INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[chick rookie]

all the stuff I have read about this never said should I do one chick a night or all 3 at once?

 

[lilmizscareall]

e Thanks!  Happy to be here!  I have only lurked on BYC for about seven years.  LOL    It's so great to finally be "expecting"!

Thank you!  I had a slightly different mix chosen until I realized MPC wouldn't ship what I wanted until May...then I had to start all over again with what was actually available May...

You're so kind to do that for me!


Yes, DH is definitely coming around.  It doesn't hurt that I have made my family watch the live brooder cam on Animal Planet...so in a way he has already seen "ChickenTV."  LOL!  But it will be so much better to have "live theatre."  We have four children, so the three old enough to understand what we're talking about have already started picking out names.  (Princess Layin', anyone?)  The three oldest are boys.  I thought they might be blasé about the birds, but I showed them the photos on MPC and they have already picked out which ones are "theirs."  Now just crossing fingers that all the chicks are healthy and travel well.  Thankfully they'll all be in school when I pick them up from the PO that day.  Baby girl is just excited about "chickie butts."  Not sure she understands we're getting our own.  She will be three then.  She'll probably go crazy!


Re: the bantam BR and EE, they must be fairly new, because they didn't show up on any of the "choose your chicken" selectors online.  I had to backward research them from the "available" date, cross reference them to BYC and other sites to see if they were any good.  The EEs should only be 24 oz at maturity!  Tinier than the BRs or Silkies.  (BR will be about the same size as the Silkies per all the info I could find.)


Supposedly all these breeds are good with kids.  So important when you have almost as many kids as you'll have chickens, I think.  I want those kids to have fun with them and help Mama out with birdie chores.


Now if I can just figure out what to do about a run...we inherited a lovely coop from the previous homeowner.  I did the math and it's the perfect size for six bantams...but no run attached!  We live on a hill and it drops off right next to the coop, so I'm not sure how I'll work that out, but feel pretty sure I need one, since we have two dogs.  I plan on training the dogs stringently to leave the chicks alone (possibly even to be protective of them, if that's possible), but we need a run, regardless.

Here is a silly question perhaps y'all can answer for me...is it better to have a detached run that I can move around the yard, or to figure out how to attach it stationary to the coop?  I've been thinking stationary because I have a small fenced yard.  We have 3 acres altogether but only about 1/3 acre is fenced, and that's where I plan on letting the chickens roam.  We already have trouble with grass because we live in the woods, so I'm not worried about burning up a nice lawn.  I feel like we should cut a hole in the side of the coop even though it's on a hill, and just make stationary run there,but if there's some advantage to a portable run, I'm open-minded about that.


Thanks for the warm welcome!!!

What kind of dogs? I have two, one which is a beagle/jack Russell mix and she only was curious about them while in the brooder. When they first went outside, she protected them for maybe 3 days, but now she just ignores them. Very motherly.
Depending on your dogs personality, they might not even care about the chickens.

 

[FlockMaster-614]

I'm not sure. He wants a good home for them. If you can let me know soon, I can see if he will hold them for you. Are you near St joe county at all?

Alright id appreciate it, tonight I'll talk to my mom and see if she doesn't mind but if its free and to a good home that may change her mind No afraid not. I'm in Crawfordsville but travelling upstate doesn't seem too terrible.
I appreciate it if I can be put on a waiting list of sorts but if a better offer comes along that won't bother me.

 

[chick rookie]

What is the breed in your avatar? It is gorgeous!!! Hopefully your mean hen doesn't raise mean chicks!!! Let's hope nature is stronger than nurture! LOL

She is a hen I rescued with a bad foot, some say she is a Blue Op. and some say she is a Blue Maran, but she has never gave me an egg so we cant use egg color to decide which. and she could be just a beautiful mutt. But she is my girl, and thats all that matters to me.

I sure hope I don't get mean chicks out of this...

 

[goatluver20]

Got more pics of my girls will post a few later. I will definitely not use the cedar shaving in my chick brooder

 

[leslea]

Welcome! I hope your kids love it as much as mine. My oldest only liked them while they were small and fluffy. Once they got big poo, she was so over them. The other two little ones are still in love with their chickens and help me all the time. I can't wait to see pics of your bantams.

Keeping my expectations pretty low, just in case the boys don't stay interested. I'm pretty sure my little girl will, and besides, they'll all end up "my" birds, right? Isn't that pretty much how it goes? lol

Thanks, I am dying to get them here! I dreamed of them last night.

Kabhyper- I am really sorry for your families loss. 37 is just too young. I wanted to thank you for the reminder about the flu shots though. I normally have them all done in October and this year I have been slacking. My kids all have an appointment today because of your post. Thanks again.

I've been thinking of flu shots lately, too. This seals it.

You're welcome. Thank you to everyone for their condolences. I didn't know my cousin very well, but the idea that someone in your own family could die from the flu really makes you think!

So sorry for your loss.

What kind of dogs? I have two, one which is a beagle/jack Russell mix and she only was curious about them while in the brooder. When they first went outside, she protected them for maybe 3 days, but now she just ignores them. Very motherly.

Depending on your dogs personality, they might not even care about the chickens.

We have a foxhound and a JRT. My JRT has the temperament of a mix (she may be one). I think as long as I don't let the dogs out together while I train them, it'll be better. And hopefully having them around the chicks will be a great start to the relationship.

But I feel like I need some kind of run, regardless, because we live in the woods. Who knows what's out there! Certainly raccoons, but I'm sure there are other critters.

 

[FlockMaster-614]

Okay so I've got a positive update on my sick/shocked chicky inside!
She is currently eating some shredded carrots and her regular feed and corn so she is eating some.
Her face,comb and wattles are a normal bright red!
So I thank all of you for giving me any and all advice and support and I'm sure that Scarlet also feels the same. If I can I'll put up some pics of her roosting on some tubs she found in a corner of our Mudroom

 

[chick rookie]

Okay so I've got a positive update on my sick/shocked chicky inside!
She is currently eating some shredded carrots and her regular feed and corn so she is eating some.

Her face,comb and wattles are a normal bright red!

So I thank all of you for giving me any and all advice and support and I'm sure that Scarlet also feels the same. If I can I'll put up some pics of her roosting on some tubs she found in a corner of our Mudroom

good to hear congrats

 

[bradselig]

I decided to get some pictures of the moderns during their roaming time. They are still in the basement in quarantine cages so I like to let them out to roam around and exercise. They are seriously the most docile breed I've owned yet. You can just scoop them up and they will just lay in your hands.

Here are the blue trio and the extra brown red hen.

Birchen pair and bb red hen

I didn't get any of the black pair. I'll try to get them tomorrow.

 

[FlockMaster-614]

good to hear congrats 

thank you ChickRookie.

I decided to get some pictures of the moderns during their roaming time. They are still in the basement in quarantine cages so I like to let them out to roam around and exercise. They are seriously the most docile breed I've owned yet. You can just scoop them up and they will just lay in your hands.

Here are the blue trio and the extra brown red hen.

Birchen pair and bb red hen

I didn't get any of the black pair. I'll try to get them tomorrow.

Aw, pretty birds bradselig! Where did you get them?