INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

I would say it's pretty important to let the wood chips cure at least somewhat before using them around the animals. Maybe in an open air setting with larger animals it might not be too crucial, but here is a thread started by a friend here on BYC who had tragic consequences from using too many fresh chips in his covered run:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1129854/dying-chickens

He would want his story to help others avoid the same problems.

I haven't read the whole thread, but I've always been cautious. And that is using them in an outdoor run. I still let them cure until I see worms in them before putting them where the birds are.

@pipdzipdnreadytogo
There's no rush...you can live with the mud until they cure. I always prefer to proceed with caution.

One thing you want to BE SURE is that you aren't getting boxwood or yew which is poisonous to animals. Also, nothing that has fertilizers or been sprayed with anything.


It's quite possible there were chips in there from poison plants. In the past, I only used chips that were from my own property and I knew exactly what they were from. Of course, that is the safest alternative.

In present, I have a tree guy that will bring some any time I want them. But I specify no yew and ask him specifically what kind of wood he's working with. He always tells me exactly what species he has that day. I also ask about any yard chemicals or sprays that may have been used.

If it comes from a place that has "perfect lawns" I turn it down.


It really IS a good thing to see life in the piles before putting them out for the birds. If the redworms can do well in it that tells me a lot.

 

[Fireater34]

Thanks! What part of E'ville? I lived there for several years. I was an east sider... was on knight twp fire

 

[Chickens4lifee]

I'm sooo excited I set up my incubator and am weighting down the entire experience with it considering it's my first time and I want to see if it stays were it needs to be iv red bad reviews on them so I'm making sure it works. The only von so far is that it is 1° off but that's an easy fix now I'm working wight the humidity and I even have 2 extra termimomitors in it to check the temp next is more eggs and a hydrometer so I know the exact %. Plan to put some EE eggs and Maby a few black seklink eggs if my girl lays any on Monday just as test eggs before I start getting my savrt eggs so I will prolly just put the chicks on cregslist as 2.00 each because I don't really need them.

 

[Mother2Hens]

RIP Frieda
I am sad to say that early Wednesday morning, I found that Frieda, my beautiful six month old Bielefelder pullet from @kittydoc had died in her sleep. She had eaten foam insulation, was treated by my veterinarian with activated charcoal in her crop, gradually improved and seemed like she was almost back to normal. As I've done in the past, I laid Frieda outside the coop area so that all the chickens could see her and understand on some level instead of just having her disappear. My Silkie, Smalty, has always been the one to be overtly upset/verbal about a death. Later when the chickens weren't around, I buried Frieda in the far backyard in one of her favorite areas. She was very sweet—DH and I formed a close bond with Frieda during her recovery. This is the heart-wrenching part of chicken raising.
Originally Posted by Mommahiggy

We have been getting two eggs a day from our relative newbie layers (2 eggs from 3 chickens)... laying just started about the time it got cold, so...

Other than the MUDDY yard, they have it pretty good, with their treadle feeder supply, and the feeder being moved once a week, so they can get at the feed that fell through. We give them a treat pretty much daily of scrap, meal worms, or one of these delicious birdseed cupcakes I made from a bag found in the garden shed. (coconut oil, birdseed, and meal worms)


Good to see you post again @Mommahiggy —Iike your special cupcake treats for your chickens!
I enjoyed your dog training story! A hard peck on their noses was all it took for my cats to learn not to mess with the chickens. They go out of their way to avoid the chickens because they also don't like to be chased by mad hens! Haha

Long time listener,first time caller! lol Bloomfield Indiana here. Complete newbies ready to dive in.. sucking up all the info possible over the past couple weeks. Ready to pull the trigger!

I live on the far north side off of Mt. Pleasant just outside the city limits. Oops, I just looked back a few pages and realized your question was for @twoacrefarm .
Anyway, have you gotten chickens yet or are you still in the planning phase?
@Chickens4lifee Keep us posted on your first incubator experience!

