INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Mother2Hens]

My broody girl first went broody at 8 mos old. I was concerned she was too young but let her try. She was very good at both determined sitting and taking care of the kiddos she hatched on New Year's eve 2012!

But...I tested her out before giving her eggs. I would actually take her off the nest and walk out to the farthest area of the range and put her on the ground. I did that for 3 days and each time she was determined to return to the nest. Then I moved her at night to a different location where I wanted her to set and observed her there for a couple days before she got the real eggs.

Leahs Mom ~ I looked out the window around noon and it looked like a shaken snow globe outside. Then I noticed the hens had made a run for the coop. Bonbon had been missing for a while, but when it started snowing, she came back up to the coop. That shows how dedicated she is! I looked in her previous nest and didn't see a new egg, so do you think she'd make a new nest since I discovered the old one? Bonbon reminds me of one of kabhyper's hens who'd act broody when it was convenient-- not totally devoted. That's fine with me, but I want her to be broody at the beginning of March. Hope she complies.

So far here at the new house (which we call The Treehouse!) we've had Pileated, Downy, Red-bellied, and Northern Flickers. I love wild birds! I am actually writing a novel about two birders who fall in love...although now I am sure in one of the sequels they will have to start keeping chickens...

leslea ~ Some day I am writing and illustrating a book about this thread copied in the style of the book, "Once Upon a Flock." (sorry, members, who've heard me hype that book too many times) Btw, your coop drawings remind me of that book!
CCCHICKENS~ That's interesting about the blue hen! Now I am really confused!
Originally Posted by jchny2000

WOW she is stunning! I am curious too, if thats mottled, or splash?
jchny ~ The blog says she's a "Dalmation"

 

[leslea]

Ye
Yes!!! So they aren't actually woodpeckers after all. I still think they are cute. I see them outside all the time. Not as cute are the giant owls that are here. I thought they were gorgeous until I got chickens. Now they are just scary. Ditto on the 4bald eagles that live down the road.

The nuthatches are the ones with the white bellies. They are kind of bluish grey and black. They land upside down on the trees and on the suet. So funny!

I think the top pic is actually a chickadee, but they are *everywhere*, too, and they are the hogs of the feeder. Even though they're tiny, they will empty a 2 liter bottle of seed in two days.

 

[leslea]

leslea ~ Some day I am writing and illustrating a book about this thread copied in the style of the book, "Once Upon a Flock." (sorry, members, who've heard me hype that book too many times) Btw, your coop drawings remind me of that book!

jchny ~ The blog says she's a "Dalmation"

You should write a book! Why not?



Ugh, all these cute chickens are making me crazy. Love the Dalmatian!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Wow, be sure to take pics, cant wait to see it progress!
Thats awesome on the drainage, you will be very relieved not to deal with mud and ick.

All this talk about Cochins... somebody needs to come over and give the big guy the birds and bees talk so I can get some eggs from these two!!!

X2, LOL! But seriously.... How old is he now, he may just not be "ready" yet.
Red crowed way before he was doing his job, maybe 8 months or longer?
I had all but given up on him!

 

[leslea]

Now I am worried about owls...I know what I will be dreaming about tonight!

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

chick rookie ~ Me, too!
Leahs Mom ~ I looked out the window around noon and it looked like a shaken snow globe outside. Then I noticed the hens had made a run for the coop. Bonbon had been missing for a while, but when it started snowing, she came back up to the coop. That shows how dedicated she is! I looked in her previous nest and didn't see a new egg, so do you think she'd make a new nest since I discovered the old one? Bonbon reminds me of one of kabhyper's hens who'd act broody when it was convenient-- not totally devoted. That's fine with me, but I want her to be broody at the beginning of March. Hope she complies.
leslea ~ Some day I am writing and illustrating a book about this thread copied in the style of the book, "Once Upon a Flock." (sorry, members, who've heard me hype that book too many times) Btw, your coop drawings remind me of that book!
CCCHICKENS~ That's interesting about the blue hen! Now I am really confused!
Originally Posted by jchny2000

WOW she is stunning! I am curious too, if thats mottled, or splash?
jchny ~ The blog says she's a "Dalmation"

