INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[strssdmom]

Is anyone else TIRED OF ALL THIS RAIN? I am going to have to build my chickens a boat pretty soon. They are on the highest part of our property, but with rain in the forecast 5 out of the next 10 days, I am afraid they will not be able to come out of their coop soon. I feel so bad for them. Right now they come out just long enough to drink, get their feet muddy, and then return to the coop. And they are EATING so much more because that is all they have to do. I would love to see the sun some time soon.

 

[Quinstar]

Is anyone else TIRED OF ALL THIS RAIN? I am going to have to build my chickens a boat pretty soon. They are on the highest part of our property, but with rain in the forecast 5 out of the next 10 days, I am afraid they will not be able to come out of their coop soon. I feel so bad for them. Right now they come out just long enough to drink, get their feet muddy, and then return to the coop. And they are EATING so much more because that is all they have to do. I would love to see the sun some time soon.

Have y'all been getting a lot of rain down there. We've actually been pretty dry up north for the past week and aren't supposed to get any rain again until Thurs. It's been a great change considering we've had a lake in our back yard and did not pay for lake front property. The only upside is that we now know where to absolutely NOT put the coop.

 

[strssdmom]

I would love to see pictures of your chickens in the rain. Do any of you photographers have pics of your chickens on a rainy day?

 

[kabhyper1]

Bumping this, Need the chickens out of my house! LOL Side note, my 9 week old bantam cockerel bit me today, do they go through a bad teenage stage or something?

So we introduced our 3 LF 6 week old girls into the coop 4 days ago. Our 9 and 10 week old chickens (bantam and LF) don't want to have anything to do with them. At first they picked on them, but that has cooled down to the occasional fly by peck. The three girls just stick to themselves and the 6 others stay to their little flock. Will they ever blend and bond with each other?

Also I wanted to put my two 4 month old silkies with everyone else since they are all so young still, but Booker (my silkie cockerel) is a little older and I think he would start bickering with my younger cockerels. I only want to put them together because the silkies are still in my house. I want them outside. I was afraid of them getting hurt. I was concerned about vaulted skulls and getting pecked. Im not sure if they have that or not but I didnt want to risk it. I wont be keeping all of my chickens, but I only have 1 coop and they all need to be outside. I am waiting a few more weeks to see what sex all of my chickens are before rehoming.

Any advice?

 

[strssdmom]

My girls drinking out of a muddy puddle. One of their favorite things to do on a rainy day.




When they are not drinking out of the puddles they are perched up looking out the windows at the rain falling.

 

[strssdmom]

I need your experience. We are at 7 weeks old with our Gold Laced and Silver Laced Wyandottes. I am wondering if they are male or female????



These are my 7 week old Silver Laced Wyandottes.


These are my 7 week old Golden Laced Wyandottes.

They have a lot of orange and red in their beak and face area, but not so much of a comb or waddle. I am very confused. Hoping for hens! If you need better pictures I can take some more. Thank you!

 

[bloonskiller911]

Sorry for the double post, but I have what is probably a silly question. I keep seeing roosting poles set up like an angled ladder. I understand that it's so the chickens above don't poo on the ones below, but what if the chicken decides to face the wall? Wouldn't it poo on the one below it anyway? Or do they just naturally want to face away from the wall?

most of my hens and roosters have always faced away from the wall. i'd say they feel safer being able to see what is coming at them. but I have had many that face the wall. chicken preference I assume. chickens will get pooped on, they clean it off well.

 

[bloonskiller911]

Bumping this, Need the chickens out of my house! LOL Side note, my 9 week old bantam cockerel bit me today, do they go through a bad teenage stage or something?

I would put them so they can all see each other but not get to each other for a bit and then introduce them. there will be some bickering and pecking order issues, you'll just have to watch out for those and separate if needed.

 

[strssdmom]

most of my hens and roosters have always faced away from the wall. i'd say they feel safer being able to see what is coming at them. but I have had many that face the wall. chicken preference I assume. chickens will get pooped on, they clean it off well.

We put large spaces in between our levels of the ladder. I think it is 18 inches. That way they can face either way and it is no problem. Now that said, my coop is 8x12 so you may not have that much room. Like the previous poster said. Chickens get pooped on! But, they do groom themselves quite well. Just get creative, have fun, and enjoy your chickens!

 

[Quinstar]

@Bradselig- so I got a not so happy look from DH when I said something about another chick. I'm thinking I'll have to wait till next year to get a few more. Thanks so much for the offer though! I was looking at the member list and saw that you had a Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, which I had never heard of. I googled it and they are beautiful!!! Do you have any photos? I'd love to see them!