INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

Just a picture to share with you all... I having been putting some pine shavings in with the little ones since I moved them outside, well as the temps have been a little lower these past few evenings so I figured I would put some straw in there too for a little insulation.

Apparently... Straw is the scariest thing on earth.



Although you can not see... there are 15 chicks right there. The ones that are sitting higher are doing so as they are sitting on top on the others.

Guess no more straw for them.

awww, new stuff is always scary!

Quote: Its nice tomorrow too!

Today could very well be the day!!!!

My chickens are anywhere from 5 weeks to 8 weeks and the coop is ALMOST finished. Yesterday the locks went in on the shutters, the chicken door was cut, sliding door was installed (hubby planned and created his own pulley system door so we can open it from the outside), ramp was cut, and the roosting bars were set in place.

Today the ramp and bars get installed and the feeders and waterers get made. Then my girls can FINALLY get into their new home!!!!!

We still need to decide what to use as nesting box liners, but I can do that anytime.

This chicken mama is a happy camper!!!!

Thats wonderful! the fun is only beginning, dont forget the lawn chairs for chicken TV

Quote: oh my! Lovely!

 

[ldymelissande]

I understand ( I think) that the chickens you get from tsc aren't really a show quality pure bred...but can you ID a breed once they feather out? I really liked the idea of being surprised by what I got, but am wondering how you would ho about saying I got X breed from the assorted bin? Patience is not one of my virtues. lol

 

[bradselig]

Vickichicki- all the turkey eggs look promising!

 

[CluckAcres]

I understand ( I think) that the chickens you get from tsc aren't really a show quality pure bred...but can you ID a breed once they feather out? I really liked the idea of being surprised by what I got, but am wondering how you would ho about saying I got X breed from the assorted bin? Patience is not one of my virtues. lol

Not all chicks you get are X breed. And no they are not show quaility. Yes you can tell what breed they are once they feather out.

 

[neocrunch]

Hello my fellow Hoosiers, this is my first post on BYC. My wife and I live in Eaton, IN and we work in Muncie. We recently purchased our first home and a few acres with a pond. We are new to rural living but we love it. We are starting our first garden this summer and we're ready to take the plunge and get some chickens. I'm a forum addict so I naturally sought out to find this site. I'll try to use the Search function so that I don't wear you out with novice questions.
I've agreed to (attempt to) build my wife a tractor coop. I'm a college professor so naturally I don't have any skills.

Regardless, after looking at several of the coops on this site I've gotten an idea of what's required and I think I can handle building her a tractor with 21 sq ft of outside space for the chickens (12 sq ft of coop space not including the nesting boxes). Based on what I've read, that should enable us to house 4-5 regular sized chickens. I stopped into Rural King yesterday and saw that they had an order form and a "chart" of available breeds to order. I decided it was probably wise to do a little more research before placing an order.
We are primarily interested in eggs and we are more concerned with temperament than egg or feather color. We have two friendly dogs and we'll have a baby on the way before too long. It appears some breeds are more "friendly" than others. Also, I like the idea of allowing the chickens out of the pen and into the yard. Would we be better off with regular chickens rather than bantams given that we often have hawks and eagles in the area?
After looking at the breeds on this site (and cross-referencing them on other sites) I've taken note of a few breeds that might work for us including: Speckled Sussex, Welsummer, Wyandotte, Plymouth Rock, and maybe a Golden Sex Link. I'm unsure if these 5 breeds get along OK but it appears they can all stand our cold Indiana winters. I'm also unsure if Rural King carries any of these breeds but it appears some of them can be found on Craigslist. More than anything I just wanted to make sure that buying from Rural King wasn't the equivalent of buying a dog from a puppy mill. I'm still not sure if I'm better off going through Rural King or Craigslist.
On a final note, are we better off ordering now or waiting a few weeks for sexed pullets? I'm afraid that if I order chicks now we will end up with a bunch of roosters. But I'm afraid if I wait 3-4 weeks there won't be many chicks available once people who pre-ordered get theirs.
Whoa... this ended up being much longer than I intended. Thank you for guiding me along. I've learned a tremendous amount from this site already and I look forward to learning a lot more.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

My 12 big guys and girls are outside today! Coop and run got started and is far enough along to keep them in for a few hours! The 4 BPR that really are BPR....we've learned only 1 is a hen...

