INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Mother2Hens]

I leave the snow on our small coop, but our new coop has a different roof. It is light blue and lets in light. The new coop works much like a greenhouse so when the sun comes in the windows or the roof it heats up the place pretty good. It got to above 45 in there this afternoon once I got much of the snow off the roof.

Originally Posted by Leahs Mom That's a good way to get some heat in the winter!

Originally Posted by SallyinIndiana
The light blue should help provide a half shade environment and we plan to take some of the windows out making the coop more open air style.
I love my clear plastic corrugated coop roof that allows light in. It just seems more natural for them to experience the sunrise and sunset. They like being able to look up and see out of the roof as well as the ventilation area right under the roof. Like Sally, I also brush the snow off of mine to let light in. In the summer, the roof doesn’t add heat because of a nearby tree. The door is always open during day when they free range, so it’s not like they’re locked in there.
pipd ~ I feel sorry for you about your laptop. That is such a helpless feeling! I’m a Mac person and don’t know much about PCs, but it seems like something could be done. Whenever I hear about a crime-related story on the news, it seems like they can always extract data from someone’s computer no matter how the criminal tried to sabotage it.

 

[Mother2Hens]

M2h- love the story!! Did he believe you or was he still scared?

Big night here last night. My neighbor across the road, house burned down. It's a total loss. She was at work and the granddaughter that she has custody of was at home. Apparently she lit a candle. They had a cockatoo , she was in the main room of the fire, endless to say didn't make it. They had to cut the power to her house so now there's no water for her other animals, chickens, peacocks ,pheasants, llamas and alpacas. What a mess.

danad ~ How terrible about your neighbor’s fire! It sounds like the granddaughter made it out, but I can imagine that she feels horrible, and the poor grandmother has to deal with everything, especially in this weather and this time of year.

To answer your question about the utility guy-- even though I said they wouldn’t hurt him, he still looked concerned. It was so funny to see my EE standing between him and the gas & electric meter. The guy was just frozen in fear. Nene, who chased the other guy before was standing behind this guy. He was surrounded. I loved when he said, “Word is that one of them is aggressive” -- now he’ll go back and spread the Word that two are aggressive!

They probably have a diagram of my backyard with a line-up of my fierce hens.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

bradselig ~ Looks like Christmas fun at your house! The gob of Silkies remind me of Kabhyper’s. All of the birds you brought home in your sleigh are beautiful! Don't forget about my specific Cochin order that I am expecting you to produce exactly as requested: One Lavender, one blue, both girls, one frizzled. Get to work, chicken breeder! That's really cool that the chickens, especially the broodies, settled right in. I would have thought that they'd all be a little stressed out.

kabhyper ~ Your animals have it made on Harmony Lane. And I especially love Rio’s sweet face.



jchny ~ That’s great that your Dad got to come home! Just remember not to overdo it yourself because you have so many faces to care for.

minmin ~ You’re an Honorary Hoosier! It doesn’t matter if you live in West Virginia-- it’s around a five and a half hour drive from where I am at the “toe of the boot” to the top of the boot (Indiana’s shape), so it’s not like all of us live a stone’s throw away.

chisNchickens ~ Don’t ever feel like you’re hijacking the thread! There are no limits on posts and other topics are welcome. We love photos, and your Silkies are amazing! Are they ever allowed in the mud -- haha --with the rain we had today on top of the snow, it was really muddy when I had my hens out.

Thanks M2H, I admit I am a lil tired. But so much to do!
Its melting a bit here too, but tonight it all froze right back up!
Ribeye moooooved in with the Does (goats) today. It was just too fun!
Sugar is a quiet gentle goat, she was a little afraid until she realized "that big thing" is a baby.
She was giving him nose kisses when I left them, what a good girl.
I probably have been out another 10 times to check on them!
Sophie is such a brave lil stinker! She marched right up, danced for him and darted away!
He was playing a little so I think its going to work out just fine.
Bocephus is NOT pleased and quite distressed that his ladies have a new roomie.
He snorted, pawed and stomped well after dark. Get over it Bo!
He is penned 50 feet away to keep the buck odor off my girls, ewww he sure smells like a buck too.
Miss my lil baby Bo, but he has grown to be quite an impressive young buck.
Have 3 new adorable chicks, silkies from Kabs eggs! they are just so precious and sooo fluffy!
Oldest DD has become addicted to silkies and these babies are her Christmas gift.
We will get some pics tomorrow to share.

 

[hogster160]

Its been crazy but I feel like its slowing down a notch around here.
Pipd, brad, kab, omg all you guys LOVE the pics!
I did want to say, the CX "cornish cross" meaties can and will act fairly normal if you just let them be a chicken.
I still have LilX from july 2012, and she is strong as an ox. Looks like one too!

She lays a very large brown egg, often a double yolker. I have hatched some, and they do grow out like a regular bird.
Usually will be a splash. mostly white with flecks of gold or black.
Tank passed away while I was sick. DD thinks he flipped (heart attack) he was flat on his back feet in the air.
He was about 12 pounds, and quite impressive. He was the park at the food dish type, so I limited his intake.
Guessing he wooed too many extra helpings and that did him in.
I free ranged our group and the birds were just too good to be true, best fried chicken I ever made.
Smallest was just under 5 pounds dressed, largest was nearly 8 pounds at 12-13 weeks.
Fermented feed and free range made a huge difference. Highly recommend it!

