INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Rhandi74]

Thank you, she does resemble the Togg in her markings. . You have very good looking goats.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Here is what I do with compressed sawdust pellets and water. The ducks splash so much they wet the top layer right away. I come in with a Rubbermaid dust pan and scrape the top layer off daily. Then I stir it a bit. I like the stew pot - with the flat bottom and straight sides, it is quite stable and the ducks can wash off in it. This is really important in the winter when it is so cold outside there is no swim pan available.

These are the pictures I keep coming across in regards to water inside the duck coop. Those pine pellets, I know from experience, just draw in the water like mad--and they feel dry after absorbing all that water! This setup would probably take up too much space for my little duck coop, but I thought I'd share it anyway for other folks with ducks. (P.S. they also did one of those VIP interviews with this person, if anyone's interested. I haven't really interacted with her, but she shares so much advice over at the Duck forum and I've learned a lot from reading her posts! BYC Member Interview - Amiga )

 

[Rhandi74]

just loved the precious baby goat pics! I am on my 3rd year for pigs. Didn't think I would like them. I LOVE them! I treat mine like a pet, and they stay nice. Pet them, talk to them and socialize a LOT. I like them so much, I bought a boar piglet and gilts with our feeder "Bacon" for next year! I have a "large black" Boar, a "bjuebutt" gilt and yorkshire gilt. I really, really like my lil boar, he is a big baby so far. We are building a community farrowing house, and will begin breeding late winter. I tried to start with breeders last summer, and the group I had wound up being sickly. Wilbur was supposed to be a boar, and we later discovered he had been cut so we were taken on them.

We got miniature pigs this year, more for pets then anything. They are very fun and interesting. Sorry about your bad luck last summer. I absolutely love goats and could not imagine not having them, but I have never had cows so I would probably say the same about them.

Just absolutely adorable! I am really interested in Lamancha, and toddenburg. DH loves homemade ice cream. May find a Brown swiss heifer soon, and not need them tho.

Thank you, I was not sure about Lamancha ears at first but they have the best personalities. Now their looks have kinda grown on me and I think they are all cute.

 

[CharlemagneRoost]

I have new birds to learn about - Chinese owls ... Just got them this morning, so I will need to be a quick study.

Anyone here proficient in the care and keeping of pigeons?!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

when i lived in Mi. the pigeons were considered a nuisance bird. the city brought peregrine falcons in to try and control their population. they were garbage eaters. Imagine my surprise when i moved here and they were treasured. point being, they must be very hardy birds. and the care and upkeep on them is very similar to that of any caged bird, the parakeet is a good example, bird seed, grit, fresh water, the perch that will file there nails down and i know they make a very poor nest on the ground. good luck with them

 

[Granny Hatchet]

people are selling birds for what i consider a pretty good price right now because of winter coming and i am having a time trying to buy some because i had surgery and cant drive. i did buy a white leghorn pr. for 15 and a friend went and got them for me. then i found a beautiful houdan (sp) rooster black and white for 15 but 10 more if delivered so that makes it too much for me. and then just today i found a trio of bantam speckled sussex for 30. they were beautiful and about a 45 min. drive from here. he wants 45 dollars to deliver them. no way for me. please tell me i am not missing out on some good deals by not being able to go get them. how much would a trio cost in the spring when i can drive? i didnt even know sussex came bantam. how very disappointing. oh, forgot to mention the seremas, he lives 2 hrs from me. has chicks for10 dollars, adolescents for 15 and mated prs. for 50 . i am almost willing to take off in my riding chair for those. lol are these normal prices or great deals?

 

[SallyinIndiana]

people are selling birds for what i consider a pretty good price right now because of winter coming and i am having a time trying to buy some because i had surgery and cant drive. i did buy a white leghorn pr. for 15 and a friend went and got them for me. then i found a beautiful houdan (sp) rooster black and white for 15 but 10 more if delivered so that makes it too much for me. and then just today i found a trio of bantam speckled sussex for 30. they were beautiful and about a 45 min. drive from here. he wants 45 dollars to deliver them. no way for me. please tell me i am not missing out on some good deals by not being able to go get them. how much would a trio cost in the spring when i can drive? i didnt even know sussex came bantam. how very disappointing. oh, forgot to mention the seremas, he lives 2 hrs from me. has chicks for10 dollars, adolescents for 15 and mated prs. for 50 . i am almost willing to take off in my riding chair for those. lol are these normal prices or great deals?

on any laying bird I would ask about the age at those prices. I would also be checking for bugs and anything else I could. less than $10 for a 6 month old chicken is well below the typical cost to raise a chicken unless the chicken has not been fed - maybe it got scraps from other livestock.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

on any laying bird I would ask about the age at those prices. I would also be checking for bugs and anything else I could. less than $10 for a 6 month old chicken is well below the typical cost to raise a chicken unless the chicken has not been fed - maybe it got scraps from other livestock.

they are 5 months and havent started laying yet

 

[Granny Hatchet]

someone on facebook has offered to go pick them up for me for 10 dollars. said it should be 5 for gas each way.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Seems like it's been awfully quiet here today! Well, how about a small story?


Tonight, my 5 year old niece 'helped' put the chickens away. She loves doing it. She's getting better at it, too--and she's a natural with the girls! She's very careful to be gentle when petting them and she tries to copy me when they are nervous and tells them it's okay. They don't believe her, of course, but that'll come with time.

We got the Guinea fowl in ("Aunt Kristin, are they boys or girls?" She didn't want to call them by the wrong sex. ) and played hide and seek in the chicken coop. We went over and checked out the duck coop build, where she admired how 'soft' the floor was (she meant smooth ). Then, we returned to the chicken coop and counted the chickens. She counted the six pullets that always sleep in the addition, and I counted the other 36 on the main perches and in the rafters. I asked her how many there were all together, and she turned to me and matter-of-factly said, "A hundred!!" That girl's got a different kind of chicken math going on.

As we were leaving, she hurriedly went from the roosts to the addition and said good night to everyone. She'll make a good chicken lady some day.