INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[pbirdhaven]

Some photos of the Buckeye chicks today. The Buckeyes were 5 weeks old on June 10 (Friday). I wanted to try some "heritage Buckeyes" because I've heard so much good about the breed if they're from good lines. Cold hardy, good egg producers, true dual purpose with more meat on them, good foragers, and even good mousers! Supposed to be somewhat laid-back. (But varies on the line. I've heard some are "mean as snakes" to quote a Buckeye enthusiast who tried to help me steer clear of that particular line.) I don't particularly care for a whole herd of red based birds as far as pleasing the eye, but I was hoping they would be great foragers, friendly, dual purpose, and do well in cold winters. Because of the pea comb I really don't have experience telling male female. Little blue band has a tiny bit more colorful comb, and it's maybe a little broader than most of the others so I'm guessing it's a boy. A couple others are a toss-up. I've marked them with color bands so I can tell who's who and then have some kind of idea if my guesses were correct or not. Here they are today: The whole gang. 6 of them. I think little blue band is a boy. Blue band and green band.

I hope that your Buckeyes turn out well. I really love mine. They aren't as showy as some other breeds but more than make up for it in personality, usefulness as egg and meat birds, and hardiness.

Just some random photos to post for no real reason! Some of my year-old Bieles. I would like to sell a trio (my roo plus two hens) if anyone is interested. PM me. They were among the birds tested for my NPIP recertification, so they are clear of pullorum and typhoid. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cogburn as a two-year-old, tail still getting more full every year, and still just a dream of a rooster. I wish all my roos were like him! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two of my three Silver Grey Dorkings from Sand Hill. Pullet in the foreground, cockerel behind her. Unlike Orps, these babies are awesome flyers! I have some hatching eggs in the bator from OK that are seemingly doing well (considering I swore off buying hatching eggs EVER again--Mandy talked me out of it). Hoping for 3-4 more pullets. This color of Dorking autosexes--BONUS!!!! The pullet pretty much looks like she will forever (a little change, but not much). The boys still have a metamorphosis to go through but are clearly different from the pullets. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bitties and more bitties! Lavs and chocs and cuckoos. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My three English blues that should all be pullets. They're 7 weeks and the combs are still yellow and the wattles just pale pink streaks. A black cockerel their age was very obviously male. I also have a fourth blue that is a gender bender. I don't know what it is, but I'm keeping it until I figure it out. I'd hate to cull a pullet, even if it's a rooish one. It's a couple of weeks younger and not shown, but every other day I go back and forth on what gender it is. All I know is it's BIG but it acts more like a pullet now. Hopefully I'll see some direction in a couple of weeks. That's it! Just hadn't been on much lately. Been busy and sick a lot. Waiting for the ****** government to decide whether they'll approve my disability. My appeal was 6 weeks ago and I should have heard by now. I think that means it was sent out for medical review, which could also be good or bad, but at least I did not get a quick 4 week smackdown. I used to be able to do all the chicken jobs, but now all I do is handle chicks in the house and garage until they go outside. Jay takes care of all the adults unless they need to be looked at from a veterinary standpoint. Please keep your fingers crossed and/or send up a prayer for me that I win my appeal. I don't know how much longer we can hold out on no income from my end, and I feel really bad about not holding up my end. For those of you who don't know, I've had 5 back surgeries.

I'm crossing everything that I can for you! It's so disheartening to see people who are perfectly able to work living off the rest of us while someone who really needs help has to fight for it.

Time to start freezing eggs! I have around 70 on the counter after all the orders were filled! I usually keep 3 dozen or so for us. I love over easy eggs, and eat at least 4 a day myself. Love pastured eggs too. I do not wash eggs until I have orders, and try to give folks the freshest ones we have. Otherwise for us I just wash the eggs before we cook. Had a wonderful visit with family that came up from southern IN/KY area and the grand nieces enjoyed visiting all the critters here. My sis in law (she's more like a sister they have been married so long) Fed our lil bull Mooose his bottle this morning. I helped her hold onto the bottle, calves butt hard if they think the milk isn't coming fast enough. Still waiting for Sugar to kid, and expecting twins. She is flat huge!

I know that it has been posted before but I'm not finding it--how do you freeze eggs?

