INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[LonelyPageTurne]

Does anybody want some hatching eggs? I only have a couple but I want to see what they will look like lol. They're mixes, blrw roo over a "black copper marans" girl and that same roo over a...welsummer? She's kinda small, some pencilling on her back, kind of a gold color...

Babies should be very cool looking. Free!

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Thanks everyone for insulation input. I've done a little rough math with lowe's and menards' websites, and I'm looking at about 100 dollars for osb and another 100 for insulation. I've got until winter to save spare change, so I'll probably go ahead an insulate. Then I'll feel better about not running heat in the coop. These critters survive in the wild, right?

Our barn is just made of sheet metal with gaps under eaves, etc where air can blow in. The temps are usually not more than a couple degrees warmer inside than outside. Our chickens, ducks, rabbits and alpacas have done fine with no extra heat. It pretty much keeps them out of the elements and wind, but the same temps as outside. I did make chicken aprons for all the girls this winter, but that was it.

How do nicely make family pay for eggs? I have told them yet they still stop by to pick them up and just walk out the door. I need to be more aggressive I guess. Annoying.

Raisinemright, that update sucks.

Let us know when the action starts!

How about putting a large sign on the fridge door stating the price per dozen & "no exceptions!". Or a sign that says "One free dozen eggs with the donation of a bag of chicken feed. After the first free dozen, eggs cost $2.00" Or "Payment is expected for all eggs taken from this fridge. Your choice of payment per dozen: 1 large bag of chicken feed, 1/2 hour of shoveling chicken poop or $2.00" Or "Egg prices -- pick your payment per dozen: $10.00, $5.00 or $2.00. Please note that free is NOT an option!"

I also put eggs in Walmart bags when I need to save them for someone who will be stopping by & put their name on the bag. You could bag up all your eggs & put fake names on them. Tell your family that eggs in bags are already sold! Or at your next family gathering when everyone is a captive audience and seated around the table hand out bills and tell them you will be collecting payment before they go home!

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!

Amen to that!!

Only a day behind now, so I am going to bed

Sorry guys wrote a book I think!
Have had a lot go on here lately. Lots of good, some very bad... no predators but a stupid, ignorant mistake on my part.
I am posting this to hope no one goes through this experience, its just ripped my heart right out.
DD and I cut the "uglybush" down to a manageable size fighting my dad the entire time.
It was a huge nasty evergreen type bush, overtaking one side of the house!
I think at one time it was an ornamental hedge type, now its ugly, embarrassing, harbored bees and needed to go.
Its become a haven for sparrows. I found out what the thing is, Japanese Yew.
Well.. I had a wagon load in my trailer, on the little tractor. Been hauling it to the big burn pile at the back of the property.
Parked the tractor next to the cow/goat pasture because a state cop came in. The path to the burn pile runs by their pasture.
Someones boat was stolen! We don't have those problems here, very upsetting.
Told DH to stop at the neighbors house this weekend to find out more, it was a small aluminum jon boat..
Anyways, I spoke with the Officer a good 20 minutes or so, turned around to finish taking the load to the burn pile.
My girls and baby moo were eating the stuff! OH NO! So I ran and pulled all the branches away from them.
Stupid

My baby cow was poisoned. He was dead the following day. I was just bawling like a baby over it.
Yes, he was meant for food. But still a baby, just a few hundred pounds at most, and would have been here several months before that bad day.
I asked Jack the neighbor north of us to please come, he came that evening and took some of the plant to his vet.
He has had cattle at least 60 years, his entire life and knows his stuff. Yup, sure enough it was this horrible plant.
Thank goodness, my girls are fine, and Bocephus is not in with the Sugar and Sophie. Painful lesson learned.
My girls only get hay and a cup of grain a day, Bo tethers out with me and eats weeds and grasses.
I have asked Jack to please talk more with his vet, and pass my phone # to her so I can look into this more. Concerned about my girls.

