INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[SallyinIndiana]

@LKShepherd Wow, you sure did get lucky! You've gotten all of my luck, LOL! Seriously, good for you. We have purchased from Ideal Poultry before and were really happy with our chicks. We bought ten and opted out of the "extras" buy paying for insurance, and they also put a block of pressed straw to help take up the space those five chicks extra would have. I don't know if they still do that or not, but something for others to ask about if they decide (against my recommendation) to get a last-minute order.

We got chicks last year too as the deals were "too" good to pass up. I'll repeat my recommendation to wait for chicks. BUT:
If one is going to order chicks in winter, it really is a bit easier to get them about 4 weeks before one thinks warm dry weather will be here. Wet warm weather is just as bad for chicks as ice storms. A wet chick imo has trouble staying warm.
Now I suppose if one owns a heated barn or a barn with a heated room now would be a great time to get chicks as eggs would start rolling in long before spring and of course long before spring chicks start laying

All that said, I'm hoping to participate in the New Years hatch along with something. That will give me some chicks to keep warm for a while.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I think I've asked before but not sure.

HAS ANYONE ON THE THREAD USED THE SWEETER HEATER FOR BROODING CHICKS?

http://sweeterheater.com/

 

[pbirdhaven]

Question about hawk predation: Does anyone have aviary netting over their runs/chicken yards to prevent hawk predation, and has it worked? We lost a 3 year old Buff Orp a few days ago, and it was definitely a hawk. DH saw one flying low over the chicken yard when he went to let the girls out, so he didn't (at least not then). I just ordered a 50' x 50' section of netting that will more than cover our chicken yard, and it had really good reviews on Amazon.com (4.5/5). We also are moving our plastic owl out there.

This is our first predator loss in two years, so I guess we can't complain (much). I'm glad it wasn't a younger or more valuable hen, but it always sucks.

I use one-inch topflite netting, stretched taut so that the birds don't get caught in it if they fly against it. You have to knock off snow in the winter and leaves in fall, but it's a sturdy netting and lasts for years.

So I have sadly lost 3 younger chickens this week.

1 little rooster just didn't come in to roost one night and we haven't seen him, we have looked all over. And the other 2, 1 silkie rooster and 1 bantam cochin just got really lethargic and quit eating and drinking. I tried to hand feed and water them, but it seems like they just gave up on living, both were at the bottom of the pecking order. Can anyone tell me what might have happened. All the other birds seem to be fine. I didn't know if it was just the weather changes and they weren't strong enough to handle it or if they might have been sick. I am really at a loss, because they were both fine last week, and this just seemed to come on all the sudden.

So, I'm pretty sure I've narrowed down an issue my fil is having with his chickens. It started a couple of months ago. He had an aging BR hen that just fluffed up, hunched up and pretty much stayed that way. I was thinking "egg bound" he culled her. A few days ago, another hen started except she had a hard time getti g back in the coop. Same coop as the other hens. I thought worms. We are worming them all. Today, one of the BO pullets I gave him that is in the furthest distance away run started. I asked him what her comb looks like. He said pale in front turning normal to the back. I'm not there to get a good look. I'm wondering if it's coccidiosis.
Symptoms:
Fluffed up
Sitting hunched up, neck pulled in
Difficulty climbing up 6 inches
Still eating and drinking
Environment:
Dirt runs (which are now muddy because of all the rain)

Thought?
If we can't get a more educated guess, he will isolate the "off ones" (I want him to treat the whole bunch) and treat with corid. Of course, toss the eggs.

I was talking to an experienced breeder at the show Saturday. She said that there are several varieties of cocci and not all produce abnormal stool, but the lethargy, fluffed feathers, hunched back, etc. are pretty sure signs. She also said that some strains can be contracted at any age.

 

[pbirdhaven]

I think I've asked before but not sure.

HAS ANYONE ON THE THREAD USED THE SWEETER HEATER FOR BROODING CHICKS?

http://sweeterheater.com/

Haven't used that but have an ecoglow, probably the same principle. Seems to be working well.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I was talking to an experienced breeder at the show Saturday. She said that there are several varieties of cocci and not all produce abnormal stool, but the lethargy, fluffed feathers, hunched back, etc. are pretty sure signs. She also said that some strains can be contracted at any age.

The problem with this is that these are the signs of ALL illnesses in birds...not just cocci. The lethargy, hunching and fluffing just tell us there's a problem.

One thing that I really recommend if folks are inclined to treat and don't have some really clear indications on what the issue is.... take a fecal sample to a vet! You may have to call around to find one that will do poultry but they can be found. Especially if you suspect parasites, this will either confirm it or set your mind at ease that it isn't the issue.

That way you aren't making the bird sicker by trying all kinds of treatments that they may not need but which will weaken them even further.

 

[kabhyper1]

I thought about trying the sweeter heater, but I'm not sure how well it would work. With my eco glow, the chicks stand up under it like a broody for heat. The sweeter heater is side mounted I think.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I thought about trying the sweeter heater, but I'm not sure how well it would work. With my eco glow, the chicks stand up under it like a broody for heat. The sweeter heater is side mounted I think.

I LOVE YOUR NEW ICON.... I want a roller coaster chicken!!!!!

And on the sweeter heater - they have both side and hanging. You can get them either way. I saw on person was using it on the floor, upside down, to heat the waterer.

I do have a heat plate (like an eco glow) but have been really curious about these.


Gail Damerow wrote and article on brooders they built and put them in. I found that after I had posted earlier. Here's a link:

http://images.bsehosting.com/4137/7830-9554.pdf

 

[kabhyper1]

I LOVE YOUR NEW ICON.... I want a roller coaster chicken!!!!!

And on the sweeter heater - they have both side and hanging. You can get them either way. I saw on person was using it on the floor, upside down, to heat the waterer.

I do have a heat plate (like an eco glow) but have been really curious about these.


Gail Damerow wrote and article on brooders they built and put them in. I found that after I had posted earlier. Here's a link:

http://images.bsehosting.com/4137/7830-9554.pdf

LOL just google chicken gifs. Then paste the gif link into the avatar changer. I see how they work now! I bet they would do fine. We bought an eco heater at big r and put it between the coops attached to the hardware cloth to take the chill off. http://www.eco-heater.com/

 

[Leahs Mom]

At Big R? How much was it?

 

[kabhyper1]

At Big R? How much was it?

99.99 Little pricey, but when we have plugged it in it really takes the chill off. I refuse to use heat lamps. I don't use heat normally but I still have bald hens. After rain it gets very damp and cold in the barn. This winter we will have 8 alpacas 60+ chickens and a cat in a 33 by 25 area. A chicken puts off 10 watts of heat. So 600 watts of heat for my flock total... ish lol. The alpacas don't really put off heat, they keep it close to their bodies, so they aren't much help. We have about a foot of straw down all winter also since the barn is concrete.