INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Mother2Hens]

Flock Two~ The Brown Girls: English Jubilee Orpington "Adeline" and English Chocolate Orpington (Bantam) "Bonbon." Both 6 months old~ should be laying soon.

Their size difference makes them a funny pair, especially when Bonbon is the friendly and fearless one!

Glad I finally got a good photo of Bonbon.

The girls were finally ready to venture outside of the fence with The Mean Hens this weekend during their supervised Field Trips.

 

[Mother2Hens]

It's great to see you posting again!~ Strssed Mom (My hens have had a summer of irregular laying, but have been back in a routine the past couple of weeks), Backyard Bitten (loved the cartoon!!) and Country Hen (still trying to change your husband's chicken names- Haha!)
HouseKat~ I agree that renting chickens may not be a good idea, but as CCCHICKENS mentioned, renting a goat would be really handy and the goat would probably enjoy it as well. Maybe jchny will rent one of hers out-- probably Bo, her buck who needs to leave the mama and baby goat alone. He needs a hobby.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hi guys, am really behind on posts now! Busy weekend. Lost one of my piglets, They all had scours.

Started treatment when I realized it but was too late for one. Risks of buying livestock from someone you don't know.
the other 3 are responding very well to treatment.
Once we resolve the scours and finish treatment will start working on probotics to get their strength and health back.
Heartbreaking. Have taken advantage of the cooler weather, outside all day both days!
Celebrated my youngest DDs 21st birthday today, DH and I took her and our future SIL out to montana mikes

Very proud that she is waiting until she finishes college to be married, both kids have at least 1 year left.
Bought her a margarita to celebrate her "adulthood" and we all enjoyed the dinner!
She is moving out on her own October 1st. Rooming up with her best friend and sharing expenses.
I had the "safety" talk with both girls to be very aware of things around them since they are living alone.

Feeling the pings of empty nest syndrome I guess

. But my oldest DD moved back home, and have my parents, not really so empty

!
Going to catch up, or try to on the posts! Please, pm me if you asked me a question in case I missed it!

 

[Old Salt 1945]

I have 9 eggs. They are from 9 days ago until today. I'm not sure which ones are which because I forgot to mark them. Now what? lol. My incubator has an egg turner, so where would I put the sponge?

The egg turner has 6 trays. You only need 2. Take out the others. They pop out easily.

Your incubator looks just like the Little Giant, only with all the bells and whistles at a better price. Definitely keep it.

Go to a drug store and buy a digital thermometer for about $10. They are VERY accurate. You can use it to ensure you that the thermometer that came with the incubator is accurate.

John

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

*Introduction*
Just wanted to say hello!
I'm on the near east side of Indianapolis. My husband and I bought a house just a couple months ago, and a good friend gifted us Partridge Cochin bantam chicks as a housewarming surprise. We've busted our asses trying to get a coop built, but it's been difficult. We've sourced out much of our wood for free and my husband(thank goodness) is a woodworker! It's been slow going and I just want to bring my birds home. I find myself drooling and gawking other birds on a daily basis(someone help me!), but my flock will be full when I bring these home. Do any of you go to any Indiana swaps? It seems Craigslist is full of Roos and the same type of birds over and over.

I made a promise to myself about not purchasing straight runs, so as to prevent me getting stuck with too many Roos. I'm not against eating, but really? How satisfying can a Cochin bantam be??? Anyways...
Feel free to send me a PM, I'll try to post photos of the coop and flock soon...or eventually...I can't make any promises.

Ps, I'm also obsessing over Cayuga ducks.

and so glad you found our thread

You are already stricken with the dreaded chicken math disease. There is no cure!
Temporary relief can be found in adding newborn chicks

But seriously, we are a very chatty group! We talk about most anything "family friendly" as there are children on the thread too.
Just think clean subjects and language, is the main thing the forum asks us to do.
If you want to share pics of your childs graduation, your new puppy or need to sound off, vent here

Theres several swap meets we share on the thread, and try to let each other know about good vets, coop/food mills and anything bird related.
Theres links at the bottom of this post ( my signature) to visit our member list and more.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have a question...
When I went to lock up the chickens and ducks today, I noticed that my dominant rooster wasn't on the highest part of the roost like always. My bantam rooster and my lavender ameraucana was at the top. I have noticed my bantam rooster always chasing and having a crowing contest with my blue Wheaton ameraucana. So did my bantam rooster rise up to the top and my blue Wheaton ameraucana is challenging him?

Keep watching and look over the dominant roo. There may be a health issue if the pecking order changed.

QUESTION

Why is it that I have had many weeks of 15 - 17 eggs a day, then all of a sudden I had 10, the next day I only had 5, and the next day (today) I only got 4? What am I doing wrong?

Thank you in advance for any insight you can give.

Its the weather, has to be! All the birds I have, i got 7 eggs today. I feed them well, prolly too much, and they all free range. a month ago I was buried in eggs.
Today I had to buy some

I know of several bird owners dealing with the same issues.

Thanks so much to all of you for your advice. You guys are really great people!! I think I should be okay. 99.5 degrees and I'm guess-timating that my humidity needs to be with-in a 35 to 50 range. If that's wrong tell me. I've been reading the neat articles on here for incubation. I think it probably isn't as complicated as my brain is trying to make it.