Oh no! So sorry to hear this

 

[LonelyPageTurne]

We have some people helping bring a shed from Bargersville to indy for me, but I think we may need 1 or 2 more just to load it up...I can give you a ride and even pay a little is there anyone who maybe could help?

 

[hoosiercheetah]

Japanese Yew.

I hate, hate, hate yew bushes. The common kind you usually see are also poisonous, and also in almost every yard in America. The house I moved into was surrounded, literally, by dozens of them. I've been on a campaign of annihilation that is finally drawing to a close. There are only about a dozen left, and their days are numbered.

I'm very sorry for your loss. Prayers going out to you.

If you have any more yew, and you want them exterminated, just let me know. I delight in their wholesale slaughter, I'd love to see them extinct, and I'd be happy to carve out some time to come destroy them for you.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

I give my mom free eggs and she tries to pay. I don't mind giving them to her. Its the rest of the leach brigade that I have trouble with. Our friends always pay with no issue. Dumb family lol.

I'm using a little deduction here because I don't know the whole situation, but here's my impression.
Maybe the other family knows that Mom gets free eggs, so they have the mistaken impression that eggs are free to family?
Whether that's true or not, your next step is clear. It's the C word - conversation.

Tell them in clear, calm words that chickens cost money to feed and you simply can't afford to give away all your eggs. You can even tell then that you would give eggs away if you could, but it's not possible. They are then free to pay for eggs or leave them with you.

Where people usually get tripped up in these things is if the family reacts poorly to the new boundary. What you have to remember is that it is your right to set your boundary, and how they feel about it is their responsibility, not yours. If they want to have a hissy fit, that's on them. If it was all a misunderstanding and they're reasonable people, drama will probably not ensue. Either way, their feelings are their choice, and however mad or hurt they choose to be, it's not your job to heal their hurty feelings by changing your boundary.

(I may know little about chickens, but I know people pretty well.)

 

[browncow15]

Well I was tending to the gardens today and UGH! I have an abundance of strawberry plants. I dug up about 50 to give my mom. Stood up and didn't even make a dent! So both my neighbors and a lady my mom works with will be coming to claim some.

If anyone here would like to start your own patch come on over! Lol. They are on their 3rd year and most of what I want removed will be their second year and should provide lots of fruit.

Just throwing it out there. .I'm going to start another bed of them but still have way more than I can put to use. I made quite a bit of jam..froze them after preparing them for pies..shortcakes. ..etc.

Oh I'd like some! I could pick them up when I come get chicks. PM me please

Only a day behind now, so I am going to bed Sorry guys wrote a book I think!
Have had a lot go on here lately. Lots of good, some very bad... no predators but a stupid, ignorant mistake on my part.
I am posting this to hope no one goes through this experience, its just ripped my heart right out.
DD and I cut the "uglybush" down to a manageable size fighting my dad the entire time.
It was a huge nasty evergreen type bush, overtaking one side of the house!
I think at one time it was an ornamental hedge type, now its ugly, embarrassing, harbored bees and needed to go.
Its become a haven for sparrows. I found out what the thing is, Japanese Yew.
Well.. I had a wagon load in my trailer, on the little tractor. Been hauling it to the big burn pile at the back of the property.
Parked the tractor next to the cow/goat pasture because a state cop came in. The path to the burn pile runs by their pasture.
Someones boat was stolen! We don't have those problems here, very upsetting.
Told DH to stop at the neighbors house this weekend to find out more, it was a small aluminum jon boat..
Anyways, I spoke with the Officer a good 20 minutes or so, turned around to finish taking the load to the burn pile.
My girls and baby moo were eating the stuff! OH NO! So I ran and pulled all the branches away from them.
Stupid My baby cow was poisoned. He was dead the following day. I was just bawling like a baby over it.
Yes, he was meant for food. But still a baby, just a few hundred pounds at most, and would have been here several months before that bad day.
I asked Jack the neighbor north of us to please come, he came that evening and took some of the plant to his vet.
He has had cattle at least 60 years, his entire life and knows his stuff. Yup, sure enough it was this horrible plant.
Thank goodness, my girls are fine, and Bocephus is not in with the Sugar and Sophie. Painful lesson learned.
My girls only get hay and a cup of grain a day, Bo tethers out with me and eats weeds and grasses.
I have asked Jack to please talk more with his vet, and pass my phone # to her so I can look into this more. Concerned about my girls.

