INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Indyshent]

Hope you caught it in time, short term, they may recover. We lost power like 3 days last winter and it wiped both my tanks. My oscars, pleco and all my babies were lost.

I had to take everyone else in the tank to Uncle Bill's on really short notice. They wouldn't give me anything for them, and I just know the store turned right around and sold them for a ton of free money. Had a 12in oscar, a 16in pleco, The sole remaining violet goby (usually sold as "dragon eels") and all of the convicts I could catch. My autistic son is just murder on my fish. He kept dropping stuff in the tank (like buckets full of urine, that sort of thing). Fish just can't that abuse (and shouldn't have to), so after losing both of the other oscars over the past few months, I just couldn't do it again. I couldn't figure out what he put in the tank, and nothing was getting any better as far as their health and water quality after numerous water changes. I'd had some of these fish since they were fry, the convicts for several generations, and the pleco and oscar for five years each. I'd had three gobies (12-16in each) from when I'd set up my daughter's first aquarium; lost the two biggest ones overnight.

Haven't seen the bichirs moving, and can't find the other convict. Even the pleco's looking miserable. At this rate, when it gets to temp, I'll just throw a ton of guppies in it and hope for the best. They've outpopulated their ten-gallon again, and the bichirs love their company... for dinner.

In brighter and hilarious news, I put a root stump in with my chickies, and they're all cowering away from it and staring at it. The two-week-old buff Orp was the first and only to peck at and attempt to eat the smaller roots from the stump. Other than it, nobody's touched it.

 

[birdman55]

We had to chase a bat out of our house a couple of weeks ago. DH and I hit the deck like incoming ordinances were launched at us. So "fun."

Howdy, all! Sorry for the LTNS. Have been crazy busy with the kids for months. Things seem to be settling down, thank heavens.

I have a chicken q: This morning I noticed the birds' waterer had frozen over, even though it's in a heated dog bowl. (The water in the dog bowl isn't frozen, and the waterer itself isn't frozen, there was just enough ice on top of the drinking surface to keep the birds from getting anything...and I suspect it was too thick for them to peck through.)

At any rate, I refreshed the water and it spilled out like a waterfall. One of my silkies immediately started drinking from the overflow and I couldn't help but notice her head getting wet. She doesn't have big wattles, but I can't help but wonder about her entire head. The earlobe, whatever. What should I do?

well i have had the same problems with the heated bowls the last week of minus 20...and my chickens just get water all over and shake there heads and water goes all over every other chicken...but they go inside the coop after they are done drinking....i wouldnt worry about it to much....maybe on roosters/hens with large combs and such..but i wouldnt worry about frostbite...it will turn white then black and then fall off....not sure if that sounds mean or not but i have to many chickens...especially the leghorns and i can see alittle bit of spots on them but it will heal itself...so im not worried...

 

[kabhyper1]

Surprise! I have a beardless silkie. That wasn't supposed to happen! Ohh gotta love genetics. These were shipped eggs.So its not from my birds. lol

 

[browncow15]

So DH got our taxes done and I've been green lighted to spend some on an automatic door for the coop only because it benefits him. Anyway what do you all have? What do you like/ not like? I had thought about building one at one point I just don't have the time or energy to do it right now

BTW I haven't seen Hoosiercheetah recently.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Surprise! I have a beardless silkie. That wasn't supposed to happen! Ohh gotta love genetics. These were shipped eggs.So its not from my birds. lol

Aww, that's okay! I like them more clean faced, anyway! I like seeing their faces. Even if they are little sass-mouthed grumpy-pantsed broody-broods.

Edited because I forgot an adjective.

 

[kabhyper1]

Aww, that's okay! I like them more clean faced, anyway!

I like seeing their faces. Even if they are little sass-mouthed grumpy-pantsed broody-broods.

Edited because I forgot an adjective.

You want my little beardless Pip'd? If its a boy, he would be a good little guy for your girls.

 

[leslea]

With their walnut combs I've never had issues with their heads getting a bit wet. Now if it's soaking wet go snatch her up towel dry and I wouldn't hesitate running a blow dryer on her til she's mostly dry. I've found short spells in the house to tend to such things hasn't had any negative results.

I was afraid to take her inside to mess with her. Here's hoping she's okay. I'll feel awful if she froze something off.

well i have had the same problems with the heated bowls the last week of minus 20...and my chickens just get water all over and shake there heads and water goes all over every other chicken...but they go inside the coop after they are done drinking....i wouldnt worry about it to much....maybe on roosters/hens with large combs and such..but i wouldnt worry about frostbite...it will turn white then black and then fall off....not sure if that sounds mean or not but i have to many chickens...especially the leghorns and i can see alittle bit of spots on them but it will heal itself...so im not worried...

She went in and back out all day, from what I could see from the window. I will be grateful when we hit the 30s again and I can let them free range in the yard. I'll be better able to tell what is going on with her when she's had some time to chillax. Right now I feel like if I go out in the coop everyone is going to fly up into my face and it will be far from a mission of mercy.

Thanks for the responses. Hopefully she was not in pain. That's the thing that makes me feel badly. Just not knowing.

 

[raisinemright]

Stopped by Big R Warsaw tonight in hopes they may have their chicks in. No such luck!! But they do have the breeds posted and there is one I'm going to pick up. Some Cuckoo Marans! Supposed to be next week same with TSC. Our last batch of chicks are still doing great and growing fast! The baby goats are all doing good. One of the trips seems to be a little weaker than the others but we've been working with it the most. Hope everyone stays warm and safe in the big snow storm coming this weekend!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I did something new today, well 2 things. First I paid for beef fat, specifically the fat from around the kidneys. Second I made tallow. The internet made it look so simple and it really is not labor intensive. But it is a slow process and it has a unique smell as the fat melts as the crispies start to cook. Once the crispies are close to done, the smell is close to that of a philly cheese steak grill in tight quarters on South Street.
I still have some more fat that is melting down but it won't be ready to strain till the morning. Fat is a space hog and my crock pot while 6 qts only hold about 6-8 pounds wedge in all funny.
If I do it again I think I will shred the fat before heating it so that it might melt faster. But if and when I do it again I need to remember to get fat from someone who is processing already so it won't cost $1 a pound. I bought half a cow last fall but I did not ask for the fat, it would have been free back then.

 

[kabhyper1]

Stopped by Big R Warsaw tonight in hopes they may have their chicks in. No such luck!! But they do have the breeds posted and there is one I'm going to pick up. Some Cuckoo Marans! Supposed to be next week same with TSC. Our last batch of chicks are still doing great and growing fast! The baby goats are all doing good. One of the trips seems to be a little weaker than the others but we've been working with it the most. Hope everyone stays warm and safe in the big snow storm coming this weekend!

Are you seriously still looking for chicks? LOL Glad the babies are doing good. We want to come see them sometime.