INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[raisinemright]

I

My hubby is being a helicopter dad to the ducklings. I told him they are his, and apparently I am handling them too much. HA! For someone who couldn't give two hoots about the chickens, he sure is attentive to those two ducks. 

I have a breeding pair of both, Muscovy's and KC's if you are interested in hatching eggs or Ducklings, I'm going to let them hatch their own out. The KC's are awesome egg layers and both breeds get along great with our chickens.

 

[Leahs Mom]

We had a recent run of raccoon and possum, since we had that warm up. One raccoon ripped into the roof and took one of my lavender hens.

There was little left of her to even know what she was. I am just sick over it. She was very sweet and docile, and always on our laps.
Most of the south side of the roof is failing fast, and now its becoming dangerous for my birds. Found the bugger in the nest box sleeping.
We are now 4 less raccoon and 2 less possum per my traps and rifle, but that's not solving the problem!
Hoping for a thaw really soon. Moved my remaining 2 LO hens to the grow out coop until Spring lets us build and repair.
I put my 2 best roosters with them, and the remaining roos are staying with the egg flock. I am out there several times a night now, worried sick.

In 2012 I set traps and caught 15 raccoons, 3 raccoon children and 4-5 possum. All within a couple week period of time.

I thought I'd see them come back very quickly but I keep the trap set most the time w/meat and have only caught 1 possum since.

Thinning them out helped a lot but I expected them to be back by the next season. So far not. I did see one in the front yard last Fall one evening but I think they are finding lots of food in the neighborhood across the highway. (Used to be a wonder field until the farm sold it

).

Anyhow...don't give up. At least you can put a dent in it before they start breeding in the spring!

 

[leslea]

Hi, all. Just checking in. Enjoying your chick pics! (This is the only site on the web where that's not an off-color comment...)

M2H was kind enough to check on me today. I'm fine...kind of had the winter blues. That one day of Spring we had was fun. Did a lot of yard work and measured for the run. Definitely going 8x8x8x6 with it. Need to buy the lumber, I guess! And a nail gun and a jigsaw...

Did I read somewhere NOT to use treated lumber in your run?

Finally chose an EcoGlow instead of the Premier1 heatplate, mainly because I'm not thrilled with P1's website and I could order the other through Amazon. Getting stocked up on everything...hubby about died when I bought two rolls of hardware cloth (big rolls). Def. the most expensive part of the run. Going to put a corrugated roof on it. Now trying to figure out how to predator proof the door. How do you make sure nothing digs in under the human door to the run, if you're aproning your HW cloth? Do you just bury it for that section?

We got into our coop and it has a leak in the roof, so that's a must-fix. What else...just boring old "fix em up" stuff going on at my house. 68 days until my chicks get here! One of my friends locally got two chicks from the feed store and I'm so jealous. It's getting harder to wait!

I've been writing like a maniac. One book off to editing, two more on deck to finish. Kids are doing great. House is a total wreck as always.

Feel free to drop me a note anytime. I might not be online as much now that snow's melted and I can get my kids to school.

Hope you all have a good day.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Good to see you!

Yes.... DO NOT USE TREATED LUMBER anywhere that any animal or child or adult can come into contact with it. It is extremely toxic.

I don't have time right now to get the reference posts about the damage it's doing but I can find them later if you'd like to do some reading.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I found a couple of them here:



Please don't use treated lumber around your chickens or other animals. Even if the wood is free. It's not worth the risk.

This is a pretty quick read with other resources if you're interested in knowing more.
http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HENV/HENV-100-W.pdf

 

[chick rookie]

I just hand feed mine feed. They think it is a treat because it's in your hand lol.

lol ok will try that, they re still flying at me this morning, so day 3 and no change yet. Thanks for the tip.

My hubby is being a helicopter dad to the ducklings. I told him they are his, and apparently I am handling them too much. HA! For someone who couldn't give two hoots about the chickens, he sure is attentive to those two ducks.

reminds me of my DH, he didn't give 2 hoots either till Big Man showed....

 

[kabhyper1]

We had a recent run of raccoon and possum, since we had that warm up. One raccoon ripped into the roof and took one of my lavender hens.

