INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[chick rookie]

I keep hoping my chickens will get the memo that they are carnivorous raptors and help me out with my mouse overpopulation....or my sparrow issue....I seriously can't get the little feathered idiots to even eat meat treats. They kind of picked at the bbq ribs I gave them, but are seriously not impressed with meat in general. Really the only treats they have gone crazy for have been slices of home made bread. They are carb fiends...maybe if I make the mice into pigs in blankets as a gateway food

My hens love it when they ( or I ) find a nest of the little turds... and they will take down a small adult too. then they chase each other around like mad... I love watching it...

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Ideal has bantam chicks on sale if anyone is looking for a nice variety of smaller chickens.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Rat Zappers
http://www.amazon.com/Rat-Zapper-Ultra-Rodent-RZU001/dp/B00CM859OA/ref=dp_ob_image_garden

I've seen them less expensive than this.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I've never seen enough mice around my chicken area to see my chickens catch any to eat. Maybe the mice stay clear of their area due to fear!

 

[lilmizscareall]

My 7 week old Marans are skittish too.  They seem fine once i pick them up, but they are seriously not happy with me reaching in their brooder and go into seriously evasive acrobatics.  I wish the weather was nicer so I could get them outside in some form and sit with them on their level, I'm hoping the warmer days next week don't include rain so they can go for their first foray outside, and then move into the garage.

Mealworms!
My marans love them. They were so flighty as chicks and they still act a bit freaked out when I reach for them, but if mealworms are involved, they're on it. I could probably get them to walk down a sidewalk with me.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

mine like popcorn unless it is near snow. I got them to play leapfrog / chicken over the large roosters when I was tossing popcorn trough the air. Fun times me and my 5 yr old boy have.
Editing to add mine include leghorns (no marans) and leghorns like to jump / fly.

 

[bradselig]

I had 2 more moderns hatch! I think my humidity was again too low so I helped them out. They are fully developed, yolks absorbed, and all blood vessels retracted so they were just dry. I also had a showgirl hatch early that zipped but then got stuck. Thankfully I was able to find it in time and increased humidity. Hopefully that will help all the others that haven't pipped yet.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I had 2 more moderns hatch! I think my humidity was again too low so I helped them out. They are fully developed, yolks absorbed, and all blood vessels retracted so they were just dry. I also had a showgirl hatch early that zipped but then got stuck. Thankfully I was able to find it in time and increased humidity. Hopefully that will help all the others that haven't pipped yet.

my chicks have been using lots of humidity too lately. I have been adding water a day before hatch using droppers and straws and the vent holes. I feel like I'm trying to hatch ducklings. But I think the electric heat in our house is drying out the incubators as fast as I can add water to increase the humidity. On average though I have been keeping it at about 70-72% for days 20 and 21 but closer to 68% for day 19.

 

[ChickCrazed]

We bought some mealworms at one point, I have no idea where the container went, darn mice probably ate them! Popcorn is a good idea - they do seem to love carbs! I pulled my chicks out and fed them some bread today. Went a bit better! They actually ate a bit out of my hand and don't seem afraid when I am on their level. The one that I am having trouble sexing is really small, about 1/2 the size of the other two. Should I be worried that it is a "failure to thrive" chick? Even though it has been the slowest to feather, I am leaning towards pullet at this point because the comb and wattles look so small compared to the roo and the chest/neck feathers are coming in dark where the roo is showing some white. It is in the front in all of these pics.

 

[bradselig]

If anyone in the Indy area is interested, lilmizscareall has kindly offered to play chicken train for us! She is coming up either next Thursday or Friday, depending on when chicks arrive. I have a good number of silkie chicks, birchen marans, and some Marans mixes still available. I also have a free light colored partridge silkie roo, and possibly two older blue silkie chicks (I honestly don't know how old as I lost track. I'm thinking around the 8-10 week old mark.). Send me a pm if you are interested in anything.