INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Thanks for sharing that.

I also never thought I'd butcher ANYTHING. But after getting chickens, and knowing that I would much prefer to raise my own food if possible, I knew that part of the reponsibility I would need to take would be that I at least know how to do it and the basics of anatomy so that I could detect if there were any problems with the bird.

I have my "favorite" video on processing. But my husband and I got the opportunity to process a couple of birds to learn "hands-on" on some chickens we didn't know. (You can see the post here from our experience...but know that it is detailed photos... https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...keeping-thread-ots-welcome/4490#post_10304325 )

I'm very glad I got the opportunity. And I now know that I could do it - and that it wasn't as hard or time consuming as I thought it would be. I still might opt to have a local Amish lady do processing on the birds that I "know" well rather than doing it myself. But I have the skill and training and I'm not afraid of the process.

I don't think it will ever be easy to kill ANYTHING for me. But knowing that I have that skill makes me feel more able to be self-sufficient and not have to depend on someone else for my food source.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I asked this a while ago, but didn't get any response so I thought I'd pose it again. Has anyone ever tried or thought about using the heated water buckets for chicken waterers? We never had a problem with water freezing in them. If the nipple drinkers were fitted to the bottom of the bucket, would they stay thawed all winter? I'm just wondering if this would be a good option instead of trying to mess with heat tape, aquarium heaters, etc trying to keep the water from freezing.

We used the 1.5 gallon heated dishes for both the chickens and ducks last year. I need to get more though, lots more. My first year I would carry water out every few hours on the rare days it froze. Last year that would have been almost every day for months on end.

@jchny2000 Which stock tank heaters did you use? I can see my ducks, layers, and goats needing larger amounts of heated water.

Quote: I'm more than interested in pictures.

Here is a picture I found on google of the commercially made nests. They run a bit small for my layers. But the big nests offered has only 4 holes and costs even more. Then there is the need to buy the mats and an assembly gun. I don't even need 10 nests, 5-6 would be more than enough. I was thinking of 6 with the ability to block off the lower three.

 

[ChickCrazed]

We used the 1.5 gallon heated dishes for both the chickens and ducks last year. I need to get more though, lots more. My first year I would carry water out every few hours on the rare days it froze. Last year that would have been almost every day for months on end.

@jchny2000 Which stock tank heaters did you use? I can see my ducks, layers, and goats needing larger amounts of heated water.



I'm more than interested in pictures.

Here is a picture I found on google of the commercially made nests. They run a bit small for my layers. But the big nests offered has only 4 holes and costs even more. Then there is the need to buy the mats and an assembly gun. I don't even need 10 nests, 5-6 would be more than enough. I was thinking of 6 with the ability to block off the lower three.

I did the heated dog bowl last year and it worked for most of the year, but we had a prolonged cold spell and power outage and the bowl froze and then cracked and was worthless for the rest of the season. I was also having to fill it every day and would like to stretch that out a few more days.

Instead of a regular heater I am going to try a bird bath de-icer in my same summer buckets (which have nipples so we will see how it works). The de-icers are only $16 on amazon, so cheaper than an aquarium heater or regular tank heater. They are also lower wattage than both so they should be cheaper to run and don't heat the water as high as the aquarium heater so they won't consume as much energy that way either. We will see how this works! I also potentially have the pipe heater tape to run along the bottom of my buckets if I need the additional help. But I won't start with that on.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

We filled those dog water bowls once in the morning, and again in the afternoon. Then in the evenings we dumped the water as the heater was no match for the cold nights and the birds did not use water at night.
Either DH or me has to go out to get the eggs multiple times a day so they don't freeze. This year my oldest child might be able to help if I change the nesting boxes. Right now he is not tall enough to see over and into the nest let alone get the eggs out. He can get the breeder pens eggs but I'm not that trusting yet.

