INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[ellymayRans]

O and I just was floored to see after this harsh winter I have Oregano, Sage, chives (expected) and random onions grown already from last year.!
I have got to get my cold crops out! So much to do! So little time!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: My GLWs are the flock leaders. I only have a quad now, and will probably not be hatching many more. My line of birds we not as nice as what I have seen with other member's, but the hens will come to me, and can be held with little complaints.

Okay someone tell we what this craziness means. My LF cochin Lavender (the broody one from last fall) has stopped going out with the flock. She stay up on things all the time now. The alpacas hay boxes, the stall walls, the brooder box, anything to keep herself off of the floor. She hates the roosters. At least thats what Im gathering. She hasn't been over mated like a couple of my girls have who still hang with the flock. I put her out with everyone today to see what would happen. As soon as my LF cochin Blueberry saw her, he bee lined for her at a full run. As funny as it is to see a giant fluffy cochin rooster run, I wasnt laughing when he chased her right back into the barn. Its as if she isnt allowed to be with the flock free ranging. They dont bother her at all when she is in that barn up on her roosts, but she can't go out with everyone because the boys wont let her. DO you guys think the dynamic will change in her favor when the EE pullets get let into the flock? Thinkgs have been different for Lavender since she brooded her babies last fall. She is very submissive and being away from the flock put her immediately on the bottom of the pecking order. Any thoughts?

Thats terrible, and really odd! If its just the roos, lock them up a few days and give her a chance to rejoin.

Top 4..I think he's a boy. Look at how his feathers are growing in. Also was told it's a splash. Opinion?


Here's the girl...She's supposed to be splash. I think she's white.

IMO its entirely too soon to make color judgment or sex them either.

Miss Lily loves the computer. She is getting better. Her sinus and eye swelling has gone down considerably. Only on day 2 of antibiotics. 3 more to go. Everyone else in the coop are healthy little guys and gals, showing no symptoms, so Lily will be a house silkie for a couple of weeks. She has had this before and no one has ever gotten sick. I think its just her own little quirk.

She kept trying to get closer by stepping on the mouse pad. She had all kinds of things on the screen, so I just put it on BYC.

She really focused on the moving pictures of chickens.

Searching for expert answers on her sinus condition.

This was too cute, she really likes the pc!

My first to hatch this year.
I think it is a blue barred plymouth rock

Congats on the hatch!!!

Nobody has any suggestions? Splash or white? Boy or girl?

Lets try to be patient, give members time to answer if they chose to.

The chicks have been outside almost 3 days. They hadn't used the heat plate until around midday today and they still aren't spending much time under it. I miss them being inside.

I have been getting more eggs. 6 eggs, 4 eggs, 3 eggs, 3 eggs, 3 eggs. I have over 3 dozen eggs in the fridge. My bantam Blue Ameraucana hen from littleameraucanamom is laying very well, and color is great. She lays 2 or 3 days in a row, takes a day or two break and starts again. Her eggs are pretty close in size to the 3 or 4 LF ameraucana eggs I have got. Imagine comparing a nickle and a quarter.

Lol, I have to take pics between the goose eggs down to the quail.. its just too funny.
All critters total, we are getting over 3 to almost 4 dozen a day now.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Phew, long day! I totally forgot to take another picture of the woods, so I guess it'll be tomorrow. I take a walk out there every evening, but this evening I was on my way out there when I heard a heck of a ruckus over the hill--sounded like raccoons fighting! Needless to say, I didn't have my walk this evening!

This morning, I cartoned the eggs (all 9 dozen or so) and sent them off with my dad to give to his coworkers. We already had two dozen white eggs (from Rangi and friends ) set aside, so I figured we wouldn't need the rest. Well, my sister, who does all the cooking, was sure we'd need more eggs than that and wanted to keep more. I told her no, we'd get more than enough eggs from the girls by Easter. She didn't look so sure, but I sent the eggs off anyway. Guess how many I brought in tonight. 20, of course! Do I know my girls or what?

