INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[hoosiercheetah]

A neighborhood hawk had his last very bad day today! Sorry for his luck, NOT! He got a Silkie Roo, a Welsummers and a Brown leghorn hens. Killing like it was a chicken massacre! So angry with myself AND that bleepin hawk! Brad Selig it got the Red Partridge roo. Grrrrrr!!! Never had a hawk problem before if that's the only one around I never will again either!

I like your style. Good shooting!

 

[ellymayRans]

Ha Ha...not your typical woman to insist on staying on a scale in full view of everyone!

So true!!! Hahahaha!!!!

 

[ellymayRans]

I'm searching craigslist to try and find a cheap wine cooler.  I want to make a wine cooler hatcher.  I'm thinking at least with a hatcher, I won't have to thing about or work on an auto turner. 

I have one. Not sure what you're looking for.

 

[ellymayRans]

A neighborhood hawk had his last very bad day today! Sorry for his luck, NOT! He got a Silkie Roo, a Welsummers and a Brown leghorn hens. Killing like it was a chicken massacre! So angry with myself AND that bleepin hawk! Brad Selig it got the Red Partridge roo. Grrrrrr!!! Never had a hawk problem before if that's the only one around I never will again either!

I don't own a gun. My son does. I would like to put an end to them here but I'm a "Chicken" hahaha.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: I have read somewhere of owners getting their dogs to kill an hawk when it attacks. As far as I can tell nothing in the law against that, permit or no permit for killing birds of prey.

Quote: here is what I had in mind:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chrystalgails-chicken-incubator
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/wine-cooler-incubator-winner-of-the-2009-diy-incubator-contest

Only I was not going to have turners. Just nice flat shelves and covered hatching drawers. And lots of water surface area. I would need an auto humidity setup but those are not too tough just an extra hole in the side and a bucket kit.
I have not entirely investigated it but I'm thinking if I get a cheap cooler, an incubator warehouse fan and temperature kit, a humidity kit, and hatching trays, it would have to be cheaper than a new hatcher. The clear door is a must the light is not. I need a good way to measure humidity too, I'm not sure the icu kit includes that.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
I have only had mine a few weeks, and am in LOVE with the pair! I plan to hatch every egg she gives me. Solid, happy & cheerful birds, super friendly and the rooster is just too sweet. They are a lot like my Lavender Orpington in personality.

Quote: @Faraday40 I forgot to say

the babies!

This is Maggie -- our best little incubator! She seems to live for hatching eggs. This past October she was our momma who hatched the ducklings. Her current batch of chicken eggs has about a week to go yet. We usually have the food & water bowls sitting outside the nest box so she can stretch her legs a bit to eat & also so there's less chance of water spilling in the nest box. But with as cold as it's been I didn't want her to have to get up and leave the eggs uncovered any more than necessary. Can't wait to see what our barnyard mix chicks look like this time!



Silly ducks are quite the opposite of the chickens -- they can't wait to run outside to sit in the snow!


The snow looks deep on Olive's legs, but it's just a snowdrift! The dogs also love to run around in the snow.


Kinda hard to see the alpacas towards the right. I was out in the pasture walking with the dogs. Whenever we take the dogs out for a walk around the property the alpacas stand at the fence watching us & wanting to go along for the walk too! We're hoping this summer we can add the fencing for a couple more paddocks so we can start rotational grazing. Just a sidenote -- we've been taking the dogs on the walk around the perimeter of our property for exercise. Twice around is right about 1 mile. Doesn't sound like that much of a workout until you add in the snow to walk through -- there's a section that drifted about a foot and a half deep that I plowed my way through yesterday -- really makes you work! The second time around was a bit easier -- especially when the dogs ran ahead in the path I already made & helped clear it a bit more. I think it's probably time to go head out now for today's workout

Love your pictures!

Chickens vs. Squirrel

Yesterday my wife saw a squirrel get into the enclosed run, looking for scratch grains and such. The flock was locked up in the coop, but I can't help wondering if the squirrel might get brave, and decide that he can wander in while the hens are around. And then I can't help wondering what would happen if the hens decide that squirrels look delicious...

My turkeys would be having fresh squirrel for dinner!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Can't say mine have ever come close to catching a squirrel, they just find them annoying & play chase. My younger dog however caught a nice squirrel in November. Once he killed it, he just stood there with it in his mouth not knowing what to do with his prize. (I think he was sad the squirrel was no longer playing.)

I had a german shepard named Bear years ago. His nickname was Squirrel Dog, he chewed the bark of several oak trees wanting to get them sooooo badly. He finally caught one and it became his favorite toy for the afternoon, until he ate it. Bear would not give it up, tried to get it from him, nope! He would run away, like a game until I finally gave up.This dog would stand on his hind legs growling and barking at the trees, just hated the squirrels! We have almost none here, or wild rabbits due to all the red tailed hawks.

well hatching is done...16 altogether....
and ofcourse...I have to build another one...and still the fridgebator

babies! Congrats on the hatch!

