INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

On another note, does anyone use a galvanized garbage can to store their chicken feed? If so, are their any issues? I'm heading to Lebanon tomorrow to get more feed, but I'd like to store it all in one place instead of part in the coop and part in the house. Do you have any other suggestions?

The main "negative thing" I have heard that you have to be careful where you put them as, if they're stored outside, they can get condensation on the inside from the fluctuating weather/humidity and cause mold growth in the feed.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I used to live in Houston, TX and it hardly ever snowed.

John

You mean you didnt get to make a snowman every year lol! That is like tradition for me. There is no way I could live in Texas, It gets too hot, I have a hard time with Indiana summers. So does it not snow as much in southern Indiana?

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

The main "negative thing" I have heard that you have to be careful where you put them as, if they're stored outside, they can get condensation on the inside from the fluctuating weather/humidity and cause mold growth in the feed.

I have never had this problem with the plastic trash cans. Now I cant speak for the metal ones, I have enver used them. But I have put feed in the plastic ones for about 2 years and never had a mold problem and the plastic ones dont seal good, as long as it dosent get water inside of it you are good. I did have on time when I accidently left the lid off and it rained, then humid the next day. i went out to the barn and I threw out a bunch of feed. Don't forget to put the lid back on!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:

Wow that is exactly how I feel. Did you read my mind when you typed that? lol I'm truly a city girl at heart who lives in the country. Ive lived here for almost 17 years and just recently decided to do the whole garden/animals to feed my family. Had a garden the first couple of years but that was it. Now with all the bad stuff being done to our food supply I honestly feel its not safe for my family to consume on a regular basis. So my garden, chickens and cows. My neighbor raises cows. All grass fed no grain. No hormones or meds. I see them daily as they are across the road from me. Now if I can find someone who raised pigs like that I would be in good shape.

With all of the birds, layers and meaties, I look at them and see food. I had to, no pets here. There is always a chance of something happening. So mentally i had to make it be food not pets. Will I be sad when it happens, heck yea. But my animals are for food. I have to look at it like that or none would be food lol. They will still live fat and happy lives, but food they are.


Quote: Yep. That's pretty much me. Want healthy food.

Do you have a cow? For milk? I don't have one but always contemplate. I am able to get raw milk from some friends and also beef like your neighbors are raising and first started making raw milk cheese somewhere around 2008 or 2009. Have taught a class here and there and would do more if I weren't working full time and taking care of elderly parent.

On the coyotes, I haven't seen any last year here, but the neighbors tell me that they saw more of them in prior years and fox also. If I think they are around I may contact you in the future. Wonder how in the world he charges for such a thing?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Yah - I think it's because the metal conducts heat/cold so well..better than plastic..that the condensation builds up in them.

 

[Old Salt 1945]

I have been watching with some interest the sputtering launch of healthcare.gov. It cost $600,000,000 before all the fixes, so it will probably end up costing about $1 billion or so.

Three 20-something web programmers took a weekend and designed and implemented their own version of it. It worked. It didn't include the subsidy calculation which is said by the government folks to be one of the more complicated and difficult aspects of the design. The 20-something guys added it overnight. It works. Response is near-instantaneous. thehealthsherpa.com Try it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57611592/s.f-programmers-build-alternative-to-healthcare.gov/

I ran across this comment in my email inbox:

Putting things in perspective:

March 21st, 2010 to October 1, 2013 is 3 years, 6 months, 10 days.
December 7, 1941 to May 8, 1945 is 3 years, 5 months, 1 day.

What this means is that in the time we were attacked at Pearl Harbor to the day Germany surrendered is not enough time for our current federal government to build a working website.
Mobilization of millions, building tens of thousands of tanks, airplanes, jeeps, submarines, cruisers, destroyers, aircraft carriers, troop carriers, landing craft, torpedoes, millions upon millions of guns, bombs, ammo, etc. Turning the tide in North Africa, invading Italy, D-Day, Battle of the Bulge, Race to Berlin - all while we were also fighting the Japanese in the Pacific!

And in that amount of time, this administration can't build a working website.

Pitiful. It sounds to me like a lot of campaign donors were rewarded handsomely.

