INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Only using this to keep the birds from flying through the chain link.......And as an overhead to keep hawks out.

NOT FOR PREDATOR CONTROL!!!!!!!

It's very light weight.
Oh no, definitely not to keep predators out. It was to keep the chickens in, and wild ones out.
This last snow and some tree branches really hurt my coops run.
Be glad when the weather lets us rebuild!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: I personally think its the severe weather and temp changes causing some of the colds. I won't cull a bird for a simple infection either.
I do separate them if possible. I think we all have different approach on flock management.

 

[Mother2Hens]

My Cochins all lay light eggs like that one a and they have tine white speckles. They are also more elongated than my wyandottes eggs.
I do happen to know someone with a trimmer but I don't think using said trimmer on poopy chicken butts would help my mission to get chicks this year

. I'll probably stick with scissors this time.

So it was a busy afternoon. I was talking to my DH today and he said what's that on Kiki (the cat). Um, I don't know...I looked at my cat and she had this horrible rash like wound on her leg. I got her a vet appt ASAP and then remembered that I used the cat carrier to house one of the MD chickens and I haven't cleaned it out yet (I'm a slacker, what can I say). So to the vet she went in a box. It wasn't very stylish. She got a shot and some antibiotics. Then the vet says she hopes that clears it up so we don't have to look at bad things for possible causes. I'm an idiot because I just had to ask what bad was. That would be cancer. My vote is an infection. This cat is awesome and hasn't had one sick day in her 11 years. It can't be cancer. Period

On a high note, I became an auntie to twin girls this morning

. Now I have 4 nieces under the age of four. I am already anticipating how hard that will be having 4 girls going to high school at the same time. Do you think counseling sessions make good Christmas presents?

CRselvey ~ Wow, I've had cats my whole life and I've never heard of that (and I thought that I had been through everything possible with my cats through the years-- and those things always seemed to happen at a time when the only place open was the Pet Emergency Center). I'm glad you were able to get Kiki into the vet and treated. And don't feel bad about using a box as a carrier -- bradselig uses them for photoshoots of his chicks.

Congrats on the niece additions, auntie. Twin nieces sound like fun-- more than twin daughters! lol Are they locally grown, so your Savannah can join the flock? And do you mean counseling sessions for the mothers?

I was just looking about info for sexing chicks and I ran across this old-fashioned method. Does anyone have comments?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Its taken me two days but I have finally caught up. Just wanted to drop in and say hey. Lovely pics everyone, sorry to everyone who has lost birds or who is dealing with issues. Don't remember who it was that was looking for hay up here in this area but we may have some alfalfa hay if you are still interested. I have to talk to my bf. He works 3rd shift so he is sleeping right now but I will talk to him tonight if still interested.
Hope everyone is having a great day. Back to lurking now.

Hope all is going well for you! You don't have to lurk tho, unless you just want to

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It is never easy to cull when you can help the chick get better in a week or so. But for me it depends on how busy I am as well as how the chick culd grow up. I have rehomed a special chick before with notice that it would be blind in 1 eye as it was pecked by its sister.

Thanks guys. I was just wondering. Culling is never easy. It seemed there were several people with silkies having respiratory issues. Thought perhaps it was a predisposition of the breed.Thankfully no one culls me for that.

Keep in mind that cull usually just means 'Remove from the breeding pool'. Not always killing the chick. So taking them out of the breeding pen or re-homing is also "culling". As far as the goopy eye thing goes, some breeders would remove a bird that had that problem if none of the others came down with it. Just to keep the vigor of the breeding stock at the highest level possible. I have three legbar hens, but I have 'culled' one because she doesn't walk normally and hasn't grown as big as the others. She was one of my first hatchlings, so she will lead as long a life as possible with my flock, but I won't hatch any eggs from her.

When I "cull" I put the "less than perfects" in my egg flock too. When I get too many LF roos, then I pick who needs to have that bad day.
Aside from normal farming and flock control, I won't outright kill a bird unless it harms/attacks other flock members, or people (me!)
The BBW turkey that killed one of my roosters last fall was immediately dinner for example.. The rooster did not provoke it.
Not meaning regular pecking order or mating rituals.. aggressive outright mean birds do not stay.
I do raise meat birds too. Even some meat birds might stay, LilX is Cornish cross & 2 years old in July! My tiny BBW hen will be a year in march.

