INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Kiniska]

Got up this morning and decided to check on the chickens.  I normally feed and water at night, and then don't see them again until after work.  But since it is snowy and blowing I thought I'd look.  

I found all their pens and the entire north half of the barn had a pretty good dusting of snow, including on the backs of all the birds on their roosts.  Ugh.  I realized it was coming in because the wind was blowing from the North and Northeast.  My  barn has two doors on each side, and I always leave the Northeast door open to let light in the barn (and because the wind never blows in there....or so I thought).  So a lot was coming in there, but not enough to reach the pens.   The North wind was blowing right against the north side of the barn and blowing snow through the barn slats and in the pop doors of the pens.   

Soooo, at 5:30 in the morning (who said chickens weren't all fun and entertainment!), I was screwing plywood onto the north side of the barn next to each set of roosts, and also putting plywood over each pop door.  It definitely cut down on the drafts into the pens, and I'm not worried about closing off the pop doors, since the chickens won't go out into the poison white stuff anyway.  I'm wondering if this contributed to my frostbite problems during the last cold snap.  I'm hoping this helps with the coming freeze.  I also closed all the barn doors, which meant I had to leave the lights on, or it stays pretty dark in the barn all day.

Back in BC (before chickens), my biggest worry was if I had clean clothes to wear to work.  Now, I'm up half the night hoping they aren't freezing and then doing construction before hurrying to work. And I'm not as worried about clean clothes either.....

You are a good person to worry so much. Glad you figured out where the wind was getting in. Hope it makes a difference!

 

[minmin1258]

Wi

...

18+ silkie eggs available!
I will be heading to little Ameraucana moms place this Sunday. I will be heading down 69 south to 70 west. I can bring them with me. I am already meeting someone in Indy around 1:30-2pm.

I am asking $30 for these eggs. No shipping due to weather. Of course pickup in Warren is also available![/quote
Wish I was closer, I'd have sweet babies! If I was closer I'd probably b better at this whole "bator" thing! I is sooooo frustrated!!!!

 

[chick rookie]

WORMING (Just my philosophy and MO)
-I don't worm routinely. I do observe the health of the flock and look for any signs of problems.
-I don't "guess" if they have worms and worm them. If I think there might be a worm issue I would take a stool sample in to be checked before administering any worming medication.
-I do practice preventative, natural measures to boost health and a strong immune system that helps them be strong against illness and parasite overload. This includes what I DO and DON'T feed among other things.

So far I've never wormed and haven't needed to.

-Worming medications are very hard on the system and the overall health of the bird (or any animal for that matter).

-It takes time for them to recover their health after worming....and can weaken them to the point that they are more susceptible to....overload of WORMS.

And some other illnesses.


That is why I don't worm routinely and why I'd take in a sample and only worm if they are on overload. And...if I DID need to worm them, I'd definitely start looking at my husbandry and their current living conditions to see what I need to change (which could be a host of things...and some of them are unavoidable.....but I'd sure want to know what was causing the problem to see if there was anything I could change.)

am going to start looking into the preventive side of alot of things, I have only been a chicken mom for 2 years and last year I guess I was lucky cause I had no problems at all, well other then a critter attack that dang near wiped me out. but health wise all was great. I wonder if it had to do with the fact that all my chickens last year came from hatchery's and all but the 4 originals ( the survivors ) this year have came from auctions and privet individuals. Maybe I should just get chicks from the hatchery again.

PS: Most vets do a fecal sample (even if they're not an avian vet) for a very reasonable price...usually less than $20.

called my vet he does do chickens and I am taking the last dead one and a stool sample in today. the stool sample will know in 15 minutes and he is going to check the hen for cause of death. he told me it didn't sound like anything but old age and a accident to him. but I will feel better knowing for sure. So thanks for getting me off my butt so to speak. Didn't know vets took chickens, never heard of it, till BYC thanks all.

@chick rookie
You can set your mind at ease if you take in a poo sample to a vet.

Got up this morning and decided to check on the chickens. I normally feed and water at night, and then don't see them again until after work. But since it is snowy and blowing I thought I'd look.

I found all their pens and the entire north half of the barn had a pretty good dusting of snow, including on the backs of all the birds on their roosts. Ugh. I realized it was coming in because the wind was blowing from the North and Northeast. My barn has two doors on each side, and I always leave the Northeast door open to let light in the barn (and because the wind never blows in there....or so I thought). So a lot was coming in there, but not enough to reach the pens. The North wind was blowing right against the north side of the barn and blowing snow through the barn slats and in the pop doors of the pens.

