INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

@jchny2000

Do you try to house the guineas or just let them free? I've only heard them one time. Crazy noise they make!


I do think that peas wandering around would be fun.... I don't think I'd try to house them though. I guess if I feed them they would hang around. But we live on a busy highway.... Wonder if they have enough sense to keep off the road?

I coop my Guinea now. Up until this spring, the last 4 years it was never an issue. they used to coop up a night. there was a large group of Dundotte dumped off here 2 years ago. My original 5 joined that group. We had a large owl move in and it wiped out all but one cock. I finally saw the owl and it was flat huge! Of course protected so I can't do a thing about it. We had a great horned pair move in.
Guinea free range very well, just need a safe roost area at night. I bought hatching eggs from a breeder after I realized my flock was gone. Adults alert if they see an animal or person that does not belong here. One crazy weird example, We are across the road from a large park. People seem to think our barn belongs to that park, no idea why! Some guy parked over by our barn, decided to relieve himself outside a corner of our barn

and my guinea attacked him! My oldest DD saw him "in the act" and called the police. I didn't press charges, was laughing too hard! Willing to bet he won't do it again!
Peas stay if they have daily interaction. When Dad had his open heart surgery, mine left. No human interaction for almost 20 weeks aside from food and water. Mine were too timid for the roads, most are cautious of car sounds. My rescue peacock has imprinted on me, but its taken a long time. Peachicks are best to start with so you can create the bond.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Going into fall, light is lessened daily. Hens are laying less eggs. Will you offer artificial lighting, or do without eggs? I consider it every year, and don't do it. Mabel will be 5 this spring! Its a personal decision every year.
I eat a lot of eggs daily, a LOT a least 4. Love fresh eggs! My whole family does. I push whole foods so my family stays healthy. I boil eggs for snacks. Freeze eggs for winter. I go out early every morning to get my 4 fresh eggs for breakfast. My girls all try to not disappoint.
Fried, sunny side up, poached, hard boiled, deviled its all YUM. I will give all my girls a break this winter and not do artificial lighting again his year.

 

[tmarsh83]

Going into fall, light is lessened daily. Hens are laying less eggs. Will you offer artificial lighting, or do without eggs? I consider it every year, and don't do it. Mabel will be 5 this spring! Its a personal decision every year.
I eat a lot of eggs daily, a LOT a least 4. Love fresh eggs! My whole family does. I push whole foods so my family stays healthy. I boil eggs for snacks. Freeze eggs for winter. I go out early every morning to get my 4 fresh eggs for breakfast. My girls all try to not disappoint.
Fried, sunny side up, poached, hard boiled, deviled its all YUM. I will give all my girls a break this winter and not do artificial lighting again his year.

No need here this year. 10 birds from spring are humming along well with the exception of one slow developing Delaware. The other three are due to molt. One of the BR has an almost bare behind but she's still laying. Her eggs always have a few fluffy feathers stuck to them! LOL

if the leghorn does a hard molt I'll be sad. That one white egg is an everyday thing. Won't be right to not get one.

I wish I had a few more leghorns. Such great feed conversion. A healthy nervousness. And egg laying machines.

Darn the chicken math...

But no, no light for me this year.

 

[Faraday40]

DD was playing with the chickens again & made Darth Layer a floral necklace. She ate her pretty necklace a few min after the pic was taken.

Kids & chickens make good playmates.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
I have a few leghorns, and they are all really good layers. I don't mind flighty a bit it keeps them alive if they get free range time. They don't slow down much come winter either you will be happy to hear!

 

[Leahs Mom]

All you goat folk....

My 2 goat boys have been on browse and hay all summer. Now, coming into fall, there is not as much browse available for them and I can see that it appears that they may be losing some weight.

In their prior life they were feed browse and hay only.

I'm going to start putting out more hay so that it's always available free-feed. Is there anything else you'd recommend to help put some weight on before winter? These guys haven't been fed anything but browse and hay their entire lives.


Perhaps I should have a fecal done.

 

[tmarsh83]

I have a few leghorns, and they are all really good layers. I don't mind flighty a bit it keeps them alive if they get free range time. They don't slow down much come winter either you will be happy to hear!

I like my birds a little flighty. I want them to range and not die. I don't want to have to be a helicopter owner.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

My birds, with only a few exceptions, are not flighty and are usually tame, laid back, lovable pets. I seek out breeds that are known for that type of personality, but mine are pets first and the eggs they lay are just a secondary benefit to me keeping them. In 11+ years I have only had 2 occasions where I've lost a bird to a predator in the daytime, one of my sweet, calm Dorkings, and one of my flighty, high-strung Sebrights. Mine free-range in a forested setting close to the house with an abundance of cover to flee to. The only time I have lost birds is when the leaves are down for the winter. I have to conclude that flightiness of the birds has little to do with their ability to survive in a free-range setting, and the actual setting has more to do with it. Just my 2 cents there...







P.S. my pretty little fuzzy Silkied Cochins passed quarantine yesterday and officially moved out into the coop! Just a couple pictures of them, because they are precious:

Little Cordelia, such a sweetheart!

She's so small!

Sassy miss Donna:

She's got a miniature version of the Cochin fluff butt.

Gus-Gus, big man of the Cochin babies.

Gus has personal space issues. Cordelia is not amused.

And Roscoe the rascal!

Gotta keep your wings in shape if you're going to get into mischief!

 

[tmarsh83]

I don't know boo about SOP. I'm not a breeder. Have no interest in breeding.

All that said, I couldn't be happier with how this Delaware turned out. I could be way off but that's a good looking chicken in my world.

 

[pginsber]

Sad day in our household. "Violet" crowed.
We had three Araucana chicks hatch. Two are crowing and one is laying.
City rules say we can only keep one roo and Violet is the last to crow so he's getting chased all over the pen.
Need to rehome not for freezer camp. Pure Araucana, muffless. Sweet.
Please reply ASAP if you've been wanting the breed.