INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[bradselig]

These are two posts in response to Kab last year when she had a chick with wry neck and/or star gazing. Hope this helps, Brad!

Thanks!

 

[ChickCrazed]

Hi All!

Got a few pictures of my babies! Not so little any more!

The little cream legbar girl



Both little boys are identical, almost a partridge barred. I am thinking maybe they are Cream Legbar Daddy and Dark Brahma Mom. Racin what do you think?




They are cute little guys. Now I just need to find them homes!

And here is the royal couple out for an evening constitutional

 

[AnnaPi]

Greetings from Whitley County! I introduced myself in the New Member Introductions forum a while back, but I'd really like to meet some chicken folks in my area especially, so I figured I should introduce myself here, too Grew up in Whitley County, left for 15 years, and came back about a year ago. I hadn't planned on having any sort of farm animals because I really like traveling, and I know how hard it is finding someone to take care of my three cats, let alone someone willing to go out and do chores twice per day. But then one day a few months after I moved back last year, my dad found a hen-less chick in his barn, and he and my mom were going on vacation, so I agreed to take care of it until they got back. Fast forward a year, and the chick is a rooster I named Reginald. I also have three hens and two chicks I'm hoping with all my might end up being hens, too. My farmhouse came with a barn cat (unbeknownst to me at the time) and then I relocated a feral colony that was going to be "evicted" (probably euthanized since they were too wild to be homed) from the basement of the apartment building I had been living in in Columbia City. Bringing me to a grand total of eight cats (five in the barn, three in the house) and six chickens. So much for spontaneous travel plans! I love all my animals, though, and it really gives me pleasure to take care of all of them. If I'm honest with myself, I would guess I'll have some more animals (goats? sheep? ... MORE CHICKENS??) by this time next year!

Here's a link to some photos of my chickens: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10102299433423789.1073741835.836415&type=1&l=3dfa1fa8de

Looking forward to getting to know you all!

-Anna

 

[iamfivewire]

welcome anna - this a great group & great chicken family

 

[PeacefulWalls]

Hey guys, how do you over winter ducks? We have 3 khaki campbells. I'm planning on putting their coop in the barn this year. I am more curious about the water situation. We have cookie tin heaters for out poultry waterers, but ducks have to clean out their nares. So... how do you handle the water situation for ducks in the winter?

We bought a heated water bucket from Tractor Supply for our ducks (and one for the alpacas). It holds about 3 or 4 gallon I think. We had no issues with it freezing during last winter. We put a board across the top to cover half of it because some of the ducks decided they wanted to swim in the pail. They could get in, but they weren't able to get back out, so they were stuck in the pail until we found them! Our barn stall where they currently are has a dirt floor. We piled mulch on the floor and it seems to work well. The ducks spend most of the day outside. We'd like to come up with a different plan to house them, but for now they're in the barn.

And here is the royal couple out for an evening constitutional

The royal couple are so pretty!

Greetings from Whitley County! I introduced myself in the New Member Introductions forum a while back, but I'd really like to meet some chicken folks in my area especially, so I figured I should introduce myself here, too Grew up in Whitley County, left for 15 years, and came back about a year ago. I hadn't planned on having any sort of farm animals because I really like traveling, and I know how hard it is finding someone to take care of my three cats, let alone someone willing to go out and do chores twice per day. But then one day a few months after I moved back last year, my dad found a hen-less chick in his barn, and he and my mom were going on vacation, so I agreed to take care of it until they got back. Fast forward a year, and the chick is a rooster I named Reginald. I also have three hens and two chicks I'm hoping with all my might end up being hens, too. My farmhouse came with a barn cat (unbeknownst to me at the time) and then I relocated a feral colony that was going to be "evicted" (probably euthanized since they were too wild to be homed) from the basement of the apartment building I had been living in in Columbia City. Bringing me to a grand total of eight cats (five in the barn, three in the house) and six chickens. So much for spontaneous travel plans! I love all my animals, though, and it really gives me pleasure to take care of all of them. If I'm honest with myself, I would guess I'll have some more animals (goats? sheep? ... MORE CHICKENS??) by this time next year!

Here's a link to some photos of my chickens: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10102299433423789.1073741835.836415&type=1&l=3dfa1fa8de

Looking forward to getting to know you all!

-Anna

Welcome! If this group has any influence over you at all, you will have chickens (and who knows what else) coming out of your ears by this time next year!

