INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

Just taking a moment from this gorgeous day to post some photos of the "chicks" that I got in July from @kittydoc . Since the heat/humidity finally improved, we moved the chicks into the coop over the weekend. Although they've spent time outside with my three older chickens, I partitioned part of the coop as a safeguard at night until the older chickens get used to their space being invaded. My EE and SLW have just attacked the chicks a few times, but usually ignore them. The chicks were shocked because I have never seen them even peck each other, so they couldn't believe that a chicken could be mean. Luckily, there are four LF large chicks and only two LF hens and one silkie hen. I'm still hoping for some "I want to be picked up and loved" Cochins from @ellymayRans !

While in their bedroom home, they loved to look out the window. I put my signature memory foam pipe insulation covers over the edges to provide comfy perches.


View from the outside...wonder what the neighbors thought!


Frieda is the baby. She cried for a while when I put them in the coop the first night. I had to add a nightlight. lol
She's skittish, but is improving.


Hadley is very high strung, but not shy at all around other chickens—just people. She runs fast like my EE Roadrunner.I think she'll improve now that she's outside all the time.


Zipporah is the sweetheart. She lets me pet her and pick her up.


Mocha used to be the spokesperson of their flock, but she has become more laid back. She doesn't mind being pet.


You can see that I've added a lot of foliage for the chickens' benefit—provides hiding places and insects to snack on. Our property has tons of landscaping rocks, both above and under ground. Not so great for chickens, but they adapt, and they find crickets in the rocks this time of year.

Beautiful new additions! I think you are going to just spoil them all rotten!

Hi Everyone!

I hope everyone's had a great summer. I'm slowly wading through this board from July on so I'm behind =)

Has anyone seen this - I had a baby turkey born this year that hatched a little late. It was such a sweet little guy, and we handled it a lot as a baby because its siblings had grown too big for it. Another one hatched after to keep it company but we still played with it a lot. It would try to get under your hand and would fall asleep on you instantly when held. It seemed to spend a lot of time sleeping though and wasn't as alert and adventurous as its sibling. I just lost the little one yesterday (it was almost 3 months old) - not long after its sibling died getting stuck in some fence - and my heart's broken. I found it just lying in the pen too weak to stand. Brought it in, tube fed and warmed it, held it until it got up and chirped and pecked at food and water, but died later on when I wasn't home. I think without another turkey around it was lonely and outcompeted by the guineas it was with - but it was so lethargic, I thought it was doomed from the start.

That sort of sparked me to downsize - I always blame myself for my birds struggling to thrive =( Anyway I have a ton of birds to sell. Chickens especially! I have 16 chicks in 2 age groups that are a mix of blue wheaton and jersey giant.

Those are the older ones, all feathered out and soft. Still a bit hard to sex, but I could make some guesses. I also have some that are a few weeks old still with their mama, straight run. $5 for the big ones and $2 for the small ones, but I'm really motivated for good homes.
I also have some Sebastopol mutt geese:

Tons of muscovy ducklings:

These ducks are out of a pair of drakes I got from Jchny2000 earlier this year - those boys did a superb job! I might be moving some adult birds out of the flock as well as I'm trying to breed for solid colors.
I have 6 more turkey poults to sell - 2 royal palm tom jakes and 4 unsexed younger birds. The young ones are a bit wild. I think I might also sell a breeding pair of smokey gray turkeys. They are very pretty, but I had so many turkeys this year!
-Carrie
If anyone needs to get in touch quick, text: 317-797-4374. I'm in Bloomington - an hour south of Indy.

My Veterinarian is always looking for geese. He has several acres of safely fenced property, and they have the job of enjoying organic feed, free ranging and watching over 100s of young birds. They winter over in a barn, and begin the season over in spring. Its a wonderful life for a goose! All of my goslings go there to live, every year. I will forward your number to him. (and pm you his contact info so you know its him.)
Sound like you have had an awesome productive summer!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Getting some renewed hope on coop upgrades and improvements! We still have mud everywhere from all the rain, but its sure nice having dry happy birds, and clean eggs again. This coming weekend is another "coop weekend". DH is going to the O'Reilly Annual 4 Wheel Drive Jamboree in Indy all weekend. His cousins all go and its a big family get together for all the guys! But some of our friends are getting together for "coop days" here lol. Lots of the neighbor kids that spent the summer cuddling all the babies. They want to help make better houses for the adult birds. Awesome kids, I just adore them all! Taking a break from hatching the next few months in hopes of a little fishing and camping...Lot depends on my brother & wife being able to come out more. They bought a newer car and a visiting more, think they are realizing how fast parents age if we don't see them very often.