 

[ChickCrazed]

We filled those dog water bowls once in the morning, and again in the afternoon. Then in the evenings we dumped the water as the heater was no match for the cold nights and the birds did not use water at night.
Either DH or me has to go out to get the eggs multiple times a day so they don't freeze. This year my oldest child might be able to help if I change the nesting boxes. Right now he is not tall enough to see over and into the nest let alone get the eggs out. He can get the breeder pens eggs but I'm not that trusting yet.

Winter water is the part i dread the most. Between keeping the horses and chickens in water I may die. Plus I am getting ready to adopt some barn cats so I will have yet another waterer to fill!!! There is no great way to do it, and managing hose connections with gloves is the worst!!!!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
My barn cats did not need their own water last winter. They just ate snow or the other animal's water. They did not get fat off of bagged cat food either, although the black Moses sure got his fair share of food somewhere. He won't eat chicken food or goat food so I'm sure it was rodents and such that he was catching.

 

[ChickCrazed]

My barn cats did not need their own water last winter. They just ate snow or the other animal's water. They did not get fat off of bagged cat food either, although the black Moses sure got his fair share of food somewhere. He won't eat chicken food or goat food so I'm sure it was rodents and such that he was catching.

I thought about that but the chicken water will be closed with only nipples and I worry about them falling into the horse troughs when they get low. So I will have yet another one to worry about! How much do you feed your barn cats? I heard they only need to be fed once a week because they should be mousing (which is why i am getting them, i have hoards of mice and can't handle it any longer). IndyFeral said to feed them every day. That seems excessive to me (will they ever hunt?), but I will do it if that is what I need to do!

 

[AnnaPi]

I thought about that but the chicken water will be closed with only nipples and I worry about them falling into the horse troughs when they get low. So I will have yet another one to worry about! How much do you feed your barn cats? I heard they only need to be fed once a week because they should be mousing (which is why i am getting them, i have hoards of mice and can't handle it any longer). IndyFeral said to feed them every day. That seems excessive to me (will they ever hunt?), but I will do it if that is what I need to do!

I have five barn cats and I put out fresh food and water for them every day. I don't know if it's thanks to them or just luck, but I haven't seen ANY evidence of rodents getting into my chicken feed, and I do find the occasional dead-but-not-eaten mouse in my yard.
EDIT: It is a pain, though, because I do also have to go out each night to dump the leftover cat food and water. I have a raccoon problem that the cats can't solve :/

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

That's is a good idea! Wall mounting them! I know I am a mile from the Whitley county line and technically in Koscuisko county but we r all still neighbors. My kids go to Whitko and that is in both counties. Maybe I am locationally challenged,

There are more northerners than I realized on the thread!

[COLOR=8B4513]Here are a couple of photos taken on fake sheep skin that looks like snow[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513], and I grabbed a Sharpie and Post-It Notes for size reference. [/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]The one on the right hatched today (Monday).[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]The one in front hatched yesterday, the one in back hatched today (Monday), and the one on the right hatched on Friday.[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]@pipdzipdnreadytogo [/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]~ Your Poe was a special roo, but I am hoping for zero roos. My two tiny bantam roos, the Belgian Mille Fleur and OEGB Wheaton, love to have crowing contests. The OEGB used to be head roo until the Mille Fleur out grew him. The MF has a loud crow for a mini roo, and the OEGB has a pitiful sounding crow! They don't impress the LF hens or even the Silkies. Poor guys![/COLOR]

Oh, those babies! The fuzzy feet! It took Po a long time before he sounded as impressive as he looked (or, more accurately, as impressive as he thought he looked)! Even then, the big girls wouldn't even give him the time of day. Po was a smooth feathered Cochin out of black frizzle Cochin bantams, how uncanny! I have lots of pictures of him growing up if you ever want to compare or are worried you might have some boys in the group. He had little pink wattles and a reddish comb by a few weeks old, gave me no reason to doubt his manhood. Just because we're on the topic, Po's first crow: [VIDEO]

