INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

Eggs are coming like crazy! I am setting pure breeds and finally selling eating eggs too.Waiting on turkey and guinea to start laying. Most of our chicken breeds are laying finally. Building an egg coop for our miscellaneous hens. I am hatching Chocolate and lavender orp, Naked neck, AMs Sumatrra BBS Dark Cornish. PM for prices and available chicks.

 

[Indyshent]

Oh my

sebbies!!!! Love them so much!!

Someone in Shelbyville is selling dewlap African eggs for $5/ea on craigslist. If you'd like some, I could get some for you. Thought about getting some for me and maybe giving them to you just to increase some (size and) genetic diversity in your flock. They're beautiful birds.

Any recommendations for a goose with close neighbors? I've heard so man good things about them as pets and protectors, that if I could get one to work out here, I'd really like to have one (or a couple).

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: True African are hard to find. Very large dewlap. Body is heavy and large, bulky. They are a rare find and so impressive.

 

[pbirdhaven]

Good luck with the interview @funnyfarmmom , I have an interview to move departments later this week. I so want it to happen. Hope it goes well for you!

I have my fingers crossed for you.

Rant #2

Since I moved all but a few chickens in December, I have had nothing but trouble. I moved close to 25 chickens. All my birds are healthy, thankfully. We made it through the Dubois County A.I. problem and did great over the winter. I don't even remember my exact number of birds, since they were moved as I could grab them at night from my parent's house. Some birds were a year, some were two years, and a couple roosters were around 3 years.

Sometime in Dec/Jan I had a coyote problem. If I wasn't home to lock up the coop, I would end up losing a bird or two. One night about 5 went missing. Some nights I work until 9:30-10. I put up a trail camera to see what was going on, watch patterns, etc. My DF brought over a trap and I set that every night. Since then I hadn't lost any at night. A large male fox had been coming around, but I think he figured out he can't get to them and has moved on. During the day, if I am home, I definitely know when a hawk is around...there is a ruckus outside! They have plenty of cover, so that isn't a huge threat.

Roxy, my good girl, (sorry, for gushing on her, she is just really starting to get into the whole LGD thing and loves it!) barks and chases off anything that breathes. Sometimes in the middle of the night, it drives me crazy, but she always has an ear on alert.

Now for my biggest problem: I rent my house from someone I kind of work with. She and her husband are pretty cool, a few years older than me, and have a couple kids. They had no problem with me having chickens and whatever else at the place since it is the country. Mostly everything is going good aside from some repairs that need to be done, that sadly, I need a man for...He is trying to get over and do things when he can, so I'm alright with that. They moved to a house just over the hill (I could walk there). They have two outside dogs that roam freely.

Up until a couple weeks ago, they never came onto my property...that I knew of. Two weeks ago, I lost a couple birds without a trace. No coyote/fox/raccoon tracks. And they went missing during the day. Right now I am working a straight 8-5 schedule, so I have been opening the coop when I leave in the morning and closing it up around an hour after I get home. I am hoping after an interview this week, I get to continue this schedule, which is in a different dept. and I love it!!

This last Thursday, Roxy starts barking as soon as I open the door, so I go out and investigate. It is one of my landlord's dogs. He's just nosing around the property. Roxy tries to let him know he's not welcome, but he thinks she's playing. I decided to not open the coop, and put food and water inside. I fired my .22 to get him to go home. He left and I went to work. I let my DF know and he said he would visit later in the day. He texts me at 2pm and said he was too late. The dog had torn through the coop door and throughout the morning, had successfully killed 3 hens and two roosters. I got home at 5:30 and walked around my whole yard and there were feathers EVERYWHERE. I could see each bird's coloring. I was bawling by the time I walked in the coop to see who I had left.

Friday, I didn't let the rest out again, I put concrete blocks up so nothing could get in. Friday, everything was good, even though the dog came by. I love having a trail cam up!

Saturday morning, I am working on some things at my computer, which is right by the back door. I start hearing crazy chicken sounds and swing open the door and a chicken is flying into the house with one of the dogs hot on her tail. He has feathers in his mouth. I let her stay wherever she landed and grab the gun. BOTH of their dogs are here, trying to get chickens. Now at this point, I have one rooster, 5 hens and my sweet Mille Fleur left. I fire off shots and I am screaming! Roxy takes off, I don't know where the chickens are, if there are any left. At this point I am steaming and I shouldn't have a firearm in my hands. So I go back in and get dressed, grab my phone, and my handgun, just in case. I call for Roxy, but she isn't coming out of wherever she is. I have a GPS tracker on her, so I follow that and find her hiding underneath a big mess of fallen trees in the woods. It took a half hour to coax her out and to come back home with me, poor girl! So we walk around the yard and the coop. 2 girls were in the coop, and 3 were under the coop. (I was going to get some more blocks to close the underneath up, now I am glad I didn't, because it's low enough that only a rooster and smaller can squeeze under there) One girl is in the house and one is missing. I am not happy. I get the hen from the house and check her over. She was behind the couch... Feathers missing, but no damage.

