INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

Can a flock(of 10-15) have more than 1 roo or will that cause more crowing & fighting? (I have a 21 week & 9 week old male.) My 21 week Lav Orp does not crow much at all. (I know he's hen-pecked & not aggressive, so that may play a big part.) I suspect my 9 wk Coronation Sussex is male. My debate is whether to keep all 3 - knowing that the CS is possibly a male - or just one pullet. I will be placing the 3 9-wk-olds in the coop some night this week. (For their entire life, they've been in sight of the flock but in a separate chicken tractor while the flock free ranges.) Yesterday I locked them inside the flock's run, while everyone else was out. At some point I will slip them inside the coop while everyone's asleep, but they're sleeping inside the garage for now. I've always introduced new pullets in this gradual method, but never a cockerel. Will he get killed or plucked bald?

Is there a good chance of the boys getting along (both young) or will they continue to fight for years? We live in a neighborhood. When the crowing is minimal, everyone says they "enjoy" hearing it. I don't want to know what they'll say if I have 2 roos in a daily crow off.

Roos that grow up together do well. My oldest guy, Red is about 2 1/2 years old and allows new roosters. He will chastise them for treating the girls badly. If they abuse a hen, he attacks them. Mean roos do not do well here, the geese wont tolerate it, and Red stops it. You have to watch the flock to see how they treat your hens.

The first cemani chick is out! I'm so excited! I don't see any others externally pipped and this chick is a day late already. Hoping for the best with the others! I'll get pics when it and a couple tolbunts dry off and moved to a brooder! I'm so excited!

waiting!

Quote: Wet feed is so much better even if not fermented. Dry food can encourage respiratory problems.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I did some research into Big Momma's feather loss and it being mites. I have determined that my chickens have lice

I am glad I know what it is so she can feel better and the rest of my flock does not start looking and feeling like her. I purchased the seven dust but have a few concerns.

Does anyone know if Seven Dust is safe to use on a broody that is sitting on eggs?

Is it safe for young chicks also?

This is my first year raising chickens and I have not had to deal with anything like this. Any tips would also be very appreciated on getting rid of the nasty buggers.

Sevin dust, garden variety 5% is pretty safe. I have used it for pups, possum and even skunks and racoon. It kills the fleas and mites not the critter.

I don't like Nigerian dwarfs. But I love pygmys. My boars are sweeties too. I also like touganburgs (sp) and Nubians.

My b
Quote: I like the oberhasli for size and temperament. ND are hard to find. and the one I did, the seller wasn't cooperative. gave up. They are a smaller breed, but large enough to produce about 3 or more cups of milk a day. I am small myself and want a manageable breed.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
mites are easy to see moving. the clumping is a good sign of eggs also

My 8-week old MF cockerel is starting to crow. And now that he is crowing, I realized I haven't heard my other roosters crow at all lately. Not even in the morning like they usually would. Strange! I have no idea what to do with him, I don't have any pullets to sell with him.

Group photo of the silkie pullets and cockerels at 8 weeks. Loving all the patterns in their feathers.



Started building a run twice the size of the current one but need to buy a lot more hardware cloth. That stuff if so expensive! Best price I've found so far in NW Indiana is at Lowe's-15 ft x 3 ft is $17.99.



Got really warm at lunch today and this bearded partridge silkie, affectionately known as Beardy Brown, was so happy to lay out for a bit.



ETA: Has anyone else seen this article on How to Start a Successful Egg Business that makes you Money? I didn't know some areas required permits to sell eggs.

ROFL yea its amazing what we need a permit for. I just give eggs away and folks give us veges in return. I barter a lot.

I need to know of income based housing in the Bloomington Indiana area ASAP PLEASE PM me with info, this is an emergency situation, someone I know has a VERY short period of time before they are homeless roughly 2 weeks at most, prayers needed also. thank you.

I wish you luck. We have several members in the area. Sending prayers

A question for sellers of roosters:

I have a Swedish Flower Hen rooster that I am not keeping. He is amicable with people and really quite a nice boy..never a problem w/him. But he is crested and I don't want to breed crested birds. I was planning on processing him but I'd sell him (or possibly give him away) if I thought he wouldn't end up in a cock fight somewhere.

So...
When y'all sell roos, how do you go about it? Do you try to get references from folks?

I just think putting a 1.5 yo roo on CL may be disaster for him. I'd rather process than see him abused.





ETA: Not getting rid of the human rooster...keeping that one.

ROFL keep that human roo!
I always welcome roosters here. just pm if he needs a home. I don't just "dump them" into the flock.
They get at least 2 weeks of see, don't touch before they are introduced. I do not keep hostile roosters here, so he will be fine.
If there is issues I keep them confined longer or find a safe home for them. I appreciate what roosters do for my flocks.
Everyone that can keep them need them.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Goodnite all caught up, off to bed.

