INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[lilmizscareall]

My FIL has several bits of land that we could probably use. One of them definitely has electricity, but neither have "amenities". I'm sure by this summer he has got to have toiletries of some sort for the big piece of land. I know it's some where around the Terra Haute area. I'm not sure where though, we drove out to him and he drove us. It has a shelter, it's private and secluded, but not too far from civilization. It's an old strip mine area, water, really deep water, nicely wooded and perfect for camping if people wanted to!
I'm sure if we needed to rent a port'o'let and a hand washing station, it would be cheaper than renting camp ground space.

 

[Mother2Hens]

I wish you did too DH really loved Big Man, although he wont say so I seen how upset he was when Big Man drove away. and he is already wanting me to find another that would be able to go out in may, or maybe a grown one latter in the year. Told him I wanted a coop for cochin's first as he is too big for the hens I want so he will have to have his own Cochin hens... He sat at the table and started drawing...

chick rookie ~ That brought tears to my eyes-- really sweet. It's interesting when men try to act tough, but are big softies.

Originally Posted by CRSelvey
Between the colds, stomach viruses, and sinus infections, my family has been sick for over a month.
The raccoons around here are just lounging in the yard during the day. It kind of freaks me out with kids, dogs, and chickens in the yard. Like yours, my cat isn't bothered by them. I might need some 22 lessons if they get more brazen. I'm not sure how good I would be set that if I can't even dispatch a chicken to eat though. . (Sorry, M2H)

CRSelvey ~ Maybe you all have rabies.

I'll give you 22 lessons:
1. Don't kill animals
"
"
22. Don't kill animals

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

UPDATE on my EE hen MJ. she must be feeling a little bit better cause she is fighting me now, and she even gave me an egg, what a trooper I told her she didn't have to do that. She needs to conserve her energy.... but ... her eye was a real mess but the rest of her scratches and scrapes look a bit better. her beek is still messed up but its only been a day, not even a full day yet. Going to cook her up some runny oats and see if I can get her interested in a noodle worm... and maybe a scrambled egg mushed up real fine.
I think it may be the infection but she really stinks, real bad, thought I was gonna lose my breakfast. is that normal?

If there is infection the odors from it are pretty strong. I have sinus/allergy issues but can really pick up an odor from an ill bird, eww

Good luck, hope she improves.

I will be picking up a few more little babys tomorrow. My TSC will be getting there chicks in.

ive heard of this "chicken math" but not sure how it works. Am I on the right track with it so far lol.
5- red sex links
8- GLW chicks
2- SLW chicks + whatever we get out of our April incubating
2- black Australorps
2- EE'rs
8- Birchen Marans incubating
7- BR incubating
7- RIR incubating
This is what we have so far, hoping for good hatching's. Looking to pick up a few more EE'rs or maybe Australorps.
anyone think of any other colorful breeds that would go good with this beautiful flock of layers?
Or has anyone found a cure or treatment for Chick days at the local feed stores lol!!

Oh my you are smitten beyond help with chicken math. The only cure, and its temporary relief is what you did, buy more chicks!

Quote: I love OEG's! They are just sweethearts, you will enjoy them. If you ever want to give them up just holler

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:

I use one of the lawn leaf catcher things that you pull behind a garden tractor. I dump piles at each coop, then on to the pigs pen, and toss a bunch in the hay cage for the goats and cow. I never have to store it long LOL! (I wish we had more acreage to plant sorghum and alfalfa.) If I do store any, it goes into the loft of the livestock trailer, or more in the pigs pen. The pigs just devour it, and its very healthy for them too. And its great for deep litter in the coop also!
I also gather pine needles as often as possible, the catcher picks them right up.

More questions!
(Maybe I should do this in pm...if you want to pm so I'm not boring everyone with this you can!)

With the brush hog, how tall is your grass ...Do you cut it when it's "hay-height" of 8-14"? I'm thinking it has to be on the longer side to feed it to the cow?

Is there any reason that the cow doesn't graze it standing rather than your cutting it and taking it to her/them?

Sounds like you don't store it for the winter so you're not baling. Have you ever kept it loose for winter? Does that work okay?