 

[chick rookie]

So I finally hatched my first chick with wry neck. It was from shipped eggs and such a cute fluffy bantam Cochin. I've been syringing water to keep it hydrated and a couple drops of poly vi sol several times a day. I have to keep him in a smaller food storage container lined with rolled up wash cloths to keep him from rolling over. I think today is day 3 with no improvement what so ever. It will not eat so may have to start moistening and mashing feed to try that.

Any suggestions? I'd really hate to cull it if it has a chance but I also hate to see it suffer.

Wow sorry, good luck hope it recovers soon.

Oh, chicken therapy! As you may have been able to tell from one of my posts above, chicken therapy is the only thing that keeps me going some days! I have a wide variety of personalities in my flock, from the super needy to the cuddlers to the ones that could care less to even a few that avoid me like the plague, but even so, just watching them as they go on their merry way, especially when out during free range... I don't have words. There's something so soothing about watching a flock of chickens set to work foraging, or dig into a dust bath, or even just sit around and preen.

What I have found most comforting over the years is that it's not just one way. Though I am sure some days my girls are sick of my presence (except the cuddlers and the attention hogs

), I do genuinely feel as if they all miss me if I haven't been out with them as much. I recall a couple years ago, during a semester in which I felt particularly stressed, I hadn't done much more with the birds than I had to. It occurred to me that I may have felt more stressed because I was not getting my allotted chicken therapy time, but it was a rough patch I was going through. Well, I finally decided I needed time with the girls, and when I went out to the chicken yard, something rather remarkable happened. Not only did the needy ones and the cuddlers come over to see me, but the longer I stood there, the more birds gathered around. That included the few that will flee from me if I try to pet them! They just all gathered at my feet or climbed up next to me for my attention.

I truly believe my girls like me, maybe not as much as I like them, but at the very least they do like me a bit.

It's as my mom was saying just yesterday, when we were out with the girls. She was sitting with miss Kate on her lap, and I was picking up and cuddling whichever ones came by to see me. Mom turned to me and said, "I can't imagine not having this," and she gestured around to the miscellaneous birds around us. And I can't imagine it, either.

It's a good life.


And there I go on a crazy chicken lady ramble again.

Don't mind me.

My chickens always make me feel better so do the horses and the goats. i go out and sit with all of them, or i'll saddle up and go for a ride around the neighborhood.. always helps.

Hi All!

Got a few pictures of my babies! Not so little any more!

The little cream legbar girl



Both little boys are identical, almost a partridge barred. I am thinking maybe they are Cream Legbar Daddy and Dark Brahma Mom. Racin what do you think?




They are cute little guys. Now I just need to find them homes!

And here is the royal couple out for an evening constitutional

Very cute, and I love the royal couple... lol

Greetings from Whitley County! I introduced myself in the New Member Introductions forum a while back, but I'd really like to meet some chicken folks in my area especially, so I figured I should introduce myself here, too Grew up in Whitley County, left for 15 years, and came back about a year ago. I hadn't planned on having any sort of farm animals because I really like traveling, and I know how hard it is finding someone to take care of my three cats, let alone someone willing to go out and do chores twice per day. But then one day a few months after I moved back last year, my dad found a hen-less chick in his barn, and he and my mom were going on vacation, so I agreed to take care of it until they got back. Fast forward a year, and the chick is a rooster I named Reginald. I also have three hens and two chicks I'm hoping with all my might end up being hens, too. My farmhouse came with a barn cat (unbeknownst to me at the time) and then I relocated a feral colony that was going to be "evicted" (probably euthanized since they were too wild to be homed) from the basement of the apartment building I had been living in in Columbia City. Bringing me to a grand total of eight cats (five in the barn, three in the house) and six chickens. So much for spontaneous travel plans! I love all my animals, though, and it really gives me pleasure to take care of all of them. If I'm honest with myself, I would guess I'll have some more animals (goats? sheep? ... MORE CHICKENS??) by this time next year!

Here's a link to some photos of my chickens: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10102299433423789.1073741835.836415&type=1&l=3dfa1fa8de

Looking forward to getting to know you all!

-Anna

Welcome

My family made me a treadle feeder as a gift last year. (Dad built it while sister & mom did the artwork. Lizard pic b/c I used to raise reptiles.) After a year it still works, but I have to occasionally reassemble the lever arm. If I did not have it, I would be considering a pre-made metal one. I added a pointed peak to keep the chickens from sitting on it.