Had the Vet out today, checked my neighbors herd and my Cow Fanny. Heartbroken! Fanny's ultrasound explains why she hasn't went into cycle. She has a "mummyfied" calf that died and never passed, rather stayed inside. The vet said the mummy is old, possibly a year or more.. He confirmed she will not be able to breed again, and to look at alternatives for her. Fanny will go up for sale, I cannot keep a 1,000lb pet . Our other alternative is the freezer, even DH is struggling with that option frankly. She really stole our hearts, been a good girl.

I' so sorry to hear that. I know how much you have loved her.

There is a wild turkey with babies in my yard. I believe her mate was killed a couple days ago as I heard an awful commotion of screaming and crashing around in the woods. If I were to get an adult male (not wild) would they likely take to one another and would he help her with her young. I don't know anything about turkeys but she seems quite thin and young looking to me. I would sure like to help her if I could

Others have posted good advice. Just keep offering food and enjoying the show.

Hi everyone I have missed being here. Life is really a big ------hole right now and will be for a long time to come. My grandfather passed away and 2 days latter we got NOTICE that our neighbors want to rezone to residential and there are more of them than me so I have lost and now I have 30 days to either move or get rid of ALL my critters. Well the moving thing aint working out. Cant find a place. I am so upset. I have had my horse for 16 years!!! and I have the goats and the chickens!!! I just dont know what to do so if anyone is looking for any goats or chickens e-mail me cause I wont be on here much right now, I'm just upset and am spending ALL the time I can with the critters and trying to see that they go to good people. I hope all is well with everyone. [email protected]

That truly sucks! Definitely look into grandfathering.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

@pbirdhaven here's the method I use:
https://www.facebook.com/FreshEggsDaily/posts/1125297587512149

 

[Greenthumb83]

@Leahs Mom I was wondering how your observations are going with your cockerels. I was a little stressed with leaving the birds for a week, but on coming home, I see a lot of changes! My Australorp cockerel is really finding his way into my heart lol..as well as the ladies. I caught him hanging onto some neck feathers yesterday. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I'm keeping an eye on it (He's just shy of 12 weeks, but the girls are a bit older). Everyone seems happy and I saw him dance for one of the BR pullets this morning. It was so cute lol. She ran away of course. I also spent time in the coop this morning to see how they enjoyed the nest boxes. Well, what do you know....Mr Granger went right up into one of the boxes and was just chattering away, walking in circles. There was a row of pullets lined up just staring, watching everything he did. Then one of the girls got into the box next to him to take a look around. He is turning out to be just wonderful. He is making it too easy for me lol. I keep waiting for things to change, but he is already acting gentlemanly at his young age. Bob, on the other hand confuses me. Sometimes he bites me. Other times he is happy to fall asleep in my arms like a big baby. He also jumps on my back a lot. I am not sure where we stand. The other 2 boys are still the same. Any new news on yours?

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Greenthumb83

My "older" group of boys are 13 weeks this week. At least one has been crowing for a couple of weeks but no show of "manly" activities yet (thank goodness!). So the 6 of them...3 boys and 3 girls - are still together acting like elementary school age buddies.

I keep watching for the time when I'll have to separate them out but so far so good.


Quote:
Some thoughts With Bob. Just my opinions but I think they are based on good sense..

He needs to know you're in charge and submit to you at this early age or he has the potential to be trouble as he ages.

-I WOULD NOT let him bite you.
-I WOULD NOT let him jump on my back. That would be the number one thing I'd put an end to right away. It may not seem like an act of aggression while he's young, but it's a habit that should be stopped now before he gets any older. You don't want a full-sized roo with spurs jumping you or any other humans. You can accomplish that by not turning your back to him. Always keep him in front of you.

When I have cockerels I make a habit of looking them in the eye and walking directly toward them whenever I enter an area where they are (inside or outside). They will back off in submission and that's a good thing. They need to know that YOU are in charge...not them. (If they don't back off but continue to make aggressive movements toward me, there is a bit of further "training" I do before writing them off. But they better pass the additional training or I don't feel they are safe to keep anywhere humans may enter.)

This isn't to say that you might not have a friendly roo/cockerel in the end. But they will go through that teenage age where they want to mate everything that moves and will want to establish their dominance. They want to be the protector of the flock - and that's a good thing. But when you're there, you need to become the dominant flock protector and the boys need to take second place. If you establish that early, you'll be really glad in the long-run!


You may already know all that so please forgive if it's elementary!


