INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[leslea]

Sorry, but I forgot to mention one of the best things about Garden Lime— it fights odors! You know how your coop smells worse when it's damp outside? Just raking some garden lime into the deep litter and adding a little to pine shavings in nesting boxes really improves odor problems.

With all this rain...my run smells like a pig pen. Last night I used a ton of barn lime on it. I bought it months ago and had it on hand. Probably going to take another pass at it today. I really wish it would stop raining so hubs could mow the yard. I would love to put the grass clippings in the run. The coop isn't nearly as bad, so I know it's the moisture to blame. Yesterday was the first time in the year + of having chickens that I used the barn lime. Said to myself, "This will NOT wait." Felt glad that there are trees/scrub between the neighbors and me, bc I was embarrassed of the smell. Just awful. I think I might need to clean part of it out and put in "nature's compost bin," aka the sinkhole in our woods. I don't have a good spot to compost, so I throw branches, etc there.

Haven't been on for bit with work and all. So mad come home and find a dead chicken then 4 more and 9 missing. Neighbors dog got them and killed them on. I confronted neighbor and he was nice and apologetic and offered to pay for loss. I didn't take any money from him. They just starting laying 2 weeks ago got them in early February. Makes me mad out at least 400$ on them plus future worth for selling eggs. Mainly how much time I spent watching them and all of their personalities. I had one with wry neck took her 4 months to get over so I named her twisty and I spent a lot of time talking to her and she would move that crooked neck of hers at me like I was probably crazy. Up to know I only loss 1 chicken. Today I loose 14 out 16. Apparently the people that used to live at my house had same problem with the same dog.

Take his money. Sorry for your loss, but I would definitely take the money, even if you decide not to keep chickens again. I would also tell him if it happens again, that you'll have to report it. Dogs can't be allowed to destroy property.

 

[leslea]

Y'all, Thelma has hatched keets, and they are adorable! So far we are up to five. She's still on the nest so I assume there are more coming. The oldest is 3 days old, then there were four that hatched yesterday. I don't know if it is normal for it to take so long to hatch everyone, but she is determined. And she hisses/strikes like a goose if you disturb her. Unfortunately she also pecks her babies, so I am determined to play "CPS" and remove them from her at every opportunity.

They are flipping cute!

DH and I started a blog this summer, and I have posted some videos on the Instagram. You can also see how huge Andy the unwanted rooster is getting. He is so far a very nice roo. I have no plans to rehome him at present, but he is getting SO dang big! https://instagram.com/treehousetime/

Here comes the rain again...

 

[Candy442]

Haven't been on for bit with work and all. So mad come home and find a dead chicken then 4 more and 9 missing. Neighbors dog got them and killed them on. I confronted neighbor and he was nice and apologetic and offered to pay for loss. I didn't take any money from him. They just starting laying 2 weeks ago got them in early February. Makes me mad out at least 400$ on them plus future worth for selling eggs. Mainly how much time I spent watching them and all of their personalities. I had one with wry neck took her 4 months to get over so I named her twisty and I spent a lot of time talking to her and she would move that crooked neck of hers at me like I was probably crazy. Up to know I only loss 1 chicken. Today I loose 14 out 16. Apparently the people that used to live at my house had same problem with the same dog.

The only losses we have experienced in two years were from three different dog attacks. We are out in the boonies with coyotes, hawks, raccoons, fox, oppossum, fisher cats, and other chicken predators where only other people's loose dogs got our free rangers.

You need to accept the neighbors offer to pay. You invested a lot in your flock and they need to pay. In our Michigan county, if another's dog came on our property and killed our livestock we have the right to shoot and kill. However, I love dogs and they don't know any better...they see those chickens as fun toys unfortunately. I would not be able to destroy the dog, but the owner needs to feel it in their wallet. Maybe they will handle it better in the future.

We had the police remove the dogs that we caught (two friendly and young goldens) to take them to the shelter. We had no idea whose dogs they were. We found out a friend down the street was babysitting them and they got loose. He had to not only pay for our loss, but had to shell out a nice bill to get the dogs out of the shelter. I felt bad, but I was devastated losing my chicken. I get very attached to them and it was a heartbreaking situation no matter what. I still would not be able to kill someone elses pet, but a dog that kills chickens will continue to do so again and again is what I heard. Good luck.

 

[Leahs Mom]

With all this rain...my run smells like a pig pen. Last night I used a ton of barn lime on it. I bought it months ago and had it on hand. Probably going to take another pass at it today. I really wish it would stop raining so hubs could mow the yard. I would love to put the grass clippings in the run. The coop isn't nearly as bad, so I know it's the moisture to blame. Yesterday was the first time in the year + of having chickens that I used the barn lime. Said to myself, "This will NOT wait." Felt glad that there are trees/scrub between the neighbors and me, bc I was embarrassed of the smell. Just awful. I think I might need to clean part of it out and put in "nature's compost bin," aka the sinkhole in our woods. I don't have a good spot to compost, so I throw branches, etc there.

I'm going to sound like a "broken record"

But, seriously, if you contact the tree services in your area, you can usually find one or more that will drop the wood chips at your place after they are working in your area. I'm careful to specify that I want chips where there aren't pecticides and herbicides being used (so usually larger trees from yards).

Use them like deep litter in your RUNS and also put the wood shavings out there right into the run when you are cleaning out your coops or stalls.

Makes the healthiest soil I've ever seen. You just keep adding more on top as needed. You don't want to see any bare, impacted ground, just the wood chips/shavings.