All but 2 calves are completely weaned now, which also frees me up a lot. Working towards weather proofing plans for fall, layouts for our cows shelters, and so many other things to plan for. They will have heated water tanks. everyone else will get rubberized bowls! its easier to carry water than to face expense of so many electric bowls. After having a few freeze and bust, electric bowls are not worth the investment for us. I rarely have frostbite issues, so rubber bowls it is!

Mom got the green light and will have her rotator cuff repaired soon! this is a huge win for her. She has almost no use of her arms and can't walk more than a few steps. It will regain some mobility for her. Certainly take away a lot of the pain she has! They will only do the right arm for now, the one without her Dialysis fistula. Fortunately she is right handed. She is really excited to have use of an arm again, feeling helpless was causing some depression for her.

 

[Faraday40]

Had lots of chicks hatch today.

All 6 incubator eggs hatched (3 lav orps & 3 blk orps)
I got to watch a simultaneous hatch.

Boom!


This little one decided to wear its shell as a hat.
No she's not in chick jail. I use the containers to separate the eggs by hen. I just cut off the top & bottom.



Here are some more pics of misc. orp chicks.









Trouble hatched all 4 of her eggs. 2 DomxOrps (a male & a female) and 2 SpitzxOrps.
I put 2 incubator chicks near her & they quickly disappeared under a very happy hen.

The other 4 incubator chicks went under Cookie. Her 2 eggs did not hatch (as of 5pm today). She's still sitting strong, so we'll just have to wait & see.


Here are the 2 "Spitz-ingtons"
I know the hen was a Silver Spitzhauben, but the brown has me wondering about the dad.


Mr Dummy (Blk/lav split orp from @kittydoc) is the top roo, but Brick (double barred chocolate cuckoo orp) from @Junibutt was raised with the Spitz. He may have had more mating opportunities. Could the brown have come from Brick or would they have to be barred to be his offspring?

Anyway, they are very tiny & adorable. Although mutts, they're already my favorites.

So the current count is 10 - with a possible 2 more tomorrow.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Hope everyone had an awesome holiday weekend! Been a hard weekend for us. Chickens are laying better and I think all the coop upgrades have just confused my hens! My peahen passed away in her sleep yesterday. We have no idea about her age, so many other things since she was a rescue. My Peacock is feeling lost. I left her body with him a while so he could mourn. He is doing better tonight, and followed the geese a lot. He is still calling for her

That breaks my heart—so sad for you to mourn your peahen's loss and also watch your peacock mourn, too. I was glad to see in a later post that he made some friends, and is enjoying. I love your gorgeous geese, too.

@Crafty chick ~ Sorry to hear about Pepper's death, but it's encouraging to hear about a chicken dying of old age. We read about so many tragic poultry deaths from predators and illnesses—seems like not many are lucky enough to become geriatric!
Originally Posted by Faraday40
We didn't want the broody to go through depression, so we let her keep 2. They're 8 wks old & she still stays with them all day & even snuggles them on the roost. Because she's the top hen, they sleep on the highest roost, are 1st to get treats, & live a very privileged life. The rest of the flock cares for them as well. We may end up keeping them.
@Faraday40 ~ Very kind of you! And congrats on all of your new hatches.
I love this post:
Originally Posted by 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.

 

[Lengerich Farms]

Just got my Muscovies from @racinchickins and couldn't be happier! They are adorableX and will always a nice addition to our flock. He's was very policy and knowledgeable, (which to a newbie like me is always a plus). I will malt certainly do business again with him in the future...... Bow if I could just buy out the surrounding four houses to expand me yard......... Hahaha.

 

[weezerfish]

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.

This is something that I've been wrestling with a bit. Our girls have been laying for about a month now and its great. We're getting about twice the number of eggs we need so there's plenty to go around. I don't have a good sense if they'll slow down a lot or just completely shut off for the winter and how long that period lasts. If its a slowdown I think we can adjust, but if egg production is going to stop altogether, then I might think about supplemental lighting. I looked on the learning center and there was pretty good info there. One question I have though is can you manage the degree of the slowdown by changing the length of light so that each hen will lay every other day or every third day maybe? I guess I don't want them to stop but would be okay with a slowdown. Any thoughts?

 

[Leahs Mom]

If you have birds that are younger than a year old they should be laying the whole winter anyway. Light is usually only an issue in the 2nd year and beyond. It's why so many commercial places remove their 1.5 year olds in the fall.

 

[weezerfish]

If you have birds that are younger than a year old they should be laying the whole winter anyway. Light is usually only an issue in the 2nd year and beyond. It's why so many commercial places remove their 1.5 year olds in the fall.

Good deal! Make my decision for this year much easier! Thanks!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@weezerfish

But remember....that's a "rule of thumb".... or a "usually" statement. Some breeds are different in how they do in winter. Feed, etc. can all make a difference.

 

[redring]

so I have 4 layers and have had extra eggs the last few days. Im having a hen lay double yolkers I think once a week or two. Can she be laying double eggs now?