INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Too Fast]

My turn to cry about losses. Yesterday when I was feeding, I went back into the barn to get more feed, and one of my peahens was lying under the roost. She had been up on the roost just a few minutes before, but evidently died and fell off, or died after falling. I had seen no signs of illness with her; checked the body (it was still warm) for injuries or mites--nothing.
Then I went into the brooder room and found a 10-week old light brahma chick dying--again had seen no signs of illness.
This morning I found a 14-week old black copper Marans pullet sick in the coop. Isolated her but have no idea what is wrong--no obvious respiratory problems, paralysis, or mites.
Hope this is the end of it!

Wow. No previous signs, eh? Sorry for your loss.


Hope the government didn't try to install too many moonbeams at once.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

pbirdhaven-sorry about your loss.Sounds like you are having a bit of a bad luck streak. I hope nothing else happens and the ones that are sick get better!


I figured out how to "fix" crossbeaks. I trimmed it some, but it is really bad and if I would of trimmed it down to where it was inline again it would have almost now beak and I am sure would be bleeded by that point. I trimmed it as much as I could and am hoping that helps.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Another broody. My partridge Plymouth Rock, She Who Sleeps Standing Up, finally decided to go fully into broody mode rather than just making evil sounds while in the nest once a day. I thought the sounds she made were funny, though, so I recorded her:



EDIT: It's linking to an inappropriate video after you watch it, so I went ahead and removed the video from BYC. :/ Stupid YouTube.

 

[herebynightfall]

Question about roosting. My chickens are now about 11 weeks old, and they are still huddling together in one corner of the coop for bedtime. Is this okay for them? It seems like they would get too hot on a warm night. Should I start picking them up at night and putting them on their roost, so they know where to go? The roosting pole/board is about 4 feet tall...do I need start by making it lower to the ground?

For reference, this is what the coop's interior looks like (picture is from a few weeks back, so different feeder/waterer, and much bigger chicks):



We have added some slip-grip on the walkway to the right, so they don't slip. They will walk halfway up the ramp and lay down in a row on the edge in the afternoon, but they won't go further up. Like here:



Any help is appreciated!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

My goodness, such gruesome posts this evening. The rain must be dampening spirits. Here's a little comic relief. : - )






This is exactly what happened to each of my cats:

Quote:
Haha you are sooo right on the barking dogs! Red is over a year old, about 15 months, he can crow all he wants, I don't mind it a bit. His aggressive attacks on visitors and even immediate family, well that's a problem. This started about 2 months ago. I want a rooster that will protect the hens, but attacking people is not acceptable. Rebel, my australorp Roo, is never people aggressive, but if a turkey pecks at his hens look out! Rebel may wind up getting Reds girls yet. I have 2 of Reds sons that I am planning to take his place if he doesn't cool his jets! His chest must hurt from all the toe bumps

Cant count how many times I have turned him upside down or even grabbed him up and pinned him

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Anyone know of a place that processes meat birds? I just started 25 red rangers yesterday. I am already planning to get some more.

I am going to the chicken party the end of this month to learn how. Why you ask, because I could not find a cheap local place to process birds.I really don't want to drive over an hour with birds in the car. The crates to transport birds are costly too. And to top it all off, my birds are not all going to be ready on the same day. I did not consider that when I ordered the pay fry deal. My BR are growing so much faster than the red birds and the black jersey giants are very skinny but tall.
If you can make it to the party, you should come and learn too.

So I kicked all the birds out of the coop yesterday so I could clean it. I look out and see the legbar roo harassing the rhodebar roo (just the other week it was the other way around). The ccl roo starts chasing the rhodebar roo and they run all over the yard across the road and into the corn field. Later that evening, the ccl roo finally shows up, no blood and no damage. The rhodebar never shows up, well until this afternoon. I went out to mow and he is walking in the road with muddy feet. I tried to corral him back into the yard, but he takes off into the field again.

So obviously these two previous brooder mates are going to let their hormones get the best of them and not get along. I guess I really need to get started on the breeder pens!

How do you like your Rhodebar? Are the chicks really easy to sex?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Couple prosecuted and fined in England for selling 12,000 store-bought eggs as free-range:

http://consumerist.com/2013/06/28/p...rd-do-not-free-range-eggs-make/#more-10131877

Wow...

My turn to cry about losses. Yesterday when I was feeding, I went back into the barn to get more feed, and one of my peahens was lying under the roost. She had been up on the roost just a few minutes before, but evidently died and fell off, or died after falling. I had seen no signs of illness with her; checked the body (it was still warm) for injuries or mites--nothing.
Then I went into the brooder room and found a 10-week old light brahma chick dying--again had seen no signs of illness.
This morning I found a 14-week old black copper Marans pullet sick in the coop. Isolated her but have no idea what is wrong--no obvious respiratory problems, paralysis, or mites.
Hope this is the end of it!

Aww, I am so sorry

Is there anyway to fix a crossbeak? One of my blue ameraucana chicks has a crossbeak and somehow I just noticd it today.It didnt hatch that way, but I think it has been like that for a few days.

X2 I have a lil EE thats just a doll. She flies and climbs to be on my shoulder. Seems like the beak worsens every day

So I kicked all the birds out of the coop yesterday so I could clean it. I look out and see the legbar roo harassing the rhodebar roo (just the other week it was the other way around). The ccl roo starts chasing the rhodebar roo and they run all over the yard across the road and into the corn field. Later that evening, the ccl roo finally shows up, no blood and no damage. The rhodebar never shows up, well until this afternoon. I went out to mow and he is walking in the road with muddy feet. I tried to corral him back into the yard, but he takes off into the field again.

So obviously these two previous brooder mates are going to let their hormones get the best of them and not get along. I guess I really need to get started on the breeder pens!

Amazing how often the pecking order changes.

Anyone know of a place that processes meat birds? I just started 25 red rangers yesterday. I am already planning to get some more.

We are doing a workshop at the end of July (28th) on how to process birds. If you are interested at learning how. Then after 3pm its a Picnic get together for all us Indiana BYC'ers! More details are coming soon.

I know firmly believe when it rains, it pours. I am dealing with NY first case of sour crop...
poor chicken looks miserable! I emptied the crop, gave some olive oil, put her in the kennel in the coop, fresh plain water. What else can I do? I have 3nieces here for the day so can't leave at the moment..

You have done about all you can. Maybe add electrolytes to the water tomorrow.

 

[Old Salt 1945]

You don't need crates to transport chickens. Tie their ankles together. They can't balance to stand and jump start flying, so they pretty much stay put. Then put them in a box with no top or on an old blanket to keep from getting a mess in the car. Doesn't hurt them and is much more humane than putting them in a closed box. Or jamming too many into a dog crate. I have no problem killing animals, but I was raised to never mistreat one.

When you get where you are going, you pick them up by the feet and put them down on the grass where you want them and they, once again, pretty much stay put. If they need to stay put for a long time, string a rope from one to another. Chickens are not very good at organizing their efforts at escape.

John

 

[Old Salt 1945]

Good news about my Jersey Black Giant pullet. She is now walking without a limp. I am going to leave the splint in place for another week, just to make sure she doesn't re-fracture it.

John

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Good news about my Jersey Black Giant pullet. She is now walking without a limp. I am going to leave the splint in place for another week, just to make sure she doesn't re-fracture it.

John

congratulations.
Our hen with the sprained leg or hip is doing about the same but not eating enough. Her comb is fading. We were going to give her a bad day to day and she goes and shows a tiny improvement.