INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Is anyone going (or has anyone attended in the past) to the Lebanon show?  *Really* tempted to make the drive up there and spend the day - maybe have DD drive down from Purdue and meet me.  For those who've been - are there generally birds available for sale, thinking maybe there would be a lot of birds ready to be moved with it being so close to the lifting of the ban and a long summer with restricted sales.......

I've been thinking about going, not 100% sure if I will this year or not as it will depend on my homework load at the time. I went last year to get my call duck pair, Malcolm and Trudi. There were quite a few birds for sale--way too many temptations, like bantam chocolate Wyandottes and dun silver duckwing OEGBs!--and the birds in the show were gorgeous! Plus, this year I hear there will be a national meet for the Ameraucana Alliance, as well as regional meets for the Plymouth Rock club, Rhode Island Red club, and Phoenix club. Sounds like it would be worth it to go just for that!

P.S. If I do go, I'll be wearing this years Indiana BYC'er shirt.

Got my first green eggs this week. Think my Welsummer twins might be starting to lay, too, because I'm getting tiny speckled brown eggs as well So far, my EEs all lay slightly different egg colors (and even textures!). Love my girl-girls

Nice! Gotta love the color variety from Easter-eggers! I really need more of them, I only have 5 left. (Yes, I need them, not just want. )

All qualities.  Always check birds over carefully and quarantine them after purchase.  Even if the bird is healthy at the time, it has been exposed to others in the sales area and to people who have handled other chickens.

Can't stress this enough! Even a healthy bird from your own flock should be quarantined when coming home from a show--you never know what they could pick up from the other birds there!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Have I been overdoing the pictures lately? Just a couple more. My Silver Gray Dorking, Elda, was being such a goof the other day and I wanted to share. She apparently had some ground work to do.

Giving me looks for questioning her work ethic...

Have I mentioned lately that I love Dorkings?

 

[Hholly]

She's pretty!

 

[Faraday40]

Have I been overdoing the pictures lately? Just a couple more.

My Silver Gray Dorking, Elda, was being such a goof the other day and I wanted to share. She apparently had some ground work to do.

Giving me looks for questioning her work ethic...

Have I mentioned lately that I love Dorkings?

Very Cute.

We've discovered that most chickens enjoy a good wagon ride.

 

[Indyshent]

Need some advice concerning the turk-turks.

I posted weeks ago about our injured jake and having to put him down, but since he went 'missing', we've had girls (some more than others) lost calling frequently throughout the day, especially in early morning. The same girls who lost call all the time (the BBWs, Falkor possibly more than Saphira) also seem like they really want me to hold them... all the time. they will walk right up to me and want me to hug them or be in my lap, or sit on my shoes. They tuck their necks in a little most of the time and sometimes drop their wings (more so with Falkor than Saphira), and their faces will become noticeably more red almost all of the time. When Falkor drops her wings, she often shudders a little but doesn't puff her feathers up or strut, just shudders a little before eventually lying down right in front of me.

Falkor is possessive of my lap, and if I have Saphira in it, she will sometimes peck her to get her up and away. By contrast, Vermithrax (BBB and mole-pecker extraordinaire) rather liberally pecks me (and pecked the injured jake when I did allow her to see him) and is far less affectionate. She seems like she wants to get in on the petting action, but she always winds up pecking the bejeezus out of me (it's *preening*, but it still hurts) so I can't pet her very long. Saphira, however, doesn't peck much of anyone, likes her attention frequent (read: "never-ending") and doesn't do the shudder-wing-drop-and-fall-down thing that Falkor does several times a day (only with me, nobody else gets this treatment).

Falkor is also more militant when it comes to threats from roosters (and the jake when he was going through a fight-with-the-girls stage earlier). I think I may eventually have a similar event to what Janet had with the Midget White tom vs Bantam Rooster fight, though, because our mille fleur D'Uccle cockeral decided to get a bit uppity with Falkor and was flying up in her face and kicking at her (no spurs, and he might weigh two pounds soaking wet). Well, she hauled off on him... several times. She would grab him by the neck and just haul him around (like the jake did with her), and the little turdlette kept coming back at her, and it never went any better for him. Eventually, he walked off, talking to himself rather quietly and left her alone, but I was worried he was going to get himself killed because she's a BBW and not exactly a lightweight (probably the heaviest of the three turkey hens).

