INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[racinchickins]

you wouldn't see the claw marks if it was a Bobcat cause they would be retracted while walking. do you have wolves or coy dogs in your area? maybe it is a stray dog. the print looks like one of my LGD's prints.

Agreed on the claw marks. Cats won't leave claw marks. Other than that, difficult to tell, because it is hard to make out details. If it is as big as your open hand, then my only guess would be bear. If it is more the size of your fist, then I'd agree with Chick Rookie, canine of some sort.

 

[lilmizscareall]

I'm going to be re-homing a bunch probably. I inherited a couple more horses and it is just too much for me right now without help I have pretty much reached my breaking point with this Apocalypse storm.  I'll give them to good homes for free (don't want them slaughtered).  Let me know if anyone is interested in:

4 EE hens that lay blue eggs
3 Barred Rocks
2 Red Sex Links
1 Welsummer
1 Blue Laced Red Wyandotte pullet (she is stunning - out of Jerry Foley's stock)
2 Black Cochins LF (unsure of genders - thought they were a cockerel and pullet but not sure)
1 EE/Silkie Roo - he is small for a Roo, about the size of the hens and is very nice (not friendly but respectful)

Yes! I'd love a few hens! I need more egg variety and I don't have a single layer... Yet...

 

[racinchickins]

Been a busy day. Made sure chickens were as cozy as possible. Then plowed for hours trying to stay ahead (or keep up with the snow)

Here's a pic of the barn and runs from earlier today.

 

[FarkerFarms]

Yes! I'd love a few hens! I need more egg variety and I don't have a single layer... Yet...

I believe they have all been spoken for but I'll let you know if any of them fall through and come back available! I can't believe they went that quickly during a snow storm!

 

[lilmizscareall]

Oh poo! I sent you a pm too.
Thanks!

I believe they have all been spoken for but I'll let you know if any of them fall through and come back available!  I can't believe they went that quickly during a snow storm! 

 

[Mother2Hens]

Oh my gosh, I think I am more stressed out by reading everyone's posts about the horrible weather conditions more than I am stressed about my daughter, Lauren! Not really, but I did notice myself feeling anxious (and guilty) about all the snow you guys have to deal with-- and I don't.

Lauren had a severe sinus infection with symptoms of meningitis. She's on high doses of antibiotics. Hate for her to take them, but severe sinus infections can turn deadly if untreated. She's supposed to go back to IU this weekend. Last year, after she was chronically ill for a long time, she saw an infectious disease specialist who found that she still has the Ebstein-Barr virus in her system from when she had mono a year or so before. It should eventually be knocked out of her system in a few years, but meanwhile she has to deal with feeling bad much of the time. It's sad, but could be something way worse. Anyway, thanks for everyone's concern.

It looks like we might luck out here in Evansville with only an inch of snow although there's ice underneath-- and the temps are heading below zero where they'll stay along with -25 wind chill.
Because of the upcoming zero and below temps, I bought another ceramic heat fixture and bulb for the run area so that the coop box part wouldn’t be the only warm section since they have more room at the bottom for hanging out during the day. We put our atomic clock outside temperature gauge in the coop for a more accurate reading. At this time, it’s 14 outside, but 28 in the coop. So when temps drop below zero, the flock won’t turn into a block of ice-- but it's not like having a luxuriously warm spa coop or anything. I also added more covering to the coop because of the wind, but left enough ventilation at the top. I also added a new humidity level thingy in the coop box part.

FROSTBITE RESOURCES (below) & a new post: I noticed some additional Frostbite info in my "Chicken Health for Dummies" book. I should have that book memorized by now!

Other Frostbite info that I've posted before from the same book can be found on page 1901.
Link to Frostbite info that CRSelvey recently posted: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/741901/rooster-with-swollen-comb-and-wattles
Leahs Mom posted info on page 1911
I think Pipd posted some frostbite tips, but I couldn't find them!

 

[kabhyper1]

Re...Blizzard of 78'
I was born January 22 1978 in Lafayette. My mom told me they got home just as it started snowing and was snowed in for 2 week with a newborn. If I had been born when I was due, I would have been born at home lol.
Tonight our neighbors called and said they were stuck at the end of our road. I took the jeep down that has a 4 inch suspension lift and 33 inch tires and we still couldn't clear the snow. I just got back from walking home a half mile because now my jeep is in a neighbors driveway and the stuck neighbors truck is in the road still. It was an adventure lol. Hubby still plowing in fort wayne. I called him and told him to stay there. There is no way the Tahoe 4x4 or not, is going to get up our road. I stepped in the middle of the road and it came up to my waist. So 3 ft drift about 150 ft long down our road. ugh

 

[Mother2Hens]

Oh, dear, dear! Let me start by saying I've had a few hens with what I'm going to suggest, so it may just be that I'm seeing it in your Jersey because of that.

