INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[kabhyper1]

How long has it been sense you guys were over? It seems like a long time now for her to be sitting don't ya think so?

Maybe close to a month. Its probably normal duck brooding time. Just seems longer.

 

[BackyardBitten]

I have babies!!!!! I have babies!!!!!!!
I left home to go to work this morning with no pips today on day 21. Came home and didn't bother to check because i didn't hear any chirping. Then i decided to check before i got ready for bed and lo and behold i have babies!!!! One bantam cochin completely out, one black AM 75% on the way out and one pip on an EE and one pip on a marans. This is going to be a long night with no rest for me. Wanted make a quick update. Here are some pictures so far!!!


@ellymayRans the babies i got from you are hatching like popcorn!!! can't wait to see what the rest of them will look like!! Thanks again!!!

 

[ellymayRans]

[COLOR=800080]I have babies!!!!! I have babies!!!!!!![/COLOR] I left home to go to work this morning with no pips today on day 21. Came home and didn't bother to check because i didn't hear any chirping. Then i decided to check before i got ready for bed and lo and behold i have babies!!!! One bantam cochin completely out, one black AM 75% on the way out and one pip on an EE and one pip on a marans. This is going to be a long night with no rest for me. Wanted make a quick update. Here are some pictures so far!!! @ellymayRans the babies i got from you are hatching like popcorn!!! can't wait to see what the rest of them will look like!! Thanks again!!!

Awww that's great news! So happy for you! Keep the pics coming! I love seeing them! Good luck with that sleep thang! Lol I usually don't but a few hours for atleast the first couple of days! Congrats!

 

[nathanaf8388]

That's always exciting

 

[Mother2Hens]

ChickCrazed ~ I'm comin' up the tracks-- can't you hear the whistle?

CRSelvey ~ Congrats on Chick #1 ! Hope you can sleep tonight while waiting on the others!
Backyard Bitten ~ You have babies-- congrats! That's so exciting!
raisinemright ~ And congrats to use on your duckling hatch surprise!

 

[hoosiercheetah]

BE SURE IT'S NOT FROM TREATED LUMBER. VERY TOXIC.

Every once in awhile I burn some old wood stumps that we have to get rid of and keep the ash then. For straining, I finally got a garden strainer that I can sit on top of a 5 gal. bucket to strain out the large chunks. I only do this if there is the possibility of nails or other debris being in there with it.

The ash and leftover chunks from wood burning is okay for them to peck at and eat also. Good source of vitamin K I understand among other things!

Here's the strainer I ended up getting:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007P4JAU/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This method bypasses all that. It's a pure source for people who don't burn stumps.

I think the only thing you really need is a couple 5 gal buckets and a friend with a wood stove. A lot of both around.

Probably true for most of us, but sure as anything there will be a chicken-keeping hermit reading this who lives in a place where wood stoves and fire places have been banned. You get literally all kinds, thanks to the wonder and the glory of the Internet. This method is a one-hermit job.

That's always exciting

I'm quoting you out of context because I'm always excited! :-D

Okay, here's the deal. There is nearly unanimous agreement that putting some wood ash in your dust bath is good for chickens. (Er, in your chickens' bath, that is, not yours. Ash in your own bath will make you... well, ashy. And it won't help your chickens unless they're in the bath with you.... and I'm not going any farther with that train of thought. There are kids in the room.) Benefits of ashes for chickens may include preventing parasites, external and/or internal, keeping chickens ironically clean (ashes are dirty) and who doesn't love an ironic chicken? Also it will probably give your chickens super powers like Flying Tornado Kick that can dismember coyotes, and the patience and wisdom to negotiate peace in the Middle East. At the very least they'll be able to change the oil in your car, which is dead useful if not as impressive.

So, where do you get wood ash? As far as I can tell, you can't buy it on the internet. Except maybe if you did a "wanted" ad on craigslist, but I wouldn't do that because then there's no telling what's in the ash. Could be all sorts of toxic chemicals or burned up bodies because some people on craigslist are serial killers. Everyone knows that. Anyway, as shocking as it is, I finally found something that cannot be purchased online. Go ahead and prove me wrong. I double dog dare you.

However, the overwhelming majority of us can make our own. All you need is a place where you can burn stuff, and it doesn't have to be a big place. And old grill or bbq cooker will do. If you find yourself in the unenviable position of living in an apartment where even small patio grills are not allowed, then I weep for you, but you're going to have to just find someone who is willing to do this for you. Oh look, here I am! PM me and we'll work it out. Not kidding.

So get out your grill.** It's been pointed out that the ashes that are already in your grill are probably greasy, so don't use them. There is also a chance that you've been using "charcoal" briquettes in your grill. If you have, I am going to resist the temptation to judge you. Shameful as it is, I once did this too... most of us have been in that dark place at least once in our lives. Today is a new day, and you're going to step out into the breathtaking light of a whole new world! A world where delicious, smokey meats can be cooked to mouth-watering perfection in the convenience of your own yard without the bitter aftertaste of noxious petrochemicals. It's a glorious life, and a joyful life, and you'll never look back. More to the point, you can't let your chickens into briquette ash because it's poisonous and will probably cause them to writhe in agony and die. No one wants writhing chickens.

