INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[ellymayRans]

If your NN do not have the bow tie, then all chicks will hatch NN with a bow tie if the roo is not a NN. If your hens do have a bow tie then half should hatch NN with a bow tie. If you're needing a NN roo, I have a young one

Yep you're correct on that, mine have the bowtie, had 1 true NN roo but lost him. Just hoping I get at least a few out of the batch. there are a couple of nonNN in there too I know but just can't tell their eggs from the NN's! That's why I'm "hoping"! I'm getting ready to pair up a BCM roo with BCM hen so I can hatch a few more BCM's for myself as I only have a couple laying at the moment due to molting/season. I'm interested to see if he fathered any of the NN's; love to see that copper hackles on a black NN! I would take you up on the roo but I have MANY I need to be rid of or my DH will have a fit! lol I took some to the Lebanon show (3) and came home with them plus 1! He wasn't too happy with me on that one! The last hatch I had out of the 14 I know for sure I have 9 Maybe 10 cocks! Ugh! My fault though for not separating them for true breeding because it caused me to have mixes which I don't want, but had to try the hatching thing out! I only got 1 true BCM cock and a few Olive Eggers but of course I'm pretty certain atleast 2 of the 3 hatched are cocks. Not sure what I'm going to do with them all since I've not had any luck on the BST forum here or CL. My oldest boy and my brother have both offered to butcher but just keep hoping they'll get an opportunity to live there lives out...just some where else.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I planned on getting chicks in March mainly because I have a coop to build. Well, I found a used coop I think I'll buy. SO all I need now are the chicks!

Since I am in education, I have three weeks to be at home over Christmas and that would be a GREAT time to hang out with the cuties. We could enjoy, hold etc.

I have been reading about the stages of growth but what I need to know is the practical info about housing--as in where in my house do I want them.... 1st four week, cute and in the living room? the next four weeks feathers and dust? Not sure when they would be old enough to be in the garage or in their new home AND at what point I will want them out of the house. (about how many weeks is that?)

THANKS! The coop is cute and mobile and could even be in the garage for the winter It could definately be up against the house outside and certainly close enough to the house to have electric.

Dex

depending on the breed and the size of the cardboard boxes you want to use, things to think about are flying and fast feathering. The living room might make it to 2 weeks. for week 3 I would put them in a cooler room in your house or basement. For week 4 I would put them in the garage. For week 5 if the coop is in the garage go ahead and move them into it so that they don't fly out of the cardboard box and poo on your car or door handles. Little chicks can get pretty high and roost on small things like a hat peg next to a door. Later on weight will catch up and the chicken won't fly as much unless it is a flying breed. By the time the chicks are 10 weeks old they should be fine in January / Feb. weather and they will be wanting their run space too. Of course some breed could be moved out sooner it is just that January and Feb. can have extreeme cold weather come on suddenly and the trick will be gradually getting your chicks used to cold weather after brooding them inside at 95 degrees as should be done. It is easier to transition from the starting 95 to springy or summer nights of 65 - 70 degree weather than the sub zero weather that we can get in January.

If you live close to bargersville I have some started chicks that are outside but under a heat light. Others on here have started chicks too and even hens that they are wanting to sell or rehome. it might be easier this time of the year to get 2-3 of the laying hens Johnny has and buy chicks in Feb.

 

[ellymayRans]

I planned on getting chicks in March mainly because I have a coop to build. Well, I found a used coop I think I'll buy. SO all I need now are the chicks!

Since I am in education, I have three weeks to be at home over Christmas and that would be a GREAT time to hang out with the cuties. We could enjoy, hold etc.

I have been reading about the stages of growth but what I need to know is the practical info about housing--as in where in my house do I want them.... 1st four week, cute and in the living room? the next four weeks feathers and dust? Not sure when they would be old enough to be in the garage or in their new home AND at what point I will want them out of the house. (about how many weeks is that?)

THANKS! The coop is cute and mobile and could even be in the garage for the winter It could definately be up against the house outside and certainly close enough to the house to have electric.

Dex

Hey Dex! Glad you've joined us here! Great bunch to say the least!

I am going to say...IMO....that I would be Really leary of "used" coops. I only say that because of all of the "things" that you could get with it; you would pay anything to be able to be rid of! That said, things like: bugs *mites & lice*, Resp diseases, cocci and mareks disease to name a Very few! Again, that is my opinion and I would hate for you to start out in trouble! These are things that a little bleach water won't take care of...that's all.

