INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[bradselig]

Well, I got my eggs set tonight. I didn't get them in last night as I didn't have everything to install a fan into my other LG bator. I'm trying to limit myself to incubating by not using my cabinet incubator, but now I just have 2 little giant incubators going with 3 dozen eggs in each. I have no self control.

 

[bradselig]

[COLOR=008080]Kiniska[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]~ OOh, that is tempting and I appreciate your kindness! I am trying to be rational and wait for bradselig to hatch two Cochins for me on March 9 (daylight savings time! Yay-- more time to play with chicks!)[/COLOR] [COLOR=A52A2A]bradselig[/COLOR], [COLOR=8B4513]Since losing my Jersey, I've decided that I'd like two LF Cochins please. Two girl chicks, blue, splash, or black, one frizzle. I hope your compulsion to order large quantities of chicks doesn't interfere with my important (and very specific) order! lol[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513] I hope that when you order those numbered leg bands for your chicks that you were discussing, you make sure the #s go up into the thousands considering how many you have! Haha [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Quote:[/COLOR]
Originally Posted by RowdyReptile /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't have a huddle box, but having openings at the top of the boxes will keep moister out of the boxes, humid air rises. I've been planning to get a roo for quite some time and see if I get any fertile eggs. I dont order fertile eggs, I only do local. Who says I'm going to try to sell The incubator? I'm doing this mainly for fun. It's a good learning experience also. Maybe it will be a success and I will end up with some chicks. No rain landing on my parade, just some melting snow and chilly weather, finally.
[COLOR=8B4513]I remember last March when several members decided to make styrofoam incubators. I did "Search This Thread" for Styrofoam Incubators and looked around March 2013. CluckAcres, animallover2202, and Crafty chick posted info. Here's a URL that was posted, too: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/home-made-incubator[/COLOR]

Might have some trouble finding the LF in frizzled! I have yet come across any for sale. But I'll keep looking.

 

[minmin1258]

Is

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My opinion on the sand is to avoid buying it in small bags.  Contact a gravel / sand yard and get lots of it for much much less than Lowes or walmart sell it for.    Sorry Brad, it is one of the few things I think Lowes makes a more than nice profit on.


That said for now I will use the free pine tree trimmings as a pile of sand in my yard waiting to be used would attract the barn cat as a litter box paradise.  I don't want to have to screen it for cat poo before it collects chicken poo.  And I still have plenty of room for the deep litter when I need to remove it from the coop.  lots of low places in my yard.

That's alright, you hate on my Lowes, but I can't complain as I just bought an 8x10 wood shed kit for $75!

But I do agree with you! Those prebagged goods are high in price, but much easier to move around, IMO.[/quote

Is Lowes selling those wood shed kits for that price or did you just get a "Special" deal on it???? I so want one!! Every time I go to our Lowes I drive by the prebuilt sheds and dream of what I'd do to fix them up. Lol!!! Probably as far as that will go for a prebuilt!! Can't afford $2,600.00 for a 10x12 bldg. especially when I could buy the stuff and build it myself for &1,200.00.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hello.
Aww I'm sorry about your bro/carpenter I hope he gets better, cancer doesn't sound good.

Yeah I'm sorta at the same problem. We are renting where we're at and its an old beautiful farmhouse with 170 acres of woods and creek so there is also a corncrib that we turned into our coop and run so now I have the bad feeling that it is too small for our 10/11 hens and roo. I think the main problem is that we made the little trench in the floor our roost. I never really thought that it matter even though I know chickens like to roost in high places. Do any of you think this could be a problem? If it is I can try to find a way to fix it come spring. Out of my eleven usually just my two Black girls as I call them and the two EEscor the RIR roost in the nestboxes but its getting to be a problem because now they are full of poop and its really bad. Any help is much appreciated

Sand is what a lot of members use, whats the sq ft of the roost area?

Oh um we had some trouble with predators and hawks around our place last fall and my mom said something about how turkey hens are supposed to be good protectors of flocks. Can anyone verify this or is it just like roosters? That it just depends on genetics or personality? I was wondering because our roo isn't going to be around come spring so I'm looking for replacements but If a turkey hen helps id be willing to try one. Thanks too for any advice and help.

If I haven't said it yet

and our thread

Haven't read ahead yet on this topic, but turkeys aren't flock guardians. A hen will sure try, and especially if she has poults/other babies to protect.
Be sure to call county extension to see if you have "blackhead" in your county, if so, keep turkey and chicken separate.
Hen turkeys are a huge value to me, I have heard stories about peafowl as flock guardians also. Its really up to each of us to make that choice.
Honestly, a LGD (Livestock Guardian Dog) is truly your safest bet, or at least a secure run. If you free range, you need a dog or expect some losses.
That's a dog that lives outside, with your animals. I don't have one yet, and have had some painful losses from fox and raccoon the last 2 years.

