INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Minminme]

[COLOR=800080]EurekaChic ~[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Sorry to hear that you had a bad first day of school on Monday! It definitely would have been worse if you had come home to a large shipment of chicks that you weren't prepared for. I was just teasing-- it seems so bizarre to receive a box of chicks in the mail-- or anything live. I'm glad that our thread could provide a "Calgon-- Take me away!" moment for you. [/COLOR]
[rule]
[COLOR=009999]Journey to Zen[/COLOR]
[COLOR=8B4513]I found my Zen after DD Lauren brought home chicks 2.5 years ago, and I began spending time outdoors with them. I always loved being outside as a child, and as I grew up, but after having kids of my own, I often spent spare time taking care of indoor needs. Chickens reconnected me with nature. I'm outside with them probably 360 days of the year--- just missing a few. Even if the weather is bad, I will at least go out for an hour or two. It's an addiction; I have to have my "outdoor chicken fix." The minute I step outside to spend time with them, I feel happy and relaxed. On the plus side, my health has improved according to my vital signs, labs, etc. On the minus side, my osteoarthritis has worsened. I like to do yard work with my flock for hours (six hours today--I'm used to all kinds of weather), but I should take it easier. You'd think I'd be a tiny little thing with all the exercise I do, but I guess I just work up an appetite! [/COLOR]

[COLOR=009999]My Testimonial[/COLOR]
[COLOR=8B4513]I've taken many Theravada Buddhism meditation classes over the years, but have found that chickens to be more effective in facilitating my Zen. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=009999]My Recovery[/COLOR]
[COLOR=8B4513]I probably need to go to Chicken Rehab to reduce my dependency. What is it about chickens that makes people crazy?[/COLOR]

M2H do u remember the buff crested polish I got at the Chickenfest? Bless his heart Racin didn't know she had bumble foot...on both feet!. Poor girl. At any rate the reason I was mentioning this is to tell you that the Prep H method of treatment healed both of her feet up beautifully! During treatments she didn't even flinch, not even when I (sorry for this those of you who are squeemish) squeezed the kernel of infection out of one of them. (It was way too large to just ooze out like the first one did). She still as a very small "scab" on top of her left foot but its from the buff ORP chick pecking it the day I left the bandage off. No more bandages and no limping or favoring it at all.

 

[Birdylady3]

Nite all

 

[Mother2Hens]

@EurekaChic
I LOVE lemurs! Our zoo has had ring-tailed lemurs for a long time, and around ten years ago or so, they created a more natural forest environment exhibit. Now you can't see them because they're in the forest!

That must've been quite a blow to have your dreams of working in the wild derailed because of life-threatening allergies. That's a stressful condition to have, too--living in fear of being stung. Does an Epi-Pen work for you or is your condition too severe?

You could always ease into chickens by starting with 2-3 Silkies since you could keep them in a spare room at night and put them in a secure run during the day. They're more adaptable to being a house pet, IMO. Not that you're looking for house chickens-- but if you had chickens that you'd want to spend time with indoors, Silkies are sweet and docile. Just ask @kabhyper1 -- she has tons of them sitting all over her sofa. I've seen photos on the Internet! haha

Btw, Lauren said that she was accepted to work in someone's research lab with birds (she's often vague when relaying info via text messages!)

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

My momma hen did well. She hatched 8 of the 10 eggs she had left. She had smashed 2 eggs earlier. Of the 2 that didn't hatch one never developed and the others abdomen didn't close.

The little blue one is my favorite!

@ellymayRans your birds make some cute chicks!!!

Hopefully there's a lot of pullets in there!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Precious

I added a few things to the brooder... I think the chicks are happy ​

and I SWEAR, it's really the dog panting in the background!​

This works really good for waterers too, especially with ducklings. Thanks for posting

My goals for next year are to start breeding Lavender and Jubilee Orpingtons, while DH continues our egg sales. The Lavenders should be ready sooner, even though they are younger, especially since one of the cockerels (named LaRue) started crowing this morning! I will probably wait for the black/lav split babies, mentioned below, to grow up first so I can avoid Lav x Lav breedings this year. I figure the Jubilees will be ready by late winter/early spring. I am also going to use the second Lavender cockerel to replenish our mixed layer flock. He will be a very busy boy! I hope we will still have one or two Australorps laying, and have plenty of hatchery BO's and a couple of RIRs (Rhodie and Blondie), plus one Ameracauna (Sam) and one Light Brahma (Pepper) (long story on the two "oddballs," but they provide some visual variety). Right now we are raising 7 black/lav split English Orpington chicks that are 9 days old, and I have a black English Orpington pullet (Cleo) from totally different lines to make a second line of black/lav splits. I'll also have to invest in a 50 egg incubator, and on my wish list is a Sweeter Heater for the main henhouse.

