INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[kabhyper1]

Okay Eggsperts, Godiva, my Australorp, only lays eggs on occasion. if she is feeling feisty one huge egg every other day. However, she hasn't laid an egg in about a month-ish. Until today. It maybe that the boys antics were stressing her out, and now that Cricket has his own flock at Raisenemrights, which has calmed my boys down, she felt comfortable to lay. Anyway I was so happy when I walked up to her just as the egg dropped, knowing she wasnt laying internally or egg bound. My happiness faded a bit though when I saw her egg. Now I have never seen anything like it, and she does have oyster shell so it wouldn't be calcium def., but this egg was cracked on both sides. It has two soft spots symmetrical on each side. I took pics and then opened it. The yolk looked fine other than a bit of what looked like dirt in it. Here is the huge egg, tell me what you all think. She is about 2 years old.
Next to a normal minorca eggOne side

The other side.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Sometimes limping is just because they've sprained something jumping off of things, etc. If you don't see anything external, and if she doesn't look or act "off" otherwise, I'd just observe over the next few days.

My roo seemed to have hurt his leg when he was about 6 mos old. Hobble around for about 6 weeks before it got better. I checked him over physically quite regularly and couldn't see any problems. And he was bright and acting normal otherwise.

He actually learned to run very fast hopping on 1 leg during that time. No matter what I did to confine him to hope it would heal quicker, he wanted to be out there "protecting" the ladies. So he'd run around after them hopping on 1 leg. Wish I'd have gotten a video of it.

He walks like normal today. You would never know he had any issue.

 

[ellymayRans]

Sometimes limping is just because they've sprained something jumping off of things, etc.  If you don't see anything external, and if she doesn't look or act "off" otherwise, I'd just observe over the next few days.

My roo seemed to have hurt his leg when he was about 6 mos old.  Hobble around for about 6 weeks before it got better.  I checked him over physically quite regularly and couldn't see any problems.  And he was bright and acting normal otherwise.

He actually learned to run very fast hopping on 1 leg during that time.  No matter what I did to confine him to hope it would heal quicker, he wanted to be out there "protecting" the ladies.  So he'd run around after them hopping on 1 leg.  Wish I'd have gotten a video of it.

He walks like normal today.  You would never know he had any issue.

I had a young roo have that same thing. Got to where he wouldn't hardly use it. I have since rehomed him but he made a full recovery before he left.

Just watch her and give it time. Now if she starts stiffening it and or dragging it quarantine her as that could be signs of Mareks. Here's to hoping that's not the case!

 

[lilmizscareall]

So I got a bit of yard clean up done. I only managed about an hour, but I have about 20 feet of landscaping redone and cleaned up. I also planted the broccoli and cabbage I was gifted.
I do have one last batch of brooder babies left. They got to come hang out while I dug up roots and dirt.
I think my mistake with the last 2 groups, that was different than the first group, is that the first group free ranged quite a bit before the coop was ever done. It started with a little 10 min jaunt, which grew longer over a few days.
That's what I'm going to try with these guys. I looked at their "birthdates" and they should be 7 weeks today. Whoot!
So I'm hoping they'll be coop ready by the Saturday after next. Just going to keep an eye on the weather. If it gets cold again, I'll keep them inside longer.

 

[ellymayRans]

Okay Eggsperts, Godiva, my Australorp, only lays eggs on occasion. if she is feeling feisty one huge egg every other day. However, she hasn't laid an egg in about a month-ish. Until today. It maybe that the boys antics were stressing her out, and now that Cricket has his own flock at Raisenemrights, which has calmed my boys down, she felt comfortable to lay. Anyway I was so happy when I walked up to her just as the egg dropped, knowing she wasnt laying internally or egg bound. My happiness faded a bit though when I saw her egg. Now I have never seen anything like it, and she does have oyster shell so it wouldn't be calcium def., but this egg was cracked on both sides. It has two soft spots symmetrical on each side. I took pics and then opened it. The yolk looked fine other than a bit of what looked like dirt in it. Here is the huge egg, tell me what you all think. She is about 2 years old. Next to a normal minorca egg One side The other side.