So go buy some lump hardwood charcoal for your grill. Then go buy some meat, because to make a fire without cooking meat on it will disgrace you in the eyes of your primeval ancestors. Okay fine, you can grill some veggies if you don't eat meat. After all, everyone is entitled to their wrong opinion. But for heaven's sake cook something with your fire!

Now the trick to this is not to get any of the meat or it's drippings on the ashes, and there are several ways you can do this. They all involve indirect heat; how to do it depends on your grill. If you already have a bbq cooker with the fire box on the side, then you're good to go. Just dump any immoral briquette ashes, if you have any, and fire it up with lump charcoal. Done deal. If, like me, you merely covet a bbq cooker from afar, you can still use a regular weber-style grill. The bigger the grill, the easier this will be, and the more ashes you can collect. Once again, start by dumping all of your previous ashes, and give a quick wipe to the inside.

Now, most American grillers are accustomed to direct heat grilling. The meat goes directly over the burning coals and viola, you have not-raw meat. You also have grease-contaminated ashes, and no one likes greasy chickens. So instead, you want to use indirect heat. The charcoal goes on one half of the grill, and the meat goes on the other half. There are many benefits. Your meat will cook longer at a slower temperature. For burgers, this means a more tender burger. You'll be surprised by the difference it will make in brats. And if you've never attempted real bbq on your little webber, this is how it's done. A word of caution, though - if you're going to bbq chicken on a lower, slower heat, you'll need to protect it from drying out by brining it first, for at least two hours for a whole bird, or one hour for thigh and breast pieces. I do mine whole and butterflied, and I soak them overnight. The results can be spectacular. If you have no idea what brining is, google it or PM me.

You'll want to put some kind of collection pan under the charcoal side to catch the ashes, and it will need to be sturdier than aluminum foil, because the ash will be hot enough to burn through. A cheap, but not disposable, pie tin ought to do nicely. If you're slow-cooking whole brined chicken, and you should be, you'll also want a pan under the chicken. What runs out of the chicken is stock, and if you brine a whole bird overnight, the stock that comes out should be diluted by half and will be better than anything you can buy in a can. I do this in my crock pot all the time; it's the best, easiest, cheapest stock you can get your hands on. PM me for details if the process is unclear to you.

If you have a tiny apartment grill, indirect heating can be problematic, but it's still possible in small batches. Another method you could use is to stuff your chimney starter full of charcoal, set it in the bottom of your little grill (all wire racks removed) and fire it up. Roast hot dogs and marshmallows over the chimney starter, so you get some use of the heat. The grease off a hot dog should be negligible, and it will mostly burn away in the fire anyhow. Collect the ash after it burns all the way down and cools off. If you don't have a chimney starter, get one. They're cheap, and almost the only way to start lump charcoal burning.

That's about it! I'm going to do this myself at the very next opportunity, and I'll let you know if I run into any other snags. Happy grilling and ashing to you all!





** If you only own a propane grill, go back inside and cook your meat on the stove, because it's exactly the same thing. I have nothing further to say to you. Infidel.

 

[nathanaf8388]

.
Two of my favorite chicks can definitely tell over the past couple days what color the grey ones are turning out to look like in fact all of them are really starting to feather out

 

[LonelyPageTurne]

This method bypasses all that.  It's a pure source for people who don't burn stumps.


Probably true for most of us, but sure as anything there will be a chicken-keeping hermit reading this who lives in a place where wood stoves and fire places have been banned.  You get literally all kinds, thanks to the wonder and the glory of the Internet.  This method is a one-hermit job.


I'm quoting you out of context because I'm always excited!  :-D

Okay, here's the deal.  There is nearly unanimous agreement that putting some wood ash in your dust bath is good for chickens. (Er, in your chickens' bath, that is, not yours.  Ash in your own bath will make you... well, ashy.  And it won't help your chickens unless they're in the bath with you.... and I'm not going any farther with that train of thought.  There are kids in the room.)  Benefits of ashes for chickens may include preventing parasites, external and/or internal, keeping chickens ironically clean (ashes are dirty) and who doesn't love an ironic chicken?  Also it will probably give your chickens super powers like Flying Tornado Kick that can dismember coyotes, and the patience and wisdom to negotiate peace in the Middle East.  At the very least they'll be able to change the oil in your car, which is dead useful if not as impressive.

So, where do you get wood ash?  As far as I can tell, you can't buy it on the internet.  Except maybe if you did a "wanted" ad on craigslist, but I wouldn't do that because then there's no telling what's in the ash.  Could be all sorts of toxic chemicals or burned up bodies because some people on craigslist are serial killers.  Everyone knows that.  Anyway, as shocking as it is, I finally found something that cannot be purchased online.  Go ahead and prove me wrong.  I double dog dare you.

