INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[bradselig]

Finally! My first egg! I just happened to go check on the flock, one last time, before I headed to work and there it was.
Phew! One of the Cochins is paying her rent.

Congrats!

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

My first egg! I just happened to go check on the flock, one last time, before I headed to work and there it was.
Phew! One of the Cochins is finally paying her rent.
Edited to add: My husband told his coworkers and they're all asking him what we are going to do with it... *le sigh*

. Congrats!

 

[bradselig]

I have given this a decent amount of thought.    At first I was of the same mind you are, never kill a healthy bird just for not meeting the SOP.  But then I got my HRIR chicks and the majority were roosters.  I was able to re-home a few.  However in the future I am going to be very careful about re-homing any of the HRIR.  Now my HRIR are dual purpose so narrowing down the flock and eating the ones that don't meet SOP is a good way to provide food for the freezer as well as prevent future instances of fake HRIR breeding ~ where the pet quality roo is breed to a hatchery hen and the chick is sold as a show quality chick from "my" line. Thankfully I only re-homed 2 locally and both are far enough away that I don't think the breeding will be an issue.  Plus I'm not a name brand breeder by any means so it won't be my name on their fake heritage line. 

My birds are dual purpose as well, so I plan to only keep breeder quality birds for my flock. Everything else get a trip to freezer camp. The silkies are more of a passion and fancy pet I think, so I can understand culling being simply re-homing as a pet and not euthanising.

I have no problem with culling to eat. Even though I guess people do eat silkies, I could not do it. But bantams typically aren't butchered for food.

 

[minmin1258]

I can't kill a bird. I especially would not kill a Silkie! To me is use the other "definition" of cull. All my birds are "pets" and the silkies will be separated from the big girls so the big ones don't hurt the littles. My coop and run is ready n waiting! Lol they get t be spoiled for a couple days while in temp Quarantine. Temp meaning Temperature and temporary. I want t be sure they tolerate the cold here ok.
They won't be killed but possibly put into a no breeding situation. I don't believe in killing unless is an absolute MUST.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I can't kill a bird. I especially would not kill a Silkie! To me is use the other "definition" of cull. All my birds are "pets" and the silkies will be separated from the big girls so the big ones don't hurt the littles. My coop and run is ready n waiting! Lol they get t be spoiled for a couple days while in temp Quarantine. Temp meaning Temperature and temporary. I want t be sure they tolerate the cold here ok.
They won't be killed but possibly put into a no breeding situation. I don't believe in killing unless is an absolute MUST.

If the can handle the cold here I am sure they will be able to handle the cold there.

 

[kabhyper1]

I can't kill a bird. I especially would not kill a Silkie! To me is use the other "definition" of cull. All my birds are "pets" and the silkies will be separated from the big girls so the big ones don't hurt the littles. My coop and run is ready n waiting! Lol they get t be spoiled for a couple days while in temp Quarantine. Temp meaning Temperature and temporary. I want t be sure they tolerate the cold here ok.
They won't be killed but possibly put into a no breeding situation. I don't believe in killing unless is an absolute MUST.

X's 2! I haven't eaten chicken in a year. lol I'm silly like that. Btw, have you candled the eggs for development yet? I really hope they didn't freeze in the mail. I haven't done my claim with the post office yet. Hope to do it this week.

 

[minmin1258]

Ss

I can't kill a bird. I especially would not kill a Silkie! To me is use the other "definition" of cull. All my birds are "pets" and the silkies will be separated from the big girls so the big ones don't hurt the littles. My coop and run is ready n waiting! Lol they get t be spoiled for a couple days while in temp Quarantine. Temp meaning Temperature and temporary. I want t be sure they tolerate the cold here ok.

They won't be killed but possibly put into a no breeding situation. I don't believe in killing unless is an absolute MUST.

If the can handle the cold here I am sure they will be able to handle the cold there. 

Shhhhhhh! Lol I'm using that as an excuse to keep them in the house and building. My DH doesn't know the difference. I just want some time "alone" with them to ease their stress (and mine) and get acquainted with them. I'm sure when they go to their coop they'll b fine but I've wanted these babies for so long I want t spoil them a little!

 

[barb s]

You are correct. Personally I will not cull (be it killing or removing from breeding) until I either now it will never improve or raise it up and monitor it through its development. If the bird never fully recovers from previous illnesses or is permanent changed from illness (stunted growth, limp from leg injury, ect) but will still live a quality life, then I'd opt for keeping in a pet situation, be it at my place or a new home. I hear of people killing birds because they don't meet their standard or the SOP for the breed. I can not agree with this nor will I ever kill because it doesn't fit the SOP for type.
Hi Barb! How's the flock doing?

Went out a little bit ago and took some pictures. I apologize for the quality of the pictures I'm no photographer also I apologize for the coop its a mess. Anyways, here are a few pics. a couple of the older girls


going out to the coop

one of my two younger pullets

some of the younger ones

one of my many roosters

one of the older girls

my surrogate mom and my baby

another pic of the youngens i have way too many roosters

my sole surviving hatch-ling i'm thinking rooster all the way

Birchen Marans #1

Birchen Marans #2 i'm thinking both are pullets but not really for sure. anyone's input is appreciated. Sorry about the pic overload.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Ss
Shhhhhhh! Lol I'm using that as an excuse to keep them in the house and building. My DH doesn't know the difference. I just want some time "alone" with them to ease their stress (and mine) and get acquainted with them. I'm sure when they go to their coop they'll b fine but I've wanted these babies for so long I want t spoil them a little!

Oh, I see! I never said anything lol

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Checked the weather forecast on weather.com, not going to get above freezing for at least 10 days. I'm so over this. I want the ground to thaw to start work on a run. There are so many things I want to get going outside that need above freezing temps for more than 1 out of 14 days.