INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hello,
That's nice of you to donating eggs, that's a great idea. I actually thought on contacting a local church and ask if they take egg donations. I also sell eggs to friends and family but sometimes I get too many eggs to keep up. I usually cook the extra eggs and give it back to the chickens (for protein) or give it away to friends.
I was thinking in getting me a gosling this year to protect my flock. Some online Hatchery required a minimum of 3 goslings. I heard that for protection purposes its better to get just one goose, if you get more than one they will bond and will not do their job protecting the chickens. Do you know if this is accurate?

Thanks

I do not ever raise a single goose alone. I've had as few as 3 as many as 60. They still protect their flock as ADULTS not goslings.

Raising chickens is really addictive and my chicken math is not helping LOL. I lost a few days ago a pullet who was attacked by a hawk and I found out that among my girls I have a rooster. That means I am down two pullets now. Great excuse to order more baby chicks LOL. To be honest I have only purchased poultry by mail once, that was when I ordered my ducks last year. My ducks arrived fine but I was very stressed out thinking they might not make it. I am not a fan of ordering by mail but to be honest in the local store they don't have the variety that you can get by ordering through a Hatchery. So I decided to order 8 female chicks from a Hatchery. They should arrived on Tuesday and yes I am worried. I live in Indianapolis and the weather doesn't seem to be too horrible by Tuesday. Since I have a rooster now I might just hatch my own chicks this year. I usually have two broody hens in my flock so I might let them hatch some eggs this spring. What do you guys do when you get too many roosters?

Thanks

Excess roosters are processed here. I keep a main fella, a backup and the rest go. I don't want to seem cold but animals without purpose on a farm, well we find a purpose.

Honestly, with all these crazy "recalls", processing the extra birds is the way to go, at least you know what you are eating was raised healthy. The thing is that I don't have the heart to do it myself. However, there are people who get "meat birds" and take them to a butcher to process them. If I decided to get meat bird, i don't even know any local place that will process poultry.

Anyone trying to find a local processor I'll try to help. If you want to learn yourself I can help you also. I don't charge anything BYOB (Bring Your Own Bird) or I probably have a rooster.

If you're willing to learn how to process there are people willing to teach. My handyman grew up on a farm and was also a hunter. He knew how butcher many types of animals, so when the time came to get rid of my 1st few injured hens or roosters, he did the deed. After a year, I had the courage to assist. About a year or two later I was able to do any of the jobs. When he passed away last year, I was of course very sad, but so thankful that he shared some of his skills with me. I was even able to help another BYC member get her rooster number under control. It felt good to pass along his wisdom.

Honestly the hardest part is the emotions. It's not for everyone and it's not like anyone "wants" to kill livestock. It just needs to get done and some one has to do it. I could accept the logic but it took me several years before I could it. There's also a big sense of accomplishment when you cook a meal made by yourself.

Agreed 100%.

 

[Pollitos6]

I got my very first egg today! It's tiny, but I'll take it!
I wasn't expecting it to be this exciting
I'm not sure which of the 10 laid it, but I have a suspicion it was one of my Plymouth Rocks. Two of them have been "assuming the position" when I pet them the last couple weeks.

awww congratulations!! I remember when we got our first egg and it is very exciting!!! took a picture of mine and made the whole family try a small bite . I have been raising chickens for 2 years now and I still get excited when my girls lay eggs.

 

[Pollitos6]

If you're willing to learn how to process there are people willing to teach. My handyman grew up on a farm and was also a hunter. He knew how butcher many types of animals, so when the time came to get rid of my 1st few injured hens or roosters, he did the deed. After a year, I had the courage to assist. About a year or two later I was able to do any of the jobs. When he passed away last year, I was of course very sad, but so thankful that he shared some of his skills with me. I was even able to help another BYC member get her rooster number under control. It felt good to pass along his wisdom.

Honestly the hardest part is the emotions. It's not for everyone and it's not like anyone "wants" to kill livestock. It just needs to get done and some one has to do it. I could accept the logic but it took me several years before I could it. There's also a big sense of accomplishment when you cook a meal made by yourself.

You nailed it when you said " the hardest part is the emotions" I am working on that.
Thanks

 

[man_of_fishers]

I need to go out and adjust the roost cam, but here is my little Silkie mom on day ten with her eggs. All that I’ve read about hens being protective and peckish during broody hasn’t been the case for me. She waits patiently next to the pile as I pick her up and inspect her eggs, then as soon as I’m done, she gently walks back on them and nestles them underneath. Like I said a couple days ago, she’s only about ten months old, so she must just be a natural at being a momma.

 

[Pollitos6]

View attachment 2013794
I need to go out and adjust the roost cam, but here is my little Silkie mom on day ten with her eggs. All that I’ve read about hens being protective and peckish during broody hasn’t been the case for me. She waits patiently next to the pile as I pick her up and inspect her eggs, then as soon as I’m done, she gently walks back on them and nestles them underneath. Like I said a couple days ago, she’s only about ten months old, so she must just be a natural at being a momma.

I read somewhere that silkie's are great moms. and by the way is that a bow on her?? sooo cute

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I'm sleepless tonight. Oldest son lost his wife to cancer a year ago. Adored her! He isn't handling the anniversary she passed very well. They did everything together married well over 25 years. We are making arrangements to go to Tell City to just be there for him. Love this kid he is a mess. She was 58 and had a very fast invasive cancer. Guys get health insurance and take care of yourself. It probably wouldn't have helped her. If this helps one person, thank you for trying to make your life better.

