INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Granny Hatchet]

So does anyone else have fun "Animals asleep" pics? !?! Post!

Reach for the sky !! this rug aint big enough for the two of us.

 

[ellymayRans]

I have French Black Copper Marans cockerels (Wade Jeane line) and French Blue Copper Marans cockerels (Mari Krebs line) available. They hatched September 15th. Some are crowing. PM me if interested.

I love all of my BYC family. .so I'm going to just point something out here because it's only fair that education be shared. .

It isn't proper to claim birds from a specific line unless you personally purchased those birds directly from the breeder. Once someone else has chosen mating pairs it's now your line. Especially when it comes to the BCM breed because they are all over the place. BCMs will sell themselves with good type and some just egg color alone. So post pics and offer up Your birds.

With all sincerity,
Mandy

 

[bradselig]

Two pics I found on the iPad

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Two pics I found on the iPad

dog, I cant believe i ate the whole thing ! cat, thats what you think.

 

[twoboystwogirls]

Do any of you know of breeders of angora rabbits in Indiana or southern michigan? Thinking about adding some new kinds of fiber to the farm.

Can't spin silkies feathers even though it seems like you could lol.

We just started breeding angoras. We love them. We just sold the last of our babies and won't be breeding anymore until after winter. It is just too hard in the cold. We would like to have some born around February or March so they would be ready 7-8 weeks after that. When we have babies I will make sure to post on here and on FB.

I also wanted to add that we breed French Angoras. All of the different breeds are a little different in how you harvest the fiber, etc. We like the french because the face, ears, and feet do not need to be trimmed. Also, we are just south of Fort Wayne.

 

[twoboystwogirls]

My husband and I have been talking about raising a couple of turkeys for the freezer next year. If we want the best tasting turkeys is there a certain variety we should look to buy as chicks?

 

[IndiesChix]

Didn't realize that choosing a breed would be so hard, I've been reading and researching numerous posts on different breeds and just when I have it narrowed down to two I like someone post negative comments about that breed .

I want chickens for eggs and ones that can handle the cold and hot Indiana weather, ones that are easy to handle not flighty. So I was thinking the australorpe because I've read they are high in egg production can handle the weather, easy to handle and average on broodiness. Then I read on here someone (cant find original post to quote) said that their australorpes are not those things at all. So what breeds would work for me? I was looking at easter eggers too, what breeds mix well and what ones don't ? I have LOTS of questions, I didn't want to ask a question that has been answered a hundreds times before, so I've been searching thru the archives to find the answers.

 

[ellymayRans]

Two pics I found on the iPad

Love them!

 

[ellymayRans]

Donote name="IndiesChix" url="/t/730582/indiana-bycers-here/35350#post_14330485"]Didn't realize that choosing a breed would be so hard, I've been reading and researching  numerous posts on different breeds and just when I have it narrowed down to two I like someone post negative comments about that breed . I want chickens for eggs and ones that can handle the cold and hot  Indiana weather, ones that are easy to handle not flighty.   So I was thinking the australorpe because I've read  they are high in egg production can handle the weather, easy to handle and average on broodiness. Then I read on here someone (cant find original post to quote) said that their australorpes are not those things at all. So what breeds would work for me? I was looking at easter eggers too, what breeds mix well and what ones don't ? I have LOTS of questions, I didn't want to ask a question that has been answered a hundreds times before, so I've been searching thru the archives to find the answers.
[/quote]

Welcome to BYC and our awesome Indiana thread!

Everyone experiences are going to be different than the next. Kinda like dog breeds. Their environment can and will affect how well they lay and how they behave in the flock and to you. Also feedback on cold hardiness will vary too. If someone complains about a breed it could just be their shelter setup and lack of proper ventilation. So..pick what you like. Don't let reading a few bad reviews steer you away from a breed you thought sounded like a good fit for you.

My only recommendation is if the breed info on it says it doesn't tolerate colder climates well then don't get it.
other than that I think we've all had a "bad egg" here and there..each will have their own personalities for sure!

Don't be discouraged! Just go for it! Lol! You can always feed the family with the bad ones and then have a good excuse for new chicks!

 

[hoosiercheetah]

Didn't realize that choosing a breed would be so hard, I've been reading and researching numerous posts on different breeds and just when I have it narrowed down to two I like someone post negative comments about that breed .

I want chickens for eggs and ones that can handle the cold and hot Indiana weather, ones that are easy to handle not flighty. So I was thinking the australorpe because I've read they are high in egg production can handle the weather, easy to handle and average on broodiness. Then I read on here someone (cant find original post to quote) said that their australorpes are not those things at all. So what breeds would work for me? I was looking at easter eggers too, what breeds mix well and what ones don't ? I have LOTS of questions, I didn't want to ask a question that has been answered a hundreds times before, so I've been searching thru the archives to find the answers.

I know exactly how you feel. I went through the same thing when I started earlier this year.

Most of what you read about the temperament of chickens will change from bird to bird. They're like dogs in this way. Some are friendly, some are mean, some are broody, some are not. What I can tell you is when I got my birds, some of them really really hated to be handled, and would run from me on sight. I've been diligent about spending a little time each day with them, and picking them all up at least a few times a week, and now they're a lot more friendly to me, and also to other people. I think almost any hen can be "tamed" this way.

Ultimately, they're chickens. They're a flocking bird with a brain the size of a cashew. Yes, they have personalities, but I wouldn't put much stock or worry into what you read about them. Most of those descriptions are badly exaggerated for impact.

The generalizations about egg output of a breed is a different story - australorps will lay a lot of eggs. However, they're also a heavy bird and eat a lot of food. In my personal experience, my Golden Comets (gold sex link) are a good balance. They're egg laying machines, but they're not a really large bird. My one EE lays small eggs, but I don't know if that's typical or not.

From what I've seen you post so far, it sounds like egg output is your number one concern - if so, you want to pay attention to feed conversion - getting the most eggs for the least chicken food. It is generally accepted that Leghorns are the kings of feed conversion, which is why they are used by all of the big commercial egg farms. I've also read good things about the hatchery sex-links and production reds, and my experience bears that out.

The one thing I want you to steep in - and what ultimately gave me peace about it - is this: You can't do it perfectly, and you can't do it wrong. Any chickens you get will be a fun, entertaining learning experience. As you go along your flock will grow and shrink and change, and you'll find out what works for you over time. Take the long view on it. Your first flock is a starting point, not the destination. Relax and have fun!



PS - It's much, much more important that you get your birds from a trusted source, so that you have the best chance of having a healthy flock from the start.

PPS - We like answering the same questions that have been answered before. They're good reminders. It helps maintain the oral tradition when you repeat the stories.