INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Mother2Hens]

You are welcome to use any pictures of my silkies.

Thanks, I wish I'd seen this earlier! I am just waiting for leslea to let me know what county she lives in, and I can finish her avatar.

Originally Posted by leslea

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...

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!!!

Note to other members who've heard this story a zillion times, Skip this post!

leslea ~ It sounds like your situation has similarities to mine. I live in a subdivision with .75 of an acre lot, part of the backyard is fenced-in, and the area behind it has trees and everyone's backyards connect, so it seems more spacious. I have a coop with a run attached with buried hardware cloth wire like CRSelvey described. Although my six chickens basically just sleep in the coop, I'm glad there's some extra space connected for times when the weather is bad or they ever have to stay in there longer than usual. Mine free-range from dawn to dusk in the fenced-in yard, which has plenty of foliage--they need bushes or a deck or something they can hide under when a hawk flies over. Yes, we have plenty of foliage, but have to put down sod in the spring because the grass disappears.

Since I work from home, I take them out every day for a supervised "field trip" beyond the fenced-in area where I do yard work and admittedly dig up worms for them, etc.

When we had chicks and until they grew larger, we used a chicken tractor during the day that my son made using PVC pipe, chicken wire, sand in the bottom pipes for weight. We always kept our eye on them when they were young and using the tractor.

As far as the coop you inherited, I'm guessing since you've lurked on BYC for so long that you're familiar with biosecurity and know how to sanitize the coop and have soil samples taken?

pginsber ~ Glad your DW's shoulder replacement surgery is over. And did you say that was from a cold weather related accident? Hope you take care of yourself, too, since you're probably the nurse on duty.

 

[bradselig]

Ok, so my leg bands are taking for ever to arrive. I bought them a week ago and they finally posted a tracking number last night and it still doesn't look like it's actually been shipped yet. So I'm on the hunt for the small 4" zip ties. Anyone have luck finding various colored ones locally? I'm going to try the dollar stores tomorrow. I know lowes doesn't have them, well scratch that. Now that I think of it we may. I don't think they are permanent items though and if we already sold out of them, then that's it.

So let me know if anyone has found them locally and what stores.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Your EE lays large eggs? Is that the typical size for an EE? I got 2 EE this past spring and my eggs have only weighed in as mediums. And I've only had 1 blue/green egg at a time. Either one of the girls has never laid or her eggs are a different color. With all the different breeds we have I'm never sure which lays which color. The only ones I know for sure are the Isa Browns & Cinnamon Queens. I get a lot of lighter tinted eggs with variations of pinkish, peachy-ish, beige colors. This is a sample of the different colors we get...

Peaceful Walls ~ I don't have a scale and I'm no expert, but the first photo is one that I posted in September. At that time I knew which hen layed which egg.

Now that my Jubilee orp and Chocolate Bantam Orp are laying, I'm not sure. I took the second photo this evening (not in natural light). It's so difficult to take accurate photos of eggs! The first one is obviously my EE's-- the shape is more accurate in the first photo.
The second egg is my BR's and the color is more accurate in this photo than in the first (more brown, less pink). Sometimes her eggs are even more elongated.
The next egg I'm not sure about. The bantam egg on the far right is from last week, but I think that Bonbon is laying larger eggs now. That's why I am getting confused. I think my Jubilee lays eggs that are almost as wide at the bottom as at top.

 

[BackyardBitten]

I have an order placed with Welp hatchery for the end of Feb. If anyone wants to add to, let me know. Welp has a price list online and it includes shipping so really easy to calculate your part of the order.

Sally, i sent u a pm on this

 

[kabhyper1]

Thanks everybody for the ovations. I forget about them, and then remembered, read them and there are really nice comments from all of you. I haven't quite figured all of that out yet. I don't think you can respond to them, so a big thanks all at once to all of you!

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Peaceful Walls ~ I don't have a scale and I'm no expert, but the first photo is one that I posted in September. At that time I knew which hen layed which egg.

Now that my Jubilee orp and Chocolate Bantam Orp are laying, I'm not sure. I took the second photo this evening (not in natural light). It's so difficult to take accurate photos of eggs! The first one is obviously my EE's-- the shape is more accurate in the first photo.
The second egg is my BR's and the color is more accurate in this photo than in the first (more brown, less pink). Sometimes her eggs are even more elongated.
The next egg I'm not sure about. The bantam egg on the far right is from last week, but I think that Bonbon is laying larger eggs now. That's why I am getting confused. I think my Jubilee lays eggs that are almost as wide at the bottom as at top.

Your EE eggs sure do appear a lot larger than mine. We have a couple barred rocks also & get some really elongated eggs sometimes so those must be theirs. The lighter peachy & pinkish eggs must be coming from the wyandottes & orpingtons then. I also have a couple australorps -- I'm guessing their eggs would be similar to the orpington due to their background?? I'm still not sure that I'm getting a single unique colored egg that would be from my other EE that really looks different from the rest of the eggs. I'm pretty sure I've seen both go to the nest boxes (or other laying spots in the barn), though. Hmmm...

 

[Mother2Hens]

Thanks! My favorite is the barn pic. I think your chickens are lucky that you put so much thought into their care. Do your big kids get jealous?