I love my Lavender Orpingtons and would love to have Jubilee. Just all around sweet birds, and no issues with the roosters. I have had -0- luck with my line hatching hens, so am adding new stock next year from a different breeder. I have 2 english roos I plan to use also, but only 2 hens to work with! I only kept 2 from my original flock thinking it would be enough, and 2 roosters, ugh.

 

[EurekaChic]

[COLOR=8B4513]@EurekaChic
[/COLOR]
[COLOR=8B4513]I LOVE lemurs! Our zoo has had ring-tailed lemurs for a long time, and around ten years ago or so, they created a more natural forest environment exhibit. Now you can't see them because they're in the forest! [/COLOR]

[COLOR=8B4513]That must've been quite a blow to have your dreams of working in the wild derailed because of life-threatening allergies. That's a stressful condition to have, too--living in fear of being stung. Does an Epi-Pen work for you or is your condition too severe?[/COLOR]
 
[COLOR=8B4513]You could always ease into chickens by starting with 2-3 Silkies since you could keep them in a spare room at night and put them in a secure run during the day. They're more adaptable to being a house pet, IMO. Not that you're looking for house chickens-- but if you had chickens that you'd want to spend time with indoors, Silkies are sweet and docile. Just ask @kabhyper1
[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]-- she has tons of them sitting all over her sofa. I've seen photos on the Internet! haha[/COLOR]

[COLOR=8B4513]Btw, Lauren said that she was accepted to work in someone's research lab with birds (she's often vague when relaying info via text messages!) [/COLOR]

[COLOR=006400] It was ringtails that I did my research on. Really love them critters. Yeah, it was pretty upsetting to have fieldwork eliminated as an option. But genetics is pretty cool, and it turns out we can examine a lot of the same questions with genetic data (and some hypotheses can only be tested with genetic data.

I do cary an epipen and it is sufficient if I only get stung once. In the end I have done brief stints of fieldwork because of that. But it is stressful.

I love the silkies I've seen (and the ones @bradselig brought to Chickenfest) but we've got a couple of dogs I wouldn't necessarily trust with them, and a major reason my DH is willing to do this is the eggs we'll get, so I don't know that a couple of couch silkies would cut it for him. But it's something to think about....

Ok, gonna try to sleep now.[/COLOR]

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Before I get to my quotes I wanted to let ya know that SIL is awake and alert and other then mending some broken bones will be fine and home in a couple of days.
So DD has come back home and I am too... yeah!!! I love my grand kids not get me wrong but I don't like staying away from home at all.. kind of a home body.
I came home to find that DH had built a double decker EE house so I didn't have to crawl to collect eggs anymore, he put a porch on it for nasty days and a wind and rain block around their fav. dusting area... I have a great DH.
He had made a trip to Menards ( sorry Lowe's people ) and took pic's of a 10x12 shed he wants to get in a couple of weeks for the EE and Silkies, he wants to split it in the middle and make 2 coops in 1. I guess he decided he didn't want to build anymore... lol.
Since it is metal, should I insulate, and if so any ideals on what kind?

Quote:



Quote: LOL I finally saw your post, so very happy to hear SIL is ok

you are probably very glad to be home, I am a homebody type too.
On the metal shed, Drafts is more an issue than insulation. Be sure to have ventilation in the eaves. Check the corners and base to be sure air isn't getting in and moisture in the winter months. For the silkies, I would at least insulate where they roost. I have a pole barn style constructed shed for my goats. I pull the corner trim off in spring thru fall for air flow. Winter I replace it to stop drafts. My bantam and grow out pen also has an aluminum shed and I do plan to insulate the roosting area for them, my sebrights did not survive last winter and I want my bantams to have a choice of a warmer bed.
Totally agree about weekends. We work 10 times harder trying to get things done when we are all home.

I'm back after my second Indy/Bloomington quick trip this week. Lauren is thrilled with her car! And I am behind on the thread . . .

Quote:

Yes, let us know how your version of the crow-little

collar works out!
My two tiny bantam roos -- Belgian d'Uccle and OEGB just started assaulting the ladies, and the hens are incensed. It's ridiculous when the teeny tiny roos try to mate with the LF hens by standing on their backs! The hens wonder why in the world those pipsqueaks want to hitch rides.

