INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[lilmizscareall]

I have 4 EEs right now and they are totally crazy. I think they are around 3 weeks(got them from Sally) one is light almost white, the other three look like different owl varities. I'm raising up two for a friend so can't keep them all. I'm just so excited to see what they turn in to, I almost can't give any up... Other than that, they look like popcorn balls when I walk into the room.

 

[Primal Momma]

So far no chicks at the post office. Gonna make for a long couple of days. I'll be sure to post pictures once we do get them.

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Thinking of asking a babysitter...or just not going!

It's hard for us to get away, too,with all the different animals Especially in the summer, it's not just a matter of doing the morning and evening chores, including opening up the barn every morning and closing up again at night. When the heat kicks in during the day we get fans running for the rabbits (they do great in the cold, not so well in the heat), check often to make sure everyone still has water (bowls sometimes get dumped & they have to have water in the heat), closing some barn windows & doors when the occasional pop up storm hits, etc....It's not just a once a day affair.

Hubby really needs a vacation but we're both realizing it just might not happen this year. We were planning one for 2015 but he emailed me today that he needs a break sooner...

I might just try and convince him to stay home for the first year at our new house! See what it's like, right?

Maybe he will go for a staycation if we plan to go to the drive-in and go swimming or something...?

We love going down to Brown County to the state park -- one of our favorite in-state spots!

Hello Everyone! My fiance (Jonathan) and I are starting our adventure in chickens this year! We are in our early twenties and live in Westport. We are animal lovers and have a flock of Katahdin sheep, a horse, three dogs, and four cats. I am a horse trainer and he is a Mechanical Engineering student as well as a drafter at Cummins. We have 10 mixed breed chicks right now and will be getting several Buff Orpingtons, Wyandottes, and possibly Brahmas in the next few days. I have been reading articles on this site for quite a while and decided it was time to make a profile and start getting to know everyone!

Welcome!

we are so bad too! Just couldn't make a decision so we're gutting our master bath instead!! So much more fun than the beach! NOT! So hatching chicks and made the leap of ordering eggs to bring in another line of BCM! Been waiting and waiting for DMRippy and Wynette to offer there's up and they did so I jumped at the opportunity. They've been working on them for years so fingers crossed I get good type. I am sooo eggsited!

yeah -- that looks like a lot more fun than a vacation! I personally love having big messes to clean up

Love the end result, though!

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Tomorrow should be the big day for our broody girl. Hopefully all the eggs were fertile & none are roos!! We decided to leave her in the barn for the hatch. Temps tomorrow are supposed to get up to 40. Then 32 for Saturday and 35 for Sunday. Hope it's warm enough since the barn doors will be open for the other animals to be able to go outside and enjoy the day...

 

[chick rookie]

Tomorrow should be the big day for our broody girl. Hopefully all the eggs were fertile & none are roos!! We decided to leave her in the barn for the hatch. Temps tomorrow are supposed to get up to 40. Then 32 for Saturday and 35 for Sunday. Hope it's warm enough since the barn doors will be open for the other animals to be able to go outside and enjoy the day...

good luck

 

[chick rookie]

Hello Everyone! My fiance (Jonathan) and I are starting our adventure in chickens this year! We are in our early twenties and live in Westport. We are animal lovers and have a flock of Katahdin sheep, a horse, three dogs, and four cats. I am a horse trainer and he is a Mechanical Engineering student as well as a drafter at Cummins. We have 10 mixed breed chicks right now and will be getting several Buff Orpingtons, Wyandottes, and possibly Brahmas in the next few days. I have been reading articles on this site for quite a while and decided it was time to make a profile and start getting to know everyone!

Welcome

.



Welcome to the wonderful world of Chicken math addicts!!!! Lol you start out with a couple and keep adding and adding! Psssst. Just FYI there's no real cure for chicken math addiction!

x2

Decided to update some pictures, I plan on taking a picture of each of the chicken breeds in the chick bin. I probably need to make more room for them... Diamond and Earl will b going outside soon (I hope) so the babies will go into that brooder pen. There's so much more room in there! this is Diamond!!! this is Earl...Diamonds DH.. Lol
this is my Khaki-Armelia, and my black Sweedish- Blinky
and these are (get ready for this) 5 white crested Polish, 2 "red" pullets, 4 Welsummer(?), 4 buff Orpingtons, 6 Black Austrolorps, 3 (home hatched) Silkies. Ya Chicken math got me at TSC yesterday! I bought 10 new chicks. Going t have some to sell after I pick my faves. Keeping all th silkies though!

verry cute, It's RK that always gtes me... DH is keeping me away from TSC.....

we are so bad too! Just couldn't make a decision so we're gutting our master bath instead!! So much more fun than the beach! NOT! So hatching chicks and made the leap of ordering eggs to bring in another line of BCM! Been waiting and waiting for DMRippy and Wynette to offer there's up and they did so I jumped at the opportunity. They've been working on them for years so fingers crossed I get good type. I am sooo eggsited!