Speaking of Rangi, I'm a bit worried about her. She acts fine and all, but she looks like she's getting bullied a bit by her flockmates. Her head has been picked bald and the feathers on her back are looking tattered. I'm not sure if Po is responsible for any of it, but I've never seen Rangi let him get close enough to her, so I'm thinking he's not the problem. She's always been the bottom of the pecking order in her little group, anyway. I think it's just in her nature to be less assertive than the others. She came over to me this morning and told me all about her problems while I crouched by her and stroked her feathers. I felt so bad to see her in such a state! Poor baby. I wish there was something I could do.

Well, anyway, I'd better head to bed. I have a test in chemistry next Tuesday, so I'm gonna have to spend the weekend studying. I hope the weather's awful. :/ That's the only way I can see myself actually staying in to study. So good night, everyone!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Question.... I have a few birds that dont seem to know how or when to walk back up the ladder into the coop? I find them huddled together in a corner of the run?? How do I train them to go back into the coop? Should I not let them have free range of feed and take the feeders out until evening so they have a reason to go back in? Please any advice with this would be helpful!!

Unfortunately, they have to be taught usually. I spent a week or so putting them away until they caught on. Its worth a try with the food idea, or maybe a treat at bedtime.

Quote:

Well I am back just finished up a hunting trip in nebraska and it went to quick.there are turkeys strutting in this pick. This weather had to cover my chicken tractorboth pens seem ok with cold

Hope it was a great time! glad the babies are doing well.

Going to try and incubate some eggs too; I borrowed my dads incubated. It is my first attempt. I hope it goes well I have a thermometer and hydrometer in it and have run it for a couple days and I think I got it regulated. My Banty wanted to tie up work bench with this pick

Loved this pic, adorable! Did she leave you an egg?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Well should be getting this young stud here soon. Should give me a jump start on my lavender barred bantam Cochins!

WOW congrats! He is just gorgeous!

Quote: Wow a lot of good questions. For me I wouldn't but that a choice you really have to make for yourself.

Quote: Quick thinking!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Oh, yes, there was one last thing I wanted to mention, specifically to those of you that keep bees. Bearing in mind that they live in Fort Wayne in an area with a lot of residential houses, my harp teacher's neighbor got a hive last year apparently. She was concerned that with so many houses around, bees would be a danger and maybe didn't belong there. Having absolutely no experience with bees or hives (or any will to gain such experience--I'm a little bit phobic of the buggers!), I figured it was one of those things where if you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone. Am I right in thinking this..? It kind of brought to mind the whole anti-chicken-in-the-city thing to me, but I guess I can see where she's coming from with her concerns about bees.

More importantly, I wanted to ask about beekeeping habits. Okay. This woman (the neighbor, not my harp teacher) adorns one of those net mask/hat things and apparently sits for hours on end, just watching the bees come and go from their hive. Is this... normal? I mean, is there some method to this woman's madness, or is she just a few eggs short of a dozen, so to speak? Again, no experience with bees here. That's why I wanted to ask.

And I really gotta go to bed, so once again, good night, y'all!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

So does anyone in the NE Indiana area have an extra egg turner for a LG that I could borrow or purchase? I went a little crazy and have so many eggs to put in the bator this week! They all won't fit into my cabinet and I think I will have around 60-80 eggs I will need to put into my LG. I'd rather not hand turn all those eggs. I'm hoping TSC still has theirs on sale if no one has one I can get from them lol.

I sold all my old baters

or you would have been welcome to use it.
I was going to offer bater space and then realized, Its full

Quote:

If there is no odors, wait til day 25, seriously,

I've been meaning to post that I am making a trip to Indy on Wednesday evening (tomorrow), and I'm willing to offer chicken train services although my trip is going to be a short one. If anyone would like me to pick up/deliver a chicken or whatever fits in my car, just let me know. Sorry for the late notice. I go to Indy and Bloomington regularly since I have a daughter in each city, so next time it should be a longer trip and more flexible. However, this is my schedule if it helps anyone:

I'm taking my English Orp cockerel (originally from Kiniska) to jchny's in the Indy area, but first I am going to meet Kiniska who lives in Indiana near Louisville. She's meeting me after she gets off work around 5:30 pm Wednesday. Kiniska has another English Orp cockerel that I'm taking along with mine to Janet's. I'm also bringing Kiniska a broken tall dorm frig that's only a few years old so that she can transform it into an incubator. From there, I'll head up 65N to downtown Indy to pick up my daughter who will ride out to Janet's with me-- probably dropping off the orps around 9:00 pm. Meredith has gone there before with me on some of her weird mother's poultry escapades

. I'll stay with Meredith that night and have lunch with a friend the next day, and then may stop in the Greencastle area on my way home to have Coffee & Chicken Talk

with CRSelvey. So if anyone needs poultry transported along that route and timeline, just let me know.