John

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Quote:
Yep. That's pretty much me. Want healthy food.

Do you have a cow? For milk? I don't have one but always contemplate. I am able to get raw milk from some friends and also beef like your neighbors are raising and first started making raw milk cheese somewhere around 2008 or 2009. Have taught a class here and there and would do more if I weren't working full time and taking care of elderly parent.

On the coyotes, I haven't seen any last year here, but the neighbors tell me that they saw more of them in prior years and fox also. If I think they are around I may contact you in the future. Wonder how in the world he charges for such a thing?

Coyotes are always bad here. My dad hit one with his car this year. But I have seen was less this year that say I have in the past 5 years.about 2 years ago I was walking my dog up and down the gravel road and it was getting close to dark so we were walking back towards home. I saw a coyote cross the road. We ran all the way home. I waspretty sure that she could take a coyote in a fight, but if theres one there is usually more. And she could not of fought off more than 1. Not that coycotes usually are brave enough to come up to people, but it crossed the road 15ft in front of me. I wasnt about to take the chanse. We didnt go on any more walks for about 3 months, because I was worried that we might have a confrontation witha coyote, although unlikely

 

[Dex Holla]

I am enjoying myself with the Murry McMurry catalogue. Ok, so I am very new. I didn't know chickens had feathered legs! Does that mean they might carry more dirt/poo on them? Is it significant?

of course I am playing with the "chick selector"... I live in West Lafayette--What type of "cold tolerance" should I be looking for? Would it be more important to be "better" or above in cold tolerance? or is good sufficient?

What about heat? is "good" good enough?

Of course this is just wishful thinking at this point. BESIDES I only want 3-5 not the 15 minimum!

 

[Old Salt 1945]

Coyotes are always bad here. My dad hit one with his car this year. But I have seen was less this year that say I have in the past 5 years.about 2 years ago I was walking my dog up and down the gravel road and it was getting close to dark so we were walking back towards home. I saw a coyote cross the road. We ran all the way home. I waspretty sure that she could take a coyote in a fight, but if theres one there is usually more. And she could not of fought off more than 1. Not that coycotes usually are brave enough to come up to people, but it crossed the road 15ft in front of me. I wasnt about to take the chanse. We didnt go on any more walks for about 3 months, because I was worried that we might have a confrontation witha coyote, although unlikely

If the coyote hit passing gear when it noticed you, you have nothing to worry about.

Regardless, running from a predator is not a good idea. That makes you prey in it's eyes.

If a coyote doesn't seem to fear you, pick up a fist full of gravel and/or a stick and walk normally. If it approaches, give your best low-pitched loud growl and throw the gravel. Immediately grab more gravel and face the varmint, acting like you want to fight and hollaring for it to "get out". Predators don't want to fight, they want to eat. Fighting gets you hurt. They will almost always retreat. Look for a stick. Next time, carry a weapon.

John

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I am enjoying myself with the Murry McMurry catalogue. Ok, so I am very new. I didn't know chickens had feathered legs! Does that mean they might carry more dirt/poo on them? Is it significant?

of course I am playing with the "chick selector"... I live in West Lafayette--What type of "cold tolerance" should I be looking for? Would it be more important to be "better" or above in cold tolerance? or is good sufficient?

What about heat? is "good" good enough?

Of course this is just wishful thinking at this point. BESIDES I only want 3-5 not the 15 minimum!

With feathered feet poop might stick to there feet some, not a lot,more when confined in a small area. I have cochin and a salmon favorolle and have never had a problem with it. Really you can have just about whatever chickens you want and they will be good. Some bantam game breeds might be an exception, such as modern game or Old english game bantams. But so far my OEGBS have been very cold hardy. I know someone that raises modern game in indiana and they have a heated coop because they cant be in weather lower than 40, they keep it at 50, that is just what they tole me. Just watch for frostbite on larger combed breeds, but I have enver had a problem with it. And I dont remember seeing you on here before, welcome to the thread! If you have any more questions, ask away. there are a lot of knowledgeable people on this thread. If you order from Meyer Hatchery at certain times there minimum is3 other time higher, depends on season, you could check there website.