I texted my parents because I was planning on going over there and getting the last of the outside supplies and do some laundry. I told them I would be there much later and what was going on. Then I texted my landlord and explained what was going on. Just this week I have estimated a loss of $150. Some of my chickens are RK/TSC, but many are/were from my friends here on BYC. I have driven all over the lower half of the state for some of these birds. A friend of theirs that I am working with right now mentioned that a couple weeks ago that they mentioned a couple dead chickens showed up in their yard. So they have known about this for weeks and haven't said anything!!!!! When I texted him and told him the dogs were up here, I have trail cam photos of them and I am losing all this "money/chickens" because of them, all I got as a response was, "Yeah, I need to do something with the dogs, they'll kill anything." No, I'm sorry, or take some money off the rent, nothing. I am so furious right now!!

Does anyone have advice or suggestions on how to handle this situation? I went to Home Depot and bought stakes and good fencing, and I have an automatic door on the way, spending yet more money. I am doing all I can to save my birds and keep them protected. With the weather getting warmer, I am able to get more done outside with security, it's just getting enough money saved for doing more.

That's a tricky situation. On the one hand, he owes you. On the other, as your landlord he could make things difficult.
I know how it goes having money to do what we want and need to!

Thanks for the good wishes everyone! I got the job! Well, dependent on passing the drug test, but hey, I don't even take any prescriptions lol. I start Monday.

Fed the birds their first helping of fodder this morning. 2 entire trays....gone in 3.2 seconds lol. I'd say it was a hit

Congratulations!

There's already a pip!! I heard a baby peeping under Marge tonight!

THE CHICKS ARE COMING!! I'm losing my mind over here!!

You're going to be a basket case before this is over!

 

[pbirdhaven]

If anyone looking for chicks is in the Shelbyville vicinity, RK there should be a good bet. A very knowledgeable associate has transferred there. She was on BYC until had to give up her flocks and was in charge of poultry at TSC in Greensburg. Then moved over to manage that department at RK in Greensburg, and now has been transferred to Shelbyville. Her name is Patti, and I'll wager that the S'ville RK has one of the best poultry departments around if they didn't move her to something else.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Good night all.. going to bed.

 

[Mother2Hens]

I was just reviewing posts from the past couple of days, but I noticed some late nighters are online, so I'm going to go ahead and post this question. Ever since I first met Lacy, my precious Birchin Bantam Cochin from @chick rookie , I noticed an occasional rattle. I heard it when I was putting her in the car that day, but didn't think much about it because she has a funny little voice so I figured it was part of her funny sounds. The rattle seems like it's coming from her nose. It's weird because it is occasional and she doesn't have any signs of runny eyes, nose, mouth, respiratory trouble of any kind. The only time I've heard a short one-cough is when she's rooting around in the dirt.

Lacy has been in quarantine a little over a month. The reason I haven't mentioned her odd rattle is because the day I brought her home was when I found out that Screech had died. Her necropsy and subsequent ordeal was all I could handle, so I wasn't going to worry about Lacy unless things got worse. Luckily, they haven't and she has been having a great time being a very spoiled house chicken! I did hear a new sound from her a couple of days ago, though—a loud screech that sounded much like Screech's screech greeting. However, Lacy's screech turned out to be her broody warning! lol She's been sitting on an empty nest, but I still take her outside across the street for outings twice a day. She's so sweet and just goes along with the program. Haha

Here's a very short video where I recorded Lacy's rattle. It's not the best example…I recorded it late at night as she sat on her empty nest. You have to turn up your volume to hear it. If anyone has any thoughts, please let me know. My uneducated gut instinct is that it's just a slight abnormality she was born with. Wishful thinking anyway!! I need to record her sweet little funny voice, too. It's normally very soft, but if she sings the egg song or does the broody screech, she is LOUD!
Bantam Cochin nose noises

 

[Mother2Hens]

This 70 degree weather is killing me—I'm overdoing it outside. I'm obsessed with obliterating invasive species. Euonymus used to be my main enemy, but I'm on the trail of English Ivy and Kudzu! My girls love to help.

