INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[CountryHen19]

My kids and I have always held our chicks from day one. Iv always started with day olds though or hatched my own. In that case we wait until they are out of the bator and have spent some time getting use to the brooder and make sure they are eating and drinking well. Iv not lost a chick to stress or anything for that matter. ( and with all the babies I have due I'm crossing my fingers I don't start now) lol if they are older chicks not use to being handled or chicks we let oyr hen hatch and raise we do it as cluck suggested just go out in their run and spend some time with them. Let them eat from your hand and get use to you. When thwy belong to. Hen its a little easier exspecially if she will come right to you. It makes the babies less nervous. And I got luck with the last hen she's not aggressive at all and likes to show off her chicks. I have 1 hen I dont thinkl I'm going to be as lucky with. I can hear het growl as soon as I walk into the coop lol I figure its only going to get worse when they hatch. Lol I would say don't worry so much. Use you instincts and if you want to hold your babys hold them. We have turkey poults who will run to peck your fingers off when u stick a hand in there. Peep loudly when u first pick them up but with in seconds are snuggled up against you fast asleep.

Thanks itsjustme This advice is what I'm looking for. You guys are great

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
I have a Production RIR Fully grown roo you can have. I have a very nice blue laced BLRW. He is very large. He looks like this picture from google images. But He is DH's roo so I think I would need $5 or so. not bad for a full grown roo but not free so I understand if you don't want him.

I also have HRIR chicks, it will be a few months but I know I will have an extra roo to sell.

 

[Old Salt 1945]

Yeah, a couple years ago, for my birthday, I asked my dad for a camera that was better than my cell phone camera. Apparently he took that to heart.

Do you think if I asked him real, real nice....................?
John

 

[CountryHen19]

BLW, I LOVE your SFH's! I am so jealous, where did you get them? I know their is a breeder a couple hours north of me, but I have yet to convince DH that chickens warrant a two hour drive..

Shawna

I got them from a lady in Huntertown, just north of Fort Wayne. I just looked up the route and it is about 2.25 hrs away from you. Her name is Char and I know she should have at least 3 because I ended up taking some started chicks instead of the ones in the bator marked for me. One had just hatched yesterday- DH saw it when she peeked in the incubator. It was still wet

Her number is: 260-220-3662

Yes they are worth it. We went from Woodburn (almost on IN/OH Line) to Huntertown to Warren then back to Woodburn to pick up all of them yesterday. Took us about 3 hours round trip. If I end up with a roo or more, he/they might have to be rehomed. We have close neighbors, including the city council member who lives directly behind us.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Anyone have any tips about what TO do when trying to get your chicks used to you?

I was thinking about what M2H and I were talking about how all the books say don't handle them/stress them. I know that I need to but I am kind of lost on where to start.

I let one of my SFH run up my arm and run around on my shoulders during her turn in front of the camera. It seemed to like that.

Sometimes I put a radio or alarm clock with a built in radio in their brooder and let it play all the time. I make it loud enough for them to hear but too loud, because I dont want to bust their little ear drums lol. So even if I am not out their talking to them all the time, they are constantly hearing human voices. It help them get used to humans in general, at least a little.You can give them different types of treats, meal worms. earth worms, crickets, yogurt, things out of a garden if you have one. You can also sit down with them and hold them, let them run around and fall asleep on you. You want stress them out just holding them and trying to make friends. I have never lost a chick from stress.

 

[Old Salt 1945]

Hi Everyone, I would really like some advice. I brought those little OEGB roos home the other day and I think they are gorgeous, but they are not being nice to the two Easter Egger hens that they gave me at the same time. One of them has almost all of her back feathers missing and they all seem to attack her. The other one is being protected by the Rosecomb banty that came with them. I'd rather have the hen than the roos even if they are beautiful.

Also, I have two other cockerels that are about 3 mo old, so should I worry that they will be too much for my 6 hens when they grow up? Basically, I'm worried that I have 5 roos too many. Sometimes being a newby is just confusing.

I would not sacrifice an EE hen for an OEGB roo. Catch the offenders and toss them over the fence to fare for themselves. This time of year, there is plenty to eat. Free range them. Leave out a bucket of water. If you don't want to do that, I'll take the hens, if you aren't more than about 30 miles from Lebanon. The OEGB roos won't look quite so gorgeous sitting atop of a dead EE hen.

John

 

[CRSelvey]

I would not sacrifice an EE hen for an OEGB roo.  Catch the offenders and toss them over the fence to fare for themselves.  This time of year, there is plenty to eat.  Free range them.  Leave out a bucket of water.  If you don't want to do that, I'll take the hens, if you aren't more than about 30 miles from Lebanon.  The OEGB roos won't look quite so gorgeous sitting atop of a dead EE hen.

John

I'd like to save the hens from the Roos. I have more work to do before I can safely get them in the coop but we work on it some everyday. I don't mind free ranging the boys at all though. I brought them all home from a friend because her husband was about to dispatch the Bantys and I was hoping to give them a better option. I just didn't realize that they were so much trouble for the hens they came with. I thought it was the full sized Roos that they used to live with doing the damage.

My little guys live in our basement until the coop is finished and the two groups have yet to meet. Even when my chicks are in the yard ive kept them in the fenced garden and the new group has been free ranging in our ravine (its what they were used to at their old house). I can get close to them only in the evenings.

 

[CountryHen19]

Sometimes I put a radio or alarm clock with a built in radio in their brooder and let it play all the time. I make it loud enough for them to hear but too loud, because I dont want to bust their little ear drums lol. So even if I am not out their talking to them all the time, they are constantly hearing human voices. It help them get used to humans in general, at least a little.You can give them different types of treats, meal worms. earth worms, crickets, yogurt, things out of a garden if you have one. You can also sit down with them and hold them, let them run around and fall asleep on you. You want stress them out just holding them and trying to make friends. I have never lost a chick from stress.

Thanks CCCC! I won't have much time tomorrow since I have to go back to work, have school chat and then finish my paper but Tuesday is my day off and I am hoping to spend some time with them. Of course, I will be changing their pine shavings tomorrow morning before work and getting them fresh water and food. I think I'm gonna have to set the waterer on a little block of wood. When I went to check them this evening, it was stock full of shavings. I knew it was only a matter of time but not this early

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
my chicks got to the point they would knock the waterer off of the stand. I now either hang it, put it on level dirt, or use a shallow dish filled with marbles and water just past the top of the marbles. At first with the dish I thouhgt I would be refilling all of the time. Turned out I refilled less than I cleaned out those tiny wood chips. And the marbles gave the chicks entertainment too.

 

[CountryHen19]

my chicks got to the point they would knock the waterer off of the stand. I now either hang it, put it on level dirt, or use a shallow dish filled with marbles and water just past the top of the marbles. At first with the dish I thouhgt I would be refilling all of the time. Turned out I refilled less than I cleaned out those tiny wood chips. And the marbles gave the chicks entertainment too.

I want to get some nipple water things and start them on that soon. I'm also dying to try putting a mirror in with them to get some more entertainment. (not like I'm lacking in it)

Off to bed-- night everyone!