INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Indiana feather]

Another photo of Emma....just for temptation sake

Wow ... Emma sure has got some pretty markings...Looks like a keeper

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

1/2 of a cow all ground up for hamburgers and such and 1 whole pig are now squished into my meat freezer with a bit of the sausage overflowing into my non meat freezer.

Thats the best feeling in the world isn't it! Knowing you are set on the meat for a few months, and just have to get the staples.

Quote: Thanks you for posting that! I don't have any and keep reading threads about it. Guess that takes my question out of the loop! So tylan it is. Does anyone know ml to pound dosage? I want to keep record of it to refer to in the future.

I have deduced that my Easter Egger, Gayle, started laying three days ago! Look what I found today!



I noticed she had made herself a little nest in the back of the coop, beneath the roost, but I kept checking and didn't see any eggs. It must have been a trick of the light. I think she got another girl to lay there, too, because I only had one egg yesterday and today in the normal spot, instead of two.

They are kind of dirty because of where she chose to lay. I washed them. They should still be safe, shouldn't they?

So excited to have blue eggs!

Very pretty shade of blue, congrats! Yes they should be fine.

The duck eggs are peeping.

I went to do evening chores and heard lots of peeping under Jewel. I did not want to disturb her so I did not peek under her. I am not sure of the progress but hatch day is not till Monday. I closed off the front of the nest box to be sure none of the ducklings fall out and can not get back to her. I also gave Jewel some water she was very thirsty. I am sure she is very excited that they are finally making noise, that was a very long time to sit. Pictures will be coming once they hatch.

hatching vibes to the momma!

Planning for next spring...

Assuming all my birds are still around, I feel like I really only have room for two more chickens. There are more I want, though!

If you could only have two, which would you get:

A marans (any kind of marans)
an olive egger
a salmon favorelle
a cochin (any kind of cochin)
a buff silkie (we love our silkies)

DH and son are pulling for a buff silkie, but I've read that SFs are friendly and sweet, too. I've read the same about cochins.

I am pulling for colorful eggs, myself.

Which would you pick, and why?

Marans. I LOVE my maran hens and roosters. Dependable layers, easy going birds Olive egger 2nd choice, the rest will lay a medium to small egg. I like my colors too, and prefer large eggs.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Very disgusting question (and we are new to this, fyi)...while i was feeding watering the chickens, my five yr old was in the yard with me eating an apple. She called out to me, "Mommy, I'm sharing with the chickens! I take a bite, then et them peck at it, then i take a bite...it's fun!" I know she couldn't have done that more than once or twice, but is there anything i need to be looking for to make sure she doesn't come down with something? (Our daughter, not the chickens ;-). Or is there anything i need to do to prevent her from getting anything?

It she does show any signs of diarrhea, fever etc I think I would have a Doc take a look. At her age, she is a bit more at risk of exposure to things chickens eat and get into.

[COLOR=900000]Aww, he's no fun!

That's how I ended up with 41 hens instead of 40 even. I got an extra Dorking because I wanted one so bad and didn't want something to happen to her if I only got one. No regrets, I absolutely adore my Dorking girls.

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[COLOR=900000]How big is your coop? Maybe if you have just one extra, it wouldn't be that big of a deal..?

Enable, enable, enable.

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Yep one extra really wont make that big a difference after all!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Would a male duck protect my hens i can't have a rooster where i live and want my hens to have 24 hour protection

I was just wanting some bird to keep with my chickens to keep them safe from other animals that might find their way in, I'm expanding my run and down think I will be able to enclose the top

You don't want a drake with your chickens. If he feels they are his hens, he will mate them, and it will kill your hens. Different "plumbing".
I would opt for a turkey hen first, but a sleeping bird is free food for a raccoon.

 

[Faraday40]

Planning for next spring...

Assuming all my birds are still around, I feel like I really only have room for two more chickens. There are more I want, though!

If you could only have two, which would you get:

A marans (any kind of marans)
an olive egger
a salmon favorelle
a cochin (any kind of cochin)
a buff silkie (we love our silkies)

DH and son are pulling for a buff silkie, but I've read that SFs are friendly and sweet, too. I've read the same about cochins.

I am pulling for colorful eggs, myself.

Which would you pick, and why?

Because you already have silkies, I would pick a Marans for the colorful eggs. I also hope to get one someday.

 

[Faraday40]

Another photo of Emma....just for temptation sake

Stunning! They were never on my wish list, but I may have to consider.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Thanks very much everyone for the birthday wishes

Productive day, got much farther on my Turkey house. have to pick up hardware for the egg doors, and then set posts and start painting. Hoping for a few more dry days. Will be enclosing the top, the hens are excellent fliers. My poults have me convinced that 2 of 3 are positively hen. The 3rd probably is, but am still doubting a little, just seems taller. I processed my first BR turkeys today, and was impressed at how easily an adult plucked. We went to 170 degrees on the water. dunking was faster, and it was a quick job. DH had to dunk the tom, he was pretty heavy! Have to take finished weights before I freeze.
I will be ordering BB turkeys this spring after all. DH asked me to get more, he really loved the turkey burgers and we are out of it in the freezer. So, anyone interested, I will easily make the minimum ourselves. The price drops with the more you order. The link to look at them is here:
https://www.meyerhatchery.com/productinfo.a5w?prodID=BBBTS
They also have the white variety. White do dress out more attractively, but most of ours will be for ground meat. I plan to order late January and will post again. I bought direct from a Rural King this spring and the poults did not thrive. I had others tell me this too! Last years were from Meyer, lost 2 the first day, and the rest (18) did fantastic. One is still here, she is 18 months old. Her name is "Puppy". She lays a nice large turkey egg almost daily. Seasonally, of course but is still laying. and often double yolkers. I free range our meat birds too, and Puppy is healthy and doing very well. She was so tiny, and friendly she stayed.
I prefer my heritage turkeys to keep year around. Once my flock grows more, I wont be buying the BB variety anymore. Turkeys are a longer commitment for turnaround to begin using them as a regular annual food source. I have finally got the line established I wanted, so now its just the matter of hatching. We are also adding Whilte Holland, and Mini whites this coming year.

 

[raisinemright]

Would a male duck protect my hens i can't have a rooster where i live and want my hens to have 24 hour protection

If you can't have a roo because of noise, I wouldn't think you could have a duck. They can be very loud!! The breed I would choose is Muscovy, they don't quack much but rather hiss not a loud breed. But sometimes any duck drake can be very rough on chicken hens. If you live in the city I wouldn't worried about preditor's to much. Good luck

 

[leslea]

Another photo of Emma....just for temptation sake

She is truly beautiful.

I'm not one for long drives. They make my body hurt and then I lose days. I'm sorry. She sure is gorgeous! I think the mail is going to be my best bet, as nerve-wracking as it can be.

 

[leslea]

Thats the best feeling in the world isn't it! Knowing you are set on the meat for a few months, and just have to get the staples.

Thanks you for posting that! I don't have any and keep reading threads about it. Guess that takes my question out of the loop! So tylan it is. Does anyone know ml to pound dosage? I want to keep record of it to refer to in the future.

Very pretty shade of blue, congrats! Yes they should be fine.

hatching vibes to the momma!
Marans. I LOVE my maran hens and roosters. Dependable layers, easy going birds Olive egger 2nd choice, the rest will lay a medium to small egg. I like my colors too, and prefer large eggs.

Thanks for weighing in! Leaning toward the Marans now.