INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

It started snowing a little bit ago. At least a 1/4 an inch in 30 mins. The roads aren't very good and people aren't learning to drive an better lol. My dad got in a wreck, well it guess it is yesterday now. A guy didnt stop,not because he slid, but because he wasn't paying attention. Bent the crap out of the passenger side, infront of the wheel, bent the rim, truck now needs to be realined. Then he borrowed his girlfriends van and someone backed into! Once again, not because it is slick but people dont know how to drive. The van was parked and no one was in it. Will get a new bumper. No one got hurt though, I bet they will say his 83 ford ranger is totaled, but I'm sure he will get it realined and drive it anyways. As far chickens, no one it froze yet. They are all fluffed up keeping warm, they have now also figured out another purpose of the buddy system. To stay warm!

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

O and I just saw on another thread, not to bring your chickens inside if they have frostbite. It actually will open them to infection. I didn't know that. Handy piece of info

 

[CRSelvey]

Quote:

CRSelvey ~ That link is such a great tool to plan a lovely garden --and then receive newsletters nagging you to get out there and weed the garden! Haha But seriously, it is amazing. I did not, however, notice any patchouli growing in your herb garden, though.

I'd also suggest adding black raspberries, which are the ultimate berry IMO.

Btw, "Mother Earth News" was hugely popular with Bloomington crunchy-hippies in the 70s, and I'm sure it still is today. If only SallyinIndiana could find some of those types to babysit! lol

Mother2Hens- I can play on that garden planner all day. Its nice that I can put what I want on there and then do enough research on "companion planting" in the winter to rearrange it before I get stuff in the ground. I'm not sure how the chickens are going to adjust to having their garden space invaded by plants! Also, thank you for the planting suggestions, I will definitely consider the patchouli and black raspberries will make my teenage DD overwhelmed with joy. Its funny, growing up in a fairly hippie community and family, I have never thought of patchouli being a plant. Its just a perfume, lol.

Thanks to all of you, my new run addition on the plan will also have a shelf above the chicken level so that I can have fodder growing at all times too. If that doesn't work out, it will be a nice day roost for them in the winter.

Alright, I'm looking for suggestions. That little parti silkie that was having eye issues is still not back to normal. I've done about 2 weeks of the prescription eye drops I had from another silkie that had this same issue. I've also tried 5 days of antibiotics which also didn't help. Now I'm trying OTC eye drops. I'm using vertericyn eye gel "stuff". I just started these last night and using it twice a day. Thoughts suggestions?

Brad, I am clearly no expert, but I did read a long group of blog updates by the chicken chick where her rooster had a problem with his eye. After taking Blaze to the vet and doing extensive testing, he had some kind of gross worm in his eye that was causing the infection. Maybe you could check out her thread and look up his situation. She also make a lot of posts on her facebook page.

O and I just saw on another thread, not to bring your chickens inside if they have frostbite. It actually will open them to infection. I didn't know that. Handy piece of info

Thank you for posting that info. it might explain a bacterial infection my chicken had.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

O and I just saw on another thread, not to bring your chickens inside if they have frostbite. It actually will open them to infection. I didn't know that. Handy piece of info

I do agree with that to an extent, because when they just have a few comb tips darkening, it doesn't seem like enough of an issue. However, when their comb and wattles are blue and swollen, I believe it's best to get them into the warmth to prevent further damage. Two of my girls, Rangi and Olive, had swollen wattles after that first bout of subzero temps at the beginning of the month and it took them several days inside before the swelling even reduced. They are now in the process of losing big portions of their wattles and the tips off of their combs, but they could have been much worse off if I had left them outside to tough through it. That's my policy. If you're really more worried about infection than frostbite damage in this case, then get some Neosporin to put on their combs and wattles while they're inside.

This should not be confused with justifying heating the coop, as adding heat to the coop can actually make frostbite worse by allowing moisture to stay in the cold air. Moisture in combination with cold is what causes frostbite, not just the cold itself. If you're seeing frostbite in your birds as I did, then that should tell you that you need to work on your winter ventilation. Remember, as long as it's not blowing directly at the birds while they roost, it can be a safe and effective source of ventilation in the wintertime.

