INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

Morning all Cockadooooodledoooooooo!!!

The new baby chicks are doing great. They are happy little campers in their little Brooder inside my shed. Nice and toasty warm.

Its so exciting to add new babies! All of my littles are in my den right now. They will go out to the porch in a few weeks, my den smells like pine and chickens

Our house is still at drywall stage so its not bothering me a lot, but once I have my office trailer set up with electric, no more chicks in the house. It creates a lot of dust.
I have around 39 chicken eggs, and 46 quail eggs in lockdown. Going to be a really busy day the 20th!

Taking my daughter to RK, so she can help me pick out some SLW they got in yesterday. They said today starts "chick days" is this a discount or something? What is chick days all about?

It means they will have chicks in-store. And it also means I need to stay away from all the feed stores a few months

 

[bradselig]

Has anyone found any other stores with chicks yet? Thankfully rural king is not very close, but may have to make the trip here soon!

 

[Mother2Hens]

Just getting started. We are in Clay Co. Our babies are just 6 days old and we got them at RK. We have 3 barred rock, 3 light Brahma, 3 Welsummer, and 3 black jersey giants- all pullets. We only want eggs from them at this time and plan to have them in a coop with a run. Do we need a rooster? A lot of people have told us we do.

Guinns chicks ~ Welcome to the Indiana Thread! Please see page 2151 at the bottom with the heading: "Do you want to be listed . . ." for more info about our great Indiana group! You have a wonderful selection of chicks! You'll see changes in them every day.

Originally Posted by CRSelvey
Max update: I took Max to the vet this morning and it was good news. After x-rays they confirmed that it was some kind of puncture wound that they are leaving open after cleaning it out good. He's staying at least one night while he recovers from the anesthesia and they gave him some antibiotics and pain meds.
I had to wrap him in a blanket to make sure I didn't get bit this morning trying to move him, but he was an angel. I put him in a laundry basket to keep him stable and once we got to the vet's office, he perked right up. I think it was an adrenaline rush, but who knows.

CRSelvey ~ You've probably noticed that phenomenon with your own kids by now . . . they're really sick, and you take them to the doctor and they suddenly perk up in the doctor's office, which makes you like you over-reacted to their complaints.

He is a pretty dog-- and a lucky one, too, to be abandoned and adopted by a loving family.

Btw! I forgot to mention that I loved the link you posted with walkways for chickens to avoid the snow! That's a great idea.
Our snow/ice is mostly melted and tomorrow is going to be 55 and sunny!!!

2 EE's


2 black Australorp's


2 GLW

And 2 SLW

The EE's and Australorp's are pullets and the Wyandotte's are strait run. I'm hoping for pullets, I went with the shorter feather sexing lol I hope it pays off.

raisinemright ~ Oooh You're so lucky! Precious!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Just getting started. We are in Clay Co. Our babies are just 6 days old and we got them at RK. We have 3 barred rock, 3 light Brahma, 3 Welsummer, and 3 black jersey giants- all pullets. We only want eggs from them at this time and plan to have them in a coop with a run. Do we need a rooster? A lot of people have told us we do.

and our thread!
If you do not want to hatch, then no. A rooster would help to alert your flock to danger if you free range, but its not necessary. I keep several roo's for that reason alone.

Quote: I had fox problems with my goslings, but we don't have a LGD yet. Electric fence helped a lot, but the heavy snows killed my runs.
We have to rebuild a lot of it.

We have 4 dogs and have been introducing them to the chicks. One of our labs seems to think they are her babies. Since they are still young they are in a tote with heat lamps and dogs only see them if we have them out. Worried about free range as we live on highway 40 and 70 is always getting rerouted here. We have 6 acres and want to give them big run with a coop.

My free rangers stay within an acre usually. We live on a county road near a grade school, but so far

no losses to cars. I have had this flock 2 years now.

Quote: Oooooooo JGs! That's very interesting, will keep that in mind. I finally have 4 chicks, hope to get more.

I don't recall who was having a wild bird problem but here is a link to one suggestion.
http://nuge67.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/air-rifles-and-the-homestead/

And Spring must be getting closer as our neighborhood hawk is back. I'll put up my owl once the big wind storms are over.

I keep seeing a small gray one with a white belly. I see it goes after the starlings. I leave it alone, doing me a favor.
Would love to know what it is, the wings are laced.

Th
Quote: Just take it slow. Silkies seem to think they are all massive birds and have no fear of LF birds at all.
My oldest hen Fluff is a real control freak, and bosses the BCM and polish hens.
Keep an eye out for both breeds, but I think u will be ok. I usually introduce egg flock, LF birds when they are feathered.
Silkies usually stay together in my grow out coop, I try to not cross them with the other breeds.