The other feeders I have work perfectly because there's no moving parts. The hens must put their heads completely inside to eat, so there's less waste.
I fill it up all the way. As the chickens eat the food from the bottom, more from the top & sides fall through.
I hang them so little critters don't climb up into it & so the chickens do not sit on top (& poop). Not sure if little birds would find a way into it or not. I made smaller ones for the chicks, since they're easy & practically free to make.





Below is a smaller chick feeder made from a nut container. I later added a handle to hang it.





I cut the female end off the bottom to make a lip for the front.


PS- Neither of these ideas were originally mine. The treadle plans were found here on Backyard chickens & the feeder was from

.

Nice feeders all, I really like the pip feeders, going to make some thanks for the ideal.

I have to admit I doze off in my chair a lot. I am already looking into another stock tank & heater myself for the pigs.

Love this!

I would let them do it, unless you plan to turn the garden before winter. Will give them some great hiding spots for a while too. They won't mind if you do turn it tho

Should make a fantastic coop!

They can free range together, but not be confined together. Hens can fly and outrun a pekin in a flash. If they are behind a fence, they may not be able to escape. I would talk to other call duck owners, and find out their experiences with chicken mingling.
@Leahs Mom yes! Want to note that most of these goslings were young adult sized, nearly as big as their parents. Also depends on the breed of goose, some are docile and passive. I keep Chinese and Embden. I also sent 3 adult gander with the group.
I don't have hawk attacks. I do see falcon take a sparrow on occasion, but at tree level. My main chicken coop is no longer covered thanks to last winter and a big tree limb. If hawks fly over, the geese will shriek, flutter, spread their wings and cluster as a group.. The roosters all growl, everyone duck and chicken wise runs under the bushes. My guineas chatter, turkey toms strut and gobble.. hawks fly off. When I hear the geese, roosters and guinea, I am looking for a "visitor".
A mature group of ganders, and mother geese will attack a fox, especially in a large flock setting. Geese bite down, twist and can tear skin. Their wings really hurt when they flog you! Geese bite, pin and then flog a predator. Guinea fowl will also attack in a large group, and actually dive bomb them! I have seen it myself. Goslings are no match for fox, I lost 2 last year to a fox before my neighbor got him. But I only had 3 adult geese, and 1 gander. The fox scaled the fence and entered the pen. DD saw it, and couldn't get to them in time. That's when I added more geese, and moved my coops together. I have seen a few this year, but between the adult geese, turkey and guinea, they run it off quick. My grow up pen is centered between the other birds for this reason. (and comingling with adults)
Coyote are a different story, it would be as bad as a dog attack. Most poultry and waterfowl don't stand a chance with a coyote.
Aside from loving all those type birds, they earn their keep helping to protect the ducks and chickens. I couldn't safely free range without them.

Once again, I have learned something new, thanks, I love not asking but still learning...

Input about Ideas and Products
It's so helpful to hear about different members' experiences using ideas and products that have been discussed on our thread! There are always factors that may make something work for one person, but not another-- and it's also interesting to learn about the reasons why. I always thought those treadle feeders sounded perfect, but I hadn't thought about bantams or mechanical issues. I haven't had a need for "mud flaps" protecting my coop from starlings trying to enter, but I remember thinking that @ChickCrazed 's method was ingenious! @Faraday40 --
Love the chick feeders! I've got to get to bed, but will looking at those more closely tomorrow. I think that @chick rookie made some basic feeders (not with pvc) out of plastic coffee containers and posted pics. It's great to see all of the creative ideas!

Congrats on your hatch so far. I only have one and I don't know how long I should wait for the others until I take her off the nest, her comb is light pink, getting worried, is that normal? or is she starving herself, I see her come off the nest once a day and eat drink and boy does she poo, but is it enough? the due date on her last egg to be put under her was yesterday.

 

[PeacefulWalls]

I asked this a while ago, but didn't get any response so I thought I'd pose it again. Has anyone ever tried or thought about using the heated water buckets for chicken waterers? We never had a problem with water freezing in them. If the nipple drinkers were fitted to the bottom of the bucket, would they stay thawed all winter? I'm just wondering if this would be a good option instead of trying to mess with heat tape, aquarium heaters, etc trying to keep the water from freezing.