Growth time...hehehe...in the house is a challenge. Living Room I would say No..lol...they are the biggest makers of dust bunnies you'll ever meet! When I say dust I mean...you could dust 5x's a day and still wake up to a thick coating of it all over Everything by morning! I keep my little ones in my office, it can be closed up from the rest of the house and has only a few pieces of furniture in it. I don't usually keep them in there for no more than 4 weeks; they were kept in a very large brooder box with hardware cloth covering the top; you'll find out that some w/in their first week of life can fly up and out of it if not covered and you'll find not so nice little presents all over your floor. They aren't like rabbit pellets either that you can just pick up and sweep...it's a full on carpet cleaning job to get that stuff out! However in there I can sit and work or browse the net and enjoy them.

I tried them in our bedroom in a tote but with the heat lamp they are up pretty much all night which in turn keeps you up or at least not well rested..doesn't help having a light on in the room either as my DH hated that!

If you decide on a large box that is going to sit on carpet flooring get something good to put under the box (water/moisture resistant) and make sure the bottom is taped up like Fort Knox or again...full on carpet cleaning job...because they will spill their water, no matter if it's hanging or not and that will cause the bottom of the box to get wet and fall apart & discolor your carpet....etc...

Large plastic tub of some sort works better. Some folks even use a spare bathroom tub for them, again, I'd still cover it so they couldn't get out or again...big mess will be waiting for you.
After a few weeks and they're fully feathered I move them out to a large dog kennel I have in the garage (I have several just for chicks) and line the bottom and halfway up the sides with boxes. This helps keep them out of drafts, keeps the bedding in and provides the electricity I need for the heat lamp. I secure it on the outside of the kennel to ensure they don't knock it down or come into contact with it. If it's really cold in your garage you can help by covering the cage with towels/old blankets/tarp, whatever you have. Only I keep them a good distance from the heat lamp of course.

I tried building a brooder in the large outside coop too over the summer since temps were up but I didn't like that just because I found the big chickens would get on top and poop all over the top which was my door into it, thru the hardware cloth, then I worried about the exposure to cocci in their poo If it's there! You just never know! Then every time I opened it to feed them the chicks would jump out and then get terrorized by whatever grown chicken that was around at the time. Just a pain in my butt!

I've tried it all with the exception of what I'm going to try next..lol...I just haven't found what works best for me yet! I'm going to build my next brooder; some 2x4's and hardware cloth, placed in the garage. I really didn't want to have the little ones walking on the hardware cloth but a breeder I got some of mine from had this setup and I just think it will be the answer to all of my headaches I've experienced! No bedding, drop board under the hardware cloth bottom along with hardware cloth walls and top, really long and narrow to save space! I'll take pics when I've got'er done! lol

Ha..I know I wrote forever..hope it helps some!

I'm sure someone else here can share what's worked for them too!
Mandy

 

[ellymayRans]

depending on the breed and the size of the cardboard boxes you want to use, things to think about are flying and fast feathering. The living room might make it to 2 weeks. for week 3 I would put them in a cooler room in your house or basement. For week 4 I would put them in the garage. For week 5 if the coop is in the garage go ahead and move them into it so that they don't fly out of the cardboard box and poo on your car or door handles. Little chicks can get pretty high and roost on small things like a hat peg next to a door. Later on weight will catch up and the chicken won't fly as much unless it is a flying breed. By the time the chicks are 10 weeks old they should be fine in January / Feb. weather and they will be wanting their run space too. Of course some breed could be moved out sooner it is just that January and Feb. can have extreeme cold weather come on suddenly and the trick will be gradually getting your chicks used to cold weather after brooding them inside at 95 degrees as should be done. It is easier to transition from the starting 95 to springy or summer nights of 65 - 70 degree weather than the sub zero weather that we can get in January.

If you live close to bargersville I have some started chicks that are outside but under a heat light. Others on here have started chicks too and even hens that they are wanting to sell or rehome. it might be easier this time of the year to get 2-3 of the laying hens Johnny has and buy chicks in Feb.

I agree chicks are easier to raise/house in spring-summer months.

Hens are always a good way to go but then if you still plan on chicks it's harder to introduce new chicks to grown chickens and then you have that battle. I prefer raising chicks this time of year just because I know come Spring they'll be laying vs. spring-summer raised chicks you might have to wait til the following spring before they're really into lay. It's all on preference and I agree if you have a few weeks off that is going to be the best timing for you to ensure you can keep an eye on them during the more critical time of their life early on.

Also if you have the right setup you don't have to have a coop right away, as chicks given the time of year, I don't put my chicks out to the large coop til spring so they spend their first 4 mos in the garage and I let them outside to free range on nice days once they've gotten to adjust to the cold temps at about 7 wks I remove the heat lamp all together. My garage stays warm no matter the temps outside. They all come to the back door of the garage at dusk for me to put them in their kennel for the night. Then Spring time I have to teach them that the coop is now their sleeping quarters not the garage. They always get it pretty quick!

