INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Mother2Hens]

Do you remember where exactly you got these? I only did a quick search online due to time constraints at the moment, but I was only really finding paper party banners that would end up as a light snack for my set of feathered velociraptors.

https://www.dodson-group.com/metallic-pennants-strings

All too true. It also helps not to have a forest of trees to work around on top of a large flock size to consider... But at least it's pretty out there.

Your forest is a little drab (joking!) so you could liven it up with some metallic used car lot flags!

I DID NOT KILL THIS HAWK! I don't own a gun anyway. Or a slingshot. DS and I found this hawk while working on a drainline at his house (I have lots of experience digging worms, so I'm a natural at digging trenches. lol) The dead hawk was found under a window where DS had expertly applied energy efficient window film. The hawk apparently flew right into the window. I am guessing that it's a young Cooper's Hawk. I took the photos at night (of course!) I spread out the tail feathers (I felt like a weirdo, but I was respectful). I wish I would have put something next to it for a size reference. I'm thinking that its tail feathers were finger length. Besides the smaller size, its skinny legs made me think it was young.

The underside of the tail feathers looked like they were coated in plastic.

Sorry about the shadows—and its eyes were missing.

 

[ellymayRans]

I finally made the decision and bought 5,000 mealworms!

I know its a little over kill but i plan to feed some to the birds, but i also have a lot of birds. With future plans of penning almost all of them i want a good stock to help with the added protein.

I found an awesome source of information on raising them. Just hoping it's not as much work for as much reading I've done!!

http://www.sialis.org/raisingmealworms.htm

 

[slutter]

DD is stuck home with strep throat today, so she decided to start training her chicken. Both did very well. In about 8min, "Bubbles" learned to consistently peck at the red target chip & not peck at the distraction white chip. She surpassed "Cuddles" on her 1st attempt, so it looks like Bubbles will be an excellent candidate for DD's project.

What kind of project is she working on?

 

[Indyshent]

Despite b vitamins, the chick did pass away this morning. The other 14 seem to be doing well.

In good news, a couple neighbors have decided they would like to buy me out of eggs. They bought every egg I had and pre-ordered two more dozens

 

[Faraday40]

What kind of project is she working on?

She wants to use classical conditioning to train a chicken. The hen associates pecking at a red chip = mealworm. Other colored chips = no mealworm. This morning, she had 4 different colors & kept mixing them up. Almost every time Bubbles only pecked at the red chip. This was only her second training session.

I trained my hen Cuddles to do the same. Then I would write words on cards & she always picked the one with a small red dot. I would ask ?s in front of a classroom & my hen would show the answer. Later I trained her to find and peck at the Ace of Spades. When she mastered it, I added a funny "mind reading chicken" magic trick. I had to make sure the volunteer always picked the Ace of Spades, so my physic chicken could read their mind. I'm thinking of training another lav orp to do the same with a diff card. That way I can misdirect, swap birds, & repeat with another card, like Queen of hearts. I doubt most people would be able to tell the difference.

I'd love to learn how to do chicken agility, but I don't have the time. Perhaps DD will be able to go further with her hen.

 

[Faraday40]

Despite b vitamins, the chick did pass away this morning. The other 14 seem to be doing well.

In good news, a couple neighbors have decided they would like to buy me out of eggs. They bought every egg I had and pre-ordered two more dozens

That's great about the eggs.
Sorry about the chick.

 

[iamfivewire]

@jchny2000 :
here is a photo of the dickey cabinet incubator.......

 

[iamfivewire]

our local TSC is starting 2016 chick days on 02-15
i told them to not let me in the store if they see me
;- )

 

[pattyhen]

I'm the same way. I can't go in if they have chicks it's just to tempting.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Yes, I looked up my email confirmation. I just did a random search and found this place, which happens to be in Indy! Small world. I attached my order, but they're available in different sizes. I also found another photo—taken at night. (I'm a night person ~ I won't say the word "owl"!) Click on the images.

Your forest is a little drab (joking!) so you could liven it up with some metallic used car lot flags!

I DID NOT KILL THIS HAWK! I don't own a gun anyway. Or a slingshot. DS and I found this hawk while working on a drainline at his house (I have lots of experience digging worms, so I'm a natural at digging trenches. lol) The dead hawk was found under a window where DS had expertly applied energy efficient window film. The hawk apparently flew right into the window. I am guessing that it's a young Cooper's Hawk. I took the photos at night (of course!) I spread out the tail feathers (I felt like a weirdo, but I was respectful). I wish I would have put something next to it for a size reference. I'm thinking that its tail feathers were finger length. Besides the smaller size, its skinny legs made me think it was young.

The underside of the tail feathers looked like they were coated in plastic.

Sorry about the shadows—and its eyes were missing.

Can't say thank you enough for posting this. Its the same type hawk we had problems with here. Very aggressive hunter for sure! And that's what my guineas have killed a few times.

I finally made the decision and bought 5,000 mealworms!

I know its a little over kill but i plan to feed some to the birds, but i also have a lot of birds. With future plans of penning almost all of them i want a good stock to help with the added protein.

I found an awesome source of information on raising them. Just hoping it's not as much work for as much reading I've done!!

http://www.sialis.org/raisingmealworms.htm

They are really easy. I started them myself around august 2012. I don't use fruit as moisture umless its winter tho, summer it will draw fruit flies. Potato peelings work great for them, I just wash the skin really well before peeling.

Despite b vitamins, the chick did pass away this morning. The other 14 seem to be doing well.

In good news, a couple neighbors have decided they would like to buy me out of eggs. They bought every egg I had and pre-ordered two more dozens

I'm sorry for the loss. Great news on the egg sale!

Quote: Thats so fun for her! And a great learning experience.

@jchny2000 :
here is a photo of the dickey cabinet incubator.......

Oh ok cool! Its kind of similar to my sportsman cabinets.

our local TSC is starting 2016 chick days on 02-15
i told them to not let me in the store if they see me
;- )

I asked my dear friend Molly at our TSC to escort me out if I even look

I'm the same way. I can't go in if they have chicks it's just to tempting.

My only 2 "wants" are royal purple guinea fowl, and I may add Pekin for the summer months only.