Ps: Mr Granger sounds like he's going to be a keeper!

 

[Greenthumb83]

@Greenthumb83

My "older" group of boys are 13 weeks this week. At least one has been crowing for a couple of weeks but no show of "manly" activities yet (thank goodness!). So the 6 of them...3 boys and 3 girls - are still together acting like elementary school age buddies.

I keep watching for the time when I'll have to separate them out but so far so good.



Some thoughts With Bob. Just my opinions but I think they are based on good sense..

He needs to know you're in charge and submit to you at this early age or he has the potential to be trouble as he ages.

-I WOULD NOT let him bite you.
-I WOULD NOT let him jump on my back. That would be the number one thing I'd put an end to right away. It may not seem like an act of aggression while he's young, but it's a habit that should be stopped now before he gets any older. You don't want a full-sized roo with spurs jumping you or any other humans. You can accomplish that by not turning your back to him. Always keep him in front of you.

When I have cockerels I make a habit of looking them in the eye and walking directly toward them whenever I enter an area where they are (inside or outside). They will back off in submission and that's a good thing. They need to know that YOU are in charge...not them. (If they don't back off but continue to make aggressive movements toward me, there is a bit of further "training" I do before writing them off. But they better pass the additional training or I don't feel they are safe to keep anywhere humans may enter.)

This isn't to say that you might not have a friendly roo/cockerel in the end. But they will go through that teenage age where they want to mate everything that moves and will want to establish their dominance. They want to be the protector of the flock - and that's a good thing. But when you're there, you need to become the dominant flock protector and the boys need to take second place. If you establish that early, you'll be really glad in the long-run!


You may already know all that so please forgive if it's elementary!


Ps: Mr Granger sounds like he's going to be a keeper!

Actually, I hadn't thought of the spurs and the jumping on my back (although I should have)! Thank you for pointing that out, so I can stop this behavior now. I do think I need to be more assertive with Bob. He is not a baby anymore and is actually our biggest cockerel. He's getting kinda bratty and it worries me. He has only ever gotten ahold of me once and that was yesterday. Any other time is just a hard peck. Once I pick him up, he is fine. He needs to know his limits though. I've been shoving him off my shoulder when he jumps up, but I will take your advice and not turn my back to him.

Sounds like yours are still getting along great! 2 out of my 4 were trying to mate at 12 weeks.

For the most part though, all the BR boys are very immature compared to Granger. What do you think of keeping only one? I have read that they are less aggressive if there are two.

 

[pbirdhaven]

@Greenthumb83

My "older" group of boys are 13 weeks this week. At least one has been crowing for a couple of weeks but no show of "manly" activities yet (thank goodness!). So the 6 of them...3 boys and 3 girls - are still together acting like elementary school age buddies.

I keep watching for the time when I'll have to separate them out but so far so good.



Some thoughts With Bob. Just my opinions but I think they are based on good sense..

He needs to know you're in charge and submit to you at this early age or he has the potential to be trouble as he ages.

-I WOULD NOT let him bite you.
-I WOULD NOT let him jump on my back. That would be the number one thing I'd put an end to right away. It may not seem like an act of aggression while he's young, but it's a habit that should be stopped now before he gets any older. You don't want a full-sized roo with spurs jumping you or any other humans. You can accomplish that by not turning your back to him. Always keep him in front of you.

When I have cockerels I make a habit of looking them in the eye and walking directly toward them whenever I enter an area where they are (inside or outside). They will back off in submission and that's a good thing. They need to know that YOU are in charge...not them. (If they don't back off but continue to make aggressive movements toward me, there is a bit of further "training" I do before writing them off. But they better pass the additional training or I don't feel they are safe to keep anywhere humans may enter.)

This isn't to say that you might not have a friendly roo/cockerel in the end. But they will go through that teenage age where they want to mate everything that moves and will want to establish their dominance. They want to be the protector of the flock - and that's a good thing. But when you're there, you need to become the dominant flock protector and the boys need to take second place. If you establish that early, you'll be really glad in the long-run!


You may already know all that so please forgive if it's elementary!


Ps: Mr Granger sounds like he's going to be a keeper!