There are different shades of blue, light blue, dark blue, medium blue with lacing. blues that have darker heads and neck,and so on, just like there are different shades of each race. I might be really pale compared to another person of the same race, but we are both still white. Then there is black and am sure you know what that looks like, some have a greenish blue sheen to them and then there is splash which is like white with black and blue speckles. All of these are breed together to get more blue, black, and splash offspring. Different pairings have different outcomes, if you would like to know the outcomes I could post them. Maybe you thought it was blue, black and, splash, because if came from BBS parents?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

[COLOR=8B4513]I forgot about them! I mainly see red-bellied (I agree, it's more of a reddish smudge) and the smaller fuzzy downy ones. The red-bellied ones have a striking graphic design. [/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]As far as splash and mottled, etc., I don't know anything, but I thought that a splash was more of a two-toned pattern like this blue/black splash orp:[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]OK-- I found the source of that pretty EE chicken. [/COLOR]Molting Hens - The price of Beauty for Chickens - My Pet Chicken Blog [COLOR=8B4513]It's interesting that her tail feathers changed color pattern after molting.[/COLOR]

That Orpington is blue. My lovely Frou-Frou is splash (and kind of blends in with the snow ) :

And my young Mr. Po is black:

They call the hatching eggs and offspring from birds like that Blue/Black/Splash because blue does not breed true and so you can't be guaranteed the color of the offspring. Blue x Blue produces an assortment of blue, black, and splash chicks--50% blue, 25% black, and 25% splash to be exact. That's interesting about that hen! Another genetic conundrum, I guess.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yes!!! So they aren't actually woodpeckers after all. I still think they are cute. I see them outside all the time. Not as cute are the giant owls that are here. I thought they were gorgeous until I got chickens. Now they are just scary. Ditto on the 4bald eagles that live down the road.

The nuthatches are the ones with the white bellies.  They are kind of bluish grey and black.  They land upside down on the trees and on the suet.  So funny!


I think the top pic is actually a chickadee, but they are *everywhere*, too, and they are the hogs of the feeder.  Even though they're tiny, they will empty a 2 liter bottle of seed in two days.  

Top picture was a red-breasted nuthatch. Bottom picture was a white-breasted nuthatch. Here's a chickadee:

ETA the previously mentioned pictures to avoid confusion.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I was able to get a not too bad picture this morning of the chicken I got from Brad. I'm thinking it is 1 rooster and 1 hen for sure but there are 2 that are much smaller than the roo and might be hens so gender guesses are welcome. The coop is going to be repainted this spring, sorry for the messy walls and roosting bars.


The one under the roosting bars is female. The dark one closet to her is the roo. It is the spacl chick in center and the dark one on the right that I'm not sure of.
Sorry about the picture quality. I'm not the best with a camera and it was really really cold this morning too.

Lovely birds, the one to the left looks like she will have excellent color!
I am kinda thinking 2 hens 2 roos but need a face shot and saddle.of the far right bird.

 

[leslea]

Mine have never pooped in the nest boxes. (And I don't let them sleep in there...they only lay eggs in them.)





If you put down a layer of wood chips then some dry grass clippings from the lawn mowing, it makes a nice nesting material...and if there happens to be a surprise poo, just grab the handful of grass and toss it out. Wicker shouldn't be an issue i would think except for the dustiness. But it sure is easier if you want to clean one out to just wipe down painted wood or plastic.

Awesome!

I was cruising Pinterest for those baskets and I came upon a pic of a vintage nesting box trio that someone was using for antiques. It hit me that I actually have something similar in my garage. I am pretty sure I bought it as a shelf to be used vertically in the corner of the room. It has rounded shelves, each one making a wedge. I have been looking at that thing for years, wondering if I should hang it up and let the kids put knickknacks on it, or turn it on its side and let them use it like a bookshelf with built in dividers. Then I saw this pic tonight and now I think I understand my "shelf's" ultimate destiny.



I don't sew, or I would try to figure out how to rip up privacy curtain for the nest boxes. I probably read too much but they seem like a good idea on the ChickenChick's blog. I swear, this coop is getting more decked out than my house is.