As a side note, when you bring a bird into the house, you need to be prepared for them to stay in the house until it's at least warm enough that it won't be a shock to put them back outside. Rangi and Olive went back outside in that weekend of 40's we had just after those two days of subzero temps and they are doing fine now. I currently have a little banty, Rose, inside because she's been sick and it looks like now that she's better, she won't be going back outside for a long time. :/ Oh, well. Rosie's living the high life right now, although I can tell she misses her flock.

 

[bradselig]

Woke up to about 12 chicks out! A lot of blues with this batch! I think almost half that have hatched are blue!

 

[browncow15]

I have an ISA pullet laying a pretty dark brown egg.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Saw this guy on Instagram and thought some of you guinea owners would get a kick out of him!

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulturine_Guineafowl

Looks like Brad's kind of bird!

I am soooooo done with this winter! It makes me wonder if having chickens is worth it lol. I know it will be much more enjoyable once we start getting warmer weather. I really wish I had a nice big barn!

We're spoiled with having the chickens inside our barn. Whenever my DH says we should build a coop to make room in the barn for other animals I tell him I like it how it is! Well, the ducks really need to be outside more -- they're so messy! However, with having everyone in the barn, it's a bit farther away form the house than a coop might be. It's been hard this winter to keep an open path to get out there. We've been walking through and over snowdrifts that have crusted over (until the crust gives way & you sink!) Any time there's some wind, like forever now, any cleared path drifts shut. It's really fun when we have to make multiple trips back and forth with frozen water bowls for the rabbits and frozen waterers! But I'd definitely take that over having to be out in the elements trying to take care of animals!!

What an adorable family -- this picture is worth framing! You should submit it to a poultry magazine for publication

Alright, I'm looking for suggestions. That little parti silkie that was having eye issues is still not back to normal. I've done about 2 weeks of the prescription eye drops I had from another silkie that had this same issue. I've also tried 5 days of antibiotics which also didn't help. Now I'm trying OTC eye drops. I'm using vertericyn eye gel "stuff". I just started these last night and using it twice a day. Thoughts suggestions?

I don't remember reading what the eye issues were & I have no chicken eye experience whatsoever. But when we had a newborn kitten with eyes continually gooping up we used a honey wash in the eyes and over a couple of weeks it cleared up. I forget where in our beekeeping/honey info I read this but honey wash can be used in human or animal eyes. Honey has natural antibiotic properties. It can be used straight or diluted with water. Honey has been used for ages as a natural wound healer and salve. I often rub it over wounds before putting on a bandage. Don't know if it will help, but should be a safe thing to at least try.

 

[PeacefulWalls]

I have an ISA pullet laying a pretty dark brown egg.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My ISAs and cinnamon queens lay darker brown eggs too -- sometimes they're quite round and I can't tell which should be a pointy end!

 

[racinchickins]

Well, I lost my first adult chicken last night. When I went out this morning, my Jersey Giant was laying under her perch on the ground. Not sure why. She was near the bottom of the pecking order, and never really reached a large size. She was about 9months and I believe never laid an egg. I'll keep an eye on the rest of the flock for anything out of the ordinary. I wasn't as attached as some on here, but it still sucks to lose one. I will replace her though, JGs have always fascinated me. I will try to find a true giant line this time.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Well, I lost my first adult chicken last night. When I went out this morning, my Jersey Giant was laying under her perch on the ground. Not sure why. She was near the bottom of the pecking order, and never really reached a large size. She was about 9months and I believe never laid an egg. I'll keep an eye on the rest of the flock for anything out of the ordinary. I wasn't as attached as some on here, but it still sucks to lose one. I will replace her though, JGs have always fascinated me. I will try to find a true giant line this time.

It does stink to lose one. I have been considering bringing in my 2 smallest ones. But I'm nervous about mixing them back in the flock if they are gone for 48 hours or so.