INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[faerydust16]

We're in the same boat as you. We've been chickening for over 6 years and some of our hens are 5, as well. Our old girls don't seem to be interested in laying eggs anymore. Freeloaders! They pop one out now and then, but they're pets and will live out their lives with us without their 'one bad day'.

I enjoy having chickens NOW more than I did six years ago. The 5yr olds are like old friends now and I really enjoy talking with them and watching them peck.

We've been stocking our flock with the occasional new bird over the years, but even those 'new' ones are 4yrs old now.

We got new chicks this year. The minimum order was WAY more than we wanted, but any extras won't be hard to get rid of. DW has already begun naming the chicks, so I foresee the biggest difficulty is getting her to choose which ones to keep and which to rehome.

It's also fun having friends from work (city people) come over and help socialize the chicks. Both the people and the chicks benefit.
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How early can you socialize them without traumatizing them? Lol ours just flee in terror right now.

 

[pginsber]

How early can you socialize them without traumatizing them? Lol ours just flee in terror right now.

That's a good question which I don't know 'the accepted' answer to.

We initially raised chicks we received via the mail 5+ years ago. We raised them in the house, handling them as soon as they seemed to be eating, drinking, poo-ing normally, which was about 3-4 days after receipt, so they were less than a week old when we started.

I swore I'd never again raise chicks in the house because IT'S A SUPER DUSTY MESS! So our next few were raised by broody hens in the attached garage. This was a great setup. The broody hen took care of heating them and we just fed and watered them. We raised chicks via broody 4 other times.

Whenever I am in the chicken run, the remaining hens I have from the first batch, that are 5+ yrs old now, they are much more friendly. I even had one that I brought in the house on holidays to show the kids, she just LOVED to be held. We lost her last year.

I can't say with 100% certainty but it appears to me that the chicks that were socialized with humans as chicks are much more approachable than those raised by a broody hen.

That's what I think, so that's what we do here. (Hopefully, there's not an expert somewhere that's horrified by this.) So now, we're back to raising chicks in the house - BEWARE OF THE DUST, THOUGH!

 

[faerydust16]

@pginsber
Yeah that's why we have them in the barn but I go check on them all the time. Especially since we have rabbits out there that I have to socialize.
Darn you rabbits!
I have two rabbits that are good being held and 4 that are terrible. I vowed their kits would be more approachable. So we have to handle them more and socialize them I think.
The chicks I'll have to handle more too so they become friendlier otherwise I'll never be brave enough to get the eggs later on. I'm such a chicken with chickens lol.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

@pginsber
Yeah that's why we have them in the barn but I go check on them all the time. Especially since we have rabbits out there that I have to socialize.
Darn you rabbits!
I have two rabbits that are good being held and 4 that are terrible. I vowed their kits would be more approachable. So we have to handle them more and socialize them I think.
The chicks I'll have to handle more too so they become friendlier otherwise I'll never be brave enough to get the eggs later on. I'm such a chicken with chickens lol.

Ha. I never even touched a live chicken until I got my girls in the fall. They were already 1-2 yrs old and had free ranged prior. It was an experience for all of us. The first time I picked them up was with outstretched arms - and I moved them from a run roost to the coop door (prefab so very small area).

 

[Leahs Mom]

@faerydust16
Do you raise the rabbits for meat?

 

[faerydust16]

@faerydust16
Do you raise the rabbits for meat?

4h and meat.

 

[Faraday40]

4h and meat.

Rabbits are something we hope to get into. (Of course chickens are enough for now.) We want Flemish Giants and/or Netherland Dwarf (or maybe Polish).

 

[faerydust16]

Rabbits are something we hope to get into. (Of course chickens are enough for now.) We want Flemish Giants and/or Netherland Dwarf (or maybe Polish).

I have 2 Flemish giant/New Zealand I'll be breeding.

 

[Indyshent]

Sizzle/Silkie boys https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/sizzle-cockerels-chickens/6540062035.html

About a thousand 1-yr-old Comets for $2 each https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/1000-golden-comet-laying-hens/6532766246.html

Several hens $8/each in Eminence https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/healthy-laying-hens-for-sale/6532541321.html

2 trios of Royal Palms, $125/ trio or $200 for all six birds https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/adult-royal-palm-turkeys/6525413642.html

$200 for two roos, two hens, one bronze tom, and one little coop in Greenfield https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/chicken-coop-2-hens-2/6538860875.html

LGD https://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/grd/d/livestock-guardian-dog-half/6540927368.html

This seller in Colfax has a bit of everything. Ducks, two geese, chickens, a poor quality Spanish Black turkey hen, and some lovely guineas
https://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/grd/d/chickens-guineas-ducks-and/6540069453.html
https://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/grd/d/turkey-hen/6540060047.html
https://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/grd/d/silkie-and-sizzle-roosters/6540056084.html


Muscovies, call trio, 43 coturnix quail, a pair of super cute bantams, and an overpriced pair if poor quality Wyandottes
https://kokomo.craigslist.org/grd/d/quick-sale-ducks-chickens-and/6538594919.html

This is the really nice seller I haven't been able to get a ride to as yet. He may still have some birds left. https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/chickens-for-sale/6538277323.html


10 hole nest box https://bloomington.craigslist.org/grd/d/10-hole-chicken-nest/6537979833.html

Pair of geese
https://bloomington.craigslist.org/grd/d/pair-geese/6513459079.html

Mallard ducklings and juveniles https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/flying-mallard-ducks/6540393262.html

$30/pair of guineas
https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/pearl-guineas-pairs-only-8-9/6515733634.html

Bunch of free roosters in Crawfordsville https://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/grd/d/free-roosters/6540500236.html

Bourbon toms, RIR roosters, Silkie roos. All pretty dang cheap https://muncie.craigslist.org/grd/d/rir-roosters-bourbon-red-tom/6538942073.html

BYM roos and guineas in Lafayette https://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/grd/d/roosters-guineas/6519177943.html

Muncie area, tons of cheap "bantys". Seller has 30 or do roosters to thin out, plus hens. Look like little games. I wish it wasn't so far because I adore the little rooster in the middle picture. Roos $5, hens are $8. What a steal for these cuties.
https://muncie.craigslist.org/grd/d/bantys/6533838798.html

$5 BYM roos in Bloomfield. Look like BBS Cochin mixes. https://bloomington.craigslist.org/grd/d/roosters/6528207580.html

Handsome gentle guys in Trafalgar https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/roosters-for-sale/6531981363.html

Bitty EE cockerel free in Indy (curse my lack of a ride). https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/araucana-rooster-free/6539340310.html

Lonely fainting doe $50. Owners are older and her buddy recently died. https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/lonely-female/6540738386.html

Mixed breed heritage tom https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/d/tom-turkey-for-sale/6540929279.html

 

[Indyshent]

Nice seller on the west side just sold his last girl. Blargh. I've got a car tomorrow, but watch, everything's going to be too far away for me to conscientiously spend the gas and cash to get there and get birds.