Ha ha! I have FINALLY caught up with you chatterers! This has to be the fastest flying thread on BYC! I believe it is the most interesting one, too. The long, boring lectures and squabbles on the other threads put me to sleep.

WELCOME to all our new Indiana BYC members! It is good to have you here! Don't be afraid to pipe up and share. We love to read your stories. And, if you have questions, we are full of answers.

I have enjoyed admiring all the photos of the beautiful chooks our IN BYCers are caring for. It makes me all the more impatient for chickens of my own!

I never did get my coop built this fall. With the sort of winter we have been having, it may be just as well since I am a beginner. My brother-the-carpenter has been sick off and on. It may well be a return of his cancer, but he has no medical insurance to get it checked out. (He is trying to get on to Obamacare, but may not make enough income. Indiana's governor has decided not to use the available federal funding to expand Medicare, which leaves a number of low income Hoosiers with too much income for IN medicare and too little for Obamacare.) He has been working inside our house and has turned out some beautiful wainscoting, but hasn't been able to do outdoor work on the coop. Maybe I can line someone up to build my coop this spring. I have plans drawn up with all the little bells and whistles I want that ready-made coops don't include. I did have LF heirloom pullets lined up, too, but will have to start over. Meanwhile. I am soaking up chicken knowledge from fellow BYCers, other websites, and magazines.

I received a very nice gift of a chicken teakettle for Christmas to add to my chicken collectibles. I have been collecting chicken paraphernalia and longing for a flock for many years, so I have quite a few items around the house. My great-grandparents were the last in a line of Steckleys who ran a mill and hatchery in Kendallville. I can remember visiting the hatchery as a little girl and watching chicks hatch. Guess that got me started.

I am so sorry to hear of your brothers health

my thoughts are with your family. Many are struggling now with this healthcare reform

It will come together. Even if you start with a small coop and a few girls, its a wonderful start!
Think of it this way, it can be a quarantine, grow out or broody coop for later! Depending on your long term plans, and chicken math

I started with 6 chicks (GLW, 5 hens and a roo), 4 ducklings (scovies 3 ducks, 1 drake) and 6 goslings (chinese 1 gander 5 goose) .
Yup, I have "hen luck". Which was not good trying to hatch last year. Even that seemed like a lot

The scovies were "new" to me but ducks aren't.
That was 2 years ago in April. I honestly do not have an exact count on my chickens.

I process the extra adult roos monthly.
I love all my birds, but they are all here for a purpose. My peafowl, guinea and geese are alarms & chicks/eggs. My geese are my pets also.
I only paid for the geese, the rest were mothers day gifts from my youngest DD and future SIL.
A 29 year old shed, chain link fencing and excitement of having chickens again after 28 years!

I am glad I jumped in and did it, but you have to be happy with what your final goal is also.

Hello, its surprising how much snow is gone, from 1 foot to now none is some patches. All my chickens were out in the run though crowding around wanting to be let out.

I'm pumped for spring and I hope it gets here soon. I've got a big long list of things I've gotta do.

Does anybody else?

Oh my.. It will take me years to do everything I have planned

The have to's I am so ready to start!
Breeding pens is #1. Tearing down my old coop and replacing the egg coop with a newer shed #2.

Quote:
LOL my pullets name is Fluff for that very reason

 

[bradselig]

It was a clearance item but I got a better price on it.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: We sent 8 mean roo's to the freezer, and did a lot of maintenance on coops also. Sun felt really good, have missed being able to have the birds out all day.

This spring I am hoping to get a lavender orpington, a frizzle buff orpington, a blue laced red wyandotte, and maybe a few more from akers hatchery. They are all straight run except for black sex links. Hoping the drizzle buff orpington would be a roo so I could breed him with my regular buff.

I have lavender orp, but have not got their breeding coop set yet. We plan and have family health issues, hope to have them hatching soon.
They will be a year old valentines day!

 

[gunchief25]

Morning all Cockadoodledooooooo!!!

 

[chick rookie]

morning Cockadoodledooooooo!!!

 

[pginsber]

The big snow and bigger freeze was tough on us. The girls were fine, but DW fell at work and now requires surgery. We're going this afternoon, so I'll catch up reading the posts while I'm in the waiting room. Wish us luck!

 

[minmin1258]

Mornin...cark-crrrrr-ooooodle-ooooo. Lol
(I have a north easter roo, hehehe)