INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[CRSelvey]

he does not care, just wants to break a broody.  I felt bad asking him to drive all the way to me for my 3 chicks.

I wish I did but I can't give anyone my chicks.

 

[hanakimi]

I sent an email in support this afternoon, so that is probably why they were talking about it. They all got an email from at least me, maybe others!

thanks i appreciate that

 

[hoosiercheetah]

Duck flash mob:


http://www.buzzfeed.com/tracyclayton/what-the-duck?bftw=animals

Ha! I love it!

I really want to know the backstory - did the fence break at a commercial duck farm?

It reminds me of a scene from The Walking Dead.

 

[Skgallienne]

Hi all! Sorry for my "newbie" post haha, I am not familiar with how this works or chickens in fact!! But my parents have several chickens and they are looking for a Golden Sebright. So I am helping with their mission. I'm hoping I can find someone I can pick one up from this week. I live in central Indiana but will be traveling north on 31 on Wed. and on Thursday traveling down to Madison, IN, so if you are near my travel path and have one for sale, I'm your buyer Or if anyone knows someone that I can contact, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You so much!

~Sara

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Okay, y'all, I have my first broody hen question. Didn't take me long.

Margie is sitting very dedicatedly on her nest and doesn't seem to be leaving at all on her own. She's alone in a fenced-off part of the coop, and no new poops have appeared since I gave her her eggs on Saturday night, in the nest or out. So I guess she's holding it? I'm concerned with this heat that she's not drinking enough, so I have pulled her off the nest to drink once a day and she goes back in after getting a drink and some food, but still no poops since Saturday. Is it normal for a very determined broody to hold it for so long? I thought they would come out to poo once a day. Also, should I be leaving her alone rather than pulling her off to eat and drink? I read that it's okay to do as long as she's not struggling because she might break an egg. She's always very docile and seems dazed even for a few seconds after I pull her out, so no worries that she'll break an egg, at least. Any other words of wisdom from frequent broody-hen hatchers? I'm so anxious about this all!

Oh, one other thing. How soon should I candle the eggs to see if they're even fertile? Day 7? I don't want to let her brood for too long if there's no chance of the eggs hatching.

 

[kabhyper1]

Okay, y'all, I have my first broody hen question. Didn't take me long.

Margie is sitting very dedicatedly on her nest and doesn't seem to be leaving at all on her own. She's alone in a fenced-off part of the coop, and no new poops have appeared since I gave her her eggs on Saturday night, in the nest or out. So I guess she's holding it? I'm concerned with this heat that she's not drinking enough, so I have pulled her off the nest to drink once a day and she goes back in after getting a drink and some food, but still no poops since Saturday. Is it normal for a very determined broody to hold it for so long? I thought they would come out to poo once a day. Also, should I be leaving her alone rather than pulling her off to eat and drink? I read that it's okay to do as long as she's not struggling because she might break an egg. She's always very docile and seems dazed even for a few seconds after I pull her out, so no worries that she'll break an egg, at least. Any other words of wisdom from frequent broody-hen hatchers? I'm so anxious about this all!

Oh, one other thing. How soon should I candle the eggs to see if they're even fertile? Day 7? I don't want to let her brood for too long if there's no chance of the eggs hatching.

I take my broodies off twice a day until the 2 week mark and then once a day until day 18. Normally the first thing they do once off the nest is poop. Take her out to a dusting area with foord and water. She should dust bathe, eat and drink, poop and go back to the eggs. Letting her interact with the flock daily helps her to keep position in the flock also. If she doesnt poop at all, or its bright green, then she isnt eating enough. Im not sure what you can give a constipated hen, but she should be relieving herself.
I candle whileshe is off the nest. Day 7, 14 and 17.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Thank you, Kab! I was worried that I was interrupting her too much!

She does dust when I take her out, I just didn't mention it. She'll eat and drink, and then go have a very angry-sounding dust bath. She's in the coop addition, so she's bathing in the dirt floor. I haven't taken her out to interact with the flock, but there's only some chicken wire between her and them in the other part of the coop. Is that good enough?

I'm worried about the dropping, now, since she hasn't yet. :/ Only thing I can think of to make her poo is something like applesauce or maybe an Epsom salt solution. Not sure if that would be a good idea, considering she's on a nest... I guess I'll wait and see if she poos in the next few days, and then get worried.

And thank you for the candling days! Now all I have to do is try not to explode before day 7. Since she got the eggs on Saturday night, I'm calling Sunday day 1, today day 2. Does that sound right?

I'm not afraid to admit I have no experience when it comes to this, so sorry if I'm asking too many questions.

 

[ChickCrazed]

Got some updated pics of the kids! I'd love sexing input on the silkies. I think they are 14 weeks so it should be about time. I am still not seeing any sort of comb pop so I am hoping girls!


The Bielefelder bunch (the four youngster hens are not brave enough to free range, so these are the 16 week olds.


Roo #1 and Girls

Roo #2

Hedemoras - 7 weeks old

Silkie - 14 weeks


Two silkies (bottom) out with Isbars (15 weeks old, they are a smaller breed when full grown and should max out at 5 or 6 lbs, they are also super docile so are getting along really well with the silkies (go green eggs!!! T minus 6 weeks or so!!!)


Crooked beak silkie - 14 weeks (I had to give it a hair cut in the front and it still needs some work - the poof ball was out of control and it couldn't see a dang thing)

 

[kabhyper1]

Thank you, Kab! I was worried that I was interrupting her too much!

She does dust when I take her out, I just didn't mention it. She'll eat and drink, and then go have a very angry-sounding dust bath. She's in the coop addition, so she's bathing in the dirt floor. I haven't taken her out to interact with the flock, but there's only some chicken wire between her and them in the other part of the coop. Is that good enough?

I'm worried about the dropping, now, since she hasn't yet. :/ Only thing I can think of to make her poo is something like applesauce or maybe an Epsom salt solution. Not sure if that would be a good idea, considering she's on a nest... I guess I'll wait and see if she poos in the next few days, and then get worried.

And thank you for the candling days! Now all I have to do is try not to explode before day 7. Since she got the eggs on Saturday night, I'm calling Sunday day 1, today day 2. Does that sound right?

I'm not afraid to admit I have no experience when it comes to this, so sorry if I'm asking too many questions.

No problem. Im here if you need me for broody stuff. I read molasses or a little vegetable oil orally helps with constipation. Maybe you could lube up her vent a bit to helpher go. (Ya gross I know) You dont want to wait too long for her to go. Im sure there is something on byc about it.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yeah, I searched around BYC a bit and a few people said their broodies only came out every 2 or 3 days to poo and did just fine with that. I'll keep pulling her out to eat and drink every day, and see if she finally does her business. As someone said, if it's going in, it has to come out, right? File this under things I didn't think I'd ever talk about until I got chickens...

Thanks again. I'm a nervous prospective chickie-grandma.