 

[Pollitos6]

I'm sleepless tonight. Oldest son lost his wife to cancer a year ago. Adored her! He isn't handling the anniversary she passed very well. They did everything together married well over 25 years. We are making arrangements to go to Tell City to just be there for him. Love this kid he is a mess. She was 58 and had a very fast invasive cancer. Guys get health insurance and take care of yourself. It probably wouldn't have helped her. If this helps one person, thank you for trying to make your life better.

I am sorry fighting cancer is hard not only on the patient but on the loved ones as well . unfortunately I know for experience .

 

[Finnie]

I wasn't expecting it to be this exciting

I know, right?! I don’t know what it is about eggs. They are so pretty. I have way more than I need. I boil about 3-4 dozen a week to feed back to the birds. But I still get excited finding them every day! It’s probably like how a gambler feels when they win the slot machine.

If you're willing to learn how to process there are people willing to teach. My handyman grew up on a farm and was also a hunter. He knew how butcher many types of animals, so when the time came to get rid of my 1st few injured hens or roosters, he did the deed. After a year, I had the courage to assist. About a year or two later I was able to do any of the jobs. When he passed away last year, I was of course very sad, but so thankful that he shared some of his skills with me. I was even able to help another BYC member get her rooster number under control. It felt good to pass along his wisdom.

Honestly the hardest part is the emotions. It's not for everyone and it's not like anyone "wants" to kill livestock. It just needs to get done and some one has to do it. I could accept the logic but it took me several years before I could it. There's also a big sense of accomplishment when you cook a meal made by yourself.

A lot of good points in this post.

When I was new, I was so afraid to process a chicken. I was afraid the blood would be gross and the smell would make me sick. @Chaneys Ranch tutored me, and I discovered that making that fatal cut wasn’t as bad as I worried it would be. There is no smell, at least, not that I’ve noticed it the times I’ve done it in the fresh outdoors. And if you’re doing it right with the chicken contained in a cone, with a bucket underneath, the mess is minimal. (I line my bucket with a trash bag.) I had visions of “chickens with their head cut off”, flapping around and splattering blood all over. But it’s not like that at all. There isn’t a huge amount of blood.

Once you get past that part, it’s really a lot like dealing with a whole chicken you’ve bought at the store. (I mean, in that it becomes less personal.) A coyote got one of my favorite 4 year old hens last summer. I chased it off, but it was obvious the hen wouldn’t survive, so I had to dispatch her. It was sad to lose a special one, but once I got her feathers off, it wasn’t “her” any more. (But I did label the broth with her name. )

 

[Faraday40]

I know, right?! I don’t know what it is about eggs. They are so pretty. I have way more than I need. I boil about 3-4 dozen a week to feed back to the birds. But I still get excited finding them every day! It’s probably like how a gambler feels when they win the slot machine.

Collecting eggs never gets old. For the past 7 years I've been labeling each egg with the hen's name & date layed. My neighbors love it and always stop by to thank the hens = personally by name. LOL

Of course those 1st eggs became famous. I not only took photos and sent them to everyone I knew..... but I also took photos of
- the egg in the nest
-the egg & the hen
-my kids collecting the eggs
-the eggs next to last store eggs we ever bought
-the eggs on display in a basket
- the eggs cracked open (& compared to the pale grocery store eggs)
- the eggs in the pan
- the eggs for our 1st egg sandwiches (& several recipes after that)

I think you get the idea. I also blow out some eggs & make them into crafts - like Christmas tree ornaments.

My fav was one of my daughter's projects. She made a Nativity diorama using blown eggs.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I know, right?! I don’t know what it is about eggs. They are so pretty. I have way more than I need. I boil about 3-4 dozen a week to feed back to the birds. But I still get excited finding them every day! It’s probably like how a gambler feels when they win the slot machine.

A lot of good points in this post.

When I was new, I was so afraid to process a chicken. I was afraid the blood would be gross and the smell would make me sick. @Chaneys Ranch tutored me, and I discovered that making that fatal cut wasn’t as bad as I worried it would be. There is no smell, at least, not that I’ve noticed it the times I’ve done it in the fresh outdoors. And if you’re doing it right with the chicken contained in a cone, with a bucket underneath, the mess is minimal. (I line my bucket with a trash bag.) I had visions of “chickens with their head cut off”, flapping around and splattering blood all over. But it’s not like that at all. There isn’t a huge amount of blood.

Once you get past that part, it’s really a lot like dealing with a whole chicken you’ve bought at the store. (I mean, in that it becomes less personal.) A coyote got one of my favorite 4 year old hens last summer. I chased it off, but it was obvious the hen wouldn’t survive, so I had to dispatch her. It was sad to lose a special one, but once I got her feathers off, it wasn’t “her” any more. (But I did label the broth with her name. )

It is so hard to cull that first chicken, and I will freely admit I cried. Swore off ever doing that again in 1983. When my parent's health began failing I took a 2nd look at healthy alternatives. Canned or frozen food is so loaded with preservatives or salt. I made myself choose to grow our own food as much as I can. Mom had Renal failure and there isn't much I couldn't do there. Dad says "I want to live!"! You know what, I'm going to give him a salt free naturally raised food as long as he is with me. Store bought chicken is loaded with salt guys read the labels. It's a hard choice and not for everyone.