Glad they are out, I bet you are too! Ugh, seems like theres always a few too many roos

Quote: hehe, they do! I am switching over to nipples or the cups on a bucket. Tired of the waterers getting turned over, so summer they dont get waterers anymore, just the bucket systems from this point til winter. Lot less hassle..

Working super hard this next few days.. Hope to catch up with everyone properly then.

Anyone care to come help on a roof job? No... well fudge...

I used to do a lot of roofing, now that I am an old lady heights scare me

guess you realize it may hurt if you fall!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
Wish ours would have offered geese, I want a few to add bloodline to my flock. I love my chinese, Paddy is HUGE! he is going out to momma's pen all day now. If you guys were closer I would share a few eggs with you to hatch.

Hello all!! Newbie from Indiana here!! We've Ben talking about chickens and probably will in the next couple weeks. SO HAPPY to have found this website!!

and so glad you have joined us

"Jeepers creepers, where'd you get those peepers. Where'd you get those eyes ?" I can still recall seeing Dale Evans, sing that on a Roy Rogers movie.

ok, now that song is stuck in my head! Wow, thats a few years ago!

 

[sirbuster]

Chicken math I never thought of. We get 19 red pulley and 2 white turkeys. They are 4 weeks old now. Still in the house. This is our first time having chicks. Then my parents come over and fall in love and decide they are going to get chicks too. So I am out in the yard letting my chicks get some Sun and yard time
and you Dad walks up with 10 roadisland red chick. Dad said they needed a home. I really hope he does not go back to the store.

 

[ldymelissande]

Thanks cluck acres. I guess it doesn't really matter what breed since the eggs are still edible and they are already "mostly" named

When my son is old enough for 4-h we will probably go looking for something differnt anyway since these will be mommies hobby not his.

They seem to be loving the new crate. Running around climbing on the perches and then flopping down for naps. A few have been drinking out of the rabbit bottle so far. I have my fingers crossed they all get it because I really want to switch to those for outside in the coop as well.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hello my fellow Hoosiers, this is my first post on BYC. My wife and I live in Eaton, IN and we work in Muncie. We recently purchased our first home and a few acres with a pond. We are new to rural living but we love it. We are starting our first garden this summer and we're ready to take the plunge and get some chickens. I'm a forum addict so I naturally sought out to find this site. I'll try to use the Search function so that I don't wear you out with novice questions.
I've agreed to (attempt to) build my wife a tractor coop. I'm a college professor so naturally I don't have any skills.

Regardless, after looking at several of the coops on this site I've gotten an idea of what's required and I think I can handle building her a tractor with 21 sq ft of outside space for the chickens (12 sq ft of coop space not including the nesting boxes). Based on what I've read, that should enable us to house 4-5 regular sized chickens. I stopped into Rural King yesterday and saw that they had an order form and a "chart" of available breeds to order. I decided it was probably wise to do a little more research before placing an order.
We are primarily interested in eggs and we are more concerned with temperament than egg or feather color. We have two friendly dogs and we'll have a baby on the way before too long. It appears some breeds are more "friendly" than others. Also, I like the idea of allowing the chickens out of the pen and into the yard. Would we be better off with regular chickens rather than bantams given that we often have hawks and eagles in the area?
After looking at the breeds on this site (and cross-referencing them on other sites) I've taken note of a few breeds that might work for us including: Speckled Sussex, Welsummer, Wyandotte, Plymouth Rock, and maybe a Golden Sex Link. I'm unsure if these 5 breeds get along OK but it appears they can all stand our cold Indiana winters. I'm also unsure if Rural King carries any of these breeds but it appears some of them can be found on Craigslist. More than anything I just wanted to make sure that buying from Rural King wasn't the equivalent of buying a dog from a puppy mill. I'm still not sure if I'm better off going through Rural King or Craigslist.
On a final note, are we better off ordering now or waiting a few weeks for sexed pullets? I'm afraid that if I order chicks now we will end up with a bunch of roosters. But I'm afraid if I wait 3-4 weeks there won't be many chicks available once people who pre-ordered get theirs.
Whoa... this ended up being much longer than I intended. Thank you for guiding me along. I've learned a tremendous amount from this site already and I look forward to learning a lot more.

and glad you have joined our thread