INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Indyshent]

I've had a little success in my search for the Bourbon reds. I missed out by a hair on a trio but managed to snatch up a Bourbon hen and a Narragansett tom. The nice woman delivered them to me since she was coming to Martinsville that day anyway. Bonus!

I figured he'd be our tday dinner but nope he's too big!! Now I need to add a Bourbon tom and a Narragansett hen!! It never ends!!!
Still searching for our tday dinner but I may end up processing my palm hen. I don't want to because She's not quite big enough and I really don't think their meat is as good as some others. I'll continue my search and wait until the last possible moment to process her if I have to!

The tom is quite stunning though. They're in quarantine for now and it's not the best lighting but I snapped a pic of them.
I have handled them both and for now they seem pretty docile. I've noticed he doesn't like to let her eat or drink so I am going to separate them tomorrow when I have time. They will have to be penned separate from my flock though because I don't see my tom and him or the peacocks for that matter accepting a full grown tom like him. They all get along but because the turkeys were raised with them.

Egg count here has been weak!
A few weeks ago I was shocked (warmer weather maybe) I was getting 9-13 eggs a day when I was down to maybe 2 a day. Marans, Wyandotte, Olive eggers, Delawares, Silkies and some other brown egg layers that weren't identified. Lol! Now I'm back down to 2-5. I have roughly 20 hens and 10 pullets. I haven't caught any of the pullets laying as of yet but all but 2 should start before spring.

Changed the search term on craigslist to "turkeys" and found this listing

Quad of bourbons for 175

Bunch of RPs 20/ea

Might be mixed breeds. 3 for 50

7 bronze turkeys 50/ea

75 for a trio of Narragansetts

3 Bourbons 40/ea

 

[JanetMarie]

Okay...one more question before bed. We got 9 eggs today which really means we got 4 or 5 yesterday that we forgot to collect. Thinking they probably froze last night and got mixed into todays eggs that we collected this afternoon. I searched for "frozen eggs" and as usual found a number of threads with variety of advice on the topic. Always interested to hear what my trusted Hoosier friends have to say on the topic. Being that we don't know which of the 9 stayed out over night, should we pitch them all or just make sure we cook them really good?

Is it below freezing there for hours? I live in southwest Michigan, and temps have been mild here.

I've only had frozen eggs when temps have dropped near zero, and I've missed an egg because I thought nobody was laying. It takes a long time for eggs to freeze solid.

ETA: I consider myself a Hoosier friend because I lived in Northwest Indiana for 22 years, and still go to Indiana a few times per week.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: @weezerfish
My eldest birds have never roosted close to each other. I have 2 parallel roosts at the same height. They all spread out even in the winter.

I thought they'd press together in the cold. Nope.

Now my new breed - Buckeyes - roost all plastered against each other all summer long. I haven't had a winter with them yet, but I imagine they'll keep doing that. Perhaps it is a breed personality thing.

Anyhow, they didn't seem to want to use each other's heat during the winter even when it was the coldest temperatures.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Oh...and regarding the frozen eggs....I've had eggs outside in the winter in temps in the teens and single digits for several hours at a time that haven't frozen. So I'm thinking the temps we've had won't be a problem for your eggs.

 

[hommie]

I have 8 RIR, last winter it looked like a feather blanket on the roost. If they got any closer they would have been on top of each other

. I had pine shaving and straw, and wind blocker so it wasn't to cold. I guess I've been lucky, no frozen eggs so far, this will be my 2nd winter. Has anybody been having issues with foxes?

 

[weezerfish]

Thanks for the frozen egg and roosting feedback. Still very green with all this so I appreciate you help in figuring all this stuff out.

@JanetMarie
Once a Hoosier always a Hoosier (although I must say I'm a Boilermaker first)! Glad to have another Hoosier friend!

 

[ellymayRans]

Anyone going to be traveling from Marion or Monticello to Indy for any reason?!? Lol!! Seriously if you are PM me if you'd be willing to run a turkey train for me!! I have to work in Indy Friday but I'm going to make one of the trips whichever one I can get planned! SMH....why are the ones we want always so far away!

 

[sunnie7]

I have one silkie and 3 bantam Cochin mixes that are about 5.5 weeks old. I'm really having a hard time deciding when to move them outside since it's so close to winter I'm thinking I should now or soon so it won't be such a climate change for them. This week the high is from 45-72 and low ranging from 27-50 I'm in southern Indiana. I was thinking maybe for the first week or so doing the coop during the day and brining them back into the garage at night?! Or when should I move them outside?

I'm also really worried about using a heat lamp in coop since my coop is pretty tiny. It's this one from tractor supply http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/precision-pet-orb-country-classic-coop
And we are building at 6'x3.5' run off of it (is that large enough for 4 small chickens?) The coop is small on the inside having a lamp in there worries me but I also know since my chicks are so small they probably can't handle the cold as well. Advice please!!!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have 8 RIR, last winter it looked like a feather blanket on the roost. If they got any closer they would have been on top of each other

. I had pine shaving and straw, and wind blocker so it wasn't to cold. I guess I've been lucky, no frozen eggs so far, this will be my 2nd winter. Has anybody been having issues with foxes?

I have fox problems late spring, early summer only usually. I have a small creek that runs through the property and They follow that path. I just don't free range unless I am sitting outside with a rifle during the welping season.

Anyone going to be traveling from Marion or Monticello to Indy for any reason?!? Lol!! Seriously if you are PM me if you'd be willing to run a turkey train for me!! I have to work in Indy Friday but I'm going to make one of the trips whichever one I can get planned! SMH....why are the ones we want always so far away!

Exciting! Wish I could help, I go to Marion VA for Dad but not until March now.

I have one silkie and 3 bantam Cochin mixes that are about 5.5 weeks old. I'm really having a hard time deciding when to move them outside since it's so close to winter I'm thinking I should now or soon so it won't be such a climate change for them. This week the high is from 45-72 and low ranging from 27-50 I'm in southern Indiana. I was thinking maybe for the first week or so doing the coop during the day and brining them back into the garage at night?! Or when should I move them outside?

I'm also really worried about using a heat lamp in coop since my coop is pretty tiny. It's this one from tractor supply http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/precision-pet-orb-country-classic-coop
And we are building at 6'x3.5' run off of it (is that large enough for 4 small chickens?) The coop is small on the inside having a lamp in there worries me but I also know since my chicks are so small they probably can't handle the cold as well. Advice please!!!

I would not risk using a lamp in it, its pretty small. I have a "red barn" style from TSC thats similar. A premiere heat plate or other brand would be much safer but not near as inexpensive. Do you have a place in a garage or shed that could be used? I make brooders out of large totes, and just decrease heat until they are fully feathered. The lamps produce so much heat I would be afraid of a fire.

 

[sunnie7]

...

I have fox problems late spring, early summer only usually. I have a small creek that runs through the property and They follow that path. I just don't free range unless I am sitting outside with a rifle during the welping season.


Exciting! Wish I could help, I go to Marion VA for Dad but not until March now.
I would not risk using a lamp in it, its pretty small. I have a "red barn" style from TSC thats similar. A premiere heat plate or other brand would be much safer but not near as inexpensive. Do you have a place in a garage or shed that could be used? I make brooders out of large totes, and just decrease heat until they are fully feathered. The lamps produce so much heat I would be afraid of a fire.

They are in a large tote inside right now and I'm going to move them to the garage tomorrow. I just didn't want it to be mid winter when I'm moving them outside. How long are they okay in the tote for? They are 5.5 weeks now.