CRSelvey ~ My big kids have flown the coop, but the only who gets jealous when she's home is Lauren. Ironically, she's the one who got me into chickens when she bought chicks in March 2012, her senior year of high school, and then left for IU a few months later! When Lauren is home, she always seems to need me when I am out in the back with my chicken children. It never changes-- I'm sure you know that kids always "need" you and the most inopportune times! lol

Your EE eggs sure do appear a lot larger than mine. We have a couple barred rocks also & get some really elongated eggs sometimes so those must be theirs. The lighter peachy & pinkish eggs must be coming from the wyandottes & orpingtons then. I also have a couple australorps -- I'm guessing their eggs would be similar to the orpington due to their background?? I'm still not sure that I'm getting a single unique colored egg that would be from my other EE that really looks different from the rest of the eggs. I'm pretty sure I've seen both go to the nest boxes (or other laying spots in the barn), though. Hmmm...

PeacefulWalls ~ Yes, I need to pay more attention if I see a hen laying since I'm getting confused about which one is laying what egg. My RIR, Nene, has been the most steady, everyday layer, but she's always laid smallish eggs with not always a great quality shell. She's so high-strung, she's probably just impatient! My EE lays every other day and takes a couple of months off in the fall, but her eggs are always so perfect looking and have giant golden yolks. (They all lay eggs with gold yolks as opposed to the store-bought yellow yolks, but my EE's are extra large).
Farker Farms ~ I love this photo you posted! What a fun free-for-all in the dirt! Best wishes with your new plans and new chicks-- how exciting!

 

[Mother2Hens]

So I just caught up on 2275 posts! My chicken hibernation is hopefully over. My EE, "the survivor" has survived through the neg 0 temps and is being such a trooper as the only feathered friend I have right now. She has not cozied p to the pups at all.

SO, to catch up on the last month and a half...

I am sorry to hear about those who have lost feathered and human family members. Either way it's not easy, but we are such a caring group, lot's of therapy here!

M2H and CRSelvey - you asked awhile back how long my EE was gone after the massacre...it was a little over a week. She would show herself a little at a time. Now she is even letting me pick her up and snuggle. I'll grab her and hold her tight to put some extra warmth on her once in awhile. I can see it in her eyes that she appreciates it. She has remained very healthy - I just sent samples in of one of her eggs and some dirt/soil from various places around the yard.

I AM FREE AND CLEAR!! More chickens for me!! (I had to put all my chickens and turkeys down due to a communicable disease last fall).

Einstein, my tough bird, checking out this white stuff.

My Aussie pup, Roxy, is not 4 months old and ROTTEN!

I think I'll be getting some chicks in the spring, but is there anyone that has pullets that they are needing to re-home? I'm wanting plain ole backyard birds, no show birds or anything. Not wanting to pay a bunch, but willing to pay what they're worth. I am just itching to have some girls following me around! And eggs, how I miss my own eggs!!

I would be willing to drive within 2 hours of Dubois county, so like say Bloomington area down to the Kentucky line. PM me if you have anything!

Good to see other than some bumps and bruises and COLD weather, everybody is doing relatively okay!

amwchicken ~ What a nice surprise to see your post! The weird thing is that I actually looked at your profile yesterday to see the last time you posted. I know that sounds creepy, but we've been wondering about you since you had been through a tough time! I am so happy for you and your EE! So, I guess she's been a lone chicken (for now?) I would have had a lone chicken living in my house-- but you know me! Btw, your pup is beautiful. Keep us posted about your new additions!

bradselig ~ Your crazy long-legged modern birds are really cool. They don't look like they'd be so docile-- I guess because they don't look fluffy and cuddly.

goatluver ~ Great photos of your healthy looking girls out in the sun!

 

[Too Fast]

My birds won't touch the mouse unless one of them killed it. The cat can drag a mouse into their area and nope they won't go near it. But should a mouse get trapped in a trap under my sink, either of the cats will accept it as food as disgusting as that may sound. Our black barn cat eats and eats; everything from mice to rabbits to culled chicks too. The black cat even catches extra and gives it to the gray barn cat. Lazy gray cat has yet to catch anything. But the gray cat likes the children so it stays. Right now both of the cats get their tiny bit off food in the morning and have to find the rest on their own. Neither is skinny, even the gray cat is fed well by the black cat. Crazy since both are male and fixed.

Did you posion the mouse or was it caught in a trap? If you posioned it I wouldn't, I would assume it would posion the chicken if you did. But if it was in a trap of some sort, I don't see any harm in it. If they aren''t interested then I wouldn't offer it again, they usually know what is good and what isn't.

Too fast- my girls, especially 1 Orpington, love mice. Dead or alive, or even frozen!! I catch them in snap traps in the garage( where their feed is) and take them to the girls. The Guinnies like them to and will chase whoever has one!!

Chick rookie- my Brodie's have only growled at me!! But I do kinda leave them alone. I do put food and water by mine. And I have a silkie who is pretty determined right now, keep booting her out so I know she gets out a bit. I don't have roo with her so there is no chance of anything fertile.

Flock master- can u post a pic of her, and her foot?

Thanks everyone. If/when I catch another one, I'll see if the girls want it. I am using snap traps, with peanut butter as bait. Seems to work fine, but sure is frustrating when the peanut butter is gone and the trap didn't spring! Sneaky little mice.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Ok, so my leg bands are taking for ever to arrive. I bought them a week ago and they finally posted a tracking number last night and it still doesn't look like it's actually been shipped yet. So I'm on the hunt for the small 4" zip ties. Anyone have luck finding various colored ones locally? I'm going to try the dollar stores tomorrow. I know lowes doesn't have them, well scratch that. Now that I think of it we may. I don't think they are permanent items though and if we already sold out of them, then that's it.

So let me know if anyone has found them locally and what stores.

Walmart has colored zip ties, or at least the last time I was in that area of the store they did. I don't go back by the tools and tires area much. I don't remember size. The DGs in Bluffton just have white/clear zip ties (unless they got more in).