I'm not sure if this is some kind of mourning issue still or possibly lady hormones rearing their heads, but Falkor started this about the time that the jake fell ill/injured and had to be placed indoors for more care (and eventually put down). Should I consider getting another tom/jake? If I do, I'm definitely considering smaller, heritage breeds. If the noise keeps up, we may wind up having to send our noisiest girls to freezer camp, which would a travesty because they're the sweetest ones. Vermi is pretty quiet and not aggressive, she just pecks everything super hard. She's also the prettiest, which is one more reason to keep her, as though I really needed one. Let's just say that I was hoping for killer omelets from this trio (and an excuse to keep them around even though they're eating me out of house and home).

 

[Indyshent]

Yeah, I think he's a Brahma. It should become more clear as he grows if he's pure or not, but there's definitely some Brahma there.

Yup, and they're BIG guys, too!

Someone shared this picture of one on Facebook the other day, a Light Brahma rooster. I may or may not now desperately want a Brahma for my flock...

Brahmas come in darker colors as well, so that doesn't rule out him being a Brahma. For instance, Dark Brahma cockerels at this age tend to be black with white patches.

I have two Dark Brahma roos/cockerels at the moment. They're both big sweeties (once they get over that awful hormonal phase when they're just starting "feel their oats". Mag the Mighty and his "brother" Wun Wun are pretty different guys, which I'm going to attribute more to Townline's awful breeding than the breed itself. I'll have to wait and see how close to type they grow into being.

Brahmas in general are really, really slow growers, and poor Wun Wun is stellar in this regard. He's only crowed three times so far, and all of those within about five minutes of each other a couple weeks ago. He's about 6 mos old, occasionally tries to physical with the ladies, and is SUPER tall. Seriously, he's about as tall as the BB turkeys, easily over two feet tall. Mag's over two feet if he stands up straight (normally has a more fluffy, graceful curve to him though), and Mag looks short and small (but super fluffy and gorgeous) next to Wun Wun. Mag and Brienne of Tarth (the DB hen) have the round, fluffy tea-cozy look of Cochins, but Wun Wun looks more like he has some recent Langshan or Malay in his woodpile. By contrast, Mag was slow by comparison to the other roosters, but he was still way ahead of Wun Wun in regard to macking on the ladies and crowing. Only one to crow later than Wun Wun was the silkie rooster (who also sounds pitiful and doesn't do it often). The silkie hasn't hit the attack-mommy's-shoes stage yet (if he ever will), but Wun Wun is quickly learning that mommy's shoes doe not need to be pecked at. Ever. So far, he's needed even less of the good ole upside-down discipline than Mag did. Wun Wun has a meaner expression to his face (more like the Malay, but it's common to some Brahmas if the breeder fancies it) and red shoulder patches, but Mag's red feathers have pretty much fallen out and been replaced with the usual stunning black-and-silver plumage.

Last year, I had a Light Brahma roo who probably aged into a decent fellow but had been in the "bad boy" phase (which seems to be blessedly shorter in this breed than some others I've kept). He was rehomed to a nice family in Greenfield who had lost all but one of their Light Brahmas.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Need some advice concerning the turk-turks.

I posted weeks ago about our injured jake and having to put him down, but since he went 'missing', we've had girls (some more than others) lost calling frequently throughout the day, especially in early morning. The same girls who lost call all the time (the BBWs, Falkor possibly more than Saphira) also seem like they really want me to hold them... all the time. they will walk right up to me and want me to hug them or be in my lap, or sit on my shoes. They tuck their necks in a little most of the time and sometimes drop their wings (more so with Falkor than Saphira), and their faces will become noticeably more red almost all of the time. When Falkor drops her wings, she often shudders a little but doesn't puff her feathers up or strut, just shudders a little before eventually lying down right in front of me.

Falkor is possessive of my lap, and if I have Saphira in it, she will sometimes peck her to get her up and away. By contrast, Vermithrax (BBB and mole-pecker extraordinaire) rather liberally pecks me (and pecked the injured jake when I did allow her to see him) and is far less affectionate. She seems like she wants to get in on the petting action, but she always winds up pecking the bejeezus out of me (it's *preening*, but it still hurts) so I can't pet her very long. Saphira, however, doesn't peck much of anyone, likes her attention frequent (read: "never-ending") and doesn't do the shudder-wing-drop-and-fall-down thing that Falkor does several times a day (only with me, nobody else gets this treatment).