I have at one time saw a great rundown with pics and it's reasons online. ..I'll have to look to see if I can find it.

 

[ChickCrazed]

As chicken owners, so we ever actually catch a break?
Dita is limping. Here are photos of the bottom of her feet and a video of her walk.

The video...


I checked her over and feel that I was pretty thorough. I must have gone through her feathers several times looking for wounds or discoloration. Nothing, nada, zilch. She has not laid yet today. I first noticed her strange walk yesterday. She did lay a very nice egg in the afternoon.
Any thoughts?

I have a Welsummer hen that limps occasionally, when she first injured herself and I couldn't see anything wrong with the foot or leg I was panicking that it was Mareks but she healed for the most part. She still will occasionally limp a bit like she re-torqued it but it is only a tiny limp now when she does it.

 

[racinchickins]

Moved the chicks out to the coop yesterday after work - figured this stretch of beautiful weather was a good time for them to make the change - they're 5 weeks and had pretty much outgrown the brooder, so it was time. Spent the night worried about my "babies" - and was very relieved to go out this morning and find 16 bright, happy chicken faces greeting me - they think they are in chicky heaven, lol. If they only knew it gets even better - we *should* get the run done this weekend and then their world gets even bigger and better.
Speaking of the run - have decided to do a hoop run - seems like something the kids and I can handle (if DH lets us - something tells me the moment I reach for one of his tools he'll be out there doing it for me --- not that that's entirely a bad thing, lol). Figure this is a good place to get some feedback on how they hold up in our climate. Anyone use hoop houses/runs? Any major changes you've made to the basic plan to accommodate our area? I know one thing I'll be doing is running a couple of hot wires around out around it because the run will be in the pasture and our horses are horrible about using anything that holds still as a leaning post or butt scratcher - so I figure a t post at each corner and a couple in the middle with a wire low and one about horse chest high will keep them at bay and add a layer of deterrence against the neighborhood dogs/other pests.....figure with the posts there anyway I might as well use them to give me anchors for the run too (because DH is convinced it will blow over - no convincing him otherwise).

I have a hoop coop. It was pretty easy to put together. Since I use tarps to cover it, the major challenge has been keeping them under control in the wind. I had to be very careful that no wires or ties pointed up where the tarp would rub on them and tear. If you are using them as a run, then you don't have to worry about that unless you plan to shade a portion of it. Make sure to put hardware cloth around the bottom so nothing can get a hand or head inside to get at the chicks.

 

[raisinemright]

Good day so far, Got home from work and checked on all the animals. The chicks in the pallet palace are loving it and seem to be doing fine in this nice weather. I will be putting up a temp run this weekend so they can get the hang of outside world and going back in the coop at roost time. Our new addition "Cricket" that we got from kabhyper1 is settling in just fine. He has such a nice crow, he is liking his new girls but they aint quite sure of him just yet but did fine together overnight in the same coop. And our 9 goat kids are getting big and ornery! We dehorned and banded one of them that was ready last night and he is doing great today didnt bother him a bit. I will try to get some pics of the chicks in their new home today if it dont start raining.

 

[kabhyper1]

Good day so far, Got home from work and checked on all the animals. The chicks in the pallet palace are loving it and seem to be doing fine in this nice weather. I will be putting up a temp run this weekend so they can get the hang of outside world and going back in the coop at roost time. Our new addition "Cricket" that we got from kabhyper1 is settling in just fine. He has such a nice crow, he is liking his new girls but they aint quite sure of him just yet but did fine together overnight in the same coop. And our 9 goat kids are getting big and ornery! We dehorned and banded one of them that was ready last night and he is doing great today didnt bother him a bit. I will try to get some pics of the chicks in their new home today if it dont start raining.

I'm so happy Cricket is doing well. My hens have relaxed a bit having one less boy around. My hiders actually came out for a dust bath today. I have the incubator ready for you whenever you want it.

 

[raisinemright]

I'm so happy Cricket is doing well. My hens have relaxed a bit having one less boy around. My hiders actually came out for a dust bath today. I have the incubator ready for you whenever you want it.

Thanks, my eggs should arrive on Saturday. I will probably use my bator to hatch out, so I don't dirty yours up to much.