INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[georgieboy11]

My winter hatch will turn 8 weeks old on Wed.
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* BTW- They may be big, but they still sleep with their mommy.

Adorable!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Don't give up. You'll find something.

We got a good shed when they were buying out properties to put in a new road. We looked for sheds in the back yards. Unfortunately we found some after the properties were already purchased by the state and the owners couldn't sell them to us directly.

However, the state lets Habitat for Humanity glean the properties before they tear everything down. We contacted Habitat and they had one available for 250 if we hauled it ourselves.

We did.

My husband built dividers inside. It made a great hen shed!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

OH....whoops. Forgot to add that I'll also get a couple ee's with the Buff O's for colored eggs.

I've considered getting a few bantams to see how they are but not sure about them housing with the LF. @jchny2000 , when you had your bantams, did they house together with the LF okay or did they have a separate house?



I love the appearance of the mottled cochin's but I don't want shipped chicks and so far haven't found a more local source.

I had great luck if they grew up together. I had one silke hen that was a terror, even large frame roos didn't challenge her. I kept Millies, OEGB, sebright and silkies a few years. Most have the "napoleon syndrome" don't realize they are small. Didn't @ellymayRans have mottled cochin?

@Leahs Mom Marian actually. Also my LF and bantams get along well together. My ducks are also getting along with everyone.

@jchny2000 glad to see you back!

Our chicken trip for the year consists of almost too much stuff

1. Flock thinning. Grandma is supposed to be taking almost half my flock, but if she changes her mind again then they might be going up for sale. For whatever reason I keep buying/hatching/taking in chickens.

2. Sorting out hatching. I don't know if that means a new incubator, new methods or stopping. My November hatch was about 30% success and this hatch currently a day late at 20%.
With that is sorting out my rooster situation. I currently have three roosters. If I'm not going to be hatching I only need one rooster, if that.

3. Reevaluating my coop. My coop is not fit for this climate. I need something better suited for the winter we had this year. Something I can fit their food and water in as well as safely fit them. I knew this all along, I was just ignorant of how bad it can be. Also my run isn't covered so I have no true safety from the elements, which a new coop could bring. Which brings me to my next goal

4. Reevaluating my run. I don't have any good coverage in my run. Last year we covered part of it in a tarp, when we moved thing around the tarp did not work. We need to figure out how to build a small shaded area, possibly roof half of it.

5. Sorting out food. Today is the first egg I've gotten since the week before Christmas. We've changed their food several weeks ago, but we're going to try another new food. With the weather becoming better, that might be something that we sort out next winter.

All this doesn't even include all the things I need to and am doing around my house. We're in the middle of relocating the laundry room, which will lead to expanding the kitchen. Not to mention the new back door we need and sanding/staining our floors. Or the new project car that DH thinks he needs.

Nothing new on the hatch, but my two kiddos are just lovely. They are Fibro Fly Ties which are a Ayam Cerami x Genetic Hackle. Based on their wing tips first day, I think they're both females but the heads suggest a pullet and cockrel. I suppose we'll find out

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Wow don't feel so busy now!!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

If you're handy, you can watch Craigslist for free or very cheap sheds. In fact our neighbor just gave away theirs. They would have to pay to have it removed, so they gave it away. Some young men in a pick-up disassembled and took it away in a few trips. (At the time I was kicking myself thinking, "Why didn't I know about this?!" LOL)
Of course, DH is not handy with tools. If it's not a computer, he can't fix it. I must pay our handyman to repair the big stuff and I attempt the small repairs myself.

AGREED! DH helps by hauling here, then I do the rest.

This year I will be hatching:

Black, Lavender, Chocolate, Cuckoo, Lavender cuckoo and choc cuckoo orpingtons (wow that sounds like a lot!)

Mille fluere/Calico and Buff bantam Cochins (should have some frizzled too!)

White and partridge silkies and showgirl.

I've been working VERY hard on just keeping the best birds to put in my breeder flocks. I have been selling a few chicks here and there the last few years but this year I should have lots of extras to find new homes. I have began building a homemade cabinet incubator that will hold more eggs than my current coolerbator setup. The coolerbator I used last year will become hatchers now.

Good to see you, exciting plans!

I was wondering if we still had any active local breeders in or near Indy? I want to add 3 chicks to my flock and I'd rather support heritage breeds then hatchery. However where I live I'm only allowed hens no roosters so buying straight run is tricky. I'm hoping if I get any roosters one of you lovely people on here would be willing to rehome them

You know I will LOL Just holler.

So, I find a listing for a shed and deck for $200. I ask about it and ask for a pic, the shed is plastic and is about 4' high and maybe 6' wide (their description, but they said 6x4). The "deck" is a pallet.
The shed could be worth $100, but it also looks crumpled- like they had something heavy sitting on top of it.

UGH keep looking, it may take a bit you will find one.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Just a heads up as @Leahs Mom already mentioned. Habitat for humanity has options! Also has "ReStores". We found the 3 final pieces of kitchen cabinets I needed to complete our cabinets! New, it would have cost over $700 for those 3. We bought them for $90!
http://www.indyrestore.com/
We also noticed a whole lot of items we can sure use for other projects, like coops. Crazy cheap and helps other folks too.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Have had a lot of folks reaching out the last 6 months. Not only BYC friends, but customers over the years. Yes, I am going to resume hatching early spring!

 

[kanina]

I can rarely find anything good on craigslist. If I find something decent, they seem to want too much. My husband is a techy too. But, he has got some other skills, he just doesn't have the time. Nor does he have the want to do so. Sigh.

The want to is so difficult. My husband is the same. He'll research something so he does it right if HE wants to do it. If its something I want done its like pulling teeth half the time. I'm terrified of saws, I can get to a point where I can use one, but then I revert. And of course everything I want to do requires a saw so I'm reliant on him to help me. We got the wood to update my duck ramp nearly a month ago and its still sitting there. I'm gonna have to get my big girl pants out and go do it myself.

I was wondering if we still had any active local breeders in or near Indy? I want to add 3 chicks to my flock and I'd rather support heritage breeds then hatchery. However where I live I'm only allowed hens no roosters so buying straight run is tricky. I'm hoping if I get any roosters one of you lovely people on here would be willing to rehome them

There's a farm in Lafayette, Keysey Acres, and a breeder in Daleville, Coomer Farms. I've bought from Coomer, but they're also close to me since I'm up in Anderson. Good luck on your search.

So, I find a listing for a shed and deck for $200. I ask about it and ask for a pic, the shed is plastic and is about 4' high and maybe 6' wide (their description, but they said 6x4). The "deck" is a pallet.
The shed could be worth $100, but it also looks crumpled- like they had something heavy sitting on top of it.

Working for a resin company, I can attest to how stupid expensive plastic "sheds" are. I don't understand the pricing as I'm not in purchasing. I just move the product/trucks.

 

[Nyla]

Where are you located near? I'm close to Chicago and there is a scrapyard selling the PODS for $300.

Yeah. I looked when I saw what you got. Nada. My area sucks.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Where are you located near? I'm close to Chicago and there is a scrapyard selling the PODS for $300.

I am on the opposite side.

 

[Nyla]

Awe! Well maybe I can keep an eye out for you! Menards has a good sided shed for $279!
https://www.menards.com/main/buildi...478-c-9658.htm?tid=4944938437167285523&ipos=6

I am on the opposite side.