Falkor is also more militant when it comes to threats from roosters (and the jake when he was going through a fight-with-the-girls stage earlier). I think I may eventually have a similar event to what Janet had with the Midget White tom vs Bantam Rooster fight, though, because our mille fleur D'Uccle cockeral decided to get a bit uppity with Falkor and was flying up in her face and kicking at her (no spurs, and he might weigh two pounds soaking wet). Well, she hauled off on him... several times. She would grab him by the neck and just haul him around (like the jake did with her), and the little turdlette kept coming back at her, and it never went any better for him. Eventually, he walked off, talking to himself rather quietly and left her alone, but I was worried he was going to get himself killed because she's a BBW and not exactly a lightweight (probably the heaviest of the three turkey hens).

I'm not sure if this is some kind of mourning issue still or possibly lady hormones rearing their heads, but Falkor started this about the time that the jake fell ill/injured and had to be placed indoors for more care (and eventually put down). Should I consider getting another tom/jake? If I do, I'm definitely considering smaller, heritage breeds. If the noise keeps up, we may wind up having to send our noisiest girls to freezer camp, which would a travesty because they're the sweetest ones. Vermi is pretty quiet and not aggressive, she just pecks everything super hard. She's also the prettiest, which is one more reason to keep her, as though I really needed one. Let's just say that I was hoping for killer omelets from this trio (and an excuse to keep them around even though they're eating me out of house and home).

Oh yup, that was an awful day for that mean lil rooster! He would not stop challenging and attacking my MW tom, big mistake. He finally killed that roo and proceeded to eat him! I didn't catch it in time to stop the killing but did not allow him to eat that roo. Some bantams have a Napoleon complex sometimes for sure.
My hens do the "help help" call at times for no apparent reason. Heritage, and BB both, its just part of their nature. When I lost Puppy, my older BBW hen, they all mourned for her for weeks. The heritage act much like the BBs but there isn't the huge food bill and constant worry about flip. I won't be doing BB's anymore here its just not worth the losses and heartaches.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

So, I am putting together my "list" of keepers for next year. Will be downsizing very soon.
Geese I plan to stay with my Chinese white and brown, also Embden breeds.
Turkeys I will not buy BB variety anymore. So many losses to flip (which is a heart attack) BBW did better and are a cleaner finished bird, but both breeds are prone to flip. (BB are broad breasted meat turkeys that cannot reproduce) I am really enjoying the Holland whites from porters! Will be keeping Hollands, Midget white and Bourbon red.
Guineas will be here again next year.
Quail is definite, am awaiting an order from JMF for wild type pharoah jumbos. Culled all my mixed quail flock and am ready to start with a better line.
Ducks... That's my decision that's still on the fence. My pekin are fast meat and egg producers so they stay. Rouen are a friendly attractive breed, drakes are slower growth than pekin. Swedish are leaving, they don't fit as a dual purpose breed. Fair layer but not impressed with the adult drake size and weight. I processed 2 pekin and a 2 swedish drakes, oh boy. Pekin were about 11 weeks and weighed almost 2x the swedish drakes did at a year old! Mallards, not sure yet, they are pretty timid.
Muscovy is a no brainer, they will always be here. They are considered a duck, but are actually a "cousin" of duck.. huge differences in cleanliness. So many unusual colors and patterns, awesome, quackless dual purpose breed.
Chickens I am still deciding but feel I will be keeping EE/OE, Lavender Orpington, Dark Cornish, Maran. I do have a trio of BA and RIR, pair Of White Leghorn that will likely stay. May breed "comets" for eating eggs. WL and RIR produce the "comet/stars " type layer.
Free range chicken flock are the misfits, mutt birds. Mostly roosters, I am sure I will always have a few of them running around.
Oberhasli goats, Hampshire pigs. That's it unless i stumble across a cow or 2 next year!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

She's pretty!

Isn't she just? She's the full package, looks AND personality.

Very Cute. We've discovered that most chickens enjoy a good wagon ride.