So glad to hear she has a good car now!
I was laughing so hard I had tears picturing your lil roosters

I really love the orps too. I have to micromanage them to help them keep their place in the flock lol.

Quote: Last 2 days its mostly missed us. Humidity just kills me, I don't mind the hot temps at all. We got a lot of rain end of last week, and the ducks/geese were loving it all. My chickens and poor turkeys are miserable with the heat. Upside is I have been bathing several of the older chickens, and they are quite happy about it. Many are molting and it seems to be helping them be a little more comfortable. 2 of my turkey hens just melted into the swimming pool lol.

How horrible! I can't believe such evil exists in the world!

http://wishtv.com/2014/08/25/impd-4-chickens-killed-set-on-fire-on-east-side/

Oh my. Horrendous

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Every bird here free ranges 5 acres off season from breeding. They just "know" and each group is taught a different call. Geese are called in by WEEEWEEEES! Ducks by Duckydukyducky there's a call for each species. I feed an hour before dusk and they know that too. I have a main coop for poultry off season, and another for waterfowl. Those coops wrap a 3rd for bantam and littles be it poultry or waterfowl to teach them where "safe" is. Birds of a feather is a true wives tale. They want to be with the older birds of their own type. Using a key word tells them when its food for them and come in.
It starts at chicks, when I clean brooders, add water or feed, thats what they hear, my call to them.
Everyone is locked in their coop/runs at night. They are all let out for the day as early as we can. New birds joining flocks are housed 2 weeks next to the coops. the coop as look, dont touch in cages and they learn fast. Any coming from someone I dont know I quarantine longer, more for the new birds safety, free ranging can pose risk to a formerly caged bird.
Picture a Brown county state park wooded area for the setting. There was lots of shade. Next add in lots of watering stations, and a few coops or shelters for the animals. Then and this is the best part picture multiple flocks of birds with each flock knowing their group and following a planned or choreographed color guard movement pattern. Honestly when one of the flocks decided it was time to get up and go, the rest just knew what to do and where to go. I had seen our ducks act in a similar pattern, but not so much my chickens. I think it is my lack of a wooded area for them. I have a few trees on one side of my front yard. But they are all young. We keep planting the little free ones from Arbor Day but have not had great success lately. Once that area gets a little bit older / shadier, I can see myself adding a pig in the mud area.
My question for @jchny2000 : Is the tree in Wilber's area has it always been bare or did the mud + pig get to it?

The fastest growing tree for our area is the soft maple. Many of ours are only a few years old! The one over my main coop is only about 10 years old no kidding.
Good observation! That's why I am moving the pigpen, It died last year. We intended to move the pen this spring and ran into the health issues here. Hogs root and eat a lot of whats in the ground around them. That poor cherry tree had 4 pigs last year and it gave up, they ate a lot of the roots. The new pen is under the shade canopy in the wooded area behind the barn. I have a small clearing without trees but heavily shaded, hoping this will be better for my new piglets. It will be incorporated with the pasture for the cows, when ever we finally get them again

. Using 16ft hog panels and adding electric fence to this pen. DH it building a community farrowing house for my sows. Will add an adjacent pen for my boar and the barrow when they mature.

Sad news--we have confirmed that we have 2 roos and they need to go to new homes.

They are both 5 months old. Would prefer they do not go into the stew pot.

Dali is a very large white silkie. He is as big as our Delaware hen. I had no idea silkies were this size, I thought they were smaller.
Virtually featherless legs. I chose the chick with featherless legs purposely to do best in the snow.
He's very sweet, and I have not heard him crow. I saw him 'hitch a ride' on the back of our Marans hen--I'm sure he's a roo, even though he's not crowing.
He's a gentleman, and calls the girls over for every little thing of interest he finds in the run.


Here's Cher. He's a Frizzled Sizzle. Blue Partridge color I think, could be blue with red leakage. He's on the small size. This weekend he 'hitched a ride' on the back of our Cream Legbar hen and she kept walking like she didn't know he was there.
Our Cream Legbars are little birds, and he is about the size of a legbar.
I'm asking $15 for him.


PM please if interested. They do not have to go to the same home.

I am so sorry. Its hard to let any go

@Mother2Hens LOL about your bantam roos! I was told by a lady who wanted me to take some of her Mille Fleur roos that they might not succeed at breeding LF, but they would sure as heck give it all they had trying! Can the hens stand/walk with their little suitors on their backs? If so, that would make a hilarious photo!!!!!

