INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[SallyinIndiana]

For everyone who has not subscribed yet, here is a link to the official 2015 Indiana Chicken Fest Thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/909604/indiana-bycers-chickenfest-2015/130

And the wonderful FB group for our Indiana BYC thread members is:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/653896251318576/

 

[raisinemright]

Well Warsaw Big R does not have chicks yet!! Getting the brooders set up though. No new chicks for me yet...

 

[pbirdhaven]

Thank you for the wonderful compliment!
I will be setting up breeding Black Copper (which is what you have), Blue Copper, Golden Cuckoo (sexable at hatch) and Splash Marans. I never hatch very many but just love the breed and to help preserve/improve the breed is a big win for me. I feel there are so many that breed and sell way too many that aren't up to SOP. People don't get what they pay or hope for with egg color and I just hate that! I see so many people post about buying them and they do not even look like Marans let alone the egg color is a joke!

Ok haha sorry didn't mean to get on my soapbox there! I graciously step down!

Thanks for listening!

There are so many, even judges, who aren't familiar enough with the breed to know the SOP. I see Marans listed as "the clean-legged variety, SQ." and wonder how many are taken in by that. At the big shows when the Marans club people are there, they often ask to have the Marans judged again with the SOP in hand. A couple of years ago at the Ohio National my beautiful BCM cockerel was DQd for color and a truly pathetic bird was marked best variety. I didn't say anything but the club did, and the next day my guy had been upgraded to first.

So I join you on the soapbox!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Welcome Back @EmSteele !

I just returned to the thread too, but haven't been gone as long as you have. I was shocked to hear about what happened to your flock. Typically, we talk about wildlife predators, but not deranged people as predators. Anyone who kills animals for fun is a dangerous person. I am so sorry that you and your flock suffered, and I hope the killers are caught. I posted this link the other day that I happened to run across. It has tons of information about different animal-related laws in each state. It's a really informative site. IN - Cruelty - Consolidated Cruelty Statutes | Animal Legal ...
And yes, this thread is a wonderful support group! I really missed everyone when I took a couple of months off because I just had too much going on.
@ellymayRans I'm now sure that my tiny Monday girl is the one who laid the teeny tiny tan egg that I posted a couple of days ago. I saw her get up and start singing the egg song today and she left another teeny tiny tan egg. It's so interesting that her two sisters lay two different shades of green eggs.
It's 3:30am (working late), but I wanted to read posts and make a short one.

Congrats on your new tiny layer!

morning everyone...brrr minus 12 here

yikes! Stay warm!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Thanks for all of the kind words! My kids (5 and almost 9) are going stir crazy for more chickens. We have 6 still but they really won't supply enough eggs when they start laying again. No more ducks though. I spent a LOT of time researching the perfect breed for our family AND lucked out with a mle and female. Got way too attached :-\ .
Our local Rural King, TSC, and Orschlens will be stocked again, I'm sure...I tend to go a little chicken crazy when this happens.

LOL I steer far away from the bins! I still want a few mallard ducks, but aside from that its just meat birds this year for us.

Quote: I don't use light either. December was really slow, mid January it started kicking in. Most of my summer chicks started up with pullet eggs, so yep we had them coming regular after that. Now, we are getting a good number of eggs daily.

Quote:
Is that a coronation sussex in your avatar? Looks like a gorgeous fella!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I am also looking for Marans this year. Don't care what color they are.

I will have black coppers this year.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Looking for bearded silkies. Color does not matter. Near Indianapolis please.

and our thread!

Got the brooder set up, going out tonight and just might bring some little' home!! Only if we can find the right breed!

Woohoo chicks!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Totally agree, I really like to keep my breeds SOP even though I don't show.

Well Warsaw Big R does not have chicks yet!! Getting the brooders set up though. No new chicks for me yet...

I haven't been to RK yet but heard they have them there, TSC said a couple weeks.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: X2 totally agreed! I have one of @ellymayRans roosters and adore him. Very sweet, gorgeous, big, friendly guy.

 

[ellymayRans]

There are so many, even judges, who aren't familiar enough with the breed to know the SOP.  I see Marans listed as "the clean-legged variety, SQ." and wonder how many are taken in by that.  At the big shows when the Marans club people are there, they often ask to have the Marans judged again with the SOP in hand.  A couple of years ago at the Ohio National my beautiful BCM cockerel was DQd for color and a truly pathetic bird was marked best variety.  I didn't say anything but the club did, and the next day my guy had been upgraded to first.

So I join you on the soapbox!

I'm sure it's difficult for those like so many I know that are simply backyard farming. Many people aren't aware of these types of resources or do not have the time to put into researching. I don't fault them it just creates a real problem for those breeds such as the Marans and many others that rely on careful breeding and culling practices to ensure the Type doesn't "die" here. We're fortunate to have had the breeders bring this beautiful bird to the states, fear is they became so sought after that they are becoming a lot of folks quick buck. I just hope they are able to survive the frenzy, there's still a lot of improvements to be made, even for serious breeders.

Congrats on placing! And "having my back" lol!!