Originally Posted by jchny2000
Oh, my intention on posting the story didn't have anything to do with being vegan or not— I just thought it was a funny story. Chickens have brought me to a world that I never imagined, and I could relate to the woman who just enjoyed chilling with her cows! In other words, I'm getting to be as eccentric as she has become. Haha. Cattle rancher's wife goes vegan

And speaking of the wonderful, wacky, world of chickens…Last Saturday was our 4 year anniversary of starting our chicken journey! I can't believe it's been four years! And at the end of that year is when @jchny2000 /Janet started our incredible Indiana Thread! I stumbled upon the thread right around my 1 year chicken anniversary. Thank you, Janet!

Love your little baby pigs!


@EmSteele ~ Congrats on your news about your new son to-be. As far as advice re chickens while pregnant, I'd say wash your hands often! Wear a dust mask if you must clean the coop, etc. Oh—I just noticed you already received that advice from @ellymayRans Mine is a review.

byc website issues
I have the byc app on my iPad, but the reply—text editor "isn't compatible with my browser" (Safari). IMO—They need to forget the app and upgrade to responsive web design so that the site adjusts/works well on any device.
@dennislambert79 Great photos! Poor silkie. lol

@Mishlerfarm24 So terrible about your rooster! He was a hero.
@pbirdhaven
Sounds like some chick hatching therapy will help you cope with midterm grading grief! What are you planning to hatch?
@funnyfarmmom Hope your job interview went well! Also hope you can find a job that won't aggravate your sciatica.

@Faraday40 You've been wonderful to Cuddles. That's nice that she's enjoying the outdoors.
@amwchickin I need to get to bed, but will read your rants tomorrow — Hang in there!

 

[chick rookie]

There's already a pip!! I heard a baby peeping under Marge tonight!

THE CHICKS ARE COMING!! I'm losing my mind over here!!

I was just reviewing posts from the past couple of days, but I noticed some late nighters are online, so I'm going to go ahead and post this question. Ever since I first met Lacy, my precious Birchin Bantam Cochin from @chick rookie , I noticed an occasional rattle. I heard it when I was putting her in the car that day, but didn't think much about it because she has a funny little voice so I figured it was part of her funny sounds. The rattle seems like it's coming from her nose. It's weird because it is occasional and she doesn't have any signs of runny eyes, nose, mouth, respiratory trouble of any kind. The only time I've heard a short one-cough is when she's rooting around in the dirt.

Lacy has been in quarantine a little over a month. The reason I haven't mentioned her odd rattle is because the day I brought her home was when I found out that Screech had died. Her necropsy and subsequent ordeal was all I could handle, so I wasn't going to worry about Lacy unless things got worse. Luckily, they haven't and she has been having a great time being a very spoiled house chicken! I did hear a new sound from her a couple of days ago, though—a loud screech that sounded much like Screech's screech greeting. However, Lacy's screech turned out to be her broody warning! lol She's been sitting on an empty nest, but I still take her outside across the street for outings twice a day. She's so sweet and just goes along with the program. Haha

Here's a very short video where I recorded Lacy's rattle. It's not the best example…I recorded it late at night as she sat on her empty nest. You have to turn up your volume to hear it. If anyone has any thoughts, please let me know. My uneducated gut instinct is that it's just a slight abnormality she was born with. Wishful thinking anyway!! I need to record her sweet little funny voice, too. It's normally very soft, but if she sings the egg song or does the broody screech, she is LOUD!
Bantam Cochin nose noises

I must be a bad chicken mom... I have not heard that from her before. She didn't act sick. I sure hope she will be ok.

 

[kittydoc]

@Mother2Hens , those are definitely not normal sounds. I suggest you have your local avian vet take blood samples and have Purdue run their avian upper respiratory disease tests. Some are worse than others. Some will improve with supportive care. However, you need to know WHAT you are dealing with so you can figure out how long you need to keep her in quarantine. Whatever you do, don't let her near your remaining birds, and be sure to wash hands and preferably keep a separate smock for Lacy and for your other birds so you don't carry it from one to the other. Pending that, I would consider adding some water-based vitamin supplements as well as some dry cat food to help keep up her strength.

I'm not going to speculate on what of the many things this could be. That's what the tests are for.

I am so sorry you can't seem to catch a freaking break!!