INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[chick rookie]

ChickCrazed & lilmiscareall ~ I bought some live mealworms today at the pet store-- $6 for one hundred (like they counted them!) They were the smallest mealworms I've ever seen. The largest were 1/4"! I guess it's better that way since it's the first treats they've eaten. I know they're supposed to mainly eat their chick food, but I've tried freeze dried ones before to entice them closer, but they weren't interested. Anyway, I put the container in the frig after they each had some, and I warned DH not to accidentally try some. The chicks were so excited when I let them out of the kennel and they saw what was in my hand. They were running and flying around acting silly, and I can tell that they will become more friendly if I have live treats.

My hens are the pickiest eaters as far as treats. Their favorite warm food that I make once a day when it's really cold is scrambled egg or tiny pieces of cut up chicken, which is the only meat they eat other than bugs/worms. This afternoon the sun was shining on the front of the house and the dirt/mulch under the eaves was dry, so I let the hens enjoy a change of scenery. They were so happy to be able to scratch around. We've had so much ice, but it's finally starting to melt.
Originally Posted by SallyinIndiana
mine like popcorn unless it is near snow.
Sally ~ hahaha ~ They're too suspicious!
Originally Posted by racinchickins
We use an electronic mouse trap in the house. It seems to work better than the snap traps. Probably because it doesn't matter how careful the mouse is, it just needs to make the connection between the plates. Also, there is no blood, so no smell of dead mouse to warn the next mouse. I think it is probably the most efficient and humane trap I've tried.
racinchickens~ If the veterinarians who conducted the study I mentioned approve rat zappers as humane, I'm sure the smaller versions are also good.
Leahs Mom and you have been helpful to let us know about that type of trap being an option.

DH rate is ok when he is awake but drops when he is asleep,they think it is the combination of the drugs they gave him for his blood pressure spike and the anesthesia, so they are HOPING it wares off by morning and he can come home maybe fri. my son is going to come stay with the critters tomorrow but he has to work Friday, he is a great help cause he was raised by me ... so he knows how to tend the critters. I just got off the phone with the nurse and she said she would call me if he needs anything so I am going to try and get some sleep, thanks all for the kind words and concern. Good night hope tomorrow brings better news for all not just me.

 

[PimentoPlymouth]

Well been in hiding pretty much all winter havent gotten on here but fiqured it was time to catch up some. This winter was a cold one for sure. Kind of curious as to what worked best for everyone keeping there water dethawed. I bought a heated waterer from rural king but it didnt hold up to well and for the price I was definatly disappointed. So looking for other allternatives for next winter to get in place now. Other than that hoping that my blue splash cochins decide to go broody for me and hatch some little chicks this year. Have some upcoming renovations in store for the chicken coop and run should be a good year for the feathered friends.

 

[racinchickins]

Well been in hiding pretty much all winter havent gotten on here but fiqured it was time to catch up some. This winter was a cold one for sure. Kind of curious as to what worked best for everyone keeping there water dethawed. I bought a heated waterer from rural king but it didnt hold up to well and for the price I was definatly disappointed. So looking for other allternatives for next winter to get in place now. Other than that hoping that my blue splash cochins decide to go broody for me and hatch some little chicks this year. Have some upcoming renovations in store for the chicken coop and run should be a good year for the feathered friends.

I have 5 heated dog water bowls and one heated bucket from RK. All work great. The only time I've had freezing issues is when it got to -15.

 

[gunchief25]

Morning all Cockadoooooooodledooooooo!!!

 

[PimentoPlymouth]

yea i was doing good until it got that could and the heated waterer froze and split the bottom of course the expensive part. I wasnt to found of how the heated waterers went together in the first place and on numerous occasions while carrying it to the coop the bottom came off and I got a nice cold bath.

 

[chick rookie]

Well been in hiding pretty much all winter havent gotten on here but fiqured it was time to catch up some. This winter was a cold one for sure. Kind of curious as to what worked best for everyone keeping there water dethawed. I bought a heated waterer from rural king but it didnt hold up to well and for the price I was definatly disappointed. So looking for other allternatives for next winter to get in place now. Other than that hoping that my blue splash cochins decide to go broody for me and hatch some little chicks this year. Have some upcoming renovations in store for the chicken coop and run should be a good year for the feathered friends.

I got a heated dog bowel, also from Rural King, and it has worked well all winter.