My very first flock I did that with and we started building their coop on some nice days in early March that year. It worked just fine for us. Then we got our first egg...of course while we were in FL for Spring Break! lol My dad was helping take care of them while we were gone and I just knew it would happen...sure enough it did, I got a text with a picture attached of my first egg and I wasn't home! Go figure!

 

[Mother2Hens]

I'd disagree lol. I have heard of and seen pictures of that waterer catching fire. You can see the cord going into the base at the bottom. The cord is removeable, thus allowing moisture to easily come in contact with the electrical connection. Taking apart the heated water bowl, all the electrical connections are completely covered a rounding the heating element.

Leah's Mom ~ That's your choice. I was just presenting an opinion that taking apart electrical devices to repurpose them can be hazardous.
Cords: Another hazard to note is that rodents can chew electrical cords. Anti-chew cord protectors found on most heated dog bowls prevent that problem, although most cord protectors are only guaranteed for one year.
After raising three kids, I swear that raising chickens and preventing all the things that could go wrong is much more complicated! Just like any other chicken-related topic on this thread, there are pros and cons and more than one solution to each situation.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Just a reminder, I'll be going to Anderson, IN sometime tomorrow afternoon. If another is interested I still have a few chicks I'd like to sell (legbar cockerels, rhodebar cockerel, silkie cockerel, NNs) that I can bring with to meet up. I will be letting them go cheap to make room for other chickens. Also if anyone in northern Indiana is interested in Janet's (jchny2000) wyandottes, I'd be willing to transfer them up north to the Huntington area for you to pick up. Just get with me if you're interested in any of my birds and Janet if her birds to arrange payment (I would also be willing to pay her and you pay me at pickup).

I also believe M2H, offered to deliver the wyandottes down south as well for you southern folk!

Yes, I'll be in Indy on Wednesday the 20th and will head back to Evansville on Thursday the 21st. I don't mind taking different routes, so if anyone would like me to deliver chickens, just let me know. I am flexible.

Note to bradselig ~ What we all want are your Cochin chicks!

 

[bradselig]

Heated poultry waterer catching fire:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/601232/heated-waterer-anyone-using-this-product/60
Post 78 on that link.

I'd be happy to hatch you some Cochins!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

[COLOR=8B4513]Oops, here's the heated waterer I saw at TSC.[/COLOR]

I have read many reviews of those things just not working when bought new. Don't waste your money. The link Brad posted was scary, too! Yikes! I agree with Leahs Mom on the dismantled heated water bucket. I looked at the bottom of mine and there isn't any sealant or water stripping or anything to block water from getting in there as far as I can tell. At least the duct tape would slow the water down. I can't see how that's any more dangerous than leaving the water dish in one piece. I, of course, will look things over carefully before I do anything, though. Speaking of makeshift water heaters and etc, though, I wanted to post a warning to those using the kind with light bulbs. I recently read about Teflon-coated light bulbs producing a gas that will kill birds of any kind when they are lit. Sometimes they are not labelled as Teflon-coated, just as "shatter-proof". Please be careful and read closely if you're going to have light bulbs of any kind in the coop!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Cords: Another hazard to note is that rodents can chew electrical cords. Anti-chew cord protectors found on most heated dog bowls prevent that problem, although most cord protectors are only guaranteed for one year.
After raising three kids, I swear that raising chickens and preventing all the things that could go wrong is much more complicated! Just like any other chicken-related topic on this thread, there are pros and cons and more than one solution to each situation.

I must have missed the waterer fire debate.
But I'll chime in on the cords. The pan fry roosters I got from Meyer hatchery ate an outdoor grade extension cord about 6 inches of it. We had the cord buried about 3 inches under ground but that did not matter those roosters still found it and pecked away. Now we have the new cord running through a PVC pipe that just sits on the ground. easier than burying a new cord and hopefully chicken proof.

Quote: If only Greencastle was on the way. I would be doing my best to get in contact with the blue sumatra breeder. Instead I will continue to procrastinate.

 

[bradselig]

Ugh! Just my luck with the barred rocks! I'm watching a movie and notice the humidity level in my hatcher just has a small spike (I have a remote thermometer/hygrometer that displays on my end table). I go in to check and see the barred rock egg empty. I get excited but all I see are 2 yellow chicks! One was a silkie that just hatched a few hours prior. So that means my barred rocks are not actually barred rocks! So frustrating! I sent seller a message on eBay and just filed a claim. Between the first batch having not a single one develop and now the few that did develop not even barred rocks! I'm quite upset to say the least! I believe they are heritage RIR, at least that is the other breed the seller has listed. Anyone want it? May have a few more to go with it if they hatch.