 

[kittydoc]

@Mother2Hens I am so sorry to hear about Frieda. That's just terrible. It's terrible to lose a nice young gal. I really thought she was a out of the woods. I haven't lost any of my older Biele hens. A couple when they went through IB a couple of years ago, but none since. They've been low maintenance since that episode.

@pipdzipdnreadytogo if you have any Cochin pullets to sell, please let me know, ok?

Half or so of my first incubation are progressing. No Dorkings. Not sure my cockerel is breeding yet. He isn't crowing. I added 8 of our 3 month Australorp pullets to their pen until the babies are at POL. Maybe they will inspire him. The SGD pullets are laying well! The other 7 Australorp pullets are living with my chocolates. At least they are all out of the garage!

About half the eggs in the bator are progressing. All SGD eggs were infertile, plus a smattering of Orp eggs. Should still have some variety! I need to back end trims this weekend. My lav hens are on strike. Two are molting hard. One is almost over the worst of it and about ready to go back outside. She was seriously half nekkid!

Hopefully I can join DH in the coop for bird maintenance today. It's been too muddy for me to be out there safely.

 

[twoacrefarm]

Thanks! What part of E'ville? I lived there for several years. I was an east sider... was on knight twp fire

We are from the far West.

@Mother2Hens I am so sorry to hear about your loss of Frieda!! I can imagine you are so upset!!

 

[abbyf]

Sorry to hear about the loss of Freida Mother2Hens its very upsetting, we lost frickle one of the speckled Sussex to a hawk last week so they are on lock down. Darn thing hopped down from a tree. Poor "Chicken little" biggest brahma got so upset I thought she had the most awful respiratory problem but all she needed was a cuddle.
The Super African goose is laying, which is like a 50's maternity ward with the male and sebbie pair standing and offering encouragement to her Its actually the sebbie gander who is being a bit weird, he wants to hump my hubbys leg and protect the eggs. He basically ignores the female
Mad house as usual here.
So how many have ordered chicks this year already.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Thanks for all the advise on getting wood chips! (And the compliments on the babies. ) It's a lovely, sunny, DRY day and the floor is firming up again, so it looks like I have plenty of time to work with to get things around.

Babies have been doing wellately in the coop. The older turkeys are really curious about them, but mostly, I think they want out into the yard (read:my neighbor's yard). I put them into a brooder tote at night and release them into that smaller area of the coop once it's warmer. Been well and still cuddly. Wishing I felt well enough to go out there for longer periods but everyone's sick here and my symptoms were worse yesterday.

Sorry you aren't feeling well, but glad to hear your babies are doing good out in the big coop!

[COLOR=8B4513]RIP Frieda[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]I am sad to say that early Wednesday morning, I found that Frieda, my beautiful six month old Bielefelder pullet from[/COLOR] @kittydoc [COLOR=8B4513]had died in her sleep. She had eaten foam insulation, was treated by my veterinarian with activated charcoal in her crop, gradually improved and seemed like she was almost back to normal. As I've done in the past, I laid Frieda outside the coop area so that all the chickens could see her and understand on some level instead of just having her disappear. My Silkie, Smalty, has always been the one to be overtly upset/verbal about a death. Later when the chickens weren't around, I buried Frieda in the far backyard in one of her favorite areas. She was very sweet—DH and I formed a close bond with Frieda during her recovery. This is the heart-wrenching part of chicken raising. [/COLOR]

Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss, M2H...

@pipdzipdnreadytogo if you have any Cochin pullets to sell, please let me know, ok? Half or so of my first incubation are progressing. No Dorkings. Not sure my cockerel is breeding yet. He isn't crowing. I added 8 of our 3 month Australorp pullets to their pen until the babies are at POL. Maybe they will inspire him. The SGD pullets are laying well! The other 7 Australorp pullets are living with my chocolates. At least they are all out of the garage! About half the eggs in the bator are progressing. All SGD eggs were infertile, plus a smattering of Orp eggs. Should still have some variety! I need to back end trims this weekend. My lav hens are on strike. Two are molting hard. One is almost over the worst of it and about ready to go back outside. She was seriously half nekkid! Hopefully I can join DH in the coop for bird maintenance today. It's been too muddy for me to be out there safely.

