INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Lengerich Farms]

Got our new girls today!!!

this is Hilda, don't remember the breed (if anyone knows please tell me!)

Lucille, Easter Egger

The other is a Rhode Island Red named Ruby, and another I don't know the breed of named Mildred, pics of the other two girls will follow later.

Got the raccoon that was taking my rabbits (lost three before I got him

) and a possum the following night. Hopefully the flock and "herd" of rabbits will be safe for sometime.
Hopefully we will have eggs in no time!

 

[Indyshent]

Got our new girls today!!!

this is Hilda, don't remember the breed (if anyone knows please tell me!)

Lucille, Easter Egger

The other is a Rhode Island Red named Ruby, and another I don't know the breed of named Mildred, pics of the other two girls will follow later.

Got the raccoon that was taking my rabbits (lost three before I got him

) and a possum the following night. Hopefully the flock and "herd" of rabbits will be safe for sometime.
Hopefully we will have eggs in no time!

Hilda's most likely a black Minorca if she lays white eggs. If she lays dark brown eggs, she's a Penedesenca. If the rest of her face turns white, she's a White-Faced Spanish, but they're even more rare than the other two, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Crista]

Anyone have chickens with incredibly thick skin? These hens were 8 months old, free range, organic, non gmo. The skin was gross.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Anyone have chickens with incredibly thick skin? These hens were 8 months old, free range, organic, non gmo. The skin was gross.

I have encountered it with older roosters. Most of the time for "soup birds" I just skin and avoid that altogether.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

oh! those are very nice chickens! I was just offered some purebred Ayam Cemani and also Svart Hona. Unfortunately for her they got mixed together. I am looking for eggs though and neither breed as cool as they are lay well. I am not ready for breeding yet and unsure I will be into breeding later. Otherwise awesome deal. She told me to name any price. When I looked up the breeds I was shocked at their value. I didn't know chickens were so collecter pieces. Ive been thinking mainly utilitarian. I want happy chickens but useful chickens. On that note. for the breeders, how do you handle breeding several breeds? Can you keep a pen of roosters? Do you pair them into their own pen? I see people talking about mixing breeds so I suppose you have to have the same roo as hen to get a specific breed. Really kinda lost of specifics. ...... and what are side springs? As always thanks all!


oh yah. I had more questions. Ive seen people talking about laying sand on the coop floor. Anyone have pros and cons for this?

Breeding is not difficult but I would take some time and settle on a breed you enjoy most. I am an Orpington lover too, but there are so many breeds out there! I still change my mind, want more of one breed or less. We keep 8 breeds now, and each breed has its own coop. I do rotational free ranging So each group gets time out of the coop, on different days.

 

[redring]

If you're just starting out & want great tasting eggs, any common breed or even barnyard mixes will do well. Part of the fun is researching breeds to see which ones will fit your purpose. Most people start out with a mixed flock to see which they like best. (I'll put in a plug for Orpingtons if you want a big, extra fluffy, friendly chicken. Not the best for production, but we're in love with the breed) We have sand (construction grade) in our runs & coop. I like how it is easily cleaned using a kitty litter scooper & stays dry. I spend a few min cleaning it daily & avoid the weekly changing of the litter. I don't know how well sand would work on a large scale (like 20+ chickens), but for us it's great. I dump my chicken manure into our turning composter & am always in search of dried grass & shavings to add. Several people use mulch as a cheap, natural bedding. A benefit of that is that the chickens turn it, so when you remove the bottom layers = instant garden compost.

Sprig = a bump on the side of a comb; it's considered a flaw

Thanks Faraday40! Ill have to give litter a little more thought. I am currently still using the chips I bought for the chicks (they have really lasted) and some shavings from wood cutting here. I wondered if the sand would be less expense but also if it would invite pests. Lots of things here are commonly found in sand. Fleas being one. We dont have compost at this time. I have been just dumping my chips in the garden. Never occurred to me that may not be a good idea. We had a rabbit until recently ( old rabbit). His litter made a lush garden. I actually enjoy research. I have been designing my self a chicken planner. I made pages for tracking chicken breeds that interest me. And will continue to add useful information. Like how to make boiled eggs from fresh eggs. LOL! everyone in the chicken class acted like it was hard. Probably some health care information I want to track and any good tips.

@redring

Now this is funny and the way it is with chicken people. Each has their own perspective on these things and often for very good reasons. Some of it depends on the kind of housing, space, etc. So after @Faraday40 posted that they use sand....


I would NEVER use sand.

I use wood shavings inside the barn/chicken house.

And here is why in my situation.

-Sand in coops (and especially) runs tends to be a vector for cocci.

-Sand in coops requires more maintenance with sifting on a regular basis.

-Shavings can be used in a deep litter situation; just put a little more on top as it becomes soiled and rake thoroughly. Shovel out as needed depending on your coop size if you don't have dirt floors. Sometimes it is as long as 2-mos (or longer in winter) before it needs to go out (again, depending on the size of your coop/house).