However, the overwhelming majority of us can make our own.  All you need is a place where you can burn stuff, and it doesn't have to be a big place.  And old grill or bbq cooker will do.  If you find yourself in the unenviable position of living in an apartment where even small patio grills are not allowed, then I weep for you, but you're going to have to just find someone who is willing to do this for you.  Oh look, here I am!  PM me and we'll work it out.  Not kidding.

So get out your grill.**  It's been pointed out that the ashes that are already in your grill are probably greasy, so don't use them.  There is also a chance that you've been using "charcoal" briquettes in your grill.  If you have, I am going to resist the temptation to judge you.  Shameful as it is, I once did this too... most of us have been in that dark place at least once in our lives.  Today is a new day, and you're going to step out into the breathtaking light of a whole new world!  A world where delicious, smokey meats can be cooked to mouth-watering perfection in the convenience of your own yard without the bitter aftertaste of noxious petrochemicals.  It's a glorious life, and a joyful life, and you'll never look back.  More to the point, you can't let your chickens into briquette ash because it's poisonous and will probably cause them to writhe in agony and die.  No one wants writhing chickens.

So go buy some lump hardwood charcoal for your grill.  Then go buy some meat, because to make a fire without cooking meat on it will disgrace you in the eyes of your primeval ancestors.  Okay fine, you can grill some veggies if you don't eat meat.  After all, everyone is entitled to their wrong opinion.  But for heaven's sake cook something with your fire!

Now the trick to this is not to get any of the meat or it's drippings on the ashes, and there are several ways you can do this.  They all involve indirect heat; how to do it depends on your grill.  If you already have a bbq cooker with the fire box on the side, then you're good to go.  Just dump any immoral briquette ashes, if you have any, and fire it up with lump charcoal.  Done deal.  If, like me, you merely covet a bbq cooker from afar, you can still use a regular weber-style grill.  The bigger the grill, the easier this will be, and the more ashes you can collect.  Once again, start by dumping all of your previous ashes, and give a quick wipe to the inside.

Now, most American grillers are accustomed to direct heat grilling.  The meat goes directly over the burning coals and viola, you have not-raw meat.  You also have grease-contaminated ashes, and no one likes greasy chickens.  So instead, you want to use indirect heat.  The charcoal goes on one half of the grill, and the meat goes on the other half.  There are many benefits.  Your meat will cook longer at a slower temperature.  For burgers, this means a more tender burger.  You'll be surprised by the difference it will make in brats.  And if you've never attempted real bbq on your little webber, this is how it's done.  A word of caution, though - if you're going to bbq chicken on a lower, slower heat, you'll need to protect it from drying out by brining it first, for at least two hours for a whole bird, or one hour for thigh and breast pieces.  I do mine whole and butterflied, and I soak them overnight.  The results can be spectacular.  If you have no idea what brining is, google it or PM me.

You'll want to put some kind of collection pan under the charcoal side to catch the ashes, and it will need to be sturdier than aluminum foil, because the ash will be hot enough to burn through.  A cheap, but not disposable, pie tin ought to do nicely.  If you're slow-cooking whole brined chicken, and you should be, you'll also want a pan under the chicken.  What runs out of the chicken is stock, and if you brine a whole bird overnight, the stock that comes out should be diluted by half and will be better than anything you can buy in a can.  I do this in my crock pot all the time; it's the best, easiest, cheapest stock you can get your hands on.  PM me for details if the process is unclear to you.

If you have a tiny apartment grill, indirect heating can be problematic, but it's still possible in small batches.  Another method you could use is to stuff your chimney starter full of charcoal, set it in the bottom of your little grill (all wire racks removed) and fire it up.  Roast hot dogs and marshmallows over the chimney starter, so you get some use of the heat. The grease off a hot dog should be negligible, and it will mostly burn away in the fire anyhow.  Collect the ash after it burns all the way down and cools off.  If you don't have a chimney starter, get one.  They're cheap, and almost the only way to start lump charcoal burning.

That's about it!  I'm going to do this myself at the very next opportunity, and I'll let you know if I run into any other snags.  Happy grilling and ashing to you all!





** If you only own a propane grill, go back inside and cook your meat on the stove, because it's exactly the same thing.  I have nothing further to say to you.  Infidel.

You can use wood in a propane grill iirc. That's all my daddy gave me!

Also how would someone in an apartment keep chickens if they can't even keep a grill?

 

[hoosiercheetah]

You can use wood in a propane grill iirc. That's all my daddy gave me!

Also how would someone in an apartment keep chickens if they can't even keep a grill?

Depends on the propane grill. All of the comedy in that post should be taken as comedy. ;-)

I've lived in a lot of places, and some of them had some pretty strange rules. All I know is you never know.

 

[LonelyPageTurne]

Depends on the propane grill.  All of the comedy in that post should be taken as comedy.  ;-)

I've lived in a lot of places, and some of them had some pretty strange rules.  All I know is you never know.

Well I sure hope the one he brought me I can use wood in because my other little black one is...uh...busy right now. I needed a waterproof container for my oyster shell lol.