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I fully understand! My biggest peafowl does not free range yet. He decided to dash out of the grow out coop.
He went into the cottonwood tree Waaaay up to the top

Then to the barn... it took almost 2 hours to coax him in.
I admit he is impressive, beautiful in flight! Scared the daylights out of the other birds too!

My first egg! I just happened to go check on the flock, one last time, before I headed to work and there it was.
Phew! One of the Cochins is finally paying her rent.
Edited to add: My husband told his coworkers and they're all asking him what we are going to do with it... *le sigh*

Ohh, save it! I think john had posted to blow it out and keep it as a keepsake!

 

[ellymayRans]

Hope all is going well for you! You don't have to lurk tho, unless you just want to
When I "cull" I put the "less than perfects" in my egg flock too. When I get too many LF roos, then I pick who needs to have that bad day.
Aside from normal farming and flock control, I won't outright kill a bird unless it harms/attacks other flock members, or people (me!)
The BBW turkey that killed one of my roosters last fall was immediately dinner for example.. The rooster did not provoke it.
Not meaning regular pecking order or mating rituals.. aggressive outright mean birds do not stay.
I do raise meat birds too. Even some meat birds might stay, LilX is Cornish cross & 2 years old in July! My tiny BBW hen will be a year in march.
I fully understand! My biggest peafowl does not free range yet. He decided to dash out of the grow out coop.
He went into the cottonwood tree Waaaay up to the top Then to the barn... it took almost 2 hours to coax him in.
I admit he is impressive, beautiful in flight! Scared the daylights out of the other birds too!

Ohh, save it! I think john had posted to blow it out and keep it as a keepsake!

that is so funny you say that about your pea cuz mine just scares the daylights out of the chickens when she decides to fly..all kinds a screeching and screams! They act like they've never seen her before and a hawk has just landed!! I can't help but laugh at them!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:

I can't kill a bird. I especially would not kill a Silkie! To me is use the other "definition" of cull. All my birds are "pets" and the silkies will be separated from the big girls so the big ones don't hurt the littles. My coop and run is ready n waiting! Lol they get t be spoiled for a couple days while in temp Quarantine. Temp meaning Temperature and temporary. I want t be sure they tolerate the cold here ok.
They won't be killed but possibly put into a no breeding situation. I don't believe in killing unless is an absolute MUST.

Bantams do not get used as food here. Usually there are never any mean roos in the group either!
I have no problem finding homes for the extra bantam boys I cant keep. More people seem to want a rooster these days.
If someone comes to buy hens, I always offer a roo if they want one for free.

Quote: We love pictures! Thanks for sharing! Oh my goodness, I love your flock! Especially the older girl and surrogate mom

Checked the weather forecast on weather.com, not going to get above freezing for at least 10 days. I'm so over this. I want the ground to thaw to start work on a run. There are so many things I want to get going outside that need above freezing temps for more than 1 out of 14 days.

X2!

Now with the top of my pen messed up, I am very worried about raccoon.

 

[lilmizscareall]

My Cochins all lay light eggs like that one a and they have tine white speckles. They are also more elongated than my wyandottes eggs.
I do happen to know someone with a trimmer but I don't think using said trimmer on poopy chicken butts would help my mission to get chicks this year . I'll probably stick with scissors this time.

So it was a busy afternoon. I was talking to my DH today and he said what's that on Kiki (the cat). Um, I don't know...I looked at my cat and she had this horrible rash like wound on her leg. I got her a vet appt ASAP and then remembered that I used the cat carrier to house one of the MD chickens and I haven't cleaned it out yet (I'm a slacker, what can I say). So to the vet she went in a box. It wasn't very stylish. She got a shot and some antibiotics. Then the vet says she hopes that clears it up so we don't have to look at bad things for possible causes. I'm an idiot because I just had to ask what bad was. That would be cancer. My vote is an infection. This cat is awesome and hasn't had one sick day in her 11 years. It can't be cancer. Period

On a high note, I became an auntie to twin girls this morning . Now I have 4 nieces under the age of four. I am already anticipating how hard that will be having 4 girls going to high school at the same time. Do you think counseling sessions make good Christmas presents?

