INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[kabhyper1]

The chicks look like they are really lightening up! I think I have a showgirl starting to go broody. She was sitting on her egg this afternoon. Hmm. Do I try to put eggs under her or not....

Just see if she stays put. If she starts to puff up and growl at you, she is broody. I would give her a golf ball or an unfertilized egg for a few days and see if she is serious. Set it in front of her and see if she tucks it. If she seems serious after a few days, give her some fertilized eggs. I would bring her inside to hatch eggs though. Its just really cold. The babies wont ever come out from under her in below zero weather, and that means no exercise for mom. You may have to keep an eye on her. Once a day in the evening take her off the eggs to stretch and poo and eat. Broodies can drop weight quickly. Give her vitamins and ACV to keep her healthy. If you can dust her for parasites before the eggs hatch because she wont be moving much. Did that silkie egg ever hatch? or did you have to throw it out?

 

[Mother2Hens]

Who walks the stair without a care
It shoots so high in the sky.
Bounce up and down just like a clown.
Everyone knows its Silkie.

The best present yet to give or get
The kids will all want to try.
The hit of the day when you're ready to play
Everyone knows it's Silkie.

It's Silkie, It’s Silkie
for fun it's the best of the toys
It's Silkie, It’s Silkie
it's fun for a girl or a boy.

Is that to be sung to the tune of "Windy" by The Association? (It's not that I'm so old, I'm just a music buff) --lol--

bradselig and kabhyper are like crack dealers!!!!!!!! We're craving Silkies!!

 

[kabhyper1]

Is that to be sung to the tune of "Windy" by The Association? (It's not that I'm so old, I'm just a music buff) --lol--

bradselig and kabhyper are like crack dealers!!!!!!!! We're craving Silkies!!

No it's to be sung to the Slinky song. Just with silkie substituted for slinky.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Originally Posted by jchny2000

LOL I need newer pictures! I just realized how old those are!
Mildly aggressive roosters don't bother me at all. Red is really good to his girls.
And he will protect them! I am glad he behaves that way.
Its the ones that hurt the hens or other flock members that get tagged (red leg band).
If it continues as a pattern, then they are gone.
Rebel was a hard decision, but he was terrorizing the hens to the point they were cowering in the coop.
He had injured Red several times. Pecking the hens drawing blood was the last straw.
He went "away" with DHs best friend, I couldn't do it. I had grown very attached to him.
It was a real shame, he was very people friendly and social.

jchny ~ Red is a handsome dude! I don't blame you about Rebel-- that would be so stressful for the hens-- or anyone to constantly live in fear of attack.
bradselig ~ Your snow photos are beautiful, yet frightening. lol So, is that big building your coop? That's a cool looking house in the background with the tower!
If you're thinking of adding a barn, you're working at the right place. Each week you could buy a board.

i know it's past the time of year for pumpkins, but i thought pumpkin was supposed to be a good natural de-wormer? am i wrong? or the seeds? i have set back some seeds for planting later this year.
went outside today just for 10 mins and the wind is strong enough to cut you in half!!! hope everyone and their chickens are surviving the arctic temps!

BackyardBitten ~ I don't know about that use for pumpkin, but most chickens love eating them-- except mine. They weren't interested at all.

The wind is ridiculous! Be careful.

 

[bradselig]

Just see if she stays put. If she starts to puff up and growl at you, she is broody. I would give her a golf ball or an unfertilized egg for a few days and see if she is serious. Set it in front of her and see if she tucks it. If she seems serious after a few days, give her some fertilized eggs. I would bring her inside to hatch eggs though. Its just really cold. The babies wont ever come out from under her in below zero weather, and that means no exercise for mom. You may have to keep an eye on her. Once a day in the evening take her off the eggs to stretch and poo and eat. Broodies can drop weight quickly. Give her vitamins and ACV to keep her healthy. If you can dust her for parasites before the eggs hatch because she wont be moving much. Did that silkie egg ever hatch? or did you have to throw it out?

Thanks! She is usually my morning layer but by noon she still hadn't laid. I went back out around 6 and she was sitting where she typically lays. I reach in and she doesn't move. I nudge her with my hand and still nothing. Finally I lift her up and see the egg. I'll see how she does tomorrow. If she is sitting on her egg, the. I'll consider using her as a broody. I'd really like to only use broodies when it's warm and she can take the chicks outside.

[COLOR=A52A2A]jchny[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]~ Red is a handsome dude! I don't blame you about Rebel-- that would be so stressful for the hens-- or anyone to constantly live in fear of attack. [/COLOR] [rule][COLOR=000080]bradselig[/COLOR] ~ [COLOR=8B4513]Your snow photos are beautiful, yet frightening. lol So, is that big building your coop? That's a cool looking house in the background with the tower![/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]If you're thinking of adding a barn, you're working at the right place. Each week you could buy a board. [/COLOR] [rule] [COLOR=336699]BackyardBitten[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]~ I don't know about that use for pumpkin, but most chickens love eating them-- except mine. They weren't interested at all. [/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]The wind is ridiculous! Be careful.[/COLOR]

The smaller white building/shed is my main coop. All the fencing to the left are my breeder pens which currently don't have any birds in them. Birds are in coop or garage. The house in the background us actually a church, so I only have neighbors on Sunday lol.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have 2 blue and either splash or white silkie that have hatched so far! Incubating and the excitement of seeing chicks hatching never gets old!

Oh my YAY! I never get tired of it! I dont have anything due til the 28th now.

 

[bradselig]

Just see if she stays put. If she starts to puff up and growl at you, she is broody. I would give her a golf ball or an unfertilized egg for a few days and see if she is serious. Set it in front of her and see if she tucks it. If she seems serious after a few days, give her some fertilized eggs. I would bring her inside to hatch eggs though. Its just really cold. The babies wont ever come out from under her in below zero weather, and that means no exercise for mom. You may have to keep an eye on her. Once a day in the evening take her off the eggs to stretch and poo and eat. Broodies can drop weight quickly. Give her vitamins and ACV to keep her healthy. If you can dust her for parasites before the eggs hatch because she wont be moving much. Did that silkie egg ever hatch? or did you have to throw it out?

I forgot to answer about the egg. It is still in the hatcher, but silly me put it in the back section so it's hard to see. It definitely has not hatched yet since there aren't any chicks back there. I should know for sure tomorrow or Monday.

 

[bradselig]

Alright, I'm looking for suggestions. That little parti silkie that was having eye issues is still not back to normal. I've done about 2 weeks of the prescription eye drops I had from another silkie that had this same issue. I've also tried 5 days of antibiotics which also didn't help. Now I'm trying OTC eye drops. I'm using vertericyn eye gel "stuff". I just started these last night and using it twice a day. Thoughts suggestions?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Alright, I'm looking for suggestions. That little parti silkie that was having eye issues is still not back to normal. I've done about 2 weeks of the prescription eye drops I had from another silkie that had this same issue. I've also tried 5 days of antibiotics which also didn't help. Now I'm trying OTC eye drops. I'm using vertericyn eye gel "stuff". I just started these last night and using it twice a day. Thoughts suggestions?

you are doing everything I would. I had a problem with a turkey hen earlier this year, took her a month for it to finally clear up.

 

[Too Fast]

I am soooooo done with this winter! It makes me wonder if having chickens is worth it lol. I know it will be much more enjoyable once we start getting warmer weather. I really wish I had a nice big barn!

Come on now, this is Indiana silly! It is January, after all. I am in the process of making an ice rink in our back yard, should be able to skate on it Monday! Long live the cold weather, at least thru February.