INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

Okay...let me get this straight. They don't need to like or use patchouli......

But they do have to be a Scot and wear a kilt?

 

[Mother2Hens]

M2H I find bird communication interesting, too. That's a cool observation you had about the chicken trilling and looking into the sky. Thanks for your description, it was just like being there!
The Blue Jays high in our trees announce (or warn off) hawks. The Robin also makes a terrible shrill warning call for hawks. When I hear these calls, I always know there's trouble afoot--even if it's beyond my lousy human eyes to see.

pginsber: I posted this info a while back. I keep meaning to research more about chicken behavior from scientific studies through library databases. It's on my "To Do" list.

CRSelvey ~ Well, I've heard they make chicken diapers!

Morning update from the nursery....
We still just have the 4 babies. There are two more eggs to go yet. The babies are all yellow with some brown, so I am guessing they will be white. Blue dad white moms, all white babies. Go figure. Two of them don't have their land legs yet and look like little bumble bees flapping around. Hopefully they will get the idea today or tomorrow. Will update later in the day.

On another note, Blueberry the big cochin roo (or Burble Butt as I like to call him) is trying to figure out the ways of the rooster finally I think. He challenged Gus this morning when Gus mounted BB's favorite EE hen. No fight, since he reconsidered his actions pretty quickly. HInd sight 20/20 and all. He ran away as quickly as he jumped on Gus. Here is hoping he will start making blue cochin babies for us soon! Just have to get Lavender to cut the cord on her giant babies. Cricket is as big as his dad (Gus) at just under 4 months. He is going to be huge. At least the kids aren't trying to get under Lavender anymore. That would be funny to see though.

kabhyper ~ Congrats on your silkie babies! Blueberry and Lavender are bantams, aren't they? (I want to file that info in my mental filing cabinet. lol)

 

[ChickCrazed]

So cute! Your brooder looks nice, too. Have they or will they kick much mess out the side with the window? I might try to do something similar with my set up.

A bit of bedding has been kicked out, but it hasn't been bad. I knew some would come out but I wanted them to have a big "window" so I made it as large as possible. I will put towels around it if it becomes an issue. I bought the largest tote I could find, it is pretty big! I used a box cutter to cut the windows and then drilled holes so I could zip tie the chicken wire on. It wasn't too bad of a project and total cost was around $30.

 

[kabhyper1]

kabhyper ~ Congrats on your silkie babies! Blueberry and Lavender are bantams, aren't they? (I want to file that info in my mental filing cabinet. lol)

Thanks! Blueberry and Lavender are large fowl blue cochins.

 

[ChickCrazed]

How are you liking the ecoglo?

The things I love about it are the energy savings and the fact that I don't have to worry about a fire accidentally getting started. It basically allows them to press against it for heat, but doesn't put heat "off" if like a regular heat lamp. They figured it out pretty quickly. The drawback is that since it doesn't "put off" heat, it doesn't heat the rest of the box. The first night the room was too cold and they wouldn't leave the eco-glow to eat or drink. I had to crank my heat to get the room warmer and they have been fine since the room hit 70 degrees. Their room is in the back of the house, and it tends to be a colder room so I have the rest of the house at 80 degrees to keep that one room warm enough. I will be glad once I can pump the heat back down to a reasonable level. I figure I can lower it a few degrees a week so it will only be a problem the first couple weeks. Overall I would recommend it, but it would not be big enough for 20 chicks like they claim. At night they all slept under there and i think 8 or 10 would max the space out.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thank you.

 

[Mother2Hens]

I had quit worrying about hawks for the winter. Then, yesterday I heard the unmistakable scream from a hawk, looked up and saw 3 (count 'em, 3!) red-tails flying overhead. One was pretty low, and I told the girls to hide.

Too Fast ~ Did you stand up straight and make a trilling sound to warn your girls? Haha You really have do hawk problems! Especially when they stand on your coop! Before we had chickens, we had hawks all over our neighborhood, Red-tailed and Cooper's -- standing in yards, sitting on utility lines and in trees. Luckily, since we've had chickens, I've rarely seen them. (knock on wood!) I'm guessing part of the reason besides there being so many huge trees and not a lot of open fields is that we have more crows around now? The chickens listen to the crow's messages, whatever they are. Typically when a large winged bird flies over, it's a turkey vulture (and that's something I learned from vickichicki).
ChickCrazed ~ That's a nice brooder design! Those little Birchen Maran chicks from bradselig are sweet.
chick rookie ~ Thanks for sharing your photos! They all look happy and healthy. I love the coloring of the one roo by the coop door. What breed is he?
Nice sunny day today. Time for a field trip with my girls!

 

[Mother2Hens]

Thanks! Blueberry and Lavender are large fowl blue cochins.

Ohhh. That's even better! Start trimming those feathers!

 

[ChickCrazed]

Too Fast ~ Did you stand up straight and make a trilling sound to warn your girls? Haha You really have do hawk problems! Especially when they stand on your coop! Before we had chickens, we had hawks all over our neighborhood, Red-tailed and Cooper's -- standing in yards, sitting on utility lines and in trees. Luckily, since we've had chickens, I've rarely seen them. (knock on wood!) I'm guessing part of the reason besides there being so many huge trees and not a lot of open fields is that we have more crows around now? The chickens listen to the crow's messages, whatever they are. Typically when a large winged bird flies over, it's a turkey vulture (and that's something I learned from vickichicki).
ChickCrazed ~ That's a nice brooder design! Those little Birchen Maran chicks from bradselig are sweet.
chick rookie ~ Thanks for sharing your photos! They all look happy and healthy. I love the coloring of the one roo by the coop door. What breed is he?
Nice sunny day today. Time for a field trip with my girls!

That is Linus, the Roo she got from me. He is Easter Egger/Silkie so he isn't huge and he has feathered legs and an afro He is super cute. Chick Rookie may be able to breed her own olive eggers since he is part Easter Egger. I have no idea how those genetics work but there is a chance he could have the blue egg gene I would think.

 

[ChickCrazed]

Ohhh. That's even better! Start trimming those feathers!

X2! I still need a Cochin ladyfriend for Chewie my black Roo! Separate those two, trim the pertinent feathers and give them "the talk" so we can get some chicks!