INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[iamfivewire]

sorry about the predator attack LPguild

 

[racinchickins]

Exciting evening tonight. When we got home one of our hives had split and swarmed. My partner put another hive together, cut the branch the swarm was on, then dropped it in. And Presto, we now have three hives instead of two!!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Exciting evening tonight. When we got home one of our hives had split and swarmed. My partner put another hive together, cut the branch the swarm was on, then dropped it in. And Presto, we now have three hives instead of two!!

Such bravery should be rewarded. Time for some flower seeds to get even more bees. By now I'm guessing he has more bees than you have chickens.

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Such bravery should be rewarded. Time for some flower seeds to get even more bees. By now I'm guessing he has more bees than you have chickens.

Yeah, with 3 hives probably at least 10,000 more bees than your chickens. I think the bee math won!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Bee math.... I don't think I'd like to be the one that has to count them to confirm totals

 

[hoosiercheetah]

I wish I could have bees, but anaphylaxis doesn't sound like much fun.

@newchickintown1 :

I was asking questions here months before I got chickens. It's a great place to gather info before you take the plunge!

I'm almost positive that Pike is a fully absorbed cog in the City/County Machine. The only places that get to have their own ordinances are Lawrence, Speedway, Southport, and Beech Grove. I'm triple-checking Pike for weirdness now...........

Survey Says: Pike Township is Unigov, just like the rest of us. So, there are no rules about chickens. Yet. As several people have mentioned, the new zoning changes are going to include rules for chickens. If I didn't already have chickens, I would wait until the final version passes, and then plan my coop and flock within the bounds of the new rules.

Your ornery neighbor can put her opinion in her pocket and go sit on a pin.

My personal experience with my flock is that so far they make very little noise. I'm on a 1/2 acre lot in an older neighborhood, just outside 465 on Rockville. I've had chickens there for... three months now, give or take a week. My back yard neighbor, who does extensive gardening 150 feet from my coop, knew that I had set up the coop and run, but didn't know the chickens were there until I told her, last weekend. I've asked my neighbors on all sides several times, and they all say that the dogs in the neighborhood make more noise. I have one neighbor who will throw strawberry tops or melon rinds in the run now and then (she asked me first, of course!) and loves to watch them.

As far as what breed to start with, there are a lot of good hardy breeds that will lay eggs well. When I started, I had my heart set on Austrolorps. I ended up with a mixed flock. I have two Black Orpingtons (one lays really well, the other is just barely pulling her considerable weight) a Barnyard Mutt (who lays like a metronome, 4 days on and one off), and in pullets I have an Easter Egger, two Golden Comets, and three Rhode Island Reds. It's been a lot of fun getting to know the different birds. I would recommend to get a mix of breeds, spend some time with them, and down the road you can adjust your flock when you get to know what you like and what you don't.

That's my .02! Welcome to the group!

Oh, and if you ever decide that your coop needs an automated door, I'm your man. :-D

 

[hoosiercheetah]

So, I have a general question for the group. Seems I might have asked it before, but I can't remember the answer so that one doesn't count.

State Fair is coming up, and I really really want to go see the chicken exhibit, now that I know more about the different breeds. But I'm very concerned about bringing home the Chicken Plague of Evil Death and killing my whole flock.

I'd love to hear everyone's opinion about this sort of thing.

Thank you.

 

[flyladyrocks]

We are at the evening zoning meeting right now...been here for going on 2 hours. Wow...there are about 35 people here to hear and speak.
Very good points are being brought up discussing gardens and livestock zoning. I hope they take our concerns back and adjust the draft ordinance.

 

[Leahs Mom]

So, I have a general question for the group. Seems I might have asked it before, but I can't remember the answer so that one doesn't count.

State Fair is coming up, and I really really want to go see the chicken exhibit, now that I know more about the different breeds. But I'm very concerned about bringing home the Chicken Plague of Evil Death and killing my whole flock.

I'd love to hear everyone's opinion about this sort of thing.

Thank you.

Here are my thoughts:

Whenever you go around other people's chickens:

-Wear different shoes and clothing than you have worn around your own chickens -preferably something washable like tennies. This is also for the protection of the other folk's flock.

[-SOMETIMES I ALSO PUT A TOWEL OR OTHER COVERING ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAR that my shoes are going to come into contact with.\

-When you return home, take your shoes and socks off before exiting your car. Roll up your pant legs a bit. Go directly into your house and throw everything into the washer. [If I used the towel floor covering, I just wrap the shoes and socks in it and carry it right into the washer.]

-Streak to the bathroom and take a thorough shower - including washing your hair.

Do all those things BEFORE going around your chickens.

Then:

-Put on clothing and shoes from home and go about your business.


I have 2 pairs of "garden shoes" - the cheap kind - for summer. One pair I only wear around my own chickens. The other pair I reserve for when I'm visiting someone's place that has chickens. I wash that pair whenever I return and don't wear them to another chicken keeper's yard unless they are washed first. I want to protect them from anything I may have come into contact with too.

If I go somewhere public like the fair, I just wear tennies but go through the procedure above as soon as I return home.

In the winter I have muck boots that I only wear for chicken chores or around the property here.

 

[flyladyrocks]

So, I have a general question for the group. Seems I might have asked it before, but I can't remember the answer so that one doesn't count.

State Fair is coming up, and I really really want to go see the chicken exhibit, now that I know more about the different breeds. But I'm very concerned about bringing home the Chicken Plague of Evil Death and killing my whole flock.

I'd love to hear everyone's opinion about this sort of thing.

Thank you.

Exciting evening tonight. When we got home one of our hives had split and swarmed. My partner put another hive together, cut the branch the swarm was on, then dropped it in. And Presto, we now have three hives instead of two!!

Such bravery should be rewarded. Time for some flower seeds to get even more bees. By now I'm guessing he has more bees than you have chickens.