If you don't have a dirt floor inside, when it's time to shovel it out, put it into your outdoor pen to create a healthy, deep litter outdoors. Keeps the ground from becoming unhealthy, impacted soil with droppings on top that becomes slimy in rain and a vector for disease. The deep litter creates healthy, amazing soil in the pens. (If you don't have pens outdoors, put it on your garden. Does the same there.)

I built the coop with a raised floor. though the rain hasn't let me finish it yet. All the framing is done and hubby has been patient with me editing the design as we go. I have been raking the run there in now every week. removing the droppings. Scattering a small bit of wood ash and then tossing in garden mint. The mint helps since we started the crushed garlic in the water. Oh boy did it get smelly fast. Who knew one clove in a huge water bucket would scent the droppings so much? Ill have to give the litter some thought. I was worried about the sand inviting in pests like fleas.

Breeding is not difficult but I would take some time and settle on a breed you enjoy most. I am an Orpington lover too, but there are so many breeds out there! I still change my mind, want more of one breed or less. We keep 8 breeds now, and each breed has its own coop. I do rotational free ranging So each group gets time out of the coop, on different days.

Everyone likes the orpingtons I actually want to get a few lavenders. They are in my planner already. So far I have two easter eggers, one RIR who is mean and sassy, one black sexlink who is fluffy and sweet and lays huge eggs.....but not too often. I am picking up 3 mystery chicks offered to me by a lady letting a broody hen have her way. She sent a pic of the eggs. One baby blue and two look olive. But no idea what they were bred with. Ill ask when I get them. I want some marans too and cream legbar. Definitely more black sexlinks! So yes a mix right now. Im looking at higher egg production though not always top. and want some good winter layers too. Lots of ideas and hubby is tired of hearing me go on and on. poor man.

 

[Greenthumb83]

Some of our free range flock have decided to start hiding their eggs lately. I noticed one of our Bielefelder girls sitting in the weeds over by the pasture fence line a few days ago...so I came back later and found an egg. It was only one and, as far as I know, her first egg since we got her. After that she started laying in the coop. No big deal, but it got me thinking about Dory, one of our EE. She keeps going missing and she was a great layer, until one day she just stopped. Well, today when I was weeding the garden, I saw her come out of the pasture (it's overgrown right now). I went and looked around in the weeds and what do you know, she had a nice little nest and 13 eggs! Are they any good? Do I just do the float test to see which are still ok, or do I have to pitch them all? They are definitely all her eggs. She was laying like 5 eggs a week before she started hiding, so some of them have been out in the heat for a while.

 

[Faraday40]

Some of our free range flock have decided to start hiding their eggs lately. I noticed one of our Bielefelder girls sitting in the weeds over by the pasture fence line a few days ago...so I came back later and found an egg. It was only one and, as far as I know, her first egg since we got her. After that she started laying in the coop. No big deal, but it got me thinking about Dory, one of our EE. She keeps going missing and she was a great layer, until one day she just stopped. Well, today when I was weeding the garden, I saw her come out of the pasture (it's overgrown right now). I went and looked around in the weeds and what do you know, she had a nice little nest and 13 eggs! Are they any good? Do I just do the float test to see which are still ok, or do I have to pitch them all? They are definitely all her eggs. She was laying like 5 eggs a week before she started hiding, so some of them have been out in the heat for a while.

Because chickens lay a lot of eggs, I'm quick to toss eggs that may not be good. However, by toss, I mean boil & feed to the animals. (If any smell or have cracks, those are bad & tossed.)

Since she's probably been sitting on them for 1-2 weeks or more, you may want to candle the eggs & allow her to finish incubating the viable eggs. If you move the broody at night, you can put her & the nest in a safer location. Keeping it dark the following day may also help her adapt to the new location.

 

[Greenthumb83]

Because chickens lay a lot of eggs, I'm quick to toss eggs that may not be good. However, by toss, I mean boil & feed to the animals. (If any smell or have cracks, those are bad & tossed.)

Since she's probably been sitting on them for 1-2 weeks or more, you may want to candle the eggs & allow her to finish incubating the viable eggs. If you move the broody at night, you can put her & the nest in a safer location. Keeping it dark the following day may also help her adapt to the new location.

We only get a few eggs a day and half of them are tiny pullet eggs, so I will try to keep some if I can. Most will probably go to the animals though. She actually hasn't been sitting on them. She just lays them in her hidden nest and leaves them there. Definitely nothing fertilized either. My roosters are not out with the free range girls yet. I will have to keep an eye on her when they start mingling though lol. I am not ready for chicks again just yet.

 

[Jntnrmn]

This is non chicken related but I am wondering if anyone goes to any of the events at the bill monroe camoground in bean blossom? We went to the Blues fest yesterday and plan to go to the bluegrass in seotember.