INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

 

[hoosiercheetah]

Here's how it's done.


Let that cockerel run with the pullets after they are egg laying age and after he has reached maturity. Then convince one of the pullets/hens to go broody and let her set on some of those eggs. She will likely hatch several pullets from this bunch, and when they start laying eggs, you will have gotten eggs from that cockerel.


Works every time.

Well, YA. I know all that; I've seen the very special episode of Blossom.

Sadly I have a serious space problem. There isn't enough room for any more chickens. They don't get out in the yard often enough as it is. Down the road when I can build a bigger outdoor run, I might be able to increase the flock... Until then, boy chickens at my place are just freeloaders.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

No worries, I'm on my 8th broody hatch in less than a year, and I still get nervous.Once you have candled, If they are clear go ahead and take them out to give the chicks more room to hatch under momma. They aren't going to hatch anyway, and you don't want one exploding on the chicks. They should be nearly completely dark. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/candling-pics-progression-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs  If they are all clear you need to get her up and try to break her. It's dangerous to let a hen continue brooding after the 25 day window. It's hard on them to brood in general. I'll be on off and on here for awhile if you need help. 

Okay, thanks for the link (and the understanding!). They were mostly clear. There was one that was pretty dark, but didn't look quite right, almost like it was filled with dark paint or something, but still with an air sac? And another one that had a spot in it like the size of a 6 or 7 day embryo, but floating freely without any veining. What am I looking at here?

 

[flyladyrocks]

Okay, so apparently I am not nearly as smart as HoosierCheetah (I think I already knew that though) and I actually have been catching up on all 200 posts I missed! I think I did it. I ran out of Ovations long ago so here are comments on a few things. If I comment on everything I will be up all night and you will all be bored out of your mind (which may already happen for anyone who does read this!)

Welcome to Eurekachic & BryLT3!

Everyone – I am suffering from a major chicken math attack if anyone else posts what they can bring to Chickenfest I am likely to succumb. We had already planned on adding 4 more but I think that may have fallen through so I'm aching (literally) for more. Six is not nearly enough.

Minminme – tell me more about your chicken aprons! And we would love to have your bring Chicky! And, bored – what in the world is that? I am slightly jealous. How was your therapy session. I’ve been too busy lately and have not had enough visits to Dr. Clucks office. Very good listener. Maybe that is why I have been so grumpy this week.


Quinstar – ARGH! Another bird lost? I would be worried that getting shot with a pellet gun would make them mean, but not kill them (maybe that is why Carl got mean?). Sorry you lost another bird and have to deal with putting up a fence.

and the long one for last -
Mother2Hens and Leah’s Mom (since these are a related topic)

Mother2Hens – thanks for the input about free ranging. We started this week. At first they were scared. But two days ago they really started embracing it and today they have really settled in. Instead of always going back in the run they are finding little shaded safe spots in the yard to nap. They absolutely love it.
We are in the city, but we have very little grass (clover, plantain, dandelions, lots of different random ground covering …), we also have a big yard and lots of trees, bushes, brush growing . . . lots of places to hide. I’m not into the big squares of manicured green! That means they have lots of variety of greens to munch on as well as an endless source of bugs.
And my daughter and I are in love with your silkies after their bang trim! Not hard for us to be in love with silkies or polish, and we don’t have wither. Then again, not really hard for us to be in love with any chicken. I WANT MORE!

Leah’s Mom – Not an expert, but on Mother2hens advice I started free ranging my girls this week – they just turned 9 weeks. They are having an absolute blast and we love watching them explore!
We live in the city and do not have many day time predators (at night yes, raccoons and possums). I am sure we have daytime predators sometimes, but not many. We also have an honorary Roo – a giant Schnauzer. He has been around the chicks since they were tiny and is very protective of them. And they also have lots of places to hide if need be.
I think the most important thing for me was that they were regularly putting themselves to bed in their coop every day for at least a week (maybe 1 ½ weeks) before we started free ranging. The coop was definitely home, and so all this week they have been coming in from the big wide world and going to bed in their coop just after sunset every night. I wanted them to see their coop as bed so I don’t have to try to find them to get them into the safety of the run every night.
Now that I have said that I will eat my words and they will all be trying to sleep under their favorite bush tomorrow! I am sure they will eventually try to scale the fence, but the privacy fence is really tall, so less likely there and the fence on the other side is along the driveway and right now they would rather stay where all the bugs and greens are. And the nice neighbors live on the low fence side.
Also - we did get storm damage, only in the front where a huge branch came down – oh and I guess in back the wind pulled up tomato cages, never had that happen before! We thought about putting a tarp over the kennel and were afraid it would collect water – never thought about the parachute affect in the wind!

Okay, I have my BYC fix all taken care of now, time to go to bed!

 

[hoosiercheetah]

I wish I could free range my chickens, so very much. I'll have to settle for building a tractor so I can at least get them on fresh grass now and again.

 

[kabhyper1]

Okay, thanks for the link (and the understanding!). They were mostly clear. There was one that was pretty dark, but didn't look quite right, almost like it was filled with dark paint or something, but still with an air sac? And another one that had a spot in it like the size of a 6 or 7 day embryo, but floating freely without any veining. What am I looking at here?

Leave the dark ones under her. If you aren't sure you can leave them all, but don't go past day 25 if you can help it. The dark ones may hatch. If they don't hatch see if you can get some day old chicks for her. Put them under her at night.

 

[stevekwan]

After the shipping disaster I had with Meyer hatchery, I decided to try ordering some more chicks. This time from Lancaster fancy fowl in p.a. I ordered 5 salmon faverolle s from them. They shipped out monday and got here today. They sent 8. Seven made it alive. 1 didn't look real healthy and died. So I have 6 that look like they will make it! Im very happy with John at LFF abd im gaining a little trust in the post office for future shipping.

 

[Minminme]

Soooo.... Are we still saying pullet? Other factors: Age unknown - possibly around 20 weeks. No spurs. Not crowing - but has had significant increase in volume and honking-ness of voice in the last week or two. Way more fighty than it used to be. This was the lowest bird on the order - now it takes flack from no one. It still hasn't challenged Queen Penelope, but if one of the other birds push, it pushes back. Opinions?

Opinion: THATS A ROO!!!!

 

[flyladyrocks]

After the shipping disaster I had with Meyer hatchery, I decided to try ordering some more chicks. This time from Lancaster fancy fowl in p.a. I ordered 5 salmon faverolle s from them. They shipped out monday and got here today. They sent 8. Seven made it alive. 1 didn't look real healthy and died. So I have 6 that look like they will make it! Im very happy with John at LFF abd im gaining a little trust in the post office for future shipping.

Thank God this shipment turned out well. I just pulled up their website - I am definitely developing a taste for rare breeds!

 

[Shay Colleen]

Hello

, I am also from NW Indiana and new to raising chickens.