DH is commissioned to pick up some cinder blocks so we can hang a tarp temporarily from the coop roof. The two small bachelor pads just don't get squat for shade. We didn't really anticipate that. What little there is, they all crowd into. The girls in the big coop have much more (from a nearby tree, and now from having the bachelor pads blocking sunlight at the one end that used to get hot in there. It actually feels tolerable inside the main coop. I put a frozen 64 oz. water bottle in the 28 quart cooler we use as a waterer to chill their water a little. When I remember, I just take it out and keep refreezing it. I read somewhere "legit" sounding that keeping the hens' water cooler can boost egg production by up to 10%.

I also identified the current broodies who are both hogging the popular next boxes and driving their "sisters" crazy. I know it sounds weird, but with these two nest boxes, I cannot SEE who is in them without becoming Gumby or some comic book hero. I annoyed them until they came out. One already wears a saddle, so I know which one she is, and I had exactly one saddle left to put on the other girl to identify her. They will be sharing a wire-bottom dog crate together for the next several days. I've had it with broodies this summer! We've never had broodies this late in the year before. I had three eggs counted and lined up to come back and pick up from the bottom of the rollaway area after I finished watering my older chicks, and when I came back, the eggs were gone. Even from a rollaway nest, these determined broodies pulled all three eggs up with their necks and beaks and re-hid them under their wings. God love 'em for wanting to be mommies, but I'd rather they not and just keep laying. We used to just let them "do it" when they got broody, but we have had way too many broodies this year and it has cost us a lot of eggs=feed money.

This year has been a broody one for us too. I will probably not keep my australorp much longer. They are on the nest more than laying after the first year, and its hurt our egg production too. I have 3 girls that I have caged, moved, confined and they still want to hatch air! The rest are great, so I may remove the 3 from the group and see what the rest do. I am very pleased with the breed for all purposes but didn't expect so much broodiness in them.

Now that summer is coming to an end, I finally caved and ordered some automatic watering cups. Hope this will save me some time in making sure everyone has water and that they won't run out especially on hot days. I plan to attach the run of waterers to a 5 gal bucket that has a toilet float inside. I will hook up the gardenhose to the float to maintain water in bucket but still allow the system to be ran on gravity. Hoping that the water doesn't get warm as that was my main concern. Hope it works and I haven't wasted money on those cups! I bought nipples last year and have yet to use them. I tried them on some older chicks and they wanted nothing to do with them.

I have a bag of the nipples too, and keep forgetting to set it up. I think the cups are a better option. My nephew is on youtube nonstop brainstorming how to make things easier, LOL. He got several of the water cooler 5 gallon jugs and put them in all the coops so I don't carry water as much. I use the pumps that work for kerosene heaters (new, never touched kerosene of course) to fill waterers. Its been a huge help and a lot less trips. We have a large water storage tank that fits into a pickup, we just need to get the thing set up. I freeze empty water bottles too, and drop them in the buckets during the day. the geese love grabbing them out and playing with them.

Quote: The smaller low wattage like 50 watt, check them out.....

Quote: ACV really helps. My turkeys water kept getting a red film, creepy. Its staying clear now with the vinegar.

Quote: Stock tank deicer is a more expensive item on your electric bill. birdbath deicer may work... have a 1500 watt deicer that really killed my electric last winter! But it worked, and very well. I used it for my goats and calves tank.
A low watt aquarium heater, especially a preset is great, but only if the water level stays above it. Combined with heat tape that is probably a great way to go.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I give keep falling asleep. Will catch up more tomorrow, nite guys

 

[Mother2Hens]

I'm from Terre Haute area . We have 22 layers and one very sweet boy! We will be raising meat brides soon. All organic feed , our eggs our so good. They free range and love to run a round everywere. Most of them have names my grandkids love them. Our boys name is Rocky.

Jeanie ~ Welcome to the Indiana Thread! We are glad that you joined us. You must have lots of eggs from all of your hens!

Here's information about our great thread for you and anyone else interested.

About the Indiana Thread~
To participate on the Indiana Thread, we ask that you follow byc.com’s rules for family-friendly posts. We have members of all ages. Our thread is known for being very active because our members are supportive, respectful of each other’s opinions, interesting, and fun! The Indiana Thread is a diverse group of fantastic members who range from newbies to experienced chicken owners, those who raise chickens for healthful food, and others who enjoy chickens as pets. And we love photos! Posts are not limited to the topic of chickens. There is no such thing as a “dumb” question! Whatever your questions may be, we likely have members who can help you.

