INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I ran across this article about the benefits of sand, and I had to laugh when I saw that same stock photo of a woman holding a chicken that is used by so many sites.

Chicken Coop Bedding: Sand, the Litter Superstar


http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/09/chicken-coop-bedding-sand-litter.html

Thanks, I'm off to read it now!It seems like you are always finding really helpful websites.How do you find them all?lol

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

M2H I have seen that picture on a lot of websites too.I think I have a book written by her.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Okay so I read that whole article and it said to change all of the sand bi-annually. In my breeding pens I am for sure going to use sand.Thanks so much for posting that link M2H.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: I have heard they do, if not I have no hens in the BBWs! Mine are just over 3 months now. I planned to keep any hens I have, these guys are pretty friendly. We had friends visit over the weekend and had their tiny boston terrier Zoe with them. OH MY! imagine 15 strutting turkeys at once

If i had my phone with me i would have taken pictures, it was quite impressive. Zoe was barking, came running up to the door like she always does, and they all just went crazy, their dog Zoe gets to have play dates with my pug Sadie

and both dogs were excited to see their friend. The turkeys saw Zoe as a threat, which is great! One went after the her, and I grabbed her up fast before he hurt her.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: X2, good advice! Its even more rewarding to keep happy birds that return your love for them. I handle all my babies once they are dry and sure footed from day 1. slow and gentle is the key. Pick the birds up with feet supported, and the other hand on their back, so they feel safe. Use a key "call" word for all your birds, and train them with treats to learn it. We call the birds in saying "chiiiiiiippies, time to eat!" my geese are trained for WeeWeeee" because they are out longer during the day. Wash your hands often, and don't have the same clothes on you were wearing in the other coop 20 minutes ago. Sit with your hand in the brooder, let them get used to you. Let them sit on your lap, peck at the ring on your finger. I have a guinea that insists she has to nap on my lap daily.

Patience, treats and soft voices wins them over. I talk to the eggs in the incubators when they are internally pipped (ya, I am a crazy chicken lady!) They need to learn your voice and that you are the dominant flock leader. Birds can learn NO! and understand if you are not happy with their actions. I have backed off some with the socializing, when I go out to the main coop I have birds flying up, jumping on me wanting held. I love my birds, but wow some are getting too big to sit on my head

When I work on the fence line, usually only the geese and guinea get to come out, and i still get buried in birds. Handle those babies, gently, and often. They will love you and trust you for their lifetime.

 

[Too Fast]

DH was scared about eating his first 'fresh' eggs too. A week or so later I scrambled a few... The rest is history... Well until he discovered how to check for fertility. That gave him a week break.

Many congratulations.. All that hard work is finally paying off!

Just don't forget to put the date on your eggs. I put the date they were laid, written in pencil. Had a few moments of rushing and not dating things believing I would remember... Well... Not so much.

Now that's a good idea. I did that just now, as we haven't eaten any yet. Waiting for a few more, but this weekend we have some guests coming in and they are curious about the eggs. What is your favorite way to prepare them so they really show off the fresh flavor? (the eggs, silly, not the humans!)

Congratulations to everyone on the first eggs. Haven't gotten any here yet, but am anxiously waiting. The girls combs and wattles are starting to color up, and one of them started squatting whenever I go near her yesterday. She even lets me pick her up now. Should only be a matter of time, either that or they have found a spot besides the nest boxes that I haven't discovered yet.

How old are your chickens? Ours will be 17 weeks this Thursday. We probably won't get any brown eggs until late July/early August.

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Thanks, I will experiment with an old bucket.And they only thing close to a bakery I can think of is a dongnunt shop(they arent very friendly).If all fails I can just buy some more from lowes they are less then $3.

I've gotten quite a few free buckets from the bakery inside of Meijer grocery -- just have to wash out the icing that's left inside. Sometimes they have a couple of different sizes. I just go up to the bakery counter & ask if they have any available that day & they're always glad to hand them out. Most likely other grocery store bakeries would also have them to give away.

 

[PeacefulWalls]

My daughter's quail hutch is almost done! It's about time since the quail are almost 2 1/2 weeks old and have outgrown their brooder. After she looked at hutch ideas & picked something she liked, it was decided that Dad would by the one to do the actually building (especially since she was away at camp all of last week!) Both the top & bottom levels have a divider in the middle so there are 4 different coop spaces. We're using trays to collect the droppings -- still need to get a shelf under the bottom level for those. Then we can store the feed tote underneath the hutch.

This picture is looking at the front of the hutch. We had to tease my husband that he forgot, ummm, doors for the coops! Actually, he was planning on cutting them out of the wire like our rabbit cages, but my daughter & I reminded him she wanted hinged doors so he had a little more work to do.




Here they're figuring out how big to make the door openings.



Should be done later today. Yeah!!

 

[Crafty chick]

those of you with broodys in the past~ how long did you let her sit? 1 hatched yesterday, and shes still sitting. there are still 6 under her. hoping for more! wanted to move them to a small tractor out of the big girls coop, but not till they are done hatching. afraid she hasnt taken the one out to feed or give it water.

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

PeacefulWalls- Coop is Looking good.

Crafty chick- they will be fine for 2=3 days.