Leah's Mom is right on! You don't want a cock who is aggressive in any manner; it only gets worse as they get older if not stopped early. And sometimes it's just the temperament of that particular bird. I had a silkie-cochin mix (by accident) who was badly injured when he was about 4 days old by another hen--the entire side of his head was ripped open. I brought him in to make him comfortable until he died, which he didn't. Five minutes later he was running around and looking for food. This chick grew up in a clear plastic tub on my desk, cuddled in my lap or sat on my shoulder while I worked etc. But when he matured, he was a demon, so bad that I finally took him to Veedersburg with some other birds that I needed to let go. I clearly labeled the carrier as very mean; the ring workers just laughed and took him out anyhow. He put on quite a show for everyone as he went after everyone in the ring. Someone actually bought him thinking it was funny. I should have just put him down, and did actually try to break his neck--thought I had twice but the devil wouldn't even die! Hopefully the buyer finished him off for Sunday dinner.

On the subject of auctions, I rarely take birds there, preferring to sell them privately or at a show or swap where I can talk with the prospective buyer. Unfortunately the show season was over except for the Marion County and State Fair shows, and Indiana is short on swaps, both awaaay up north and I'm in the south. I don't take my "good" birds to auction, only those that I need to pass on quickly--an abundance of roosters or barnyard birds that are past their prime. I have too many beaks to feed to keep birds that aren't contributing in some way, unless it's a personal favorite!

I still have my trio of LF white-crested black Polish and the trio of jubilee Orpingtons if anyone is interested.

 

[pbirdhaven]

@pbirdhaven here's the method I use:
https://www.facebook.com/FreshEggsDaily/posts/1125297587512149

Thanks, Janet!

 

[Greenthumb83]

Leah's Mom is right on! You don't want a cock who is aggressive in any manner; it only gets worse as they get older if not stopped early. And sometimes it's just the temperament of that particular bird. I had a silkie-cochin mix (by accident) who was badly injured when he was about 4 days old by another hen--the entire side of his head was ripped open. I brought him in to make him comfortable until he died, which he didn't. Five minutes later he was running around and looking for food. This chick grew up in a clear plastic tub on my desk, cuddled in my lap or sat on my shoulder while I worked etc. But when he matured, he was a demon, so bad that I finally took him to Veedersburg with some other birds that I needed to let go. I clearly labeled the carrier as very mean; the ring workers just laughed and took him out anyhow. He put on quite a show for everyone as he went after everyone in the ring. Someone actually bought him thinking it was funny. I should have just put him down, and did actually try to break his neck--thought I had twice but the devil wouldn't even die! Hopefully the buyer finished him off for Sunday dinner.

On the subject of auctions, I rarely take birds there, preferring to sell them privately or at a show or swap where I can talk with the prospective buyer. Unfortunately the show season was over except for the Marion County and State Fair shows, and Indiana is short on swaps, both awaaay up north and I'm in the south. I don't take my "good" birds to auction, only those that I need to pass on quickly--an abundance of roosters or barnyard birds that are past their prime. I have too many beaks to feed to keep birds that aren't contributing in some way, unless it's a personal favorite!

I still have my trio of LF white-crested black Polish and the trio of jubilee Orpingtons if anyone is interested.

I suspect my Bob may be this way. I may have babied him too much. He's been sitting on my shoulder since he was old enough to fly out of the brooder. My gut is telling me we may be processing 3 birds instead of 2. I am actually fine with that. Seeing what a charming cockerel my Australorp is turning out to be, I wouldn't mind just keeping him. I just worry he will outgrow his britches if he is the only stud in town. Any truth to this? He stole a zucchini from the older boys this evening and brought it to the other side of the run and gave it to the pullets. I would have thought these behaviors would not show until he was much older. I am really taken back by it. It almost seems too good to be true lol.

 

[Greenthumb83]

The new nest boxes

Some of our squash plants and sunflowers growing in with my veggies.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Hi, all! Haven't posted here in a while, but I thought I'd stop by and share pictures of my babies today at 6 weeks old.

The three Silver Gray Dorkings:

Donnie boy:

Callette:

Lydda:

Blue and Splash Large Fowl Cochins:

Cazzie:

Flury:

The Blue Ameraucana, Izzy, sporting her usual big-eyed stare:

My positively gorgeous Easter-egger pullet, Endymion:

My lovely Lavender Orpington, Rooska:

She is such a sweetheart

And this mess of half-grown feathers and fuzz named Umru, who I think is supposed to be a Light Brahma.