Oh Janet I'm SO sorry!! I knew what had happened as soon as I read yew! I don't think it affects goats like it does cattle though I'd have to look it up again. Let me know when you're ready and I'll make another call to the dairy!

 

[familytradition]

My Dixie Rainbows came from Mt healthy. Growing like weeds, but so much more active than Cornish crosses.

 

[LonelyPageTurne]

Well I was tending to the gardens today and UGH! I have an abundance of strawberry plants. I dug up about 50 to give my mom. Stood up and didn't even make a dent! So both my neighbors and a lady my mom works with will be coming to claim some.

If anyone here would like to start your own patch come on over! Lol. They are on their 3rd year and most of what I want removed will be their second year and should provide lots of fruit.

Just throwing it out there. .I'm going to start another bed of them but still have way more than I can put to use. I made quite a bit of jam..froze them after preparing them for pies..shortcakes. ..etc.

Oh I'd love some!!!

 

[LonelyPageTurne]

Only a day behind now, so I am going to bed Sorry guys wrote a book I think!
Have had a lot go on here lately. Lots of good, some very bad... no predators but a stupid, ignorant mistake on my part.
I am posting this to hope no one goes through this experience, its just ripped my heart right out.
DD and I cut the "uglybush" down to a manageable size fighting my dad the entire time.
It was a huge nasty evergreen type bush, overtaking one side of the house!
I think at one time it was an ornamental hedge type, now its ugly, embarrassing, harbored bees and needed to go.
Its become a haven for sparrows. I found out what the thing is, Japanese Yew.
Well.. I had a wagon load in my trailer, on the little tractor. Been hauling it to the big burn pile at the back of the property.
Parked the tractor next to the cow/goat pasture because a state cop came in. The path to the burn pile runs by their pasture.
Someones boat was stolen! We don't have those problems here, very upsetting.
Told DH to stop at the neighbors house this weekend to find out more, it was a small aluminum jon boat..
Anyways, I spoke with the Officer a good 20 minutes or so, turned around to finish taking the load to the burn pile.
My girls and baby moo were eating the stuff! OH NO! So I ran and pulled all the branches away from them.
Stupid My baby cow was poisoned. He was dead the following day. I was just bawling like a baby over it.
Yes, he was meant for food. But still a baby, just a few hundred pounds at most, and would have been here several months before that bad day.
I asked Jack the neighbor north of us to please come, he came that evening and took some of the plant to his vet.
He has had cattle at least 60 years, his entire life and knows his stuff. Yup, sure enough it was this horrible plant.
Thank goodness, my girls are fine, and Bocephus is not in with the Sugar and Sophie. Painful lesson learned.
My girls only get hay and a cup of grain a day, Bo tethers out with me and eats weeds and grasses.
I have asked Jack to please talk more with his vet, and pass my phone # to her so I can look into this more. Concerned about my girls.

So sorry. Hugs.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

How do nicely make family pay for eggs? I have told them yet they still stop by to pick them up and just walk out the door. I need to be more aggressive I guess. Annoying.

Raisinemright, that update sucks.

Let us know when the action starts!

I don't know if your family is good at baking or some other easily trade-able thing like woodworking. But if so, maybe when they call to arrange a time to stop by or the next time they show up you could say something along the lines of Ohh I'm so glad you called. I've been meaning to ask you to bring your world winning cherry pie over the next time you come to get eggs. Then make no offer to pay for the pie until they offer to pay for the eggs. If it is woodworking then maybe a decorative keyring holder. Just make sure that whatever you ask for, it is worth much more than the eggs. Then they will wonder why you did not offer to pay and hopefully they will start the conversation about exchanging money.