I just LOVE messy projects, cant wait o see the end result,

We have a friend that does our pet sitting for us. She is extremely reliable and has experience with chickens.
Awhile back I was chicken sitting for another chicken owner, the pet sitter friend had to take over for me one night when I couldn't get out of work on time. Her job is only a mile down the road, so it was an easy lock up and that's all she did.
I'd suggest asking someone that you know and that seems to like the birds. Then invite them over to help. After a few weekends of visits, here and there. Go out for dinner, or run an errand... Ask them to lock up for you in the evening.
This is a great way to ease a friend into the bigger task.
I also suggest talking to them about "what ifs".
What if:
A coon attacked
A opossum injured a bird
Someone is sickly
Someone needs vet care
They would need to be prepared to cull a bird. I would probably let them decide how... You won't have an opportunity to show them...
I always try to leave a credit card for possible vet visits(with my dog or cat). I attach a note that reads:
To whom it may concern,
So And So has permission to use my credit card for an emergency pet visit at your clinic up to and not exceeding the amount of $XXX.
If the care of said animal exceeds the set amount, please contact us to discuss euthanasia.

Which is AWFUL to write down, but I wouldn't want my pets to suffer. Same thing goes if a bird was injured. Please do her in, I don't want to know how, but don't let a hen suffer hem-hawing around about calling me.
Of course the sitter should know the difference between an injured bird and one that might have an artery severed by a predator.
Okaaaay, so basically you have options! Just be smart about it. I think with these tips, even @SallyinIndiana could go out with family for an evening.
Oh and this same friend house sits too, so if need be, she can stay at my house. That sounds like what Sally would need... Live in help!

I'm lucky I guess, my DS always takes care of all my critters when I am away. I go horse camping on weekends in the summer and fall. Spring I stay home and get babies settled....

I forgot to mention my Brinsea Brooder came today!!! They love it. I'm wondering if it is low enough for them though. I set it on the highest level for the ducks, so they didn't over heat. Any suggestions? I would prefer to not use my heat lamp anymore.






Does it need to be lower?

Never used those before but they all look comfy... no one is piled on top of anyone trying to get warm, so I would say it is fine... IMO

Thank you for the offer! I'm not too ashamed to ask...he refuses! Lol! He does good with this stuff though. .works on many houses mainly custom wood work but he watches and learns then comes home and does! Times like these having breaks between jobs he gets bored not doing so he jumps into home improvement projects. I think we have a lovely home but he's always complaining about the crappy job the builder did..not caulking in places that should have been. .layout. .etc.. Drives him nuts. He's very much a perfectionist, well..when it comes to stuff like that..Now laundry Not so much! Hahaha!

Speaking of laundry... I knew I was forgetting to do something today...

Thanks for the reminder!!!!! lol

Just feeling like posting pics tonight for some reason! Lol... Anyway this is our newest edition! Many thanks to PbirdHaven! I acquired a peahen from her at the Lebanon show..and now we have her a mate! They are in our garage at the moment til warmer weather allows pen to be built. He's really not fond of his chicken roommates (bantam Cochins) but he's slowly warming up to everyone. He just has his moments that he decides to pick on anyone that gets too close to him! Like many here I'm sure, we haven't been able to park in our 3 car garage all winter due to the occupants! ! Come On Spring!

Did you say they were at a farm store? Thats why. Kids grabbing them up, adults too. They get really timid, takes longer to realize you won't harm them.
My pullet chicks are getting better, but even pc noises startle them right now, poor things. I am dividing them up in totes as they grow, leghorns sure grow fast

all 8 look like 2 month olds, and are already nearly fully feathered!

Mine are from RK so probably what my problem is too.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I have 4 EEs right now and they are totally crazy. I think they are around 3 weeks(got them from Sally) one is light almost white, the other three look like different owl varities. I'm raising up two for a friend so can't keep them all. I'm just so excited to see what they turn in to, I almost can't give any up... Other than that, they look like popcorn balls when I walk into the room.

their hatch date was 2/11 so just past the 3 week mark now.

As for the chicken sitter: Right now it would be a task to find a good sitter for an overnight or multiple day trip based on all that would need to be done. But for a few hours, DH and I can get everything in place and be gone for up to six hours or more. Timing is the key along with the auto door. And if it was not cold while I was collecting breeding eggs, then a day trip would be no problem. We would just over feed and over water everything early, leave and make sure all were settled by the time we got back and gathered the eggs.

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Never used those before but they all look comfy... no one is piled on top of anyone trying to get warm, so I would say it is fine... IMO

** I think, too, they're looking pretty content in there!



Speaking of laundry... I knew I was forgetting to do something today...

Thanks for the reminder!!!!! lol

** Ditto. Time for laundry -- again! I've got to mix up another batch of detergent first though. I'm one of those who makes her own -- I love my homemade laundry mix!

 

[bradselig]

Well my broody showgirl was off the nest and rolled one egg under her leaving 4 eggs exposed. I took all the eggs from her and put them in the incubator. Well see if they are still viable. Silly bird!

 

[kabhyper1]

Keep some unfertile egggs around or some golf balls. Give a broody some of these for a few days to see if she is serious, then give her real baby eggs. Silkies ane nortorious for changing their minds. Ditzy birds.