With so many of us going through rezoning and annexation, fantastic idea! I went thru it almost 2 years ago. Had me so concerned I rehomed my alpacas. Therapeutic? Goodness, yes! My Mom is pretty much a shut in. She will go outside to see the birds! She loves a little one hopping into her lap and snuggling in to snooze. Dad came home, and wanted to see his goslings that day! So I brought him in his full grown 20+ pound Gander. We still have a few tiny ones here too, and an adorable lil white embden girl thats not even chicken sized yet. Dad was so pleased, and wanted to hold and talk to the littlest gosling. It gives them a lot of joy and laughter when we toss out the BOSS or another treat. We had pumpkin smashing this evening. OH MY did my Dad laugh! every bird here was playing tackle football Even my "proper" acting Embden hens got into the game. For me, I would be pretty lost without them. Since I have to stay here and care for my parents, its my "hobby" and keeps me sane. When we built on and moved here, I knew I was going to get stir crazy staying home. I worked for 30 years. Not now! I am learning something new daily, and know every face in my flocks. Its also been a great adventure raising my goats, and soon, piglets too! I lost about 60 pounds, and was taken off blood pressure medicine from all the walking, lifting and activity I do. I feel it stopped me from severe health issues later in life, like my parents endure. The best part is I have met so many awesome people on our thread! Love it! Nothing more entertaining than a poultry football match! I definitely couldn't cope without lots of feathered friends to adore--not sure how I survived before we got them! (The people are pretty great, too. ) You could build a "tractor" style coop... they can have an open floor. I am looking at those for breeding pens. I want something to be mobile, and start rotational grazing for some of the breeding stock. This one is still my favorite, but bigger than I need for some of the trios. http://www.raincreekpottery.com/Pages/HoopCoopChickenTractor.aspx I like it because it offers ample room for some larger frame birds and bigger breeding groups. I am still a little wary since its not wood. IMO is needs to have hardware cloth instead of chicken wire wrap. I have plenty of room to do them here tho. Thanks for the link! We've looked into building one of these for the Guineas to move them around a bit more. It definitely needs hardware cloth, though. Chicken wire will keep the chickens in, but it isn't going to hold out any predators! That should be in the coldest periods. Mine are out in a january melt flapping in puddles in the driveway. They just need something the body fits into so they can stay clean. Once a day is really enough if that. I have also seen them snow bathing, no kidding! But thats with pekin and geese, not with other breeds/species. Important things to remember, ducks and geese need to dunk when they eat, and keep their air passage and nostrils clear. Some ducks cant swallow the food without water. If you watch them eating, you can see them eat a bite, run to the water, eat, and repeat. They also have to keep the down clean to keep warm. Good info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_feather Okay, thanks! Snow bathing! I can picture it! I do remember Wibbles spending a lot of her time walking back and forth between her food and water. Poor baby. It's funny you'd post that link, I was just reading that page the other day!

 

[flyladyrocks]

Hi peeps!

Sorry I dropped off the face of the earth for awhile. Can't tell you how much I miss the stress relief being on here, and the lazy days of summer...

The kids and I were out of town for 2 1/2 weeks, then we jumped back into life full speed ahead since we got home. I homeschool so we started school, the kids activities started, out of town guests, 2 birthdays and I have hardly had the time to sleep since we returned. Being on the computer has just not happened (in the rare free moments I'd rather go out and hang with the chickens!). I am only about 1700 posted behind - this time I won't even try to catch up! I really don't even have the time to read anything now, I need to finish dinner and go to work.

We are still waiting for our first egg - any day now it should happen. I need to send my daughter on an egg hunt again in case they are laying under a bush somewhere.

Anyone in Indy hear anything about rezoning? When we sent our comments in Emily e-mailed back saying she would e-mail us back "when our comments were submitted". Well never heard back, and when I e-mailed her to ask she never responded. The latest thing on Indyrezone.org was 8/13 and says "we are now in the deep dark bowels of editing to produce the tools you need to create the more sustainable, more livable Indianapolis that you want." Not sure whether to laugh or cry about that comment b/c the last proposed draft certainly was not conducive to a more sustainable Indy!

Have you seen this shirt - I soooo want one! Here is where you can get them:
http://teespring.com/crazychicklady?p=pe

With that I must run. Hope everyone is doing well!