INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

While getting ready for work I hear banging in the garage. Go out and find two silkie roos going at it! I get them seperated and notice bloodbon the ones beak. It looks like he has broken his top beak! I didnt have time to clean them or dry them (they ended up in the water dish several times). So i have the one with the broken beak in a temp cage in the house.

The tip of the beak is still attached to the rest of the beak. Do I need to cut it all the way off if its still attached when I get home?

Yikes, I had a quail do that, its top beak was totally gone tho.. Not a chicken yet! I would guess to trim it. Hope someone offers better advice.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Good to know! Thanks for sharing this.

I am taking a short break from moving the chicks to another bedroom because my DH is on the way home from IU with our DD, Lauren, who is very ill. The chicks were in her bedroom. As "Murphy's Law" would have it, last night DH and I started moving my office from Meredith's former bedroom to Max's larger former bedroom. Now I'm moving the chicks into my former office, which is still in the process of being moved! Oh well, I can handle that . . . I'll have to assess Lauren when she gets home. I mentioned before that she's been chronically ill since she had mono a few years ago because an infectious disease specialist found that she still has the Epstein-Barr virus in her system. Might be a few years before it's under control. Could be much worse, though.

minmin~ The English Orpingtons are LF. They look like modern game birds with their long legs in comparison to the silkies! All the chicks are one big happy family!!

M2H I hope she is ok

poor kid!

So...no news from me, obviously, but happy for all of you with new chicks and more eggs! Hoping all the sick birds bounce back soon.

I guess I do have a little news, but it's silly. Yesterday was the first time I got to make chicken supply purchases as TSC.

Starter feed, a chick feeder, pine shavings, stuff like that. Really not a huge deal, I'm sure, but it was exciting for me. Got to stock up on all my stuff a little at a time so hubby doesn't feel too waylaid in the month before they arrive.

Still need to buy a brooder warmer. Think I am going to try that heatplate from Premiere1, even though no one seems to have tried it yet. It seems like a good alternative to EcoGlow and after shipping saves about $15.

It was warm enough to work in the yard this weekend, but so mushy! Didn't quite feel like getting out in the muck to measure for wood for the coop run. Hubs and I are pricing jigsaws, too. Haven't ever used one, but we'll need one to cut a pop door in our existing coop. Don't really understand how the lady before us got along without a run. I don't even think she had nest boxes in her coop. When we were looking at the property we found eggs everywhere--window wells, you name it, and the backyard isn't that big. I guess she just let them free range all the time?

Wow, this post is long for me not having anything to add...

Wow, sounds like she didn't really have a coop. Some birds will just not take to a nest box tho. Without knowing the person, hard to say why...

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hey all!
So, I'm just curious, what types of 'bators do you all use? I'm trying to find a relatively inexpensive but good incubator but I was just wondering if any of you have any preferences in brands and types. I would make a homemade one but we did that and it didn't really give good results. Id like one with an auto-egg turner but I suppose I can do without but I do need one with a reliable and consistent humidity/temp range.

Im soo ready for green now. I'm getting done with all of this cold and snow.

I have little giants. they have done ok.. 2 have turners and fans, one is still air, for hatching.
Its a good starter. Getting a sportsman 1502 in about 2 weeks. If its as good as I hear, I wont need the rest!
I hatch everything form quail to geese. Hopefully peafowl next year.

Quote:
X3

X4!!!!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

WTHeck...why listen to a groundhog.....

.......... when you can listen to these kiddos?


THESE KIDDOS ARE SAYING THAT SPRING IS COMING!!!!


Here are the 22 week olds today. (2 BA/SFH mix; 1 SFH)


At least 2 of these girls started laying this week.



In this carton...for size comparison...
Left rear is a 2 yo Hatchery RIR egg; Front right is a 2 yo Hatchery BR egg. All the others are the pullet eggs.




Front left: BR egg then 2 pullet eggs for size. In carton are 2 pullet eggs.

OMG you just made my day! Love the eggs, and the beautiful birds

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: LOL I was visiting my MIL. She had a hip replacement, so we spent the day getting her home and comfortable.
Not into sports.. now fishing, hunting and critters YOU BETCHA!!!!
Goo Colts, I do support our home team tho.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I'm not currently watching tv, BUT I just finished Dexter, caught the first episode of Sons of Anarchy, I'm always watching Poirot and have enjoyed the first few episodes of Mr. Selfridge...

Right now I'm watching the new ducklings I was finally able to pick up from @SallyinIndiana . Photos to come...