I've never seen enough mice around my chicken area to see my chickens catch any to eat. Maybe the mice stay clear of their area due to fear!

we have plenty of mice, all the fields and woods around us. they are sleeping under the water bowels, ( they are heated ) and so when I pick them up to dump the old water and clean it for fresh... the hens surround me waiting for the little micy to run away!!! it is too funny

guess it is one of those things that ya just have to see to get...

Mealworms!
My marans love them. They were so flighty as chicks and they still act a bit freaked out when I reach for them, but if mealworms are involved, they're on it. I could probably get them to walk down a sidewalk with me.

I cant get the meal worms out of the bag fast enough... the girls are always jumping at the bag till I get it open and give them some... lol

LOL!

I'm pretty sure my family thinks I am an animal hoarder. The five dogs and 2 parakeets were too many for them. Then I added the 32 chickens. Yep tune in, it's either going to be an episode of Animal Hoarders or Intervention. I'm just waiting to get called to some random hotel room full of family, or get a knock on the door from animal control.

if they come for you they will come for me too... 27-30 chickens, 3 horses, 5 goats and 6 dogs, and then we have ????fish who knows how many... So maybe we will have adjoining rooms....

 

[chick rookie]

I have come up with a way to fix my Starling problem... after looking at so many ideals I have come up with this:
going to make doom type hoods over all my feeders and hang them all about a ft off the ground. the birds wont have a place to light to eat but the chickens can reach and will have room to get their heads in to eat.
Course with DH out of commission for awhile I will have to do it and I'm not much of a builder... but will figure it out.
The Starlings are slowly getting used to my bags, can, and pans... found 3 in the house day before yesterday and 5 yesterday. Still better then it was but I want it down to 0... and the number will keep climbing till I'm back to 100 again.

About DH:
he is coming home today... HE SAYS SO and no one can tell him any different.... I think it will be OK thou cause his heart rate has been climbing all night and is almost back to normal he wants me there now but I am stalling... saying it don't make sense to come now, I have got to feed and after that I will be there, I think feeding is going to take extra long today... I am going to have a water problem or maybe the horses got out and I have to go look for them???? Something is going to delay me you watch and see...

 

[ChickCrazed]

I have come up with a way to fix my Starling problem... after looking at so many ideals I have come up with this:
going to make doom type hoods over all my feeders and hang them all about a ft off the ground. the birds wont have a place to light to eat but the chickens can reach and will have room to get their heads in to eat.
Course with DH out of commission for awhile I will have to do it and I'm not much of a builder... but will figure it out.
The Starlings are slowly getting used to my bags, can, and pans... found 3 in the house day before yesterday and 5 yesterday. Still better then it was but I want it down to 0... and the number will keep climbing till I'm back to 100 again.

About DH:
he is coming home today... HE SAYS SO and no one can tell him any different.... I think it will be OK thou cause his heart rate has been climbing all night and is almost back to normal he wants me there now but I am stalling... saying it don't make sense to come now, I have got to feed and after that I will be there, I think feeding is going to take extra long today... I am going to have a water problem or maybe the horses got out and I have to go look for them???? Something is going to delay me you watch and see...

One of my first projects is going to be building a couple of these treadle feeders to keep the wild birds out. I have greatly diminished my numbers and totally gotten rid of the starlings (you should have seen them stalking my coop for days after I got the netting up! There were about 15 sitting on my coop at one point!). I still have a few sparrows that are squeezing in somehow, and then they can't get back out so every day I am letting them out only to find them back in there the next day. Still annoying and I still don't like them being in such close proximity to the kids. Here are the plans I am going to follow, I plan on building a few for myself and can build extras if anyone else wants them. I think the materials are around $35 each, so not too bad.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/building-a-treadle-chicken-feeder

 

[ChickCrazed]

I have 5 heated dog water bowls and one heated bucket from RK. All work great. The only time I've had freezing issues is when it got to -15.

My heated dog bowl worked great until that last really cold spell. It got completely iced under and then stopped working. I haven't gotten it de-iced to figure out why but i was kind of disappointed after spending $30 on it. I had to run around in the negative temps trying to figure out what else I could use. Luckily I had heated buckets for the horses that I wasn't using.

 

[PimentoPlymouth]

Im going to try my hand at making a nipple fed waterer out of a large cooler this summer and putting a bird bath heather in it with some sort of pump to keep the water circulating through the PVC to keep it from freezing. If we are going to continue to have winters like this one im going to have to fiqure some out. Im hoping it will work as planned and the take to the nipple system fairly easy.