INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

Been at the state fair for the last couple of days, so just skimming through the posts. Have to go this afternoon to pick up my chickens; they're released at 5:00.

My WCB bantam Polish had best of breed and reserve best for about ten minutes, then the judge realized he'd missed some pullets on the other side. Oh well, the judge giveth and the judge taketh away! I had told my sis earlier that those pullets were going to be my competition--they were really nice. My polish were in various stages of molting and I debated whether even to take them.

There are a lot of good birds there, but there are some really poor ones also. I was surprised that some weren't disqualified as they weren't what the owners said they were, such as some labeled as WCB polish that were mottled all over. And there were some LF Brahmas that looked (and smelled!) like they were sick, and they were still judged. We had to show our health papers stating that our birds had been tested for P-T, yet there were birds there with obvious other health problems. This was my first time showing there, and not sure that I'll do it again.

Oh well, 'nuff venting. On the plus side, the staff was great at keeping an eye on the visitors and making sure that the chickens all had food and water; I'm used to doing that myself at shows. And as always at shows I got to mingle with some great people, both other exhibitors and visitors as well as take in some other features at the fair.

We were there today !! Saw that Mottled polish. The sick is exactly why we don't show up there, There s sick birds up there every year !!!

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

Last wall is up! Now we've just got to get siding over the angles from the roof trusses and I can start painting!

 

[julie0477]

Lol pginsber your close ups are cracking me up!

I ate my first duck egg today. Ok first of all it was nearly impossible to crack and then the membrane was super strong. Those are serious eggs! It was a little... Ummm ... Eggier than chicken eggs? Good though. I read they have twice the nutrition as chicken eggs. I had no idea! I think will mostly use them in baking though. I heard they are great for that. And I bet they'd make a really good quiche!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I visited with an Amish family today and the man told me to sprinkle a tiny bit of cayanne pepper flakes on my chickens feed to aid then in laying. Has anyone ever heard of this ? I love stopping at Amish farms! What a way to live! If only.....

I have heard it works better in the winter, something about it increasing the body temp so they stay warm and keep laying. I have heard good things about flax seed for the hens to get them started laying. I guess there is a natural hormone in it.

Quote: Bargersville about 1.5-2 miles from the Bargersville Flea market. About 25-30 minutes away from the chicken fest we had.

 

[julie0477]

I have heard it works better in the winter, something about it increasing the body temp so they stay warm and keep laying.  I have heard good things about flax seed for the hens to get them started laying.  I guess there is a natural hormone in it.
Bargersville about 1.5-2 miles from the Bargersville Flea market.  About 25-30 minutes away from the chicken fest we had.

sweet! I am not far from there at all. Northern brown county but I go thru that area all the time. I'd love to at least try it!

 

[bradselig]

I finally went out last night and took some current pictures of some of the girls. They all range from 16-20 weeks, and are just getting their combs and tail feathers. I asked for some nice poses, but all I got was a bunch of SPOILED girls demanding garden scraps! "Nevermind HER--take MY picture!" "Does THIS make my beak look big?" "Whaddya bring me?" (MsJackson from her 'Nasty Boys' days) FINALLY-- a NICE picture. This is Aretha, our 20-week old Cream Legbar. She's laid 13 goregous blue eggs eggs so far.

HAHA! Great pictures!

We have pine shavings on the bottom covered with dried grass, but longer strands of it, not the short stuff from the mover, but the tall stuff from the weed wacker area. As for the shipping of eggs, here is a post from the RIR thread with a link to a packing method. I think some buyers even request a double box. The eggs I got from one seller on here were packed like this in a double box and not a one was cracked but my PO still damaged some of them from shaking and the temps ~ I think the eggs got hot. The wording in the letter to the shipper, needs some politeness tossed in but the post has lots of great requirements for shipping. I never would have thought Wed. was a bad day to ship eggs. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/407294/the-heritage-rhode-island-red-site/4820#post_11823434

ill take a look right now. I went ahead and opened a claim against him.

Last wall is up! Now we've just got to get siding over the angles from the roof trusses and I can start painting!

Looks great! I'm working in getting a material list to start my new coop. Planning on an 8'x20' building with 5 - 5'x4' pens inside.

 

[bradselig]

Thank you all for the bedding I nest box ideas. They all pretty much laid in the boxes today even with the grass clippings in there. I just had to go hunting around in the boxes to find the eggs but so far no broken eggs like I was getting prior daily.

 

[Crafty chick]

Ahhhhh! found myself hanging out at Riley Hospital for the night. DH had his original heart surgery here, so we come if anythings up. he told me he felt like his heart was racing since last night... yeah, he tells me right before he left for work. well, now he's admitted with A-Fib and getting meds to slow it, if it doesnt fix itself by 7 am he gets a cardioversion (shock). he's not happy. anyway... chicken news... how long after breaking a broody will they lay again?

 

[julie0477]

Ahhhhh! found myself hanging out at Riley Hospital for the night. DH had his original heart surgery here, so we come if anythings up. he told me he felt like his heart was racing since last night... yeah, he tells me right before he left for work. well, now he's admitted with A-Fib and getting meds to slow it, if it doesnt fix itself by 7 am he gets a cardioversion (shock). he's not happy. anyway... chicken news... how long after breaking a broody will they lay again?

not a good night I'm sorry. As for the broody I'm no help. I have my first broody sitting on eggs. I couldn't resist. Hopefully soon!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Looks great! I'm working in getting a material list to start my new coop. Planning on an 8'x20' building with 5 - 5'x4' pens inside.

Phew, I wish I could have built something so big! The chicken math is starting to get ahead of the room I have to house these birds. Speaking of, it looks like the Silkie I got from you last month is a cockerel after all, but he's a pretty cool guy, so I'm gonna keep him around and see what the ladies think of him. He comes out of quarantine on Friday.