Baby ducks are just tooo precious,

Quote: I just love the muscovy babies too. Ugh, love them all!

Quote:
AWESOME egg count! I am way far behind on musicians etc anymore.

We have ignition! I'm very excited. I just fired up my new (to me) Sportsman. Test hatch goes into it tomorrow! Some barnyard mixes, some Crested Cream Legbars, and some American Bresse. I've been watching everyone else hatching, hatching, hatching. I finally broke down and had to join in.

COOOOOL what sportsman did u get?

Lauren on a good day

Thank you all for your well wishes about my DD, Lauren, who DH brought home from IU today since she was too sick to care for herself. After waiting over two hours at "Urgent Care," she was diagnosed with a virus, as expected, but at least she had a physician's assessment since she has a sore throat, swollen glands, fever, aches different than her usual fibromyalgia, and nausea. She's supposed to stay in bed a few days before returning.

I received a very thoughtful PM from Old Rooster who recommended a Bloomington physician. It was perfect timing since we've been discussing finding a Bloomington option other than IU Health Center. Lauren sees someone new there each visit, which isn't the greatest for a chronically ill person. So, I'm checking out Old Rooster's lead tomorrow.
I think my new flock of three Silkies from bradselig and two LF English Orpingtons from Kiniska were hatched the same weekend of Jan. 11th, making them three weeks old. The Silkies will be surprised when the Orps turn into giants! Until they're able to go outside to play, I looked up ideas to entertain chicks. If anyone has any comments, please post.

Ideas to entertain chicks in a brooder:
Cut a piece of grass and dirt from the yard (not from the middle--lol) for them to dig around in
Rotate different types of branches for low perches and exploring
Fill a shallow bowl with coarse sand/dirt for a dustbath
Hide a twist-tie or plastic-coated piece of wire in their bedding as a "prize" to find. Make sure it's large enough/not sharp/safe, etc.
Look for adaptable cat toys and bird toys including different types of balls, mirrors, and bells. Other suitable items can be repurposed to make toys, but always check for possible safety issues.

When they're old enough (I assume six weeks?) --they could have a few treats hiding inside of a toy like small sunflower kernels, small pieces of a cut-up grape, blueberry, or romaine lettuce, etc.
A few licks of peanut butter on a hanging toy.
Put a few small crickets in the brooder.

you got it covered. I bet they are the most spoiled babies on BYC

ROFLMAO thats just soooo wrong in so many ways!!!!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Love those collars. I may need one for Sophie! He is just too cute.

 

[chick rookie]

have a hen ( my favorite hen mind ya ) that was being picked on bad, and she is a bit of a baldy from Linus, she is his favorite too, so to give her a break and doctor her scrapes ( nothing bad ) I brought her inside. Don't worry I have a place ( basement ) that stays just above freezing that I put the outside chickens in if they need to be inside for anything.
Anyway I was going to put her back out in a new area with Big Man that is going to be his temporary house till we get one built this spring. I have 4 girls picked out that don't get along as well as the other ... not members of the" chick click " but she surprised me by going broody, I am testing her now and if she stays true then I am going to put a few eggs under her and I wont have to buy any more EE's cause I want more, my question is I'm only getting 1 egg every day and the other EE lays 1 every 4 day's..??? how long can I keep a egg before putting it under the hen and it still being good, and do I put them in the fridge, or leave them out? and how many is a good number to put under her, I am also going to put at least 2 of her own under her if she lays me another one, she is sitting one one of hers now that she laid yesterday.
I have read bits a pieces on this subject but nothing really tells me what I want to know. I guess I need a " How To " thread???


she gets off the nest to eat then goes right back.

 

[leslea]

Wow, sounds like she didn't really have a coop. Some birds will just not take to a nest box tho. Without knowing the person, hard to say why...

She had a coop...just no run. And possibly no comfort for her birds, from what I can tell. The coop itself is nice & sturdy and has a roosting bar in it, but other than that...

When we came out to see the property she just had feeders and a water container on her patio for them. I didn't know much about chicken-keeping so I didn't think twice about it at the time. The more I see of people's set-ups, the more it perplexes me.

I guess I should feel good about the lack of predation in the area, since she was able to keep her birds alive without much shelter. I'm still building a run to attach to the coop, though!

 

[leslea]

Quote: Oh, good!

I made a comment about it on FB and someone said "You know he can see these posts, right?" He knows every dime I spend, but it doesn't make the concept any less true. It's just easier to take when it's a bit at a time!