That's my intention.. To not cross breed them I mean. Want to b able to allow both t forage at th same time though. If i do allow that at dusk will they go back t their own coops or will they mix themselves up? And if I have my duckies out will they all "go to their own homes" or try "sleep overs" with their new friends?
The problem will be the chickens, if there are roosters. They won't care how big or small the hen is.
Drakes will also try to mate a hen, and that's really bad.
They can cause damage to the hen internally, so its best to not let them range or coop with chickens if possible.
I do have my scovies in with my chickens, but those drakes are too slow and fat to catch a hen. They will still be separated this spring to be safe.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Glad that Max the dog is doing fine - here's our fuzzy 4-legged child:




. . . . he even has his own facebook page ;-)

iamfivewire~ He is so adorable! Looks like a little snow dog! I'm thinking that you said before that he was a rescue.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:

CRSelvey~ Chickens live in coops? haha I detect your new plan for your DH . . . He never said anything about not having geese, did he?

Beckett has been begging us for a pair of ducks. Ducks are cute, but I think those geese are gorgeous... if we ever give in

. Besides we all know that pets eventually become the Mothers right?

If you want to bring your not nice roo, DH can make sure the roo has a bad night.

I really wish I could bring mine.

Max update: I took Max to the vet this morning and it was good news. After x-rays they confirmed that it was some kind of puncture wound that they are leaving open after cleaning it out good. He's staying at least one night while he recovers from the anesthesia and they gave him some antibiotics and pain meds. While he was out they also removed the little dew claw that he keeps snagging on things. It was a really strange one, it had two nails on one claw. Normally, I'm not in favor of trimming dog parts, but that little thing caused him so many troubles in the short time we have had him. So, two problems cured in one visit.

I had to wrap him in a blanket to make sure I didn't get bit this morning trying to move him, but he was an angel. I put him in a laundry basket to keep him stable and once we got to the vet's office, he perked right up. I think it was an adrenaline rush, but who knows.
I love his little black eyelashes!


He is such a doll! I hope he recovers fast

Quote:

You betcha, bear with me things are totally nuts around here.
I can do the mealie bin tonight yet , I need to change the feed for one bin.

Curse you RK and your chick days!! People I don't have the strength to say no! I need help I admit it, that's the first step right???

Pics coming soon!

ugh I hear ya, I have babies up to my ears

enjoying every second of it too.

2 EE's


2 black Australorp's


2 GLW

And 2 SLW

The EE's and Australorp's are pullets and the Wyandotte's are strait run. I'm hoping for pullets, I went with the shorter feather sexing lol I hope it pays off.

babies!!! Good luck! I have hen luck. I bought all pullets and I bet there isn't a single roo in the batch.
Problem is I want roos too! I am already looking for WL, BR, RIR and JG roos.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: You are more than welcome to bring a rooster to us, but it is a bit of a drive unless you are going to be in the area. We don't have a plucker but DH can show you the gutting and manual plucking process.

Patrick is doing processing this Sunday and he is a bit closer to you than we are. He has his new plucker so it would save a lot of time. Also I think he knows more about identifying the insides of the chicken. I tend to toss organs and may don't. My chickens do like the livers so I save those for winter.

Quote: I have not shot one. My boy was looking at some the other day but he is much too young for a gun. I might be on the other end, past learning how to shoot a critter.
I do have plenty of practice shooting nerf guns with my son though.
That's a very economical gun. No loud noise and no recoil, its ideal for small nuisance animals, and those pellets can kill a larger animal if aimed properly.
And let me say NO gun is a toy

. Even a pellet gun. We raised both daughters to understand any gun is deadly, and I was avid about guns in 4H, I strongly support education on guns. Assume they are all loaded. I usually carry a 22 rifle with me all day, we have a lot of fox and coyote, and stray dogs have been costly to us too.
Its the cheapest, most humane & overall best method to dispatch a predator quick. I do have a few other rifles, but my lil Ruger 10-22 is by far the easiest to shoot. If I am faced with that decision, I don't want the animal to suffer.

I had a a blue ameraucana bantam cockerel get beat up yesterday, by another rooster. Just a bald spot on his head and his beard pulled, but I felt bad for him. I seperated him. I went out today and he was kind of waddling. I picked him up and his feet and legs were cold and hard as rock, he couldn't bend them and neither could I. IMO it is entirely to cold to be bringing him in the house to soak his feet. I know it isn't paralysis, because I should still be able to move them. It was like his legs and toes had literally froze. I just held his feet in my hands for 15 mins and that did the trick. I could bend them and he was walking a lot better, might take him a few days to get his "land legs back". I have a feeling I might have to do that the next couple of days. I think his legs and toes were actually froze! Anybody had something like that happen before? He is perfectly healthy, just not as big of an ego now. No frostbite or anything. I checked majority of my other chickens, including other bantams near him and they were all perfectly fine. It is no colder where he is then anybody else. I just never had it happen before, thought it was a little odd and wondered if anyone else had experienced this.

No, but wow, poor guy. Sounds to me like he was pretty devastated losing his "position".
If he stayed still and didn't make the efforts to keep his body heat up, I can see it happening.
Hope he will be ok.

