INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[EurekaChic]

Hi all!
just another chicken enthusiast in the Evansville area, actually in Mccutchanville. Missed the meeting at the library but would love feedback from it. We have 11 hens 1 really nice roo and 4 naughty naughty fellows. Trying to decide what to do with them.
Thanks

[COLOR=006400] Welcome! Several members have had luck rehoming their roos with other members of this thread, so keep that in mind as an option if you decide your 4 naughty fellows need to go. [/COLOR]

 

[Mother2Hens]

Night Visitor
Last night, I walked out onto our deck around 1:30am to put a fresh bowl of water out for our cats that had just gone outside. I glanced over approx. 8' away and saw a teenager-sized raccoon looking into the big coop! I saw another pair of glowing eyes behind it, and wondered if it was another one, or my precious cat, Lionel. I started screaming, "Go Away!" and grabbed the garden hose that was hanging next to me. I sprayed it like it was an AK-47!

The raccoon(s) probably enjoyed it.

All three coops are secure-- the big one, the bantam one, and Bonbon's brooder one that we just put on the deck next to the sliding glass doors. We've had the deck spotlights on every night since May when Bonbon hatched her first eggs, so I guess the spotlights aren't an effective deterrent. I turned on a radio in the garage last night before I went to bed, hoping that would help. Although raccoons might visit more often than I know, I did realize that I forgot to hose down the deck, patio, and steps last night. After the chickens go to bed, I always hose away poop, and any stray food pellets.

Almost exactly the same thing happened last March, only it was just like that eyeglass commercial-- I thought the teenaged raccoon was my cat! I even said, "Here Kitty, Kitty."

@chick rookie Sorry, I didn't see your post last night about your bantam Mille Fleurs! I wonder what in the world happened!? Did your dogs have any wounds from whatever they attacked while defending the chickens? You have had way more than your share of animal drama! You have a supportive DH, and that means a lot. And your Indiana BYCers are cheering you along!

@pipdzipdnreadytogo Your little duckie is so adorable! I may have missed it, but how did you end up with one duck egg? Aren't you supposed to have a long row of ducklings?

 

[Thriftymom6]

Chick rookie the little chicks are WC blue/splash bantam polish. I will try to get a front view tomorrow. They are adorable.

 

[Thriftymom6]

[COLOR=8B4513]Night Visitor[/COLOR]
[COLOR=8B4513]Last night, I walked out onto our deck around 1:30am to put a fresh bowl of water out for our cats that had just gone outside. I glanced over approx. 8' away and saw a teenager-sized raccoon looking into the big coop! I saw another pair of glowing eyes behind it, and wondered if it was another one, or my precious cat, Lionel. I started screaming, "Go Away!" and grabbed the garden hose that was hanging next to me. I sprayed it like it was an AK-47![/COLOR]  [COLOR=8B4513]The raccoon(s) probably enjoyed it. [/COLOR]:/

[COLOR=8B4513]All three coops are secure-- the big one, the bantam one, and Bonbon's brooder one that we just put on the deck next to the sliding glass doors. We've had the deck spotlights on every night since May when Bonbon hatched her first eggs, so I guess the spotlights aren't an effective deterrent. I turned on a radio in the garage last night before I went to bed, hoping that would help. Although raccoons might visit more often than I know, I did realize that I forgot to hose down the deck, patio, and steps last night. After the chickens go to bed, I always hose away poop, and any stray food pellets. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=8B4513]Almost exactly the same thing happened last March, only it was just like that eyeglass commercial-- I thought the teenaged raccoon was my cat! I even said, "Here Kitty, Kitty." [/COLOR]
[rule][COLOR=8B4513]@chick rookie
Sorry, I didn't see your post last night about your bantam Mille Fleurs! I wonder what in the world happened!? Did your dogs have any wounds from whatever they attacked while defending the chickens? You have had way more than your share of animal drama! You have a supportive DH, and that means a lot. And your Indiana BYCers are cheering you along!  [/COLOR]
[rule]@pipdzipdnreadytogo
  [COLOR=8B4513]Your little duckie is so adorable! I may have missed it, but how did you end up with one duck egg? Aren't you supposed to have a long row of ducklings? [/COLOR]  

I thought I was the only one to hose down the patio everyday. Except mine is in the morning. My turkeys are to obese to walk to the coop in the lower yard. they now sleep next to the sliding glass doors. We did get a child's play house for our original flock that is closer (they are BB and unfortunately have leg issues), but they won't go in it. They like their freedom after that horrible winter. But they are pretty messy for as little time as they spend there. Hope they go in this winter!

