INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Old Salt 1945]

John your nesting boxes look great!

For my breeding pens I am going to be lazy lol. I am buying 18 gallon totes and cutting a square in it off to one side for the chicken to get in and it will have straw bedding inside. They I have to get some cinder blocks to sit on the ground and a long board to hook the totes on using screwes. Then If I want another layer I just get another board and more totes and after cutting a square in the tote and hooking the totes on I can sit it on top. I found the idea on youtube.

Thanks, but surely you're joking! The nest boxes, while functional, are buttugly. Made from scrap cr*p.

I saw the video. Lowes has the totes for $5. Measure 25 x 16 x 15. A bit bulky, but easy to clean. You might think about using shelf supports like I did, if you have studs you can screw them to rather than the concrete blocks. Makes for an uncluttered floor. Also, depending on the floor surface, they may not sit well without wobbling.

John

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Thanks, but surely you're joking! The nest boxes, while functional, are buttugly. Made from scrap cr*p.

I saw the video. Lowes has the totes for $5. Measure 25 x 16 x 15. A bit bulky, but easy to clean. You might think about using shelf supports like I did, if you have studs you can screw them to rather than the concrete blocks. Makes for an uncluttered floor. Also, depending on the floor surface, they may not sit well without wobbling.

John

They are nice for using scrap, I couldnt never make something look that goodd just using scrap wood I have laying around. Now obviously if you went out and bought brand new wood and everything it would look a little nicer, but I would rather just use extra stuff I have laying around. I dont have to spend more money and it isnt in my way anymore. They will be on a concrete floor, but I think I like the idea of shelf supports better so that I would save floor space. I never really thought about anything besides putting them lifted off the floor. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[toodlesmom]

SallyfromIndiana, thanks for all the free advice! You have lots of good tips! We are installing a big irrigated raised-bed garden this summer and will turn our attention to the coop in the fall. (We overweight senior citizens can't get much work done in this heat!) There is a large garden shed behind our garage that I believe can be transformed into a good chicken home. We will purchase chicks or pullets around next March. Can't wait! Reading about everyone's love affairs with their chickens makes me a little jealous. I am already a crazy old cat lady, and I'm looking forward to being a crazy old chicken lady, too! BTW, I'm another Sally. There aren't too many of us Sallys out there - we need to stick together!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hello neighbors! 19 in all, 18 hens & 1 lucky roo named Coal. I'm in Corydon, IN which is so south it's practically Kentcky Just got my first egg!! Very excited about this new adventure. I'm loving it & seem to need what I call "chicken therapy" a few times a day. Which is as you can imagine sitting and watching my chickens free range everywhere & even sometimes talking to them.

and so glad you have joined our thread!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

SallyfromIndiana, thanks for all the free advice! You have lots of good tips! We are installing a big irrigated raised-bed garden this summer and will turn our attention to the coop in the fall. (We overweight senior citizens can't get much work done in this heat!) There is a large garden shed behind our garage that I believe can be transformed into a good chicken home. We will purchase chicks or pullets around next March. Can't wait! Reading about everyone's love affairs with their chickens makes me a little jealous. I am already a crazy old cat lady, and I'm looking forward to being a crazy old chicken lady, too! BTW, I'm another Sally. There aren't too many of us Sallys out there - we need to stick together!

Spring is a great time to get chicks. Once you get them you have about a month to get the coop and run ready for them. But you have until they are 16-20 weeks old to get the nesting boxes ready.
Mousing cats like to eat chicks so look into getting a covered brooder ~ a box with a chicken wire top whould be good enough to let the heat light in and keep a cat out.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

PeacefulWalls WOW you had a long day, thank goodness you saw your dog was in distress. Hoping for a full recovery

sounds like a nightmare on the septic, hopefully they get it straightened out.

Quote:

I was so angry when I saw the burn I could have ripped that guys head off! No animal EVER deserves that kind of long term torture.

Some people do NOT deserve to be in ownership of an animal if they can't/won't provide proper care.
The little lafeyette zoo is wonderful! Columbia park, right? I met the first pigmy goat i ever saw at the petting zoo area. What a chubby little sweetie she was!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Jchny- heat rocks and snakes are a bad combination. I can't believe a. Pet shop didn't no that and let her get that many burns. And yes its good she was friendly. Trying to wrestle an aggressive snake that size into anything would be impossible.

The judge at the trial stated that man will never sell animals in our state again. He was socked with a large fine and I believe other charges were still pending. One snake was extremely venomous and was contained in a common 10 gal tank with a screen top! Any child could have reached in and picked it up!

My boys showed our chickens this week and recieved all blues. The judge said they were great pullets and were in great health. He said to bring them back next year. They were up for Reserve Grand, but he said they were beat out because the other pullets were a little further along in production.
My hubby bought me the Grand Champion Australorp Rooster so we are wxcited & can't wait for chicks.

How awesome! I am envious of your new roo, you have to share pics!

I cleaned the brooder today so decided to take the youngest ones outside for the first time. They weren't too fond of the humidity and heat and neither was I lol.

Just precious!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

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

fantastic!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I'm in southern Indiana and have chicks and chickens all ages for sale!
I have 3 blue copper maran Roos 4 mo, 1 silver laced sebright hen - 1 year old, 3-4 - two month old lavender orps straight run, 1 olive egger 3 mo, 1 lav hen and roo orpington- 1 yr old, 1 splash polish frizzle cross 3.5 mo, 1 crests cream legbar roo- 4 mo, may have some bantam Cochins 3 mo, trio of welsummer- different lines.. Roo 4 mo, 2 pullets 2 months.. Message me for price! Need space so willing to bargain!

If i haven't said it already, welcome to our thread

My brain is cooked from all this heat.

Ok here are some pics of the new chicks. I just took the pictures, they will be a week old on sunday and they still look like they just dried off.They are bantam ameraucanas.

All of them


Splash


Black ( I have 2 others just like this one)


Blue


They are really a lot cuter and have better coloring, but I just suck at taking pictures lol.


And I found this idea and I have a ton of used tires so I figured eventually I might try to make 2 to put on either side of my barn door

They are so tiny and cute!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I'm bumping because this thread moves faster than a speeding bullet.

I need a mid- level roosting pullet or two. My LF cochin hen roosts alone because everyone else goes up higher than she can reach. They also don't treat her very well, since she isn't a wyandotte like them lol. She hangs out with the silkies, but they sleep on the floor. Thanks

Ugh, I only have wyandottes right now too, I think, but I will look over the big flock tomorrow. How old will you need?

Had a nice surprise phone call today. My sister In law called and said my brother and family friend are butchering chickens and wanted to know if I wanted to help. We got 18 Cornish X free from other family friends. They were extras they raised for 4H and weren't going to show them. Not sure why they didn't want to butcher them, but Im not complaining! Can't beat free fresh chickens and not having to deal with raising and feeding the stinky things!

WOW can't beat that!

I have sad news to report. We got chicken wire up to prevent any more chicken Houdini's from escaping during the night, and we have been working on getting a temporary run/fence. In between those times we were letting the dogs out on a cable. Today my MIL came over unannounced and let one dog out, and as I scrambled to get her in before she took after the chickens, MIL came out and let a second dog out. I lost half my flock.

Oh my, i am so very sorry.

my big girls love to help in the garden. so cute

they look so sweet! I see one is talking all about it too!