INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[bradselig]

This is a small (about 4 x 6) tractor that I bought at a swap at Knox a couple of years ago. The other end is just like the one that shows. The frame is 2 x 4s set up as John explained. The hoop is pvc pipe covered with 1/2 inch hardware cloth; pipe insulation covers the edges of the hardware cloth. I have a pair of bantam cochins (was a trio but one hen died) with a small doghouse. It could house two LF hens without too much crowding, but perching on a roost would be a problem. The bantams can actually get on top of the doghouse if they choose; however they usually prefer to snuggle down inside. I can move it myself, and when I want to change the bedding, I just upend it--it will stand on its end. If you look closely, you can see a hen on top of the doghouse, another hen in the corner, and Bowling Ball at the edge of the tarp.

I got to come up with something for my silkies and bantam cochins (if they hatch) and might just have to do something like this. For housing, I think Im going to pick up a couple of these from work and put down vinyl flooring in it to protect the floor. They are currently on clearance (and anyone near Marion, IN better not come in and take the ones Im going to buy! LOL). http://www.lowes.com/pd_327020-8578...L=?Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo= And if we sell out of those before I get a chance to buy them (trying to get a manager to go cheaper on them, what can I say, Im cheap!), Ill consider these for the same price, but smaller. http://www.lowes.com/pd_42252-60636...L=?Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo= I think both could be converted to a small bantam coop. Probably had lay boxes to the exterior and the roof is hinged/removable for cleaning.

 

[Old Salt 1945]

I went to a lot of work to make nice roosts for these ingrates. Look where they sleep.
6 on the roost (top rail only, of course). 19 on top of the nest boxes. Rotten chickens!



The cage between the water buckets is a quarantine cage for the 2 month old Cream Legbar pullets.

Not for disease; just for acclimatizing to the other chickens. Don't want them beat up.

John

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Mine get in big trouble for trying to sleep in the nesting boxes. My pullets have finally learned, not to sleep and have found 2 eggs in them. Of cousre some still lay on the floor and one lays in an od feeder that I am going to remove. they also try to sleep on it. and 3 sleep on a hay rack that I probably am going to remove. 1 of my black cochins sleeps on the floor right in front of the door! They make no sense! But i have convinced 4 to sleep on the roosts I made for them. My blue cochin sleeps there ever since I saved her from the hay rack.

 

[CRSelvey]

Some of our pullets started laying a couple of weeks ago -- a few more seem to join them each week. Currently we have 23 pullets & 11 hens (last year's pullets). I'm thinking perhaps some of the older girls are going through a molt or are just off because of the weather as some of you also mentioned. About 3 weeks ago we were averaging 4 eggs a day. This past week we started getting 11 eggs every day, then 13, then 15. The grand total so far today....19! And some of them tend to wait until evening to lay. We had friends here for the weekend & decided to make eggs over the campfire for breakfast. Chloe donated the eggs from her birds -- she cracked up & scrambled 8 dozen quail eggs for the 9 of us. Boy were they yummy!

Great pics!

[COLOR=8B4513]I just now read an email from [/COLOR][COLOR=B22222]jchny/Janet[/COLOR][COLOR=8B4513] saying that she is not able to access the internet during her camping trip. She should be happy! She's probably worried about getting behind on posts . . . luckily it seems like we haven't had as many posts this holiday weekend, so it shouldn't be overwhelming. [/COLOR] [rule] [COLOR=008080]Pbirdhaven~[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]I was wondering about your show terms, too. Thanks for the explanation! I figured that stubs were rubber caps that went over the rooster's spurs. haha After I read your post, I was going to ask you, but then I thought I'd google it. I couldn't find anything that made sense, so I was going to ask you, but I forgot until I saw danad's inquiry. I'm glad you enlightened me-- I wasn't even thinking about feather stubs. [/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Your thoughts about grieving were engaging. I just wish that the general public was aware that creatures, like humans, grieve, so that creatures could be given compassion.[/COLOR] [COLOR=800080]CRSelvey~ [/COLOR][COLOR=8B4513]I love the mohawk feathers on the heads of your Appenzellers. haha Does your DH admit to being intrigued by the chickens? Or does he prefer to act like he's indifferent, so he can keep a cap on the count? You and your husband sound like you have a great relationship. A sense of humor is very important, and I appreciate yours. Congrats for getting so much work completed on your huge project. I want to see a video when the helicopter hovers over to place the cupola on the roof of your coop![/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Although my coop and run are way smaller than yours, mine is all one unit with a main door/buried hardware wire, etc., I just lock the front door and the nesting box access door using carbinger locks. I don't even shut the door to my coop/box section because there's more air flow with it open and my RIR likes to roost on the top of the box door. She's the only hen who can fit in that small area. Even though Nene is the smallest hen, she makes up for size by her assertiveness (shrieking).[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Btw, does anyone know the correct terminology of the parts of a coop? We all call the structure the coop, but I remember reading somewhere that the box part that contains the nighttime perches is actually the coop and the rest is the run. If so, it seems like there would be a term for the whole structure besides "coop." Is this question keeping anyone else up at night?[/COLOR] [rule] [COLOR=0000CD] Julie & Old Salt~[/COLOR][COLOR=8B4513] Funny "parenthood" stories. Not funny at the time, I'm sure, but they make good memories. Adorable photo John, but does the photo have a sepia, old-fashioned look on purpose because your daughter couldn't be that old![/COLOR] [rule] [COLOR=006400]Peaceful Walls~[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Looks like an idyllic holiday! Fresh eggs in the fresh air. What a pretty scene.[/COLOR]

