INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have shown dairy and meat but I get to attached to them so I can't send the meat to slaughter lol

I have had goats almost my entire life, they are like a dog with horns,
Mine are here for milk only, I just cannot get past the pet frame of mind.
We have Oberhasli, a buck and 2 unrelated does.

So I went to work today at 9am. Roads were ok. Left early at 1pm and I couldn't see hardly anything! People are crazy out there too! Who goes into Lowes just to browse when the roads are this bad?

Its craziness. Really hope people realize if the Gov says stay home, its really that bad!

I have a buff orpington, Jersey giant, and a Easter egged right now. I will be getting more in the spring.

and our thread, nice to meet you

Re: Waterers
I have a 5 gallon bucket with three nipples… but they still eat the snow…

There is heat tape wrapped around the bottom half of the bucket, with a second bucket over it to curb chicken curiosity. I usually make sure the water stays above where the heat tape starts(ends?). Heat tape is AMAZING and I can't wait to see how my system works over the next few days.


Re: Frostbite
I am fairly confident in the amount of ventilation in my coop, but I can't help but stress out over it. So I have a question…Other than the obvious "too late" symptoms(blisters, blackening, etc) What is the sign of a safe comb? I checked out my two boys and they look really good. Big Roo's comb is bright red, soft and warm. René's is pink, but I think that he hasn't matured yet, soft and warm as well. Will they feel cold before getting frostbit? Like "oh hey, I can't feel my hands anymore, I should probably put on mittens and maybe go inside???" Will putting little aprons/coats(NOT going to happen) on them keep them warmer and in turn help prevent frostbite? I don't plan on heating their coop and honestly don't think I have the capability to anyways. Im thinking tonight when everyone it roosting Ill be out there dab dab dabbing some sort of goo on everyones combs and wattles!


Other than that we are weathering well! I put some peg board next to and on top of the run and the chooks have been out there all day. I just went out and scraped the snow off and got to hang out for a bit. Seriously, I miss spending time with my birds!

Eited to add: ARGH! I need to buy a heated water bowl for the outdoor cats and I forgot to do it!

If your birds are warm, and dry its ok. Bubbled skin is what you first see with frostbite, then it turns black, I watch close on all of my birds & livestock.
Mine are all staying cooped and indoors. this is some horrible temp swings and incredible wind chills,

For Northern IN...

expecting upwards of a foot of snow EVERYWHERE over the next 36 hours

A WIND CHILL WARNING is also in effect Monday 1 a.m. to Tuesday 8 p.m. EST for the entire area. Wind chills may surpass -40°, which poses an extreme threat for frostbite and hypothermia.


I'm having trouble keeping up with shoveling the dog kennel run. How is everyone else doing?

We are buried here. close to a foot. Being in a valley we are getting a lot drifting in too.
I grew up in Lake county so its no biggie but i HATE driving in it!
Shoveled out all the runs. My arms feel like they will fall off!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I think I have 20 silkies and 3 Marans that hatched. There are still a few eggs in the bator but I don't think they will hatch but still left them in there. I also just out 3 dozen more eggs in the incubator! 26 silkies, 2 showgirls, 5 moderns, and 3 barnyard mix. I'm really liking incubating in the little giant and hatching in my cabinet incubator. The cabinet is much easier to maintain humidity and when they all start hatching at once, doesn't increase it so much that the chicks start getting stuck in the shells.

Its hard to keep humidity up and thats the worst part of hatching in the winter.
I really like using my still air LG for hatching. opens up the other 2 a lot for setting eggs.

40 degrees and rainy here. Our snow forecast is fluctuating between 3-6" and 1-3", but either way we are looking at record cold temps tonight and tomorrow. I have a few stubborn hens that are camped out under a picnic table in the yard - 2 EEs and a BA. DH and I tried to round them up this morning but they weren't having it. We placed a tarp over the picnic table and a bowl of food - mostly corn - to keep them as dry and well-fed as possible. I'm hoping that once the snow begins they will be more cooperative and let us put them away with the other girls.

The new coop was scheduled to be delivered and assembled tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure that's not happening.

ugh, everything is slowed or stopped for shipping.

I live in southern Indiana.

We have a few members near you!

CCCCCCCCHICKENS told me about this thread, I'm glad to chat and share with people from my home state. I live in terre haute In. I have 21 hens of different breeds. and am looking to expand. I want to add EE's about 15 and 5 or 6 blue Ameraucana's and 5 or 6 Wheaten Ameraucana's and some Olive EE's too. got a question... is there other colors in the Ameraucana's? I've been researching and those are the only tow I have run into so far. and I just found out BR's lay a pink tinted egg so I might get a few of those too.
I also have 3 Horses and 5 Goats and 6 dogs including 2 LGD's that are in love with the Goats...lol
My grandmom has had chickens all her life the most I can remember her having at 1 time is 100, they all were her kids.
I started my own flock last year when I was at an auction and this guy was going to kill to EE's ( didn't know what they were at the time ) right there!!!!! cause they were older hens and no one bid on them. so I gave him 5.00 bucks each and got them home and they lived in the garage till DH built me a coop. That started a fever I still have not kicked... lol

and our thread

There is a few people out there that are heartless, Sounds like you have a great start on your flock!

 

[animallover2202]

i hope everyone and there animals are keeping warm

 

[kabhyper1]

Baby silkie egg. My video isn't great but you can see the little one moving around!

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Baby silkie egg. My video isn't great but you can see the little one moving around!

Nice video! Trust me, much better than I could do lol. What day are your broodies on?

 

[kabhyper1]

Nice video! Trust me, much better than I could do lol. What day are your broodies on?

I'm not sure, I forgot to write it down. Ugh. I think around a week and a half.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I'm not sure, I forgot to write it down. Ugh. I think around a week and a half.

I have done that before, but with an incubator, which isn't so good. Because at day 18 you have to change humidity and thats hard to do when you dont when day 18 is.

 

[kabhyper1]

I have done that before, but with an incubator, which isn't so good. Because at day 18 you have to change humidity and thats hard to do when you dont when day 18 is.

I found it. January 29th, so 1 week 2 days ago. I don't have to worry about that thank goodness. The moms have it. I candled them all tonight. Ashes had two of her next to her instead of under her and they are developing. They were cold, so I hope they are okay. I put them back under her. I think she is going back with the flock and snow is getting her eggs. Ashes is losing weight, not interested in eating and isn't very attentive to her eggs. Do you think it would be an issue doing that?

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I found it. January 29th, so 1 week 2 days ago. I don't have to worry about that thank goodness. The moms have it. I candled them all tonight. Ashes had two of her next to her instead of under her and they are developing. They were cold, so I hope they are okay. I put them back under her. I think she is going back with the flock and snow is getting her eggs. Ashes is losing weight, not interested in eating and isn't very attentive to her eggs. Do you think it would be an issue doing that?

A lot of broodies lose weight. By your description snow sounds like she would have no problem with the extra eggs. As far as putting ashes back with the others. I don't know how much good that will do, because she will probably still lay around like she is broody.If you put her back with the others I would try and break her.

 

[kabhyper1]

A lot of broodies lose weight. By your description snow sounds like she would have no problem with the extra eggs. As far as putting ashes back with the others. I don't know how much good that will do, because she will probably still lay around like she is broody.If you put her back with the others I would try and break her.

I couldn't break her before, so thats why I gave her eggs. She's a turd.