INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

@pipdzipdnreadytogo

Does your 9 yo ee still lay eggs?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

No, I think she's finally hit 'henopause', so to speak. I don't remember for sure, but I don't think she was in the nest at all this summer. She laid a few eggs last year, but that's it. At her age, more power to her.

 

[Leahs Mom]

No, I think she's finally hit 'henopause', so to speak.

I don't remember for sure, but I don't think she was in the nest at all this summer. She laid a few eggs last year, but that's it. At her age, more power to her.

Any issues w/the others picking on her at all....or does she have "Elder Status" that they all respect?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

She is definitely queen of the flock! The others stand back when she is coming through, and she pretty much bulldozes through anyone in her way when she wants to. She does get her beard pulled out most summers, which is odd because she's not shy about standing up for herself. But other than that, nobody messes with her!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

nice pics. thank you for sharing ! your camera does a great job

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Sounds like I'm limited to silkies and 'Scovies then How bad are your silkies about crowing all hours of the night? Not sure who started it or why, but all of my roos took to crowing from sundown to sunup to sundown. Drove me crazy because I knew the neighbors hated it. I sleep with a fan on anyway, so it didn't bother me. My RIR is a sponge of vicarious learning--of bad habits. First time he sees something, he picks it up and runs with it. Love him to pieces, but he's so impressionable and doesn't 'un-learn' things as well as I'd like (it's why he mounts a duck periodically and crows all night). I got rid of the Brahma roo (the one who started the duck mounting thing) months ago... but the RIR still occasionally does it (though he's getting more chivalrous with teh ladies every day).

I'm so happy to hear Bacon's getting his exercise and lovies! 6 miles is a long time for him to be strutting. I'm amazed he could do it

He rested a lot, and I'd catch back up with him

He seemed pretty content today, but I wasn't home much. When I opened the coops after I got home he just looked at me like "NOPE" and sat there, poor guy.

Do any of you have housing that has cement floors (as in a barn or other cement floored building)?

I may end up putting the birds in the pole barn for the winter if I can work out a containment plan. The floors are cement and, of course, I'd have a deep litter over that.

But I'm curious...it seems like the cement floor would be really cold and even make the litter cold and uncomfortable under it. I could probably get a remnant of vinyl flooring to throw on there under the litter.... I'm also wondering about condensation.

I have concrete floor in my pathetic old LF coop. Once the roof started to go, my deep litter turned into deep nightmare

So its great til it gets wet! As long as the rain or moisture isn't a problem I think its perfect, usually real easy to turn and clean on the concrete. Still decomposes well. Now that I am not making trips into town to see Dad daily it can get cleaned properly before the new shed is set in place.
If its an old concrete floor it may sweat, so that could be a problem. It would just mean turning litter more often.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Any issues with condensation in the winter making the floors damp?

How is the "cold factor"?

I know that the chickens will scratch around in the litter and get them down to the floor from time to time no matter what is on the floor.

I also know that concrete can hold heat as well as cold so it may help warm things some for awhile. I just know that the concrete slabs I've been on have a tendency to be very cold in the winter compared to other flooring. Also that dogs are reported to have joint issues when they are sleeping on concrete due to the cold/condensation type issues so I wondered if it would be smart to put down something on top of the concrete for them.

If you were able to keep it down, maybe. But honestly linoleum is pretty cold too. I have no carpet in my house, just concrete or linoleum in our half.

can any one tell me what this is, Hawk or falcon? I found its pic on line but not a name. I beat it with a broom this morning after it got tangled in the deer netting above my Silkie pen. Thank God I got the netting up before this darn thing showed up, and it didn't care that I was standing 10 or 15 feet away either. First time one of these ever got close let alone actually try to strike. I've had chicken hawks a time or 2 but nothing as bold as this, and it would not have been able to fly away with Romeo or the ISA's in with him, they are way to big for this bird. It would have had to dine-in and did it really think I was going to allow that??? I was standing right there!!! I'm sorry I'm kinda shook up right now. I need to go check on the kids again broom in hand!!

Good thing you were there! That hand to be a frightening experience!
Strange you mention this, I had a scare this morning too. I think it is a cooper hawk, lot of barring in the wings. Darn near nailed one of the wild bunch mix banties that are out freeranging. Every one of my guinea went after it! I was getting ready to leave and heard a WOOSH over my head, and saw it swoop down the drive after one of the fellas. He dove under a bush and the guinea went nuts! goooo guinea

chased it away. I swear, it had to be within feet of my head!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

just guessing but looks like mine and they are red tailed hawks. cant see the red because its under the tail. no matter, they all eat chicken

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
I think it is a coopers. It was plainly barred/striped and VERY bold.

Weekly Chicken Event Post!

There are 4 auctions/swap meets this weekend, check out the details on the Indiana BYC'ers Events Calendar and check for the locations on the Indiana BYC'ers Map! I also have each event linked to it's website/Facebook page for additional show details.