Ah, I don't really have a breeding flock for Cochins, just my two pet LF pullets and my silkied bantam pair (well, and their five babies, but I'm still hoping at least some of them are girls for me to keep ). Sorry to hear the Dorking eggs aren't fertile! They can be slow to mature, so it may be a bit longer before your cockerel is interested in the women. My two Dorking pullets haven't even started laying yet at 8 months old (or at least I don't think they have, although Lydda's comb is GIGANTIC and she's squatting at the drop of a hat).

 

[ellymayRans]

[COLOR=8B4513]RIP Frieda[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]I am sad to say that early Wednesday morning, I found that Frieda, my beautiful six month old Bielefelder pullet from[/COLOR] @kittydoc [COLOR=8B4513]had died in her sleep. She had eaten foam insulation, was treated by my veterinarian with activated charcoal in her crop, gradually improved and seemed like she was almost back to normal. As I've done in the past, I laid Frieda outside the coop area so that all the chickens could see her and understand on some level instead of just having her disappear. My Silkie, Smalty, has always been the one to be overtly upset/verbal about a death. Later when the chickens weren't around, I buried Frieda in the far backyard in one of her favorite areas. She was very sweet—DH and I formed a close bond with Frieda during her recovery. This is the heart-wrenching part of chicken raising. [/COLOR] [rule]Originally Posted by Mommahiggy /img/forum/go_quote.gif We have been getting two eggs a day from our relative newbie layers (2 eggs from 3 chickens)... laying just started about the time it got cold, so... Other than the MUDDY yard, they have it pretty good, with their treadle feeder supply, and the feeder being moved once a week, so they can get at the feed that fell through. We give them a treat pretty much daily of scrap, meal worms, or one of these delicious birdseed cupcakes I made from a bag found in the garden shed. (coconut oil, birdseed, and meal worms) [COLOR=8B4513]Good to see you post again [/COLOR]@Mommahiggy [COLOR=8B4513]—Iike your special cupcake treats for your chickens![/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]I enjoyed your dog training story! A hard peck on their noses was all it took for my cats to learn not to mess with the chickens. They go out of their way to avoid the chickens because they also don't like to be chased by mad hens! Haha[/COLOR] [rule] [COLOR=8B4513]I live on the far north side off of Mt. Pleasant just outside the city limits. Oops, I just looked back a few pages and realized your question was for @twoacrefarm .[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Anyway, have you gotten chickens yet or are you still in the planning phase?[/COLOR] [rule] @Chickens4lifee [COLOR=8B4513]Keep us posted on your first incubator experience![/COLOR] [rule]

So sorry for your loss.

 

[Faraday40]

RIP Frieda
I am sad to say that early Wednesday morning, I found that Frieda, my beautiful six month old Bielefelder pullet from @kittydoc had died in her sleep. She had eaten foam insulation, was treated by my veterinarian with activated charcoal in her crop, gradually improved and seemed like she was almost back to normal. As I've done in the past, I laid Frieda outside the coop area so that all the chickens could see her and understand on some level instead of just having her disappear. My Silkie, Smalty, has always been the one to be overtly upset/verbal about a death. Later when the chickens weren't around, I buried Frieda in the far backyard in one of her favorite areas. She was very sweet—DH and I formed a close bond with Frieda during her recovery. This is the heart-wrenching part of chicken raising.

Oh My! I'm shocked & so sorry for your loss. I was thought she was going to make it and took special interest because I own one of her cousins. (My Hen Solo came from the same line where Kittydoc's came from.) It's especially rough after a hen has been a house chicken. They seem to adopt your family as their new flock and become even sweeter. I send you big hugs & hope your day gets a little brighter.