Do you want to be listed on the Indiana BYC Members’ List?
“Being a member of this thread” just means adding your screen name and flock info, which can be helpful because the list is a spreadsheet format that lets you sort the list by breed, county, or other category. It’s an easy way to find other members who have the same breed you have or who live in a nearby county, etc.

Click on this link: INDIANA BYC Members’ List Look at the bottom of the list page for sorting options. (This link is also located below my signature on my posts and several other members’ posts).

If you’d like to be added, send a PM (personal message) by simply placing your cursor over my screen name: Mother2Hens, and you will see “Send a PM.” bradselig and CRSelvey (Cheryl) actually add the info, so you can PM either one of them directly, too-- whatever is the easiest for you. A personal message ensures that your info is added. Please send your screen name, county, and city. Also include the following information about each member of your flock: List each species (chicken, duck, etc.), breed (Barred Rock, Blue Cochin, etc.), is it a LF (Large Fowl) or Bantam? If you breed, please include the species. If you have any questions about this thread, please PM jchny2000 (Janet) who is the founder (thread starter) of this group.

Information on a variety of topics including health issues~ ADD LINK (This link is also located below my signature on my posts and several other members’ posts).

Indiana County Map for instant member location/Avatars
If anyone would like a map of your county, like the one on my avatar, I will be happy to provide one. If someone wants a combo map and a chicken or an animal for your avatar, I can put that together for you, just PM me. When I read posts, many times I think “Now where are they from?” I look at the city and still have no idea what part of the state they’re from. The map icon with the county in red because you could quickly glance and see where the member who is posting is from. These avatars are not required-- they are just a free service if you’re interested.

Avatar Updates
If members would like me to change the photo(s) on their avatars, just PM me. Someone might have a picture of a chick that has grown into a hen (or a roo!) and would like to update the photo or someone might like something totally different.

Volunteers Needed
We’re always in need of helpful members to compile or update information or to work on special events. Volunteer as little or as much as your schedule allows. It’s nothing formal; just pitch in when you can. We also welcome ideas that you’d like to pursue. Just PM jchny2000, Mother2Hens, bradselig, or CRSelvey for more information. Thank you.

BYC Indiana Google Map for detailed information
Cluck Acres (Curtis) set up a Google Map for just us INDIANA BYC’ers. You must first log on to your Google account or make a Google account. (If you have gmail, just use your gmail password). All you have to do is go to this link....http://goo.gl/maps/UShV6 . Here are the directions. You will see the state of Indiana.. Zoom in to where you live and then click on the red button that says Edit. After you click Edit you will see a hand, blue pin point and a zig zag line on the map. Click the pin point and drag it to where you live on the map. After you have placed your pin point then click on it and you can edit your description by adding your county. If you want to change your blue pin point to another icon or upload your own then up on the right of that box click the pin point icon and choose others or upload your own icon. If anyone has problems with this feel free to ask.

This information is submitted periodically by Mother2Hens and will soon appear in our revised Indiana Thread informative links page.

We have a new volunteer!

Indiana Thread member @atrueb00 is a graphic designer specializing in websites and social media. She's been working behind the scenes creating a new streamlined design for our thread page with information on a variety of topics. Our members post helpful information from their personal experiences, and we'd like to add various posts for easy access. If you'd like to help as your schedule allows, please contact @jchny2000
Thank you atrueb00!!!

I'm so glad you named your Jubilee "Jubey"! My Black Jersey Giant (RIP) was named Jersey and my Silver Laced Wyandotte is named Lacey. My tiger cat is named Tiger.

Btw, @MnMPoultry Welcome to the Indiana Thead! I think that you may have joined us when I was out of town-- I'm still catching up!

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Really wish we could have made it

It was good seeing family this weekend tho.
I kinda guessed at it on our first batch of duck. I knew the flavor already. Used a sweet red wine, cilantro, dash of garlic and fresh ground peppercorn. Little bit or worstishire. Baked covered in a glass pan on low heat until just starting to fall off the bone. DH liked it VERY much. It was almost like a roast beef flavor.

Oh! I will remember that! Will save a bit back and freeze it for you to give it a try.

goodness its VERY tasty!

Do the male ducks reach an age where they are too old to process for food? Ours were a year old in June and we really need to take out a few of the males. We're hoping they are still good eating at this age...