PM me if i missed your post.

 

[Rhandi74]

Good Morning all!!!

Yesterday was a hard day for us on our little farm. Big Momma's condition worsened very rapidly. She went from feather loss and looking like she was getting sick to having a seriously twisted neck and spinning circles. I believe she had wry neck but I am not real sure. We started treatment for wry neck on Wednesday evening but by Thursday she became unable to control her movements and was not eating or drinking. We decided she could no longer suffer and made the very hard decision of ending her suffering. This is our first time having to make a hard decision like this and it is very sad but it was worse to see her suffering.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions on the lice, I have treated everyone and everything and I am crossing my fingers that Jewel's eggs still get a good hatch rate.

 

[gunchief25]

Morning all Cockadoodledoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

 

[pginsber]

Good Morning all!!!

Yesterday was a hard day for us on our little farm. Big Momma's condition worsened very rapidly. She went from feather loss and looking like she was getting sick to having a seriously twisted neck and spinning circles. I believe she had wry neck but I am not real sure. We started treatment for wry neck on Wednesday evening but by Thursday she became unable to control her movements and was not eating or drinking. We decided she could no longer suffer and made the very hard decision of ending her suffering. This is our first time having to make a hard decision like this and it is very sad but it was worse to see her suffering.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions on the lice, I have treated everyone and everything and I am crossing my fingers that Jewel's eggs still get a good hatch rate.

I'm sorry you all had to have that experience.

One never knows what a chicken has done or where they've been during the day. Head injuries are always a possibility, too.. I was keeping a keen eye on how her progress was, in case we run into the same thing over here.
Sending positive thoughts your way.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
1. Yes, I do them in the house. Mine are in the laundry room as I have a laundry sink there that I can use easily.

2. A. After the initial soaking they don't get water. But... you soak then rinse. Then lay it out flat with the seeds distributed flat in the bag on something. I use the lid of a rubbermade like in the video. The next bag (the next day) gets rinsed and stacked on top to that one. So..actually, each day that you stack another on top, the little bit of water from the one above filters down through and provides enough moisture to keep everything damp. I ALSO PUT A ANOTHER LID OR SOMETHING ON TOP OF THE STACK. That way the one at the very top doesn't dry out before putting the next one on.

B. No light. I keep them in a dark place. Think of them as seeds under the dirt beginning to sprout.

3. Since they're in a bag, just pick up the bag like you would a normal one. Nothing falls out since whatever is loose is inside. When I get it outside,hold the bag upside down and shake the loose ones around the run so they can go scratching for them. It also gives the "lowers a chance to get some that they may not get if they had to stand in line at the bag. Then I put the bag on the post so they can clean up whatever is left on the bag which will be most of them.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Good Morning all!!!

Yesterday was a hard day for us on our little farm. Big Momma's condition worsened very rapidly. She went from feather loss and looking like she was getting sick to having a seriously twisted neck and spinning circles. I believe she had wry neck but I am not real sure. We started treatment for wry neck on Wednesday evening but by Thursday she became unable to control her movements and was not eating or drinking. We decided she could no longer suffer and made the very hard decision of ending her suffering. This is our first time having to make a hard decision like this and it is very sad but it was worse to see her suffering.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions on the lice, I have treated everyone and everything and I am crossing my fingers that Jewel's eggs still get a good hatch rate.

So sorry

I have also only had to cull a bird for a health issue one time and it was very hard to do. (egg peritonitis/egg binding)

 

[ChickCrazed]

Good morning all!!! I have been late to work every day for the last week because I am overly enjoying the cool mornings and am just standing around staring at my animals eat in the mornings!!! Luckily work is super flexible!!

I am starting to have rooster issues with my Isbar rooster. He has always had a young Hedemora cockerel in with him, the Hedemora cockerel does not challenge him and is very subservient but the Isbar roo just chases him around and he spends all day hiding. I feel bad for him. The Isbar cockerel also doesn't seem to be being very nice to his girls. He will just get off one and will start chasing her again, he is absolutely terrible. A couple of days ago he got on one of them and wouldn't get off, he was on her for a good 45 seconds until I chased him off her. He is too small to process (maybe 5 lbs at best) so I'm not sure what to do with him. I am considering putting all the girls from that pen in with my layers for the winter and putting all the boys together in one pen. Do you guys think he will settle down if he doesn't have any girls? I will feel bad dumping my Cornish cross cockerels in there with a bully. I would feel ridiculous giving him his own pen by himself and overcrowding the other two pens. I am kind of at my wits end with him! I hate seeing a bully!

Heiser my Bielie roo continues to be perfect!

All my Bielies are. I am super in love with that breed. I REALLY like the Isbar hens too, their man is just a bit of a jerk (although he is not at all human aggressive).

Harris the Isbar


Heiser the Bielefelder