INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[kanina]

Same basic design as my Little Giant, but mine is still air, so details about temperatures will be different.

My advice is to read the included instructions over twice, or more if needed, and keep it in a room where the temperature can be regulated. Also, take detailed notes so that if you have a good hatch, you can duplicate it in the future.

You have a nice assortment to hatch. Keep us posted on how things are going.

The instruction booklet is super basic. And my grandma happened to have two copies of it. I also pulled it up online hoping she had lost it, but it was the same thing. One sheet of paper with basic instructions.

I have it in the most draft free place in the house that is safe from the dogs. I was going to put it in the dining room but could see the dogs running to the window and either ripping the cords out or ripping it off the table. So we found the safest spot that has no used doors nearby and is low to the ground with the dogs not being able to get tangled in the cords.

DH is bringing the hydrometer/thermometer home tonight after work. I'll double check everything and put them in. I'm so anxious and so excited all in one. Thanks for reminding me to take notes!

 

[Nyla]

I'm located near Griffith, Indiana. About 30 minutes from Chicago. I have checked CL. There is only chicks for sale and or really old hens past their laying age. Also there is some where there are young chickens, but if you look at their pictures, the hens look sick and their combs have black spots on their combs. I don't really trust CL's ad's for chickens, because they could be trying to sell sick chickens that may have deadly diseases. Just last year a person in Chicago found out they had fowl pox and sold all their chickens without telling anyone about it. That is why I prefer BYC.

Nyla, I see them listed on Craigslist quite often. Where in Northern Indiana? You can msg me if you don’t want it posted publicly.

 

[kanina]

I'm located near Griffith, Indiana. About 30 minutes from Chicago. I have checked CL. There is only chicks for sale and or really old hens past their laying age. Also there is some where there are young chickens, but if you look at their pictures, the hens look sick and their combs have black spots on their combs. I don't really trust CL's ad's for chickens, because they could be trying to sell sick chickens that may have deadly diseases. Just last year a person in Chicago found out they had fowl pox and sold all their chickens without telling anyone about it. That is why I prefer BYC.

Check the listings in South Bend. Little bit of a drive, but there might be something closer for you. My grams original flock came off CL from assorted people and that's pretty much the only place I sell, minus FB on occasion. SW Michigan is usually good too.

With my numbers just right I don't have any babes to spare but all these chicks I'm about to have.

Keep an eye out for trades and shows too. There was one in Lebanon this past weekend. I didn't get a chance to post it on here with how sick I was.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I'm in the SB area and what I've seen on CL... not what I'd trust to purchase.

 

[Nyla]

So far all the chickens I see on CL are either locked up in cages and over crowed and or all Isa's around 13+ months old. I had an Isa who laid almost every day, after the 1st year she went to laying 2-3 eggs a week. Not to mention they look poorly taken care of..

One person has an ad up for free chickens in Elkhart, but thats over 2 hours away..

And now I have to go to Arkansas with Hub's, our 20 month old son and his Father. 12 hour drive in a Dual-lie

And I can't bring back any Muscovy's or Chickens with me because Hub's and his dad says so...

 

[hbrown322]

P

Please include some pics if you remember. Is the meat black or just the skin?

This was my first time eating fresh chicken, so I’m not sure if this is the same across the board but the silkie meat was really flavorful!!
I generally don’t like dark meat, but the dark meat seemed to be more gamey than the white meat.
I took a few photos, one is before we cooked, one right out of the oven,
one of the chicken breast and another one of the marbled meat (thigh). The breast looked like normal chicken meat, but the thighs were marbled with black meat! Obviously silkies are small birds, so you don’t get a lot of meat. I processed my two Roos on Saturday and cooked both for my boyfriend and me. We added brussel sprouts, carrots & red potatoes and cooked the chicken spatchcock style. Everything turned out delicious!

At first I was a little weirded out eating them. But I kept telling myself that these guys had a much better life than any chicken I would get at Kroger!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I'm located near Griffith, Indiana. About 30 minutes from Chicago. I have checked CL. There is only chicks for sale and or really old hens past their laying age. Also there is some where there are young chickens, but if you look at their pictures, the hens look sick and their combs have black spots on their combs. I don't really trust CL's ad's for chickens, because they could be trying to sell sick chickens that may have deadly diseases. Just last year a person in Chicago found out they had fowl pox and sold all their chickens without telling anyone about it. That is why I prefer BYC.

Ugh. I had no idea that people offlet their sick and dying flocks. If I hear of anything, I will let you know.

 

[Faraday40]

@hbrown322
Thanks for posting the pics. A very interesting look, but I'm sure it was delicious.

We also ate some cockerel + backyard veggies for dinner. I've only processed a few birds so far, but it really feels great to make a meal with minimal ingredients from the grocery store. Of course, the butchering process never feels good, so I actually put the roos in the freezer until I felt ready to cook them. This particular RIR boy came from a friend who disliked her rooster because he was constantly attacking them. I offered to solve her problem & she was very thankful. I used the meat for tonight's meal & am now making bone broth in the slow cooker. That + the left over meat should give us a couple more meals. The dogs got the skin.

 

[Faraday40]

Not chicken related, but I wanted to share the card I made today.
It's a magic color slider birthday card.

 

[JanetMarie]

The first pic is my only Ameraucana (Wheaten) , and the other two pics are EEs (Ameraucana X Leghorn). All 23 week old pullets. The last pic on the bottom is the pure Ameraucana also. The pic was supposed to be deleted, but didn't.