 

[ChickCrazed]

I asked this a while ago, but didn't get any response so I thought I'd pose it again.  Has anyone ever tried or thought about using the heated water buckets for chicken waterers?  We never had a problem with water freezing in them.  If the nipple drinkers were fitted to the bottom of the bucket, would they stay thawed all winter?  I'm just wondering if this would be a good option instead of trying to mess with heat tape, aquarium heaters, etc trying to keep the water from freezing.

I like the idea but I would be worried about drilling through the bucket without knowing where the heating element was or what it looked like.

 

[Thriftymom6]

Early planning stages for next years chickenfest, you can join the planning here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/909604/indiana-bycers-chickenfest-2015

 
Ok, I am thinking mid September. Yes or no's? taking a vote, and I will start looking for a northern location. Will post on our main thread also.
1. Plans are a swap, and maybe an auction on donated items like hatching eggs, even live birds. Swaps should be planned in advance and the owners responsibility. Chicken trains could also be worked out for the event.
2. @hoosiercheetah
is offering an auto door demo. Other topics?
3. Pitch in or possibly catered. (several food chains even offer catering packages, like subway) Food committee will plan this, and take votes, decide on menu. @Minminme
and possibly @barb s
Anyone interested in the food committee please holler! We need to plan for vegetarian members as well.
4. Time period...longer event, shorter? We all kinda felt it was too short!
Those 4 items will give us a good start on the new fest coming next year.

And just remembered also, campfire and smores!!!

Nice I am getting excited already!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Beauty!! Won't be long before my Violet is that big!

Greetings from Whitley County! I introduced myself in the New Member Introductions forum a while back, but I'd really like to meet some chicken folks in my area especially, so I figured I should introduce myself here, too Grew up in Whitley County, left for 15 years, and came back about a year ago. I hadn't planned on having any sort of farm animals because I really like traveling, and I know how hard it is finding someone to take care of my three cats, let alone someone willing to go out and do chores twice per day. But then one day a few months after I moved back last year, my dad found a hen-less chick in his barn, and he and my mom were going on vacation, so I agreed to take care of it until they got back. Fast forward a year, and the chick is a rooster I named Reginald. I also have three hens and two chicks I'm hoping with all my might end up being hens, too. My farmhouse came with a barn cat (unbeknownst to me at the time) and then I relocated a feral colony that was going to be "evicted" (probably euthanized since they were too wild to be homed) from the basement of the apartment building I had been living in in Columbia City. Bringing me to a grand total of eight cats (five in the barn, three in the house) and six chickens. So much for spontaneous travel plans! I love all my animals, though, and it really gives me pleasure to take care of all of them. If I'm honest with myself, I would guess I'll have some more animals (goats? sheep? ... MORE CHICKENS??) by this time next year! Here's a link to some photos of my chickens: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10102299433423789.1073741835.836415&type=1&l=3dfa1fa8de Looking forward to getting to know you all! -Anna

Welcome, neighbor! I'm in Whitley County as well! There are a few others from the county on the thread as well--Whitley folks unite!

My chickens always make me feel better so do the horses and the goats. i go out and sit with all of them, or i'll saddle up and go for a ride around the neighborhood.. always helps. Congrats on your hatch so far. I only have one and I don't know how long I should wait for the others until I take her off the nest, her comb is light pink, getting worried, is that normal? or is she starving herself, I see her come off the nest once a day and eat drink and boy does she poo, but is it enough? the due date on her last egg to be put under her was yesterday.

Laughter may be the best medicine, but animals are the best therapy! As far as your broody goes, bear in mind I have very limited broody experience, but from what I've read, it's best just to leave mama alone and let her decide when it's time to get up at this point in the process. Good luck!

I asked this a while ago, but didn't get any response so I thought I'd pose it again. Has anyone ever tried or thought about using the heated water buckets for chicken waterers? We never had a problem with water freezing in them. If the nipple drinkers were fitted to the bottom of the bucket, would they stay thawed all winter? I'm just wondering if this would be a good option instead of trying to mess with heat tape, aquarium heaters, etc trying to keep the water from freezing.

I don't know about converting it to a nipple waterer, but I do use a heated bucket for water for my hens in winter and haven't had any problems yet. I put it underneath something in the coop so that the girls can reach it to drink, but if there's a commotion, they can't accidentally fall into it. I believe, at least on mine, the element is on the bottom of the bucket, so that would make fitting nipple drinkers pretty difficult. (P.S. Thank you for the board idea for a heated bucket for the ducks--I think I'll go that route with my future ducks. I was going to just do a gravity waterer or something, but those heated buckets are so much easier than breaking ice every few hours!)