INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have been working on chicken capes too. My girls have such short broad backs I had to play with the design until it fit right.

First I dug out my scrap cloth. Thankfully I had some cotton batting left from another project. Oh and some flannel scraps for lining them. Gotta have soft and fuzzy next to the bare bits.

Cut it all out.

Layer and pin.

Sew it together with some bias tape.

Add elastic to underside. And...

There you go! A bevy of colorful insulated coats.

very colorful, they look great!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/23107530714...eName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Not promoting this seller,but at the bottom of the ad, there are several great links to check out for fodder.
Many of the seeds you can buy yourself, in bulk.

 

[kabhyper1]

Aww loved the babies! I am so jealous, The hats are lovely!
I still hope to have alpaca again some day. I have always wanted to spin and make my own yarns.
Will start with crias next go around instead of adults tho.
I am definitely doing several this weekend, and will get my burlap hemmed up for the fodder at the same time.

Janet, I have tons of raw fleece here if you want to try to work with it. I want to try needle felting. I don't know how to do anything besides crochet and knit. So I have a lot more to learn. Hopefully some of the eggs hatch for you. I'm nervous, but excited to see what happens also! I may be slow, but is fodder like grass for chickens for the winter?

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Hello. I pray you're not freezing in this ice box that just opened up on us! I am interested also in this topic of conversation so please keep me informed.

Yeah, it's kind of cold, isn't it?! Our 4-H club is scheduled to ring bells for Salvation Army tonight in front of Kroger's & it's gonna be cold! I told my kids we should split our group in half for 5 minute shifts standing outside & 5 minutes inside the building rewarming. Does make you think, though, about what the homeless and even the people who can't afford to heat their homes go through in the winter as we're trying to raise money for them and other people in need... I guess we can't complain about being out there for only 45 minutes!

 

[Old Salt 1945]

Yes I like the funny stories about the chickens and the snow. Ours would always roost outdoors in their run, and the coop poop board was almost always clean. Now, suddenly, that poop board is full. Who wants to come over and show me how to clean it lol?

Do you have a "jack-hammer"?

John

 

[danand]

Like everyone else my chickens are not happy. It's funny how it bothers some more than others though. Went out to feed and let them all looses this morning and my outside water spigot is frozen. I have to go to town later so I'll look for some of that heat tape toget it thawed. It's never froze before!! Had to come back in the house, take off boots and mittens and get water from inside. Thank heavens we filled the horse trough last night!!

 

[FarkerFarms]

I put a flock block out on Sunday to bribe the fluffy butts out of the coop. Between the block and the new scratch I bought it worked to some extent. They spent A LITTLE time outside. I think it is the wind that is bothering them more than anything. What do you guys recommend to put on the outside of the run to block wind? So far the heated dog bowl is doing well, I wish it would hold 2 days worth of water (the biggest I could find was a 1 gallon dog bowl) but it is working well. I did raise it up a bit on a cement block so they couldn't run through it as easily. They are at least coming out to eat and drink (there is food in the coop as well but I am paranoid about fires and don't want the heated water in there).

 

[minmin1258]

You peeps must have had so much more "fowl" weather than we did here. I have clear plastic shower curtains stapled to the wood frame of my run. And I have a blue tarp covering the full length of it. I'm very worried though about the snow piling up on the tarp and breaking through into the run. Next Spring I intend t recover the run with better 2x4 frame work and some tin roofing. It will help keep the run dry and also shade it some when Summer finally gets here. I want the best for my girls...yes they are spoiled! By the way these girls love cat toys...lol... Little balls with bells in them and (big) stuffed mice with catnip, also parrot toys...ladders and hanging ropes with bells. It's funny watching them pull on those ropes and throwing the bell balls around. They actually fight over the balls!

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Peaceful Walls ~ Thanks for posting all of the photos of your wonderful place and beautiful creatures! I still want to know why I am freezing in a winter wonderland and your photos taken today in northern Indiana look like a sunny September day! You have some happy looking chickens and alpacas.

There was one day last week when it got close to 60 degrees before the temps crashed -- I got these pics then!

I got two more little victim jackets sewn up today. Poor little bald girls. Plus side, they are now wearing little coats, so maybe they will stay warmer.

Very nice! I ordered 2 chicken aprons off ebay from someone who makes them -- thought I could use them as a pattern. Of course, it's still on my huge to-do pile in my sewing area. I guess I'd better get busy on mine now too. I'd prefer to wait until after Christmas, but they sure could use them now!

 

[PeacefulWalls]

I am happy to report that Jules is back to her old self today. Before I took her back out, I tried my hand at a hen saddle. I have decided to try to make one for each of my girls. She took to it just fine.


Here she is sporting her new dress.

I was searching through the posts and don't know if I missed it, but did you say what the dimensions were for your chicken apparel? I wanted to compare it to the sample apron I bought -- I think yours might have a bit better coverage