As time passes, the soil under gets filled with worms and good things to eat. If they're stuck in the run, they will enjoy digging through it. On occasion I'll go out with a shovel and dig down (beautiful, easy to dig soil) and turn up some dirt from below that's full of worms and they have a feast and the enjoyment of scratching and digging.


When I add any shavings from inside or more chips, I usually just dump it in a pile. They LOVE digging through and distribute it over the run quite nicely...gives them something to do so I don't do the spreading myself. I let the little workers do their magic.


eta: And.... I've never had a smell in the ourdoor run at all. Once had a person stop over that almost despises animals and she came out to see the chicken shed... When she went in, she said, "Wow...how come it doesn't stink in here?"

I consider that an amazing statement considering the fact that she is averse to animals and animal housing in general

I had never even thought about it until she said that.

 

[Leahs Mom]

PS: It is also quite like a "sponge"...once it's built up you'll never see standing water or mud or slime anywhere. It feels like you're walking on a cushion.

And it's healthy for the birds AND the soil... The carbon (from the chips) and the nitrogen (from the poo) are a great balance. The poo just composts through when it rains and when they are scratching through everything. Seriously healthy.




One disclaimer -
I don't use pharmaceuticals "routinely" (reserved for emergency only) so the ground here has little or no antibiotics to deal with which, if given on a routine basis, may change the healh of the soil. It's kind of like the "probiotic" balance in the gut. If left undisturbed, the balance can remain healthy.

 

[leslea]

PS: It is also quite like a "sponge"...once it's built up you'll never see standing water or mud or slime anywhere. It feels like you're walking on a cushion.

And it's healthy for the birds AND the soil... The carbon (from the chips) and the nitrogen (from the poo) are a great balance. The poo just composts through when it rains and when they are scratching through everything. Seriously healthy.




One disclaimer -
I don't use pharmaceuticals "routinely" (reserved for emergency only) so the ground here has little or no antibiotics to deal with which, if given on a routine basis, may change the health of the soil.

Thanks, Leahs

I have actually asked more than one tree service and haven't had any luck yet. Spent a good deal of time this week talking with the tree service contracted by the REMC to trim trees on our property. He swore up and down he would dump me a load of wood chips at the bottom of my driveway, soon. We'll see. I told him I could really use it in the coop.

So your broken record works!

My run is actually overflowing with pine shavings and dissolved pine pellets at the moment. I put down cardboard last winter when we had such deep snow. I am thinking it is time to pick up the cardboard and pitch it, then dig a bit with the shovel, see what I can do. The run is on a hill, so the yicky pine shavings are piling up against the hardware cloth and have nowhere to go except out. Yicky. I'm sure a shovel would help immensely.

 

[iamfivewire]

sorry to hear about the dog attack on your flock dennis
;- (

 

[iamfivewire]

this little guy is so amazingly calm (2&1/2 months black maran)

 

[daskhan]

Put an ad on craigslist about my chicken/chicks for sale and they are almost all gone I'm so nervous and almost sad

 

[chick rookie]

The little runt rooster did not make it :-(

So sorry for your loss, I have a runt I'm hoping makes it.

With all this rain...my run smells like a pig pen. Last night I used a ton of barn lime on it. I bought it months ago and had it on hand. Probably going to take another pass at it today. I really wish it would stop raining so hubs could mow the yard. I would love to put the grass clippings in the run. The coop isn't nearly as bad, so I know it's the moisture to blame. Yesterday was the first time in the year + of having chickens that I used the barn lime. Said to myself, "This will NOT wait." Felt glad that there are trees/scrub between the neighbors and me, bc I was embarrassed of the smell. Just awful. I think I might need to clean part of it out and put in "nature's compost bin," aka the sinkhole in our woods. I don't have a good spot to compost, so I throw branches, etc there.


Take his money. Sorry for your loss, but I would definitely take the money, even if you decide not to keep chickens again. I would also tell him if it happens again, that you'll have to report it. Dogs can't be allowed to destroy property.

I would take the money too and have for the same reason, not only did they cost you money to get in the first place, but you put a lot of time and energy into them. You deserve to be compensated for you loss. Even in the country there is a leash law or fence. I live in the county and we cant just let our dogs run free No more then the city people can. I know it happens but maybe having to pay for damages cause by him allowing his dog/dogs to run will convince him to keep them home and you wont have the same problem latter down the road. Maybe.
It worked in my case, the neighbor had to pay for my dead Silkies and I see him out all the time checking his fence and making any needed repairs, course it also could have been DH's threat of bodily harm if it ever happened again. DH is not a small man....

Thanks, Leahs

I have actually asked more than one tree service and haven't had any luck yet. Spent a good deal of time this week talking with the tree service contracted by the REMC to trim trees on our property. He swore up and down he would dump me a load of wood chips at the bottom of my driveway, soon. We'll see. I told him I could really use it in the coop.

So your broken record works!

My run is actually overflowing with pine shavings and dissolved pine pellets at the moment. I put down cardboard last winter when we had such deep snow. I am thinking it is time to pick up the cardboard and pitch it, then dig a bit with the shovel, see what I can do. The run is on a hill, so the yicky pine shavings are piling up against the hardware cloth and have nowhere to go except out. Yicky. I'm sure a shovel would help immensely.

I have called a few tree services myslef and still have yet to see any chips, and I have seen 2 of the places I talked to in my area, one of them were 2 places away.