 

[Mother2Hens]

Thrifty Mom ~ haha Our hens are always at our sliding glass door acting like trick-or-treaters! I'll have to tell my DH that at least we don't have giant turkeys at our door.
Since I work from home, I usually hose off poop a few times a day, and do a more thorough job after they've gone to bed.
How many turkeys do you have? I mentioned in a recent post that I've found that Garden Lime does a better job with odor than SweetPDZ, and it's inexpensive. I use the powder, so I have to make sure the chickens aren't nearby when I toss the powder around since it's a fine dust.

 

[chick rookie]

Night Visitor
Last night, I walked out onto our deck around 1:30am to put a fresh bowl of water out for our cats that had just gone outside. I glanced over approx. 8' away and saw a teenager-sized raccoon looking into the big coop! I saw another pair of glowing eyes behind it, and wondered if it was another one, or my precious cat, Lionel. I started screaming, "Go Away!" and grabbed the garden hose that was hanging next to me. I sprayed it like it was an AK-47!

The raccoon(s) probably enjoyed it.

All three coops are secure-- the big one, the bantam one, and Bonbon's brooder one that we just put on the deck next to the sliding glass doors. We've had the deck spotlights on every night since May when Bonbon hatched her first eggs, so I guess the spotlights aren't an effective deterrent. I turned on a radio in the garage last night before I went to bed, hoping that would help. Although raccoons might visit more often than I know, I did realize that I forgot to hose down the deck, patio, and steps last night. After the chickens go to bed, I always hose away poop, and any stray food pellets.

Almost exactly the same thing happened last March, only it was just like that eyeglass commercial-- I thought the teenaged raccoon was my cat! I even said, "Here Kitty, Kitty."

@chick rookie Sorry, I didn't see your post last night about your bantam Mille Fleurs! I wonder what in the world happened!? Did your dogs have any wounds from whatever they attacked while defending the chickens? You have had way more than your share of animal drama! You have a supportive DH, and that means a lot. And your Indiana BYCers are cheering you along!

@pipdzipdnreadytogo Your little duckie is so adorable! I may have missed it, but how did you end up with one duck egg? Aren't you supposed to have a long row of ducklings?

Thats too funny about the hose, lol I used to think I didn't have to worry too much about predators what with all 6 of my dogs, the goats and my horses near by, Ransom is a great coyote deterrent..lol o sorry Ransom:
I have had a few but not enough to call a problem. I have had more problems with the dog that is no longer with us, R.I.P then anything. but this is too much so DH is building me a better predator proof house and run for my littles cause I just don't trust them out free ranging any more. I hate to do that to them but better locked up then dead I guess. And I can always let them out a few hours before bedtime when I'm outside.
I almost got one of those red barn mini coops from RK last night, but DH wants to try and build me one..... ookk... we'll see how that goes. Got so much to do before winter gets here just don't know if we can get it all done if he goes to building again.......... lol

Chick rookie the little chicks are WC blue/splash bantam polish. I will try to get a front view tomorrow. They are adorable.

ok that would be great. What does the WC stand for???

I thought I was the only one to hose down the patio everyday. Except mine is in the morning. My turkeys are to obese to walk to the coop in the lower yard. they now sleep next to the sliding glass doors. We did get a child's play house for our original flock that is closer (they are BB and unfortunately have leg issues), but they won't go in it. They like their freedom after that horrible winter. But they are pretty messy for as little time as they spend there. Hope they go in this winter!

I have been looking for a play house, I think it would be a great house for my MF's. how hard was it to convert? I have seen pic's on BYC's coops, and thought I would kinda base one on what they did. Do ya have any ideals? Sorry always picking peoples brains lol.