My dh doesn't say he's intrigued but yesterday he asked me to give him some when I brought home mealworms for the chickens and he offers to go close the coop up every night if its already dark out. I take it as a good sign that he also knows all the names of those with names. Also on this three day weekend that was the season opener for college football he was out working in the coop instead of watching games so I think I can keep him! We have to have a sense of humor to survive with two small children, a teenager, him working from home, a dog, cat, all these chickens, and me a stay at home mom. If we didn't, someone wouldn't make it out alive

. Here are updated pics. You can see that we still have a long way to go but we made a lot of progress this weekend.

[/IMG]

I'm not sure if they are in the right place because I'm on my phone. In one you can see the shingles up on the one side of the roof. The other one shows the new covered porch area and the door frame. The door is just waiting for paint. I need to change out some of the fencing to be the hardware cloth but that should be complete tomorrow. Also on the right of the door frame is a 5'section which will actually be opened up later to a 5'x16' extended run. I used to be stingy about my garden space getting used by the chickens but that was before I knew how much is love them. We ran out of tar paper for the roof and roofing nails. How many chickens do you have? Does anyone have a solar fan for the coop? I'm loving my solar lights but I haven't looked into a fan yet.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Your coop looks great!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

It was sooo hot at the show yesterday! I normally get to spend some time visiting with LAMom but I was too hot and grouchy to be much company.

Didn't sell any of my Appenzeller chicks, but several people looked and wanted to know about them. Think I'll take a couple of adults to the Bloomington show so that folks can see how they turn out.

Came home with more silkies, of course.

A gorgeous little silver sebright hen was the top dog, er, chicken, when awards were announced. An acquaintance and I had just been commenting on how nice she was--maybe we should be judges!

One of my Polish cocks was disqualified because I forgot to remove his stubs. (Insert emoticon of me kicking myself.)

And that is the news from Lake WoebeWestport--stay tuned for the next exciting episode.

what is the date of the Bloomington show again? I'm thinking September.

Hi All, I was wondering if the run and coop are fully enclosed with hardware cloth and its buried two feet out, do we need to worry about closing up the chicken door each day or just let them be? What do you think?

as long as the top is also covered, I think you would be good. We have owl troubles so everything needs a top at night.

need to make a chicken tractor... what do you guys suggest? gets windy here in the flat area.

http://www.raincreekpottery.com/Pages/HoopCoopChickenTractor.aspx
these plans should be easily modified for size. That said, my DH took these lovely plans and made me a box coop that is very very heavy. He is the only one to move it and some days it takes both of us to shove his coop around.
But these kinds of coops are not animal proof, there really is no easy way to prevent digging animals and have the coop movable with the chickens on the ground. I have seen some tractors that have a hardware cloth floor. It increases the weight, prevents chicken dusting, and makes it harder for you to walk into the tractor for feeding and watering.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Is anyone on here looking for a rooster. I have a few listed on CL. But the price there takes into account the wheeling and dealing that most CL people like to do. I'm trying to rehome the following roosters:
BLRW just over 1/2 a year old
Barred Rock just over 1/2 yr old
a mixed .5 RIR and .5 BLRW at about 15 weeks old
a Buff Brama close to 15 weeks old

We are thinking that either this Saturday or the next will be processing day.
I have some other birds on CL too even a couple of female ducks. If you call and mention that you are on here, we can work out a deal. But mainly I need some roosters gone or they will be chicken soup. These are nice roosters and will not make good fighters, another reason for the high CL prices.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I am looking for a barred rock rooster. But cannot drive the 2 or 3 hrs to you for many different reasons. Unless you want to bring him with you when you come get your puppies in roughly 5 weeks!

 

[julie0477]

I know, I know, but a lot more has happened this year than last year. And I need to stop reading things on the internet, becuase all the diseases and things I read about just make me worry lol. Wow, 3 weeks! I was going to give up all hope of her coming home after a week, but now I wont. If she hasnt come home in a month I am just going to assume she became a coyotes supper .

amen. It's been a rough(er) year for me too. And the Internet ... Well sometimes ignorance really is bliss! I hope you find the chicken . Maybe it's broody somewhere. Hopefully.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

amen. It's been a rough(er) year for me too. And the Internet ... Well sometimes ignorance really is bliss! I hope you find the chicken . Maybe it's broody somewhere. Hopefully.

Thank you and i doubt she is broody as she hasent even layed her first egg yet.