC Indiana Members’ List? “Being a member of this thread” just means adding your screen name and flock info, which can be helpful because the list is a spreadsheet format that lets you sort the list by breed, county, or other category. It’s an easy way to find other members who have the same breed you have or who live in a nearby county, etc.

Click on the link below my signature to view the list. Just look at the bottom of the list page for sorting options.


If you’d like to be added, send me a PM (personal message) by simply placing your cursor over my screen name: Mother2Hens, and you will see “Send a PM.” A personal message ensures that your info is added. Please send your screen name, county, and city. Also include the following information about each member of your flock: List each species (chicken, duck, etc.), breed (Barred Rock, etc.), is it a LF (Large Fowl) or Bantam? Quinstar (Erin) actually adds the info, so you can PM her directly, too-- whatever is the easiest for you. if you have any questions about this thread, please PM Jchny2000 (Janet) who is the founder (thread starter) of this group.

Indiana County Map for instant member location
If anyone would like a map of your county, like the one on my avatar, I will be happy to provide one. If someone wants a combo map and a chicken or an animal for your avatar, I can put that together for you, just PM me. When I read posts, many times I think “Now where are they from?” I look at the city and still have no idea what part of the state they’re from. The map icon with the county in red because you could quickly glance and see where the member who is posting is from. These avatars are not required-- they are just a free service if you’re interested.

AVATAR UPDATES
If members would like me to change the photo(s) on their avatars, just PM me. Someone might have a picture of a chick that has grown into a hen (or a roo!) and would like to update the photo or someone might like something totally different.

BYC Indiana Google Map for detailed information
Cluck Acres (Curtis) set up a Google Map for just us INDIANA BYC’ers. You must first log on to your Google account or make a Google account. (If you have gmail, just use your gmail password). All you have to do is go to this link....http://goo.gl/maps/UShV6 . Here are the directions. You will see the state of Indiana.. Zoom in to where you live and then click on the red button that says Edit. After you click Edit you will see a hand, blue pin point and a zig zag line on the map. Click the pin point and drag it to where you live on the map. After you have placed your pin point then click on it and you can edit your description by adding your county. If you want to change your blue pin point to another icon or upload your own then up on the right of that box click the pin point icon and choose others or upload your own icon. If anyone has problems with this feel free to ask.

This information is submitted periodically by Mother2Hens

 

[Kiniska]

Yes I love Corydon too, very quiet & pretty. I'm a transplant from Louisville & kind of a counterfeit country girl lol (well not anymore really)  I always wanted to live way out in the country so at 23 I bought 4 acres & took the plunge to Harrison county & everyone thought I lost my mind. Now 12 years later, I'm married with 2 kids, 20 chickens, a miniature horse, a great dane & a cat! Wouldn't change a thing! Hoping I get my 3rd egg today!!

All our friends thought we had lost our minds as well. It was funny how some acted like we had decided to move to a third world country. We love it though and lucked into a really nice bit of land right after the crash. Couldn't have afforded it otherwise.
Will keep fingers crossed for that egg!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

NM

 

[CRSelvey]

How long have you lived in indiana?

7 years in September. My Indiana boy's powers of persuasion are strong!!

 

[Old Salt 1945]

Someone wanted to see what I was doing for nest boxes, so here it is. I made it completely from scrap pieces I had left over from other projects. Makes it a little odd looking, but when I checked, none of the chickens has a tape measure or carpenter's square. I have also noticed that most of them are singularly unconcerned about materials used.

The trailer was my workbench. All flat surfaces in the barn have stuff piled on them. I set up a sawhorse work table, then immediately piled it up with tools and assorted debris.


The dividers are somewhat irregular in size and shape. I use cleats to attach thin material to thin material.


Plenty of room for another tier on top of this one.


Unit is 7' long. Compartments are about 1x1x1'. Put together with brad nailer and cleats. Sanded sharp corners.

I didn't make it strong enough to mount it directly to the wall with screws through the back, so I mounted on 90 degree shelf brackets. Didn't want to use up floor space with homemade brackets.

John

 

[Kiniska]

Someone wanted to see what I was doing for nest boxes, so here it is. I made it completely from scrap pieces I had left over from other projects. Makes it a little odd looking, but when I checked, none of the chickens has a tape measure or carpenter's square. I have also noticed that most of them are singularly unconcerned about materials used. Unit is 7' long. Compartments are about 1x1x1'. Put together with brad nailer. Sanded sharp corners. Mounted on 90 degree shelf brackets. Didn't want to use up floor space with homemade brackets. John

Good job John!