I am so sorry to hear about Tank. He was a huge boy! I'm making stock yesterday and today. I used the smallest of the birds as well. He couldn't have been but maybe 3 lbs cleaned. Just a little guy. But hes adding big flavor!

Ventilation needs to be above the roosts, roofline. Close the lower windows vents etc. I drill holes, or even cut out if needed and cover with hardware cloth at the peaks to keep a flow moving.
I had issues with my grow out coop since it still wasn't ventilated well enough, saw moisture on the windows, not good! Its empty and all the birds are in the main coop now.
Keep the bedding dry and clean, try not to water or feed inside the coop if u can.
Not sure how to treat frostbite, hope someone can help answer. I would probably use a dab of "bag balm" and rub into the comb/waddles if it was my birds.
Good stuff, use it on wounds for the critters, all kinds of things.

OMG that's it, I've been feeding them inside and keeping their water inside since the freeze, no one wanted to go outside. The water has been in the coop during the day and taken inside at night. The FF was left to freeze and fresh was added to it while I was gone. That has been taken care of too. I closed off the side window yesterday and kept all upper vents open. South, East and West sides are all open at the eaves. 4" for the whole length. North side has just a 16" x 16" vent open at the highest peak to add some more cross ventilation as during the winter, the northern winds are the strongest here. I'll get some bag balm today while i get some more dry bedding to add to the deep liter. Thank you so much for the reminders!

Okay, I apparently have run out of luck for the year. I just got a 'red screen of death' on my laptop, which means it is doomed. Everything I have saved to it is gone. Pictures, stories I've written-- including a 40 chapter story I had finally been editing for its final draft!

Kaput. I am so frustrated and upset. There are things on this computer that I have no backup for. And now I only have my phone to work with if I want to check in here!

Sorry, rant over. Just... Ugh!

I would check out one of the computer repair places and see if they have anyone there who can extract the saved files for you. Might cost you $50 or so, but its worth a try. There is a way to get it, but I don't have the know how on these new computers. I stopped playing around and learning them 15 years ago. DOS was a piece of cake to work with, but things changed with windows going into windows XP. Another idea, maybe check with the high schools or colleges close by that teach computer classes, speak with a prof and see if they can help diagnose the problem. Like a class project. Put all those minds together and see what they come up with. Good luck and I really am hoping someone there can help you get your information!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Hogster..

This is what I'm doing right now...may change my mind if I after more experience or learning so that's the disclaimer...

After reading Fresh Air Poultry Houses and getting a bit better understanding of how that all works, I have decided to only allow openings on one side of the hen shed during the winter unless it is very high up (like gable vents) and I don't even really want those open on both ends to be honest.

Based on what works in the fresh air houses, having openings on one side still allows enough air exchange but avoids a rushing wind blowing through there causing a wind chill factor.

So...that's what I'm doing right now for winter. In the summer, of course, everything possible is open.

 

[Leahs Mom]

OH...and I do feed and water inside. Always have with no humidity issues. And the feed is wet (ff). This year I have 2 feed pans and 2 waterers inside; 3 of them are on heating bases to keep from freezing.

My rooster boy was starting to get a bit of discoloration on the very tip top of his comb when it was windchills below 0 but there is not any humidity build up inside. I restrict the openings on the waterers so that they can't drag their wattles through the water. His VERY LARGE wattles stay on the outside of the waterer while his beak goes in. No sign of frostbite on the wattles at all.


And....every time I see "hogster" I think of a couple of Harleys

 

[chisNchickens]

Guys, my Dad is home! They released him today!
He is a candidate for the new surgery. So now we wait, his valve is larger than normal so he is on a waiting list.
2 more tests and see the Dr the 24th,
Kidneys are a concern, he may be on dialysis soon

We are buying his and hers wheelchairs so I can transport both to appts alone.
Probably will need a chairlift soon.

Missed this somehow....great to hear your Dad is home. Will keep fingers crossed!

 

[chisNchickens]

I personally like the white and partridge. But after getting that silver colored roo im liking it as well lol. I got a single black hen with this group. I honestly kike pretty much all the colors except buff.

That is how I started as well...liking white and partridge. Partridge is a tricky color to get correct, gray is the hardest. I don't much care for black so I will be more willing to let the nice blacks go, whereas I am more stingy with my whites;-) I got the blacks in a buy out. I have no buff, not a color I am interested in right now...maybe sometime.

 

[chisNchickens]

Always glad to hear of any good news!!

They remind me of Angora rabbits! You can play the game, Where's their face? with them!!

And they are soooo sweet. They are very different from other chickens. I don't even call them chickens, always birds. Even the roos are usually sweethearts. I have only had one mean one.

 

[chisNchickens]

Mother2Hens
chisNchickens ~ Don’t ever feel like you’re hijacking the thread! There are no limits on posts and other topics are welcome. We love photos, and your Silkies are amazing! Are they ever allowed in the mud -- haha --with the rain we had today on top of the snow, it was really muddy when I had my hens out.

Thanks! HAHA! Nooooo.....I am a nut about keeping them clean. At least the whites....