INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

I have some birds in my new coop !!!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Poor little guy with the hawk attack! And the cat attack!

Very frustrating.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Well Earl must b feeling a little better. He's not walking nor moving around the crate hardly at all but at 5:17 this morning I was rudely awakened by the weakest gurgling crow I've ever heard! He still lets out a weak bellow ever once in a while, but is so quiet it's nearly nonexistent. He at least is showing some effort. Spoiled boy got oatmeal with scrambled egg and scratch grains added to it for breakfast. He nibbled a little but wasn't too enthused about food. Found another deep scratch on his back poor guy.
Well that's the morning update, hope you all stay warm n cozy today. Enjoy your day!

ETA: wasn't another rooster that did this, there's a new cat in the neighborhood! The ducks are vigilant protectors they've attacked it twice already today. I know was a cat that got Earl because I found fang punctures in the poor guys leg a little while ago. I hope his leg isn't broken. Searching for a vet that will see him.

Oh, promising news if he is crowing

Hang in there Earl! Just knew it had to be a cat.

Ugh! Frozen water this morning. The large water just had ice covering the top and once I showed the girls it could be poked they went crazy poking through the ice with their beaks. The smaller water was too frozen so I had to bring it in and put fresh in. I guess it's time to start bringing the water in at night. I am so not ready to start this already. Let's just hope it is not as bad as last year. Next summer our first goal is to put electricity in the coop. Our electricity is really, really old. We still have a fuse box. But, power company is coming in the next couple weeks to update us and we will be switched to circuit breakers. So, hopefully we will have the ability to add power to the outbuildings.

I forgot to empty the kiddie pools, I have 3 big ice cubes now, ugh! Lots of frozen buckets this morning. and it begins..disconnected the hoses, turned off the hydrant til spring. At least I can stay in shape carrying water all over the property

I had electric in the main coop, but somewhere underground it has shorted out. When we build the new one this spring, we will replace the electric too.

Quote: They were not cooperative today at all! tossed out scratch, started taking pictures and everyone ran. Will keep trying tho.

Hello everyone! I was voted in as my counties 4h poultry superintendent! Very excited! I only have experience with chickens, exhibition ones to be exact, i think i have help from a parent for commercial classes, yet I'm seeking out pigeon experts, and anyone who would want to come speak at a workshop! I'm in northern Indiana, Starke, our project is suffering badly, that is why i was chose to help it turn around! Education is a big deal to me! The more they know the more likely they are to get involved! Any breeders? Judges? Exhibitors? We cover, ducks, turkeys, geese, chickens, and pigeons. Please pm me! Thanks so much! !

~WOW~

WTG!!!!! I would help if we were closer, kinda miss 4H, but no time to fit it in now.

 

[ellymayRans]

aww, poor baby. he is so pretty . what kind of dog do you have ? did you train him around your chickens ? I have 2 dogs and all they want to do is chase and maybe eat mine. 

He's very dingy from the weather but gotta love those truly fluffy butts! Thank you for the compliment. My dog is a mix. He's lab and shepard according to the vet. He is absolutely the best dog I've ever owned or been around! He protects everything. .including my neighbors chickens. It's great! I never trained him per say. ..I just have always told him to "watch them" and he does. I've seen him have baby bunnies and nothing but wet from slobbers ..he digs up a mole and if i tell him to "get it" he kills it. Two dogs came and one got my neighbors chicken killing it and my dog fought it running it off all on his own. He has a very gentle mouth but very protective. We are just very lucky to have him.

This is an old pic I've posted here before but I do love it!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

He's very dingy from the weather but gotta love those truly fluffy butts! Thank you for the compliment. My dog is a mix. He's lab and shepard according to the vet. He is absolutely the best dog I've ever owned or been around!

He protects everything. .including my neighbors chickens. It's great! I never trained him per say. ..I just have always told him to "watch them" and he does. I've seen him have baby bunnies and nothing but wet from slobbers ..he digs up a mole and if i tell him to "get it" he kills it. Two dogs came and one got my neighbors chicken killing it and my dog fought it running it off all on his own. He has a very gentle mouth but very protective. We are just very lucky to have him.

This is an old pic I've posted here before but I do love it!

that is precious . what an awesome animal !!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Wondering if anyone has a swedish flower HEN sorta close to me ? southern In. I have the prettiest roo. he has tons of girls, they actually fight to see who can get the closest to him. first time i have seen a hen squat too ! very funny. He looks like a calico cat. Thinking i would like to have some babies from him but all i have would be black alstrop or buff orphs. he is ignoring the candy corns for some reason.

 

[Finnie]

Quote: Here is the ad if you didn't already find it: http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/4721624184.html

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I just don't get it. It has been about a month and all I get is one egg a day. Last winter we went down to about 6-8 eggs a day but one a day just is not cutting it. Hard to believe we used to get a dozen a day. The sad part is that it is the same chicken laying the one lonely egg every day. I know this bc we only have one silkie who is also the one white layer. So, everyday I get a little white egg. She is definitely a trooper.

Its that way here too, I went from about 2 dozen a day, to 3 eggs today! Everyone is molting, daylight is shorter. My EEs have always been seasonal, usually dec/jan I see almost no eggs at all.

I wonder if I should up their protein? Maybe give them some yogurt or some kind of meat?

It will help them, but may not increase laying. Its based on the hours of daylight. You can use artificial lighting but it may shorten their lifespan. Its a matter of personal choice, some folks do add artificial light, some don't.

My hatchery order has been pushed a month. I has sad.

Awww rats! I can't wait to order my turkeys this spring, super excited already!!! I already have an order in for white hollands through porters. My luck, they will all be hens.

Winter home photos....they moved in Tuesday and are finally getting used to things.








Kale and Cilantro for Emma, The Bar Girl, and the Mamma (Red). Emma will be 2 yo on New Year's day; the other 2 will be 3 yo in March 2015.



Black Bandie (1 yo last September) and the Bar Girl again. Bar girl is still in the middle of molt and Black Bandie hasn't started molting yet so she has feathers but they're kind of scruffy.

All looks great, lots of room. They should be warm and comfy.

This is the sfh/BA mix girl that I'm considering finding a new home for (Black Bandie...named because she wears a band )

@jchny2000 This photo should look like reruns

hehe! Miss B has been my sidekick lately. First thing I do is get the pig bucket..She knows the big square bucket is for the pigs, and carries all kinds of yummyness leftovers lol! I always feed the hogs first, she is pretty smart and comes running when she sees that bucket. Mister has been more interested in the hens lately so he isn't hanging out with me as much.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have some birds in my new coop !!!!

Congrats! Good choices too!

I dont have any pictures on here so thought i would just throw one in. LOL wonder if they would use this for next yrs. calender or maybe its not good enough? what do you all think? I dont know how to submit it anyway.

I think its precious

Well the chaos has begun! Bitter cold and snowy today..my dog was running around barking at the treetops for over an hour he stayed outside. I guess he decided the coast was clear and came in. An hour passed and I heard some shrieks I ran out to see a very large hawk had one of my Silkie boys! I screamed. .sending my dog after it! He tried flying away dragging him til he had to drop him to get away from the dog! Little boy took off running back and I met him halfway! Scooped him up and brought him in. He's lucky to be alive for sure! Large hole in his face and the back of his neck. The hole in his face never bled, I didn't think he'd even be able to drink without drowning. I swore it was into his nasal cavity. But here he sits recouping. I feel sooo bad for him!

Wow, that was too close! Hope he recovers quickly.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: What a great dog! I sure see the lab in his handsome face.that sure a cute table full of babies too