When I take the Orps to Janet, she's giving me some bantam hatching eggs since my little bantam orp (on my avatar) Bonbon is broody!

I always wanted a broody hen, but I kinda hate to see the strange behavior changes. She's sitting on three eggs that were left in the nesting box, so that's one reason why I'm coming home from Indy the next day-- to "refresh" her eggs.

Also, I am feeling sad about breaking up my strange family of chicks-- the three silkie children from bradselig and the two orps from Kinska who are the same ages and were raised together. But one orp turned out to be Mr. Rooster, the most "chicken" rooster ever! I know they'll be calling for each other! boohoo

Thank you to those who've been helping sex my silkies -- I'll wait to post guesses so I don't influence anyone else's guesses. Very scientific, you know!

He is so HUGE

and beautiful, I love him!!! And Kiniska's adorable lil roo is a lap baby right now. I am really excited to have both and looking forward to breeding them to my girls. Your bantam eggs are: 2 millies from Jsummers flock, 3 OEGB, and my very first silkie egg! She laid another today and will be setting eggs monday for fertility check on her.

Originally Posted by CCCCCCCCHICKENS
I would love to see them too!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
I am sorry Aaron, I did remember after I read your post. Blame it on old age and no sleep

The first few eggs have a massive price tag, no kidding!
I do track my daily egg count and sales on excel. I don't break even, we have a high feed bill. I sell chicks, goat kids in the summer to help offset costs.
If I over hatch pullets, I do sell them, and even young hens.
FF is fantastic, keeps my birds healthy, the look well feathered and plump, and stretches my food bill a lot. I only have one negative, too many buckets for so many livestock varieties! I ferment the grain because I feed it to the other livestock too, and mix it into the different feeds. I even drizzle the juices into my dogs food! SallySunshine has a video on byc I will look for and post, I pretty much follow her method for the poultry. It can be a pain in the winter if you have limited space, I like to let the feed ferment 2 days. #1 piece of advice, go to the big store deli/bakery/grocery and get free buckets from them. You know they are food grade and safe that way. I have a LOT of buckets

 

[Mother2Hens]

It's really not very complicated. When I go out to feed the chickens, very rarely will the boys mount hens when I am out there. If they do, I calmly walk over and push them off. They fall off fairly easily lol. Once in awhile I dont get to them before they are done, but for the most part my boys have learned through other methods such as picking them up when we are out there just for a second even, that we are boss. Once you have established yourself the work with them gets very easy. For instance, when Gus was a few months old, he started wing dancing or courting us. So as soon as we opened the door to the run, DH or I would grab Gus as he was heading down the ramp and hold him while the other chickens all emerged from the coop. We would preen his hackle feathers and talk to him and he hated every second of it lol. We loved it.Who wouldnt want to pet their chickens?? What it did though was show him that at anytime we are larger than he is and he isn't coop boss when we are out there. And that we aren't something to be afraid of. After about a week of morning hugs

, he stopped courting us. A courting cockerel turns into a pushy aggressive rooster. If you can stop it when they are young, it is a lot less work when they are older. At any rate, most of my time when I go out to the animals is spent enjoying their presence and just watching them with the occasional hand fed treat. The roos act like hens with us. They act like roos when we arent out there. Proven by close circuit cameras we have in the coop and barn. They act like regular old cavemen when we arent there. Gentlemen when we are. Now when new people come over, we still inform them to be wary of Gus. If someone hasnt established themselves as his boss, he will test the waters. Not attacking, but he will bump into new people if he gets the chance. Also anyone with fear of roosters is not allowed near them. Roos can sense fear and it can undo a lot of hard work making them respect people. Although Blueberry my cochin can be around everyone. He thinks he is a hen all the time. Cochins are about the best roos you can have I think.

kab ~ I loved reading your post-- especially about Gus's split personality -- caveman to gentleman! haha Chicken behavior is so interesting.
I still think that chickens are very complicated to raise-- I know that sounds silly, but there is SO much to learn to keep them healthy and safe.
Wouldn't you know that CRSelvey has unfriendly Cochins. That's another complicated things about chickens-- there's an exception to every rule as well as many opinions of every theory.
They keep us guessing!