Dogs let me sleep in an extra hour before they had to got out to poddy so here I sit at 4 am going through the BYC Indiana thread... lol
but I'm done already, you guys most be hard at something else cause I usually have an hour of reading to do just to catch up every day... lol
Well the dogs are ready to come in so I'm going back to bed before DH wakes me up at 6 am with his " Too chipper this early in the morning " self to start the day... lol G'night all

 

[EurekaChic]

[COLOR=800080]Thrifty Mom ~[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]haha  Our hens are always at our sliding glass door acting like trick-or-treaters! I'll have to tell my DH that at least we don't have giant turkeys at our door. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=8B4513]Since I work from home, I usually hose off poop a few times a day, and do a more thorough job after they've gone to bed.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=8B4513]How many turkeys do you have? I mentioned in a recent post that I've found that Garden Lime does a better job with odor than SweetPDZ, and it's inexpensive. I use the powder, so I have to make sure the chickens aren't nearby when I toss the powder around since it's a fine dust.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=006400] Just a quick note about lime. If you're going to use it, make sure you do NOT get quicklime or slaked lime. They are dangerous and will burn your skin and do bad things to your lungs if you inhale them (I believe they are used in construction somehow?). As @Mother2Hens says, you want garden lime (which is used to adjust the pH of your soil if it is too acidic).[/COLOR]

 

[hoosiercheetah]

[COLOR=006400] @hoosiercheetah, would not having taken you for an ATC fan. [/COLOR]

Honestly they're not my favorite. I prefer more musicly talented acts like O-Zone (I know what you're thinking, by listen to the rest of the album and I promise you'll be impressed) and BassHunter. Its all on my Loud Music Therapy Pandora station. Lately I've been alternating between that and downtempo stuff- Sia and Zero 7 and Portishead and such.
But I'm classic rock at heart. ;-)

[COLOR=006400] Just a quick note about lime. If you're going to use it, make sure you do NOT get quicklime or slaked lime. They are dangerous and will burn your skin and do bad things to your lungs if you inhale them (I believe they are used in construction somehow?). As @Mother2Hens says, you want garden lime (which is used to adjust the pH of your soil if it is too acidic).[/COLOR]

Quicklime Is used in mortar for masonry and its a component of concrete. The stuff you put in the garden is hydrated lime, but its still fairly caustic and should be handled with care.

eta (ot of the ot) Can I just say that I bloody hate purling? I can't believe I have a whole nother round of this stupid ribbing.


Also, ginger snaps are the breakfast of champions.

 

[EurekaChic]

Honestly they're not my favorite. I prefer more musicly talented acts like O-Zone (I know what you're thinking, by listen to the rest of the album and I promise you'll be impressed) and BassHunter. Its all on my Loud Music Therapy Pandora station. Lately I've been alternating between that and downtempo stuff- Sia and Zero 7 and Portishead and such.
But I'm classic rock at heart. ;-)
Quicklime Is used in mortar for masonry and its a component of concrete. The stuff you put in the garden is hydrated lime, but its still fairly caustic and should be handled with care.

eta (ot of the ot) Can I just say that I bloody hate purling? I can't believe I have a whole nother round of this stupid ribbing.


Also, ginger snaps are the breakfast of champions.

[COLOR=006400] I don't find purling very different from knitting. But I knit weird because my mom, who is left-handed, taught me, and I am right handed. Regardless, I prefer crocheting. I'll have to check out O-zone. I like most music (except opera, for some reason), but I skew toward classic rock, 80s-90s pop, and jazz.

Some of you have said you sing to your flock. How many leave a radio on for your animals? We sometimes leave the tv on for our dogs while we are gone. If I sing to them myself our yorkiepoo jumps on my lap and tries to lick my face. And not in a 'please keep singing' kind of way. More of a 'please make it stop' kind of way.[/COLOR]

 

[wheezy50]

Thanks for the rabbit info! We went to the state fair again this past Friday, got to see most of the rabbits this time. They were still moving them into cages but most were filled up. There were even a couple holland lops for sale, just not quite the color I'd like but I did get the phone number to call the person.

Can anyone with rabbit experience tell me, do rabbits need to have a "buddy" or are they good by themselves? Trying to decide if we should start with one and see how it goes or start with two so they would have a companion.

I've also read that bucks are generally more calm and easygoing. Is there any truth to that? I'm sure that like with any animals the more they're socalized at a young age with humans the better off they'll be.

Which brings me to my next question, what's the youngest age it's "normal" for them to be weaned and sold? It seems like there is a few differences in opinions online about when they should be sold.