You will do fantastic!

the oldest eggs may still hatch, usually chicken eggs begin to loose fertility at 7 days.
I have 3 LG with 2 fans and turners. I also have a "hatcher" thats a "chickbater" I built from the forum info here on BYC..
3rd LG is a plain still air, and hatch goose eggs in it, off season I use it as my hatcher.
I dry incubate, and up humidity at lockdown to around 70%.
I use paper towel to protect the chicks from the wire, and absorbs water from the sponges I add for humidity.
My hatch rate is about 80% since my house is old and drafty.
Chickens and Guinea are the easiest to hatch.

sending good hatching vibes! PM or post if you have questions, thats why we are all here

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Good Evening everyone! I have been MIA for awhile- started a new job, kept my old job and grad school is kicking my butt.

My small flock is down to 7. I have my splash BLRW roo on CL for sale. Sold my straight combed BLRW roo and the other splash BLRW roo last night.

My SFH chicks turned out to be all pullets...what luck! They have much personality, that's for sure. My plans are to try to stick with the SFH as far as breed.

Here is a picture of one of our SFH pullets. Her name is Partridge and she is the friendliest girl

she is lovely!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: I plan to add white layers and guess what I want

they are both so lovely!

goodb~ Welcome to the Indiana Thread!
You mentioned two flocks-- what breeds do you have?
lilmizscareall~ Welcome to the Indiana Thread!
Another member, toodlesmom, lives in Irvington. She was planning a spring flock, but I believe it's now a fall flock!

I finally got a couple of good photos out of the ones I took outside today. What a beautiful day! I will start with my hens . . . I am indulging myself by posting my flocks (you might want to skim through my posts as usual!)

The head of the flock, Black Jersey Giant "Jersey" My fav. She is laid back, quirky, and graceful. Jersey is the only one who knows her name (she thanked me sarcastically for its originality).


Number 2 in the pecking order, the Infamous "Nene," a Rhode Island Red (with an "undesirable" floppy comb). Nene is loud, bossy, and nosey, but is FULL of personality.

Number 3 is my Barred Rock "Tweedy" (center) who I missed getting an individual shot of today. She reminds me of the smart, quiet, good student type.

Number 4 is my Silver Laced Wyandotte "Lacey" who came from the same place as Tweedy, so they are buddies. She is a little dingy, but is sweet and sounds like a trumpet. She would like to meet kabhyper's SLW roo Gus.

Number 5 is my EE "Road Runner" who has always been skittish and at the bottom, but she's come a long way in a year and really works at being assertive. She's happy to be above Flock Two-- The Orp Pullets.

Julie they are all just beeeautiful girls, and I love the floppy comb

! SQ isn't as important to me as the personality.
You can clearly see everyone of you girls are loved!

Quote: OMG!

gave me tears! Still giggling!

A co-worker sent me this article about renting hens:

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organi...uck-with-a-chicken-rental-service?hpt=hp_bn18

At first, I felt it was a ripoff but the more i thought about it, wow. What a great way to decide if you want to keep chickens!
Awesome concept, someone had a fantastic idea. True entrepreneur.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

It's great to see you posting again!~ Strssed Mom (My hens have had a summer of irregular laying, but have been back in a routine the past couple of weeks), Backyard Bitten (loved the cartoon!!) and Country Hen (still trying to change your husband's chicken names- Haha!)
HouseKat~ I agree that renting chickens may not be a good idea, but as CCCHICKENS mentioned, renting a goat would be really handy and the goat would probably enjoy it as well. Maybe jchny will rent one of hers out-- probably Bo, her buck who needs to leave the mama and baby goat alone. He needs a hobby.

Its done a lot! Goats will eat almost any weed. Some really nasty trees like the hawthorn or locust, and briars like wild blackberry and the wild briar that grows in old farm fields.
No clue what it is, "stinging nettles" is what I have heard. Its awful on a bare leg!
Pretty amazing, the natural "weedeater" and that's the main reason I keep them. Bo moves daily to a new location on tether, usually with me. He lives in the huge stock trailer at night.
He can clear a fence row faster than i can! They strip the bark right off the hawthorn and locust, stickers and all. Kills those trees fast.
They are very cheap to keep and usually disease free if cared for properly. I do a CDT vac to protect them annually, and they are strong and healthy because they choose their green foods..
Sugar is now getting to tether away from Sophie who is near weaning. Sugar is pushing her off frequently so its time. We are waiting until late winter to freshen and breed,
I hate to risk birthing in the winter. I will put Bo in with the girls in the early spring for late summer birthing.

Flock Two~ The Brown Girls: English Jubilee Orpington "Adeline" and English Chocolate Orpington (Bantam) "Bonbon." Both 6 months old~ should be laying soon.

Their size difference makes them a funny pair, especially when Bonbon is the friendly and fearless one!

Glad I finally got a good photo of Bonbon.

The girls were finally ready to venture outside of the fence with The Mean Hens this weekend during their supervised Field Trips.

I just love them both, your lil BonBon is adorable!

 

[Too Fast]

Quinstar ~ I think the method old salt recommended I use to raise the coop off of the ground matches up with your pictures very nicely. I was hoping you could take some closer shots of how the posts connect to the floor. DH and I are not builders but if I have pictures of the nails. screws, bolts, whatever is used to connect the pieces, then the people at lowes are very helpful. Without pictures DH and I get nowwhere.
Also how deep should I bury the posts? All opinions welcome here.

What Quinstar did is similar to what we did. Sink the 4x4 posts in the ground 3 feet, pour in some concrete, cut off the top of the posts to the level we needed. If your ground is wet enough no need to add water. We set our floor (8' x 4' pallet) on top of the posts and secured it with long bolts with large washers. We wanted our coop off the ground and secure, and we got it. Winter can be very muddy in the area we have the coop.