Friday, September 26- Veedersburg Sale Barn-Veedersburg, Indiana
Friday, September 26-Dinky's Auction-Montgomery, Indiana
Saturday, September 27- Newbury Square Swap Meet & Flea Market - Shipshewana, Indiana - also check here
Saturday, September 27- Sandcut Trader's Fair-Terre Haute, IN
Sunday, September 28- Sandcut Trader's Fair-Terre Haute, IN

If you do go, try wearing your official Indiana BYC T-shirt and see if you spot anyone else there! Also, please take pictures to share!




Upcoming Events:

Friday, October 3- Dinky's Auction-Montgomery, Indiana
Saturday, October 4- Croy Creek Trader's Fair-Reelsville, Indiana
Sunday, October 5- Croy Creek Trader's Fair-Reelsville, Indiana
Sunday, October 5- Northeast Indiana Poultry Swap Meet-Bluffton, Indiana
Sunday, October 5- Tri-K Pigeon & Bantam Club-Kankakee, Illinois
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Friday, October 10- Dinky's Auction-Montgomery, Indiana
Sunday, October 12- Golden Houseshoe Saddle Club/Knox Swap Meet, Knox, Indiana
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Friday, October 17- Dinky's Auction-Montgomery, Indiana
Saturday, October 18- Central Indiana Poultry Show-Lebanon, Indiana (Seller forms due 10/6/14)
Saturday, October 18- Croy Creek Trader's Fair-Reelsville, Indiana
Sunday, October 19- Croy Creek Trader's Fair-Reelsville, Indiana
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Friday, October 24- Dinky's Auction-Montgomery, Indiana
Friday, October 24- Veedersburg Sale Barn-Veedersburg, Indiana
Saturday, October 25- Newbury Square Swap Meet & Flea Market - Shipshewana, Indiana - also check here
Saturday, October 25- Sandcut Trader's Fair-Terre Haute, IN
Sunday, October 26- Sandcut Trader's Fair-Terre Haute, IN

Thanks so much for posting this!

Well I finally got my 530 am wake-up call to the post office this morning! They are smaller than I thought which is great and they aren't terrified of me! Also great! They've obviously been handled often.

Soo much more beautiful than I could have imagined! Pics just don't do them justice!

I've left them in the box for now so they can relax from the trip. Given them scrambled eggs and water.

precious little things

I LOVE them as babies, just like a turkey poult. Totally too sweet!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:

Hello and welcome! Please feel free to post anytime. We have several thread members from different states. I should have named us "Friendly BYCer's here" instead

I have to say...
We have hawks here every day. My birds are all still free-ranging. They learn very quickly how to take care of themselves.

I did lose one to a hawk in the last 2.5 years. That particular bird was what I called "hawk-fodder" by her behavior. I told my husband that she was going to be the first to be killed by a predator. She wouldn't "flock" and always acted like she was afraid of the flock. Very flighty at the tiniest thing. She would "freak out" and run around and away from the flock as a matter of course. Was always on the perimeters of the little wooded area instead of with the gang. I actually think she had a "mental disorder" and wasn't quite "right". Never had any other bird act that way except her daughter which I hatched quite by mistake thinking the egg was from a different bird.

That doesn't mean that a "normal" chicken won't ever be taken by a hawk. And I do watch hawk patterns and try to change things up from time to time. I also try to do everything I can to scare them. The Indiana DNR recommends "Bird Bangers" or "Cracker Shells" which I had never heard of. I was just about to get some when we had a death in the family and got deterred and haven't gotten back to it. Bird bangers require the purchase of a "launcher" pistol; Cracker shells are shot from a 12 gauge shotgun. They are like shooting a "firecracker". You shoot it and it "bangs" near the bird to scare them. I'm probably going to go ahead and get some when I get back to it.

http://www.jpfbirdscare.com/Products/BirdBanger03.html

For 12 Guage:
http://margosupplies.com/public/american1/scare/12_gauge_carts.htm
http://www.jpfbirdscare.com/Products/Shellcrackers.html


Anyhow..
If you want to free range, do. Don't be foolish and put them out in an open field with nothing to run under for cover. But I really encourage you to let them be chickens if at all possible. If you know hawks are watching, change the times you open their gate so there isn't a normal time or pattern, etc. It's just so much better for them to get to run outside if at all possible.

Good post! My FIL suggested this too, we haven't got around to getting blanks yet tho. I have a lot of large bushes fortunately. all it takes is one rooster growl and everyone is dashing to hide.
This evening, I heard my neighbor on the hill yelling COYOTE and heard several shotgun blasts! I asked DH to please stop over there and make sure his flock and my peas are ok! All this going on tells me we are in for a bad winter, wildlife is foraging hard already. Coyote worry me for sure.