Quote:

They are great for all the reasons you said. It is amazing to me that breeders are still getting $50 a chick and $120 for a dozen hatching eggs! I'd rather sell for a lot less and see more people get to experience them since it is such a cool breed! I go out there and have a herd of Bielies crowding and following me around. When they get in my way I can literally nudge them with my feet and they are just like "whatever dude". Their size and color is just staggering in real life. They don't bicker or fight with each other and my rooster is just the best guy ever! I have not yet grown up a bunch of roos but this may be my year. I just need to find a way to keep myself from getting attached! I think they would be a great beginner breed and the fact that they are autosexing means you don't get accidental roos when you purchase, which is even better for beginners.

How is the feed conversion for these...do they eat a huge amount like the Orps?

This is Maggie -- our best little incubator! She seems to live for hatching eggs. This past October she was our momma who hatched the ducklings. Her current batch of chicken eggs has about a week to go yet. We usually have the food & water bowls sitting outside the nest box so she can stretch her legs a bit to eat & also so there's less chance of water spilling in the nest box. But with as cold as it's been I didn't want her to have to get up and leave the eggs uncovered any more than necessary. Can't wait to see what our barnyard mix chicks look like this time!

What breed is Maggie?

The beilies I have are little pigs, eating a lot but are still pretty young. From everything I have read, once mature the feed intake slows down to normal levels for the size.

Question:
Can molting be done in stages?
Remember this poor girl in November?


By December she looked like this:

I think she even started to lay a few eggs around Christmas. However, she has since stopped. She's not acting broody. It looks like she may be getting some wing feathers. That's why I ask if molting can be done in stages.

Also, I have two 18 month old hens that have never molted & are still laying eggs. (not daily due to shorter daylight, but never stopped laying for more than 2 consecutive days.) They also still have the wing damage form June from our former rooster. That's why I'm thinking they never molted. I thought hens molt once a year around fall/early winter. Can they molt at any time of year?

Are my chickens in normal range or should I be looking for something?

I have a hen that did the same thing, it was a hard molt. She is just getting the wing feathers in now. They molt when its their time, so no worries, it can happen any time of year. Winter months, lots of extra protein to help them finish quickly. If the temps are sever, consider bringing in at night at least to keep them from freezing to death. I have a 2 year old BA thats never molted, and a few BCM hens almost as old that haven't yet either.

Quote: I think they are similar to the orps food intake, but will be able to compare better once this pair matures.

A neighborhood hawk had his last very bad day today! Sorry for his luck, NOT! He got a Silkie Roo, a Welsummers and a Brown leghorn hens. Killing like it was a chicken massacre! So angry with myself AND that bleepin hawk! Brad Selig it got the Red Partridge roo. Grrrrrr!!! Never had a hawk problem before if that's the only one around I never will again either!

Thats so terrible to hear, I'm so sorry min

someone else had an attack yesterday, it was a sharp shinned hawk. more info later...

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

falling asleep, ugh hope to be back tomorrow! Still working on the barn, and we are doing the drywall in the addition to try to finish up part of the house too. So many projects going! Nite guys

 

[chickiebaby1]

I have read somewhere of owners getting their dogs to kill an hawk when it attacks. As far as I can tell nothing in the law against that, permit or no permit for killing birds of prey.
here is what I had in mind:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chrystalgails-chicken-incubator
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/wine-cooler-incubator-winner-of-the-2009-diy-incubator-contest

Only I was not going to have turners. Just nice flat shelves and covered hatching drawers. And lots of water surface area. I would need an auto humidity setup but those are not too tough just an extra hole in the side and a bucket kit.
I have not entirely investigated it but I'm thinking if I get a cheap cooler, an incubator warehouse fan and temperature kit, a humidity kit, and hatching trays, it would have to be cheaper than a new hatcher. The clear door is a must the light is not. I need a good way to measure humidity too, I'm not sure the icu kit includes that.

This is the incubator my DH is working on for me. It's going to have at least 2 shelves, for at least 2-3 dozen eggs each, so that will be over 100 eggs each time, or I will be able to do staggered hatches. I took this idea from the one you posted above chrystalgails, only we used a cabinet. we lined the inside with silver insulateion board and used an old styrofoam heating set up. I also have a couple humidity/temp gauges so I can keep track of temps on the top and bottom.I won't be hatching in this, i have 3 syrofoam "hatchers" so I can keep breeds seperated and different hatch dates seperated. I have started setting every Friday, so I will be super excited when DH gets this done. He is going to put a clear window at the top maybe and get a latch to keep the door closed good and we will be able to test it out.

 

[birdman55]

I'm searching craigslist to try and find a cheap wine cooler. I want to make a wine cooler hatcher. I'm thinking at least with a hatcher, I won't have to thing about or work on an auto turner.

make sure if you use bulbs that the cycle on off is fast...the longer the delay the bigger the temp changes and bigger the humidity changes are....I had two 60 watt in the coolerbator and I upgraded to two 75 watt and it keeps it perfect...you might have to use one 100 and one 75 to keep it perfect...