INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

@EmSteele

Congrats x3!!!

Did you file a police report regarding the animal abuse?

 

[EmSteele]

Thanks to you all! Baby is a true delight to all of us. He's loving having a big brother and sister to site in him!
The squatter is currently in jail on a different charge (disorderly conduct against a police officer and Failure to appear) so we're feeling some relief already. I live in Lawrence County, thisan squats at an old achool building but the county os trying to tear it down soon so that should help get him going. No police report was filed because we didn't see him do it. I was told to get proof them come back.
All is well. We're discussing letting Son choose a few specific breeds next Spring so they are FULLY his. We know he prefers pretty eggs (that's my boy)!

Digging a pond next year on one lot we own. I'm researching having wild ducks that will migrate back every year. Has anyone done this before?

 

[JanetMarie]

The pond in the foreground was dug last year, and the pond in the background was finished September of this year, and still working on placing flagstones around it. The pond in the background was originally lined with pure clay that is on our property, and it held water last season, but did not hold water this spring, so it was redone using a pond liner (and dug larger). The two ponds are connected by a waterfall.

I would advise to go bigger than what you plan.

The ducks are Muscovies that we just got in September. They are wonderful.

 

[JanetMarie]

Steps need to be made at least around the top perimeter in order to place rocks around it to build up to the edge. Leave the part of the step near the inside of the pond clear of rocks so the ducks can stand on the step to clean themselves, and makes it easier for the ducks to get out. This pond was made larger on the left side, once we got the liner home and realized it was way too big.

We still have enough liner left to make another small pond, or add to the existing ones.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

As egg production has gotten so lackluster, I've been doing a lot of looking outside for hidden nests. Hadn't found one until yesterday. They had six eggs in the middle of a clump of decorative grass. Little heathens.

I've decided that they think the nest boxes are too high in the coop. I put them about 20" off the ground to make the roll-out collection easier. I'm thinking I need to move it down to more like 12". I may forgo the rollout feature for a while too, and add some straw. Get them back to laying where they should, and then gradually reduce the straw. I would just lock them up, but the new birds need the ranging. They get picked on a little more than I would like in coop and run.

So, I have a weekend project now...goodie...

I knew I should have made the next boxes 100% modular instead of 70%...lol...

Hindsight so much in keeping birds!

Hi guys.
I'm awful at keeping updated here.to catch up, we had a red headed baby boy July 8th! Isaac is almost 4 months old now.
I'm completely bummed on the chicken home front. I had to file a protective order against a local squatter where I live for harassment and stalking. It's been a year long issue.
Mysteriously, after filing for the order (it was granted for 2 years) all of my chickens were found dead in the run with their necks twisted. The squatter always brought up my chickens as a taunt. My 10 year old son is heart broken as they were his responsibility.
We will try again next Spring when chicks at our again locally.

I've loved catching up on what everyone else is doing! I'll make SURE I'm on regularly again!

I am so sorry! Glad to see you are legally going after his person. Congrats to your awesome new baby boy!

Thanks to you all! Baby is a true delight to all of us. He's loving having a big brother and sister to site in him!
The squatter is currently in jail on a different charge (disorderly conduct against a police officer and Failure to appear) so we're feeling some relief already. I live in Lawrence County, thisan squats at an old achool building but the county os trying to tear it down soon so that should help get him going. No police report was filed because we didn't see him do it. I was told to get proof them come back.
All is well. We're discussing letting Son choose a few specific breeds next Spring so they are FULLY his. We know he prefers pretty eggs (that's my boy)!

Digging a pond next year on one lot we own. I'm researching having wild ducks that will migrate back every year. Has anyone done this before?

I keep mallard, but they don't migrate lol. Some of my goose flock raised Canadian geese last year, the mother was killed by a car. They left once matured.

The pond in the foreground was dug last year, and the pond in the background was finished September of this year, and still working on placing flagstones around it. The pond in the background was originally lined with pure clay that is on our property, and it held water last season, but did not hold water this spring, so it was redone using a pond liner (and dug larger). The two ponds are connected by a waterfall.

I would advise to go bigger than what you plan.

The ducks are Muscovies that we just got in September. They are wonderful.

Awesome post! I keep Scovy and Pekin. Also Chinese geese and a pond is an awesome alternative. We have a large pond fed by a natural stream. My cows and goats enjoy it, but my geese and ducks appreciate it most!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Another hard and unexpected hit by predators last night. I trap nonstop.. I had 2 Muscovy hens sitting on eggs. what ever creature dug under my 16" barrier and took both moms. I saw my 2 ducks gone and immediately put all the eggs in my incubator this morning My drake was brooding the eggs.. I candled 2 eggs and i saw movement.. but the eggs felt cold, not hopeful.
My poor drake is just sitting in the same spot, won't eat and now has no hens. Locked him up in a crate. He is so sad, he just let me pick him up and move him to a safe place. We have added electric fence to the area my coops are in. I have no idea what else to do to protect them.
Please.. if you trap and release don't let predator animals off here.

 

[pattyhen]

I'm so sorry for your losses. That poor drake sitting on the eggs after the momma got killed. I hope he survives I know they grieve for their mates. Good luck with the eggs I hope they hatch for you. I hope you catch whatever did this and your remaining flock stays safe.

 

[Leahs Mom]

If anyone is interested in SFH pullets I may have one or 2 available shortly. Send a pm.

 

[Indyshent]

Found Sweetie the White Holland lying on her nest, on her side, with her lead under her this afternoon. She's been acting just fine since we brought her home, but I saw a lot of nasty stuff coming out of her wounded eye socket. I sat her upright and gave her food and fluids, and she's acting normal again. Going to flush that out and get her on some more antibiotics as soon as DH is home probably (need another person to help). Syd and Tintaglia (failure to thrive lavender jenny) are also ill and can't see well in front of their faces. I'm not sure if either one has ever seen well in front of their faces, and that may be why they're sick all the time--they can't eat well and are always pecking off the mark, it also keeps them from being as assertive as they should be because they can't aim and are always surprised. Might just be a fault of their eyelids, eye sockets or failure of ocular muscles, which are supposed to be able to move the eyes enough to look ahead. All exceptionally sweet birds, so I'm doing everything I can to help them pull through.

I think the other poult died in hatching. Was really demoralizing. Lost both of the babies that have tried to hatch here, and none of the incubator babies have felt like hatching at all. Not that I need more turkeys anyway.

On another disappointing note, Princess' feet are going bad, so we decided to process him. My MIL said she'd do it, but her husband has overruled her as of this evening, so... we're going to have to do it. We don't really have the equipment to do it properly, and we're really attached to him. So everything's gone pear-shaped, so to speak.

 

[Indyshent]

Another hard and unexpected hit by predators last night. I trap nonstop.. I had 2 Muscovy hens sitting on eggs. what ever creature dug under my 16" barrier and took both moms. I saw my 2 ducks gone and immediately put all the eggs in my incubator this morning My drake was brooding the eggs.. I candled 2 eggs and i saw movement.. but the eggs felt cold, not hopeful.
My poor drake is just sitting in the same spot, won't eat and now has no hens. Locked him up in a crate. He is so sad, he just let me pick him up and move him to a safe place. We have added electric fence to the area my coops are in. I have no idea what else to do to protect them.
Please.. if you trap and release don't let predator animals off here.

I'm so sorry, Janet.