Quote: You are more than welcome to bring a rooster to us, but it is a bit of a drive unless you are going to be in the area. We don't have a plucker but DH can show you the gutting and manual plucking process.


Patrick is doing processing this Sunday and he is a bit closer to you than we are. He has his new plucker so it would save a lot of time. Also I think he knows more about identifying the insides of the chicken. I tend to toss organs and may don't. My chickens do like the livers so I save those for winter.

Quote: I have not shot one. My boy was looking at some the other day but he is much too young for a gun. I might be on the other end, past learning how to shoot a critter.
I do have plenty of practice shooting nerf guns with my son though.


I can shoot one, maybe not as accurately as the guy who wrote that but I've knocked squirrels off my bird feeder with one a few times! My Grandson (14yrs old) and I have had shooting contests using soda cans or 2liter bottles as targets, I of course win more often than not. Lol that won't last long though he's been practicing!!! Got his first buck during hunting season this year, a nice 8 point!!!! So proud of the man he is becoming!
Kids need to learn about guns, and in a safe responsible way.

to you for encouraging him.

Phew! I'm tired! Just finished individually bubble wrapping and boxing 136 eggs! I have 4 orders going out tomorrow and another dozen going out on wed! It is so nice finally having the birds pay for their own feeds! Now if only I could actually profit LOL! That's a joke! Might have better luck if I could stop buying more eggs or birds!

Put a hatch in lockdown tonight! Mainly silkies, showgirls, and modern games. Can't wait! Hoping for a great hatch!

I am so excited too, holding my breath! I have several from you that looked promising, and lots of quail eggs locked down too.

hatching vibes your way!

Hey all, I'm going to make some "Hens Aprons" if anyone is interested let me know.
Summer Aprons $4.50 ea,
Winter Aprons. $6.00 ea
Plus shipping... (Price depends on #ordered.)
Will start on them first week of March, let me know what your color preference is when ordering. Thx. Pm me if you are interested. These are LF aprons subtract a dollar off price for Bantam aprons.

Very reasonable! If I didn't sew, I would be burying your PMs!

Glad that Max the dog is doing fine - here's our fuzzy 4-legged child:




. . . . he even has his own facebook page ;-)

He is just precious!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Has anyone found any other stores with chicks yet? Thankfully rural king is not very close, but may have to make the trip here soon!

Just the New Castle rural king near me so far, they got the "sale" from me for my new layers.
I called several stores before we went out. TSC surprised me, they didn't know a date yet!

English Orpington sexing anyone? I have one decent photo of my condor --haha Blue or Black? She/he is so big and look at those hocks! They are 6 weeks old, so it's probably too early, but I just thought I'd post these. I need to take more photos, and some of my three fluffy silkies from bradselig. Two of the blue silkies looked exactly alike until yesterday-- I walked in the room in the morning and suddenly one had lighter gray feathers on her back!


Splash ~ I'd call her a Lavender Splash if there is such a thing.

jchny~ How are you holding up caring for your family emergencies and your animals?
I say your 2nd, the splash is for sure a pullet. The first does have some thick legs, and I see a hint of spurs on the right leg.... time will tell.
Thats a lotta comb too...One of my Turken hens does have spur buds, so hang in there! 12 weeks will be a good time to judge.
Its horribly busy here. We see my moms surgeon thurs to find out details for the knee surgery. My brother is doing well, and behaving, but restless.
Dad is still waiting for his new heart valve... my sis is doing very well after her gall bladder surgery, they did the new procedure so recovery is a lot easier.
Still mourning the loss of dads oldest sister, my aunt Evelyn. Hope we have come to the end of the "bad stuff" this year, and can look forward to the good to come.
Hope your daughter is well, I know she was having a terrible time of it last month.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I did get my Sportsman 1502 incubator today, what a beast! DH and DD had to move it, I couldn't wrangle it myself.
Got it all unpacked, and have about 60 quail eggs set now in there to test it
I am very impressed, so far I was able to reach over 70% on humidity! Humidity's been a huge issue for me all along.
I may be selling my styrofoam Little Giant incubators. If anyone is interested, please PM me, I have 2 "fully loaded" fans, turners etc.
I also have a full set of quail rails. Its a 5 minute job to swap the rails for egg sizes.
One is a still air that is just for hatching. the 3 are a year old, and have worked well, but need a less drafty environment than my house.

 

[PeacefulWalls]

WOW that took forever... I'm caught up!!!!!

heehee! I feel your pain and consequent joy! When I joined this past May I read through EVERY post -- wanted to learn all I could & get to know everyone on here. It took about a week or so to make it all the way through...there were...ummm...a few less posts (only about 6650) at that point than we currently have! It was well worth reading everything, though! I have learned so much from all of you and enjoy the friendships here!!

Has anyone found any other stores with chicks yet? Thankfully rural king is not very close, but may have to make the trip here soon!

The Goshen TSC will have chicks beginning Feb. 24. The Elkhart BigR said the beginning of March (no specific date when I called).