INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[LonelyPageTurne]

I have a pair of 5-6 week old blue Swedish free to good home. I am trying to get a pair of Muscovy but Im downsizing which means I need to rehome. So seriously they're free. They've been living outside, with a heat lamp and no issues. Pm me if you're interested.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I have a pair of 5-6 week old blue Swedish free to good home. I am trying to get a pair of Muscovy but Im downsizing which means I need to rehome. So seriously they're free. They've been living outside, with a heat lamp and no issues. Pm me if you're interested.

@LonelyPageTurne

You should post some photos.

 

[Faraday40]

Looking for advice for winter:
My coop & run have 140 sq ft of floor space (not counting nest boxes or extra roosts). Last winter we had 9 stand sized chickens locked inside with no problems. This spring/summer they started free ranging. They rush outside as soon as I open the run. When it rains, they decide whether to go in or stay out. Life is good.
We hatched, added, subtracted, etc. At this point we're at 16. I have a group of 3 very tightly bonded pullets that I could easily rehome. They sleep with the flock but never really mingle during the day. One of my favs is in this group, so I've been dragging my feet on giving away my sweet Coronation Sussex. I just don't see her "hang" with any other chickens. That's why I say I could easily rehome the 3 amigos. The rest of the flock wouldn't notice their absence.
Anyway, my questions are: 1. Will the chickens continue to spend most of the day outside when there's snow? 2. Could 15 large & 1 bantam share 140 sq ft + free range during the winter? (What I've read said I'd need 160 sq ft or more.) 3. If I rehome them, how can I increase the odds of a good home?
I knew about "chicken math" but my coop & run looked so huge. I never thought I'd fill it up - and in only 2 years!

 

[leslea]

AHHHHHHHH......

what smart chickens do on a warm sunny fall afternoon

The first time I saw my chickens sunbathing, I was so scared. Then so touched. There is just something so sweet about when they do this!

 

[Leahs Mom]

In my experience, they will go out if they can see ground. I actually shoveled out the run last year...way too many times. I refuse to do it this year.

The first year all the birds were the same age and the winter wasn't very bad. 6 birds and they were fine with their quarters.

Last year there were 3 new pullets and another generation in the middle as well. I had 2 of the original hatchery BR girls that would stand on either side of the pop door - inside the hen shed - and not allow the younger pullets to come in. It was way too cold for them to be stranded outside most days. I did provide a safe place they could go in and get away from the others outside in the run and put a dog house with shavings and some yard grass clippings. But with the terrible weather last year I just didn't want to see them stuck out.

When it was really cold or bad weather last year, I'd not open the pop door. Not because I didn't want them to have the choice, but because I knew the younger ones would be forced outside. (My shed is 8 x 16 divided into 2 different areas that can be shut off from each other...there were 9 adults and 3 pullets.) The space was WAY TOO SMALL for winter. It was fine for sleeping quarters and when they can be out running around; not in winter. The year before it was open all the time for their discretion (before any new birds were added).

This year I'm hoping to have a different arrangement set up that gives them more indoor space for really bad weather.

 

[ellymayRans]

I'm curious, which meat grinder do you use?  You grind enough meat that I'm sure you have a good grinder.
@racinchickins
  I'm going to ask you too.  What grinder do you use?


Do you both like your grinders or is there a different one out there I should look into getting?


 

ok I know you didn't ask my opinion! ! Lol! But I'll chime in anyway and say I bought the meat grinder attachment for my KitchenAid mixer and we love it! I had researched them and so many complaints of motors burning up..then I came across the attachment for my mixer and was able to pick it up at Wal-Mart for $60.

 

[CharlemagneRoost]

I am offline for just five days and I am so far behind - this is such an active thread!

The last chick has hatched from the last batch of 2014 for me. I had six Cemani eggs and two made it to hatch. Also in with them were two Serama and six Jaerjon. They are all happily settled into the brooder and the incubator has been turned off until it's time to start hatching for spring.

One of the Jaerjon cockerels had a weird problem at hatch. I've hatched hundreds of chicks and I had never seen this before. It was like his legs wouldn't work at first. He would scootch around on his butt with his legs stuck out in front of him. Other than that, he seemed healthy - very perky and interacted with the other chicks, and he started to eat right away. He seems to be gaining strength now and is starting to stand up a bit more the last time I checked, so I think it's going to be a temporary problem. Has anyone else encountered this with a chick?

Here are my Cemani babies:

Since I got two cockerels and four pullets with my Jaerjon hatch, I might be persuaded to part with a pair if someone is interested. They are my top pick for the backyard flock - hands down!

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Mine went way too quickly, but the DH and I made major headway in winter prep inside the chicken shed. Very grateful for the mild temps we had.

Blessings all!

 

[Minminme]

Makes me want to go lay out in the sun.

Cheater!!! Rained here nearly all day. Fits my mood though...BLAH!!!

 

[iamfivewire]

evening chicken hug for y'all (our silver IaB (tiny dancer) covering her wing over RSL cross young cockerel (Larry Bird)).

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Cheater!!! Rained here nearly all day. Fits my mood though...BLAH!!!

How have you been? I'll admit to scanning most of the posts lately but I seem to remember a toe injury due to flip flops then possibly a fall making hard to get around and spend time with your birds.