INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[bradselig]

I've got a pretty good mixed flock of layers going. Red sex Link, GLW, SLW, Black Australorp, Buff Orpington, Birchen Maran, EE, and in the incubator are BPR & RIR! I'm hoping to acquire some BLRW in the near future. Is their a breed that I am missing in my flock LF egg layers? I want to end up with a good mixed flock with lots if beautiful colors running through the yard.

Of course your missing a bunch! lol you need brahmas, cochins, legbars, leghorns, egypian fayoumis, salmon faverolle, silver spangled hamburgs, naked necks (gotta have an ugly breed or two!), orloffs, and im sure I can list a few more that are on my list of favorites! lol.

Sounds like you have a nice assortment though, your egg basket/cartons will be nice looking. Might consider a white egg layer to add more contrast although if you are going to be selling the eggs, I have a hard time selling the white eggs. Everyone has the mentality that brown eggs taste better and are healthier. So now i just do mixed dozens and they dont get a choice lol.

 

[raisinemright]

Ya I was thinking of some white eggs, that might be in my flock this spring yet. About the necked necks... We will see lol

 

[goatluver20]

M2H - We got napoleon dynamite from the library today and are probably going to watch it tonight. I have not seen it in a few years but it is so funny! "Yes I love technology not as much as you, you see. Always and forever"

 

[PeacefulWalls]

My first broody hatched her eggs and raised her chicks out in the hen house. First batch were hatched New Year's eve 2012.

Never brought her in. Chicks thrived. I have a friend who has a broody that broods 4 x/year. His takes them out at day 2 or 3 even when there is snow. If she's a good mamma she'll know what to do to take care of them.

My vote is to let your chickens be chickens



It was in the teens when they were hatched. Temps fluctuated between teens, single digits, and 20's.



Kids out to eat in the teens.


Learning to dust bathe in the 20's.


Ah...this is more like it. Temps in the 30's.

Thanks for sharing your experience and advice. I keep flipflopping what I want to do -- especially after hearing about your success in the cold. We love having chicks in the house to watch them grow, but I'd also like to just keep the barn animal stuff in the barn!

 

[Leahs Mom]

I know! It's really hard to think of them out there. But the mammas are amazing and know how to take care of them well.

Every once in awhile folks get a broody that is not a good mamma. I don't hear that very often but it does happen. Especially when it's cold it's good to observe them the first few days or so to be sure they're doing their job. If they aren't then of course you would want to intervene. But I think that's the exception rather than the rule.

That batch was my first broody-raised chicks and I kept wavering. I had a good "broody mentor" to ask questions and he was very reassuring.

My same girl hatched 3 in September this year and did another excellent job as well.

 

[CluckAcres]

I thought we was suppose to get snow but all we are getting is freezing rain. Roads are slick.

Sent from my N861 using Tapatalk

 

[bradselig]

This week was hatching week! Have 20 silkies, 1 showgirl, a blue modern, and a silver laced Wyandotte from kabhyper! Just put another dozen or so eggs into lockdown yesterday. If I remember correctly there are Marans, silkies, showgirls, and moderns in that batch. Then I have a week off and it starts all over again! I love hatching lol.

Now if I can only figure out why my cabinet bator is all of a sudden having very inconsistent temps through out the incubator. It was built like a sportsman but 1 am getting a 10F temp difference from the front to back! I'm going to keep the next hatch in the little giants so I can tear the cabinet incubator down and try to get more even temps. If I add a fan on the bottom, it helps a lot but makes it have too much air flow and the chicks get stuck during hatch. I just need to buy a true sportsman!

 

[bradselig]

Also, anyone who has sent either Julie/mother2hens or myself a PM about being added to the members list, I should have you up as of this evening. Please take a look and make sure I didn't mess up! If anyone still needs to be added, info updated, etc. please let me know. I'll be glad to do it when I get a chance!

 

[kabhyper1]

This week was hatching week! Have 20 silkies, 1 showgirl, a blue modern, and a silver laced Wyandotte from kabhyper! Just put another dozen or so eggs into lockdown yesterday. If I remember correctly there are Marans, silkies, showgirls, and moderns in that batch. Then I have a week off and it starts all over again! I love hatching lol.

Now if I can only figure out why my cabinet bator is all of a sudden having very inconsistent temps through out the incubator. It was built like a sportsman but 1 am getting a 10F temp difference from the front to back! I'm going to keep the next hatch in the little giants so I can tear the cabinet incubator down and try to get more even temps. If I add a fan on the bottom, it helps a lot but makes it have too much air flow and the chicks get stuck during hatch. I just need to buy a true sportsman!

Did you only get one egg out of those? It may look like a SLW, but it could be an EE x SLW. If it is, it will look like Cricket or Pickles. Blue laced.

 

[kabhyper1]

MIL babies are starting to internally pip!!!! I went over there and took Ashes out to potty and eat and looked at the eggs. It is day 19. One is pipped inside!! So no more going off the nest for her. She was exceptionally perturbed at me tonight, so I knew something was up. I will go back over in the morning and check on her. They live right in front of us. lol. BTW we watched Gravity in 3D tonight. It was really neat! If you all haven't seen it, you should.