Hi All!!!! I've sure missed everyone!!!

I have been reading posts all along but because of a totally fubar'd computer and I-phone, I couldnt respond.

Besides my internet communications being ridiculously unavailable, my life has gone through some rather stressful changes in the last couple weeks. My daughter has left a bad marraige and is now living with us ,along with my 17 yr old granddaughter .

As you can imagine that in itself has taken a lot of adjustments. Then after trying for a week to get back onthis site I ended up using an old Email addy and changing my Personna (lol) to get here. Now if thats not dedication dont know what is...lol just hope I can remember the password so all this doesnt happen again. I hope everyone recognizes the new name and realizes I'm not a newby. Well at any rate I just wanted to drop by say hi and let you all know that I'm still alive and well. BTW I really want my avatar back too...lol loved that thing and it made me feel a sense of belonging. FYI: Dont send emails because Im not sure I can get them, PM me if you have private msgs and I will chk there often.

For those of you who I have promised Hens aprons, I have made three so far. Send PMs with addy's so I can get them mailed, dont pay for them until you know for sure they fit your birds. If they dont fit return them and I'll adjust them as needed.

Minminme~ Great to see you back!

We were getting worried. I will PM you about your special Indiana to West Virginia avatar.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Just saw this posted this morning on the WNDU TV station online. Not the greatest way to start with the limited permits & having to pay for a permit, along with the written consents (why don't they do that for people wanting to get noisy dogs??). And I guess some people don't realize that fox & coyotes won't be the predators, but coons, possums & skunks that live in town! But at least it's a start.



GOSHEN It was a close vote, but chickens will be allowed in one more Michiana city on a trial basis.
There was a lot of debate at the Goshen City Council meeting Tuesday night. Advocates argued about the benefits of fresh eggs, while critics brought up fears about foxes and coyotes that might come into the city to prey on the chickens.
In the end, the council approved a two-year pilot program by a vote of 4-to-3. That's according to The Elkhart Truth.
The city will issue up to 50 permits for $25 dollars each. Applicants must present written consent from all adjacent property owners. Residents will be allowed to have six hens -- no roosters. They must be kept in an enclosed area.

It is a start! Glad to see more people are being open minded to keeping chickens

Quote:
Just want to mention that there are different kinds of fermentation (some produce alcohol, some product lactic acid...like your kraut/pickles/yogurt). There seems to be a lot of confusion and "blind leading the blind" on fermenting for chickens with people using yeasts (that produce alcohol) rather than LABs (Lactic Acid Bacteria).

So...Lacto-fermentation is what you want to use for fermenting chicken feed. This article will give you an overview and some of the research articles on lacto-fermented feed. Hope it's helpful!
Very good article! I had started mine 2 years ago, in August. Never had to dump a batch that I can remember. You can let it "self start too", I did use ACV with mother to start mine. Lacto was not my choice... I just was not ok with it. I am sure it would be even better.
Its still had an excellent affect on the birds, I couldn't be happier. Even wet feed is a better option than dry. I do not have issues with impacted or sour crops since I started it. I do also use ACV in the water for my birds, and the swimming pool for the waterfowl too.

Quote: If the chicks are strictly for you and your own flock, I don't see the harm in it. I keep forgetting the wild bird connection with mareks..
Egg prices, It should make a HUGE difference! non gmo is expensive eggs. Just don't state "NON GMO".. that is a catch phrase that gets people in trouble.They get pretty pricy at the grocery. If its friends etc, start at $3 a dozen. My flock is on gmo stuff, so I ask for $2 dozen usually. I am donating duck eggs to the Indy parks dept for a hatch next month. Really excited to do so! We have a local food pantry I want to start helping too, at least a few dozen a week.