Here's What I'm Thinking...
I have a 2 acre pasture area that I let grow out last year for hay. I don't have a brush hog and I had thought I could get a local fellow to cut and bale it. He finally did but it was just a hassle. In prior years I was just cutting it with the regular lawn mower attachment. The chickens do LOVE the cuttings for their nests, etc., but I was losing a lot of it since I don't have the sweeper attachment. I'm hoping to get one of the catchers this season and will definitely keep all the grass clippings. But what I was thinking is that if I had a brush hog attachment rather than just the regular mower, maybe I could do it at hay length and use it for animal feed or possibly even sell some of it if I don't have any animals to feed.

It usually is when DH can cut the field.. can get up to 2 feet or more. The cow and goats don't access it yet because of fencing. That will change this summer.
I never have enough to last the winter, so I buy.. And i finally have a good source that delivers $40 for a 5x6 round! Looks really good too.$35 if we pick up.
I never mow it anymore, it does supply our needs for the summer. I think you can do a lot for yourself with your plan! The more I look at reseeding, I plan to add sorghum. I think it will really add to flavor of the milk, and very good for the goats/cow/pig etc.We do have a lot of clover now... but I read a lot on mother earth news etc.and am always looking to improve the "hay" they consume.

Quote: The favorelle are very attractive, I have thought of having a few hens in my egg coop.
I love the rock breeds, still considering the silver penciled, just stunning hefty birds!
Yours are looking very impressive, I think you chose good lines

This is about the fight of a 5yr old girl to keep her beloved silkie roo Dallas in a tiny farm/agriculteral UN-incorperated town in Dufur, OR.

OK ALL YOU HOOSIER PEEPS...PLEASE READ THIS AND SIGN THE PETITION .
I AM THE SELF APPOINTED CHEERLEADER FOR THIS CAUSE!.

AFTER YOU READ AND SIGN PLEASE SEND IT TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS.

EVEN BETTER; SEND AN EMAIL TO DUFUR CITY COUNCIL!

.LETS LET THIS TINY TOWN OF DUFUR, OR. KNOW THAT AMERICA IS WATCHING THEM!

Thank you kindly......

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/974/870/400/saving-dallas-the-rooster/

https://www.facebook.com/savingdallastherooster

Going to check this out, thanks for posting!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Just ordered my Brinsea Brooder!! I chose the wrong shipping option, so its going to take a bit longer, but Im excited!

I have a question, I am considering using very diluted kool aid or food coloring and bathing my white silkies so I can tell them apart. I was unaware that there could be a law against doing that. I'm not sure why seeing that it is harmless and they love baths and blow dries. They don't know they are a different color. Any advice for my fellow Indiana peeps?

Raisenemright, I am thinking of going into tsc for a few more laying hens. I really only want 4 pullets, you want to maybe go in on the six chick minimum with me and take the other two? Since we live in the same town and all lol.

Congrats on the brooder!!! Thats exciting!
The dying and coloring from what I can see, is only on chicks you sell.
5 week olds are precious, loved the pics

Quote: oh no! I am so sorry, you can't seem to catch a break.
Start them all on meds and hopefully you can at least stop the infection. PM me if you need the medicine.
I will be willing to mail u some Duramyacin at least.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Chick days temptation #1: successful! Stopped at rural king for feeders and waterers. I was tempted to get 10 cornish cross that would have been free after rebate. Also tempted by the light brahma pullets . Regardless i stayed strong and only bought dry goods

OMG! YOU didn't?!?!?!

If was tempting , but i also left without any chicks from family farm yesterday . . . . but did get an incubator , so if all goes well, we'll be having chicks instead of buying more . Here's what i left behind:

I am weak.. I have 28 in the brooder

@PimentoPlymouth I have a jersey giant and she lays around 5 or 6 eggs a week I would say. They are very pretty and my jg is very sweet.

A few nights ago we were driving home from a 4-H thing and saw deer, an opossum, either a cat or raccon, and a fox. I was worried my mom wouldn't get any sleep worrying about a fox getting the chickens. I know they can be harmful to chickens but it was so beautiful.