Aww! Yeah, I remember a few times giving Frou-Frou wagon rides in that same wagon that Elda's in in my pictures. Frou'f would just hunker right down, make herself at home, and go along for the ride! It was the funniest thing! Most of my other hens will hop out if they feel the wagon moving, though. :/

I have two Dark Brahma roos/cockerels at the moment. They're both big sweeties (once they get over that awful hormonal phase when they're just starting "feel their oats". Mag the Mighty and his "brother" Wun Wun are pretty different guys, which I'm going to attribute more to Townline's awful breeding than the breed itself. I'll have to wait and see how close to type they grow into being. Brahmas in general are really, really slow growers, and poor Wun Wun is stellar in this regard. He's only crowed three times so far, and all of those within about five minutes of each other a couple weeks ago. He's about 6 mos old, occasionally tries to physical with the ladies, and is SUPER tall. Seriously, he's about as tall as the BB turkeys, easily over two feet tall. Mag's over two feet if he stands up straight (normally has a more fluffy, graceful curve to him though), and Mag looks short and small (but super fluffy and gorgeous) next to Wun Wun. Mag and Brienne of Tarth (the DB hen) have the round, fluffy tea-cozy look of Cochins, but Wun Wun looks more like he has some recent Langshan or Malay in his woodpile. By contrast, Mag was slow by comparison to the other roosters, but he was still way ahead of Wun Wun in regard to macking on the ladies and crowing. Only one to crow later than Wun Wun was the silkie rooster (who also sounds pitiful and doesn't do it often). The silkie hasn't hit the attack-mommy's-shoes stage yet (if he ever will), but Wun Wun is quickly learning that mommy's shoes doe not need to be pecked at. Ever. So far, he's needed even less of the good ole upside-down discipline than Mag did. Wun Wun has a meaner expression to his face (more like the Malay, but it's common to some Brahmas if the breeder fancies it) and red shoulder patches, but Mag's red feathers have pretty much fallen out and been replaced with the usual stunning black-and-silver plumage. Last year, I had a Light Brahma roo who probably aged into a decent fellow but had been in the "bad boy" phase (which seems to be blessedly shorter in this breed than some others I've kept). He was rehomed to a nice family in Greenfield who had lost all but one of their Light Brahmas.

They sound like handsome fellas! I love how some Brahmas look so severe, it comes off so comical on a chicken. I saw that picture a while back, didn't even realize it was a Brahma until you posted it! He's a big guy, too!

 

[Indyshent]

So, I am putting together my "list" of keepers for next year. Will be downsizing very soon.
Geese I plan to stay with my Chinese white and brown, also Embden breeds.
Turkeys I will not buy BB variety anymore. So many losses to flip (which is a heart attack) BBW did better and are a cleaner finished bird, but both breeds are prone to flip. (BB are broad breasted meat turkeys that cannot reproduce) I am really enjoying the Holland whites from porters! Will be keeping Hollands, Midget white and Bourbon red.
Guineas will be here again next year.
Quail is definite, am awaiting an order from JMF for wild type pharoah jumbos. Culled all my mixed quail flock and am ready to start with a better line.
Ducks... That's my decision that's still on the fence. My pekin are fast meat and egg producers so they stay. Rouen are a friendly attractive breed, drakes are slower growth than pekin. Swedish are leaving, they don't fit as a dual purpose breed. Fair layer but not impressed with the adult drake size and weight. I processed 2 pekin and a 2 swedish drakes, oh boy. Pekin were about 11 weeks and weighed almost 2x the swedish drakes did at a year old! Mallards, not sure yet, they are pretty timid.
Muscovy is a no brainer, they will always be here. They are considered a duck, but are actually a "cousin" of duck.. huge differences in cleanliness. So many unusual colors and patterns, awesome, quackless dual purpose breed.
Chickens I am still deciding but feel I will be keeping EE/OE, Lavender Orpington, Dark Cornish, Maran. I do have a trio of BA and RIR, pair Of White Leghorn that will likely stay. May breed "comets" for eating eggs. WL and RIR produce the "comet/stars " type layer.
Free range chicken flock are the misfits, mutt birds. Mostly roosters, I am sure I will always have a few of them running around.
Oberhasli goats, Hampshire pigs. That's it unless i stumble across a cow or 2 next year!

White Leghorns don't always make good comets. You need the dominant silver allele, which Leghorns may or may not carry, depending on individual. This is why most breeders of 'comets/cinnamon queens/RSL' use RIR roo over white Delaware or Rocks. You have to have homozygous dominant silver (since ladies only carry one copy anyway, it makes it easier). Other option is finding barred females. Leghorns are a good choice for building layer flocks, but their genetics are crazy because there are so many genes that will make a bird appear mostly white (and that's all the industry really cared about for anything we'll eat). Don't try to sell the first batch because they aren't guaranteed to be autosexing right off. If she's just "white" and not "silver" it won't work at all.