There was little left of her to even know what she was. I am just sick over it. She was very sweet and docile, and always on our laps.
Most of the south side of the roof is failing fast, and now its becoming dangerous for my birds. Found the bugger in the nest box sleeping.
We are now 4 less raccoon and 2 less possum per my traps and rifle, but that's not solving the problem!
Hoping for a thaw really soon. Moved my remaining 2 LO hens to the grow out coop until Spring lets us build and repair.
I put my 2 best roosters with them, and the remaining roos are staying with the egg flock. I am out there several times a night now, worried sick.
Your little splash is definitely a hen! But I am not good at guessing silkies yet...
They are all just too cute! You may have to have "quality time" with individuals...
Just get one out and spoil em rotten. Silkies come around fast when they get individual attention.

UGH, I wish it wasn't so far. I would love to have a few, the history behind them is pretty cool.
The eggs range in different shades all the way to BLACK!
I know hatcheries have them, but I don't want more than maybe a trio.
And would prefer to get some raised by a breeder, for sure!
We plan to go up for the first wolf lake swap, is that anywhere near you guys?

Yes wolf lake is inly anout 10 minutes up the highway we live off of. You would have no issues getting your ducks while you are up here. You could even stop and see me !

http://fortwayne.craigslist.org/grd/4346792811.html

 

[animallover2202]

Our story is about Pegacorns it was the first thing that popped into my head lol this is part of it the other half needs to be editted so its not all dialoge

The wolves howled to the moon watching the lone stranger walking with insanity. He stumbles and falls to the hot dessert ground. Slowly he starts to get up when all of a sudden a black pegacorn stops in front of him. The stranger stagers back falling on a cactus. He looks up rubbing his eyes. Is this a mirage? He thought. Slowly getting up, so he won't scare the strange creature in front of him. He backed away slowly. when h...e tripped over a rock. The pegacorn reared up and flapped his giant wings. Nylan! A girl yelled in the distance. Nylan where are you! The creature looked in the direction of the voice. The strange man hears the voice and slowly gets up again and dusts himself off. turning slowly he heads for the voice. the wolves howls get louder and more aggressive. he stops to look around for a few then continues on. These weren't normal wolfs. They were much bigger they were huge, smaller then the pegacorn but bigger then the stranger. The stranger freezes in fright. The Wolf moves closer, opening it's jaws. The stranger takes a step back, and is hit by another Wolf. He hits the ground and blacks out.

Nylan! Nylan wake up! The girl screams while shaking Nylan trying to wake him up from his dream.Nylan blinks a couple times. Looking at the girl and wonders who is she? Then realizing its ....
Adriana, his lab partner. Nylan! Adriana screamed while pulling the head gear and the rest of the heart monitor off of Nylan.
What happened asked Nylan. You blacked out do to heat stroke I found you and took you here replied Adriana. Where is here? Nylan asked while looking around the strange room. Your at the hospital the doctor said you'll be better by tomorrow she replied. What all happened while I was unconscious? All I remember was that we were out collecting. You wondered off cuz you saw something in the distance,your walky talky must have dyed or you forgot it, you were gone for 3 hours I couldn't find you. I
thought one of the wolfs got ahold of you or got bit by a rattle snake. I don't feel like I got bitten by anything. But I thought I saw a wild animal or a person needing help that's all. I'm glad you didn't get hurt.
Didn't you say I had heat stroke? Adriana, wasn't it almost the middle of the night? Yes but you'll be better by tomorrow you didn't get seriously hurt and yes it was almost the middle of the night. If it was almost the middle of the night how did I get heat stroke?
Wasn't it getting colder out side?

 

[kabhyper1]

I
I have a breeding pair of both, Muscovy's and KC's if you are interested in hatching eggs or Ducklings, I'm going to let them hatch their own out. The KC's are awesome egg layers and both breeds get along great with our chickens.

Thanks for the offer. I think we are sticking with two for now. I hope they get along with the chickens. When they are big enough I will put them outside with them, I' not sure how the transition will go though. Im sure it will be different than adding chickens to a flock. Did you add your ducks to your flock later?

lol ok will try that, they re still flying at me this morning, so day 3 and no change yet. Thanks for the tip.

reminds me of my DH, he didn't give 2 hoots either till Big Man showed....

I am having a similar issue with my silkie chicks. Momma flew the coop literally last night to go back with the flock, and now I am trying to gain their trust. It will take awhile, just be slow and calm and very patient. Take them out individually and let them nuzzle on your shoulder and neck (if your arent afraid of poop lol) They will start to bond with you. They have probably never been handled.

 

[leslea]

Okay, re: UNtreated wood...where is a good source for that? All they had at Lowe's was treated wood. And what do you do to keep it from rotting?