This egg is perfectly cream. No specks...
Now you all have me second guessing! The poor Silkie has been through a rough patch since Dec 24th(well maybe even longer), she keeps getting moved around and just yesterday(Tuesday) she went back out with the flock. Maybe SHE is trying to show that she's a good sport and doesn't mind all the extra stress. Lol!

Congrats on more auntie-hood!!!!

 

[lilmizscareall]

[COLOR=000080]CRselvey[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]~ Wow, I've had cats my whole life and I've never heard of that (and I thought that I had been through everything possible with my cats through the years-- and those things always seemed to happen at a time when the only place open was the Pet Emergency Center). I'm glad you were able to get Kiki into the vet and treated. And don't feel bad about using a box as a carrier -- bradselig uses them for photoshoots of his chicks. [/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Congrats on the niece additions, auntie. Twin nieces sound like fun-- more than twin daughters! lol Are they locally grown, so your Savannah can join the flock? And do you mean counseling sessions for the mothers? [/COLOR] [rule][COLOR=A52A2A]I was just looking about info for sexing chicks and I ran across this old-fashioned method. Does anyone have comments?[/COLOR]

Looks a bit like chicken yoga!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

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"Jumps up on the soapbox"
Many good points. I do agree with what you are saying. I think you will find some of us with large flocks will have more issues too.
The whole antibiotic/GMO craze going into our animals is why human viruses are so much harder to control.
Its no different that what is being pumped into our store bought foods. Not healthy for them, or US!
Its the #1 reason I started raising birds again after almost 30 years.
I can, will and do kill birds for food purposes. I have killed chicks for severe deformities (heartbreaking)

Obviously the peafowl and geese are not food, well 1 gander is pushing me

...UGH!
I just can't kill a bird if it has a cold in its eye or a simply, easily fixed problem...I guess I judge each case as it comes.
I have a few that have had an eye pecked. They do just fine and for me, not a reason to kill them.
Even both my grandmothers used "sulfa" drugs for a bird with the "croup" and would never waste a single chick.
One from Germany, the other from PA hills. Both did things the same. That's what I call a true "old timer".
And its a family decision too. Dad would just go into orbit

let alone my Ma, both are in their 80s.
Both my parents have set with chicks and eggs for hours if we have power outages, every life is precious.
We all sit around buried in blankets with babies and eggs under our sweaters

I guess I respect what they have taught me, and learn from all of you too!
The birds with issues do not stay in my breeding flocks, they go to the egg coop. "Egg coop" birds do not get sold here.
They are our food birds, egg birds, and most are our pets. Some even have went "wild" and rarely even come in and eat.
I can still call out Weeeeweee chickie chickies and every bird is there, waiting for treats.
Deformities I just won't do it anymore. It is heartbreaking, and they are suffering too.
Quality of life is the hardest decision to make on any bird. We all have to follow the practices we feel fit our flocks.
(steps off the soapbox)

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Ha Ha, I was surfing ebay and saw it happening out in CA.

But really your rooster crowed, mine rarely crow. I have a tiny sumatra that crows more that the HRIR. But my HRIR sure do mate well, and they love showing me how often they mate. Since i want them to mate I don't put a stop to it but I will carry them around the coop for fun. It is amazing to me that such a large rooster is so calm and easy to hold.
LOL usually my tiniest roo, Harry starts it! he may weigh a pound

I need to record him, its too precious but kills your ear if he is on your shoulder!
My best buddy to hold is my BA Bruce. I just love the big guy. He has a beautiful crow.

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I've made many "blown" egg ornaments. They turn out beautiful! Several family members and close friends have them on their trees.
Lovely! Thats a great idea!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Here are my hold backs from this last hatch. One of the blue partis is Cluck Acres.

Too sweet, the one on the right is just adorable!

Quote: Congrats on that first egg! So now the question is: which one is paying her rent and who gets the eviction notice? Lol. Jk

Quote: I have seen some pretty outrageous stuff! Cragslist is always fun!