You say she is pigeon-toed and walks funny, is she kind of waddling? Is she standing kind of funny with her feet wider apart than usual? Is she moping a lot, just standing around with her eyes closed? Has her comb wilted and maybe turned pale and dusky? Is her breastbone sticking out like she's losing weight when she doesn't feel any lighter than usual? The fact that she hasn't laid in so long coupled with what you're describing--depending on how you answer my questions--makes me think internal laying with the onset of egg yolk peritonitis.

Like I said, though, I have lost a few hens to this, so I may just be seeing it as a result.

Pipd ~ Yes, I think you're correct. I just read about it in my health book. I'm pretty sure I can get her to the vet tomorrow since it hardly snowed, unless the ice and bitter cold is a problem.
She is waddling, and has a wider stance. I've noticed the past week when I've taken them out on their daily field trips that she to be a little more passive and have less energy Since she's the head hen, she usually likes to have first dibs at worms and bugs, but I'd notice that she'd just walk away. Her comb and waddles look okay, but I've been dabbing coconut oil and vaseline on all my hens lately. The main thing that I noticed was that she kept getting a pasty kind of butt. To wash her, I'd hold her in the position I saw in a magazine (see below). That's when I noticed the round water balloon type of area. At first I thought maybe she's gained weight, but that just didn't seem right. I didn't think it would be egg binding since she never laid.


Her history: She was traded to me for one of my five RIR cockerels (Nene was the only female of our original six chickens from spring 2012). The guy who brought her to trade said that she was one year old and laid. She hadn't for me, but I figured she was either getting used to the place or she was actually about 12 years old! Could be! Around two weeks after I got her, she laid what I believe was a "lash" egg (see below) btw--I love how Nene looks like, "What the heck?!" Anyway, that episode led to the first time I checked out BYC-- to ask for help. Apparently it was part or all of her reproductive organs. It looked like a shrimp with goo. She acted fine, but maybe every couple of weeks or so, sometimes a few days in a row, she'd lay a liquidy egg-- no shell and sometimes it looked like scrambled eggs. She hasn't done that for maybe a year now. Sometimes she'd sit on the nest and act like she was laying, but didn't. Jersey has always been one to go to bed first, and if the weather is real hot or real cold, she'll stay in part of the time. Other than her occasional peculiarities, she's always looked healthy, eaten well, acted fine, nice laid back personality. Head chicken, but not aggressive-- usually just has to give the "look."


Below: Pretending to lay

Below: Fall 2013 Photo

Thank you for your help! I'm sure I told you "TMI" !

 

[PeacefulWalls]

PW - how's it looking over your way? I'm much closer to the lake and this area usually gets more snow than y'all. Of course i'm in the blizzard warning area too. I think there has already been more than 2 ft. here.

The band of lake effect has just hit us so that's what's coming now. I kinda wish the snow would stay around through tomorrow because the cloud cover has kept our temps from dropping too much. Once the snow stops the arctic air will hit. I'm guessing we've got close to 8 inches?? It has blown and drifted so much there's no way to really tell. Every spot in the yard has a different amount! Some have blown almost bare and other spots have drifts almost waist high. School's obviously cancelled and my husband is staying home since there's the state of emergency out for the roads. I'm glad for that because otherwise he'd feel like he has to drive to South Bend tomorrow, even though it'd be too dangerous to do so!

Re...Blizzard of 78'
I was born January 22 1978 in Lafayette. My mom told me they got home just as it started snowing and was snowed in for 2 week with a newborn. If I had been born when I was due, I would have been born at home lol.
Tonight our neighbors called and said they were stuck at the end of our road. I took the jeep down that has a 4 inch suspension lift and 33 inch tires and we still couldn't clear the snow. I just got back from walking home a half mile because now my jeep is in a neighbors driveway and the stuck neighbors truck is in the road still. It was an adventure lol. Hubby still plowing in fort wayne. I called him and told him to stay there. There is no way the Tahoe 4x4 or not, is going to get up our road. I stepped in the middle of the road and it came up to my waist. So 3 ft drift about 150 ft long down our road. ugh

Thank goodness the temps haven't dropped yet or you would have frostbite now!

 

[Mother2Hens]

Here's another they wouldn't load together.

minmin ~ Are you sure it's not one of these creatures?



Seems like bear prints/claws are wider although I found this online-- black bear track in Yosemite-California.


This one of a gray wolf in Yellowstone-Wyoming looks similar, too.