I agree, they are just a beautiful sight. Red fox are especially striking, beautiful to me

We have no wild rabbit or squirrel here anymore, no chipmunks. Its sad how many predators are overpopulated.
I see new subdivisions going up all the time

and more natural habitat disappearing for them.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

So I am making sprouts for the chickens out of black oil sunflower seeds. Also as an experiment, I am trying to make some out of scratch. I have no idea what will happen with the scratch, the corn in it is chopped up but the seeds are whole. Any thoughts?

It will be awesome, and they will love it! Feed out sooner than 7 days unless its sprouting in a cool room.

Quote: Oh my, I bet its breathtaking! I wish we had more hilly/knarly land here, I LOVE southern IN with the hills.


You want hills??? WE GOT HILLS!!!! I'll trade you! We can't even sell out cattle outta state cuz they are so used to standing on hillside one side of there body has shorter legs than the other! A flat yard is very rare and very very expensive in this state! I really wanna move to Indiana!!! Lol
LMAO I know you do! My Moms family are PA/MD hills and coal miners. (And a few moonshiners LOL) I love going out there to visit.
I grew up in NW indiana, its FLAT. I love the rolling hills and valleys, and creek hoppin

in the ohio valley. We plan to move there when DH retires.

Here is what I made so far. I soaked the scratch and sunflower seeds since last night around 9. I used mason jar rings to add space between the trays for water drainage. I don't see any sprouting yet, hopfully I didn't pull them out of the soaking water to soon. I read max 24 hours to soak.

Looks great! Your babies will love it when its ready.

I am so disappointed I could almost cry. I was just looking at my weather channel app and it said all the temps in the forecast were in the 40s and no lows under 30...then I realized I was looking at my Moms town in Washington.

Ya.. UGH, it ain't over. We have -0- temps this week too.
I am really sooo over it. COME ON SPRING!

Quote:

AGREED!!!!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Big thanks to SallyinIN and Jchny2000 for stopping over at my place today to help me christen the new plucker. They and their DH's were very helpful. Sally helped me adjust the hatcher she loaned me, and Janet showed us both how to process quail. I'm very excited to try the quail she gave me. They also ooohd and aaahd at the appropriate places when they toured my new pens and runs. It is so nice to show them to people who actually know why they are built the way they are. My 'non-chicken' friends just look and nod their heads.

Was very happy to see sallyIN and you again! I wish we were all able to meet more.
It really feels rewarding to know someone else understands WHY you care about your Flock, coops, runs, and processes that completes the circle.
I LOVED your new coops and runs, and was sooo inspired! DH has new interest in our coop rebuilds now.
I am very impressed with the plucker. We WILL be building or buying one very soon. What a fantastic tool!
I hope you enjoy the quail. I really enjoy them as a "table bird". Low maintenance and easy care.
They are little egg machines, and what sweet, friendly little birds too.I have 3 "pets" so far out of my group I can't part with.
They are so much like a tiny chicken, each has a different personality. I also hope all enjoy the eggs. I am addicted to them. YUM!
Still looking at all the pickling recipes. We usually just hardboil the extras, and grab a handful for a quick breakfast.

Quote:
LOL fight the urge! But I understand, I have a ton of quail and several BCM in my bator.
I have 2 breeds on ebay I am dying to raise.. watching...

My day started off with sunshine, clear skies and 50*! So I got out my saw, drill, measuring tape and building supplies... This is as far as I got:
This is my new Bantam coop, still needs hardware cloth and exterior perches but looks ok.
The "duck box"needs door attached and a small run fenced but has easy access to the pond addition from last year.
So what do ya think is it suitable??? Any suggestions? Other than cleaning the pond that is...lol... That's already in the cards.
Unfortunately by the time I got this far the sky was overcast it was starting do drip wet stuff all over me, not to mention the temp dropped 20 degrees in 45 minutes!!!! Was down right frosty before I got everything put away until the next semi warm day.... Brrrrrr!

WOW awesome!!!! You should be a carpenter!!!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Trying to catch up, but am off to bed.. been a very busy last few days.
Hope everyone is well.

 

[chick rookie]

Awwww! They are so sweet. I'm glad you got some happiness today.

p.s. you may want to check your heat lamp bulb to make sure it isnt loose. Mine looked crooked like that and fell out of the lamp. eek!

yes it was messed up beyond fixing so I had to get another. I didn't see it till I was looking at the pic's.