INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

@jchny2000 . @Leahs Mom

Sorry, for the delay. I figured out what the problem was. The raccoon was moving the concrete block that I used to help hold the door shut at night. He won't be eating any more chickens or rabbits needless to say. It's been two days and still have the original three left.
I have a box trap and baited though, just in case.

WTG! Congrats for solving the mystery.

UPDATE!

The first of Sweetie's eggs hatched! We have a teenie weenie baby Bronze poult! Looks like Pretty Boy fathered at least one more poult this year!

The other egg is further behind in development, so I may stick it in the incubator and hope Sweetie takes really good care of the one she has. Some of those in the incubator should have hatched by now, but they don't smell bad either, so I don't know. Wondering if they died in the shell, but I should have seen a ring in them by now, too, I would think. I've put in many more of Syd's eggs since Sweetie went broody, and some look to be developing! Maybe I'll get some bitty Bourbons yet this year!

Boh girls were awesome broodies, congrats!

Do you still have feeder pigs availablei? I'm trying to talk my hubby into it

My email is [email protected] if you do. Thank you!

I do, I will send you an email!

Testing. So irritated. I've composed 2 posts just to have them disappear!?!

This one posted~!

New hatches tonight. 1 another recessive white gene chick very happy about. 1st to hatch a few months back from the black bantam Cochin pair.






Girls picking up laying too! Getting some beautiful Marans eggs again! Our 10 year old used one to make us brownies tonight!

Gorgeous! And I love your pied pea in he background

Your maran have beautiful eggs.

 

[ellymayRans]

Gorgeous! And I love your pied pea in he background
Your maran have beautiful eggs.

Thanks!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Not much new happening here. Put up another 1/2 mile roll of electric fence wire (3 rows of wire) giving us a total of 1.5 acres for pasture now! We are using flagging tape as visual barriers, the cows will go on the fresh pasture this weekend. This included the creek and the pond on all sides. We are using a paddock method so each section has time to regrow. My duck and goose house is moving back near the pond now, and I will feel a lot safer about it. Have my goats in there now stripping any brush away from the creek and pond. Fox are timid and like to hide in brush.

My chickens are really taking to the original pasture. They clean up the spilled feed from the cows, scratch up the hay and turn the soil. Ag lime has been a revelation for us. Has really stabilized the high traffic areas! My goats will remain in the original pasture with our donkey, so they will help protect the chickens. Probably moving the tractor coops and remaining chickens in there for a safer winter free ranging. My only concern, I see my goats nibbling on the pile of ag lime, the chickens LOVE it. I read somewhere it can burn skin? any comments?

 

[MikeTodd]

Snapped a pic of Wilma the Blue Cochin banty and Fred the Splash Rosecomb.

Looks like we might have an Easter egger/buff brahma mix cockeral. He is not the dominant male so he is a little more skiddish. He is beautiful though so we aren't sure if we will keep him. When I get a chance I will snap a few pics.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@jchny2000

This is as I understand the lime issue:

Quote:
I don't know that I'd recommend either but at least the Ag lime is purported to be safe around livestock. BE SURE ITS NOT HYDRATED LIME!!!!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@jchny2000
Here's another quote on lime:

that hydrated lime increases the alkalinity of litter and, in fact, creates more ammonia by converting ammonium into ammonia gas!

Not only is hydrated lime a very short-term solution (that only works to cover up the smell of ammonia) but it can also be a very dangerous product to use. If high concentrations of hydrated lime dust are inhaled, irritation to the respiratory tract will occur. Dermatitis can result from prolonged exposure and repeated skin contact and a risk of severe and permanent eye damage exists if hydrated lime comes in contact with the eyes. The product can cause burns in the presence of moisture and will cause irritation of the gastrointestinal tract when ingested. Personal protective equipment should be worn at all times when using hydrated lime.

 

[Lengerich Farms]

Haven't had much to report with the chickens lately, but one of my does gave birth two weeks ago, and 5 of the 9 made it!

Two albinos, and four varied colorations. We had two completely black ones, but they didn't make it. Mom is a black/white New Zealand mix, and dads a New Zealand/we don't know mix lol.

 

[MikeTodd]

Haven't had much to report with the chickens lately, but one of my does gave birth two weeks ago, and 5 of the 9 made it!

Two albinos, and four varied colorations. We had two completely black ones, but they didn't make it. Mom is a black/white New Zealand mix, and dads a New Zealand/we don't know mix lol.

Awesome! The kids have expressed interest in rabbits or "bunnys" as they are all called by them. We are pondering them for next year.

 

[Lengerich Farms]

@MikeTodd
It's a lot of fun. The only thing is the droppings. If you have them in a cage, the cleaning gets old QUICK, unless you have the type of cage that lets the droppings fall through to a pan. I have mine in that type of cage, without the pans, on an old stripped box spring. I can move them as a unit easily. I raise mine for meat and pelts. It's a good way to supplement your grocery shopping.

 

[MikeTodd]

Yeah, we would have to determine what we wanted them for. The wife has never had rabbit meat so I need to have her try it first.