Soooo, at 5:30 in the morning (who said chickens weren't all fun and entertainment!), I was screwing plywood onto the north side of the barn next to each set of roosts, and also putting plywood over each pop door. It definitely cut down on the drafts into the pens, and I'm not worried about closing off the pop doors, since the chickens won't go out into the poison white stuff anyway. I'm wondering if this contributed to my frostbite problems during the last cold snap. I'm hoping this helps with the coming freeze. I also closed all the barn doors, which meant I had to leave the lights on, or it stays pretty dark in the barn all day.

Back in BC (before chickens), my biggest worry was if I had clean clothes to wear to work. Now, I'm up half the night hoping they aren't freezing and then doing construction before hurrying to work. And I'm not as worried about clean clothes either.....

I know your pain... I do something I think is right and works and mother nature shows me I'm wrong and makes me redo all again.

 

[kabhyper1]

So I went in to check on Snow and the babies. She had moved over a bit in the brooder box, but took the two late eggs along with her and the chicks. I picked the eggs up and heard chirping coming from one of them. The little guys are running all over the place, and she stays laying down on the eggs. Can she hear that one chirping egg under her? Will she hatch it? It is a day late and the babies were a day early so there is a few days difference in hatching. I'm concerned she will get up before the little one hatches. She can't go far since she is in a rubbermaid tote, but now that I can hear chirping I'm scared she will abandon a live chick. Any one have experience with this?

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

WORMING (Just my philosophy and MO)
-I don't worm routinely. I do observe the health of the flock and look for any signs of problems.
-I don't "guess" if they have worms and worm them. If I think there might be a worm issue I would take a stool sample in to be checked before administering any worming medication.
-I do practice preventative, natural measures to boost health and a strong immune system that helps them be strong against illness and parasite overload. This includes what I DO and DON'T feed among other things.

So far I've never wormed and haven't needed to.

-Worming medications are very hard on the system and the overall health of the bird (or any animal for that matter).

-It takes time for them to recover their health after worming....and can weaken them to the point that they are more susceptible to....overload of WORMS.

And some other illnesses.


That is why I don't worm routinely and why I'd take in a sample and only worm if they are on overload. And...if I DID need to worm them, I'd definitely start looking at my husbandry and their current living conditions to see what I need to change (which could be a host of things...and some of them are unavoidable.....but I'd sure want to know what was causing the problem to see if there was anything I could change.)

I don't worm either. I haven't foundany worms before. But If does become a problem, you can bet i am having a stool sample done. Then if they do indeed have worms go about treating them.

 

[minmin1258]

Just went out t check on my girls, they were all out in the run! Made a trip back t th house and they practically flew at me when I opened the run door (maybe it had something to do with th fact I was carrying a large helping of oatmeal laced with scrambled eggs, sour cream, yoghurt and blueberries). Everyone of them attacked it like they were starving!!!

 

[Kiniska]

So I went in to check on Snow and the babies. She had moved over a bit in the brooder box, but took the two late eggs along with her and the chicks. I picked the eggs up and heard chirping coming from one of them. The little guys are running all over the place, and she stays laying down on the eggs. Can she hear that one chirping egg under her? Will she hatch it? It is a day late and the babies were a day early so there is a few days difference in hatching. I'm concerned she will get up before the little one hatches. She can't go far since she is in a rubbermaid tote, but now that I can hear chirping I'm scared she will abandon a live chick. Any one have experience with this?

All you can do is keep your fingers crossed. If you can hear the chick she definitely can. She has probably been talking to it to encourage it. Bet it zips for you today.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

One of the roosters has 2 hens, I got one egg from that cage. The other two are one rooster and one hen.

If it was me I would be letting the hens have a rooster visit them for 1 out of 3 -4 days with so few hens for the roo to mate. Too many rooster attempts at mating and it is hard on the hen.

I had much trouble with the first 18 days in a still air, constant monitoring and tiny adjustments. But with the 1588 digital, it is much easier. I also got a turner so i could be gone at any time during the day or for a long time if I wanted. I still hatch in my still air and I love it for that. There are the constant monitoring but during lockdown that would happen anyway. The lack of a fan helps keep the humidity high for me most times of the year too.

 

[kabhyper1]

All you can do is keep your fingers crossed. If you can hear the chick she definitely can. She has probably been talking to it to encourage it. Bet it zips for you today.

I went in and chaecked on them and the kids were running around and she was half standing tidbitting food for them. The eggs were under her tail. Im a little concerned she will forget about them. I heard chirping in the egg right before I posted earlier. So I hope she lets it hatch.

 

[goatluver20]

Will be getting chicks in late February. I can't wait!!! Will be first time raising chicks. Finally got a good snowfall ( not thanks to global warming though as I think that is fake don't hate me)