INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Bawk]

 
I'm 53 posts behind, but I wanted to post this as it is time sensitive.

Check this out.  Lots of good speakers and topics, and it's free.  Starting Monday, April 6 through the whole week.  Workshops will only be available 24 hours after posting so take a look at the schedule and see if anything interests you!

http://www.homegrownfoodsummit.com/

Wanted to say a HUGE thank you to Leahs Mom for posting about the Home Grown Food Summit!!  I hope some of the rest of you were able to watch at least part of the presentations.  There was sooo much helpful information about gardening/growing your own food.  I have quite a few new ideas I'd like to try this year.

Those of you who have been cleaning up branches & sticks the past few days brought to mind one of the seminars during the Home Grown Food Summit on gardening without irrigation.  It was presented by Paul Wheaton of www.permies.com.  He described fairly in depth the permaculture method of building a hugelkultur bed for growing plants/food.  The basis of this bed is a large pile of logs, branches & sticks.  You can find out a lot of info about hugelkultur on his website (and other websites) also.  Before you make the final decision to burn the wood, at least check this out.  I'm rather jealous at the moment that we don't have any branches or sticks laying around, because I'd kinda like to try making one of these beds!

I cannot get the link to open to show what to do with branches. Curious about what you are talking about.---- ok got it open, pretty cool though we were saving that for bonfire, hum. Will show DH

We haven't started our garden this year as it is too muddy yet but our asparagus is coming up. Haven't decided what all to plant yet.

Our garden is right beside the empty chicken run and house, ha. I miss getting baby ducks but we have such a time with coyotes and after the ducks learn to swim, they won't go in the shed/barn at night. :-(

 

[Bawk]

@raisinemright

Oh me! Ha! I know lot of work and frustration But I laughed!

We put golf balls in the nesting boxes, learned that from neighbors I grew up next to who were born in 1800s. Kids can be funny collecting the eggs and we tell them to put the golf ball back, some thought funny chicken egg, wanted to crack it open.

Thanks for the laugh.

 

[Bawk]

Thank you to Kittydoc & Chickcrazed for helping make my daughter's 4H project possible.  Terrific hatch. 8 out of 10 Bielefelder eggs hatched; 6 are female.  14 out of 15 blk/Lav Orpington eggs hatched.  Broody is doing well.

I would give anything to go back to last week when a lot of my energy went toward planning for chicks.  Life was normal & happy then.  At 3:30am Fri morning, my mom stopped breathing for a few minutes.  My poor father was there to witness everything.  The paramedics revived her, but only lower brain functions like reflexes came back.  Our family waited for days to see any signs of hope, but each day the brain activity changed & slowed.  My dad, 3 children, 12 grandchildren, & 6 great-grandchildren miss this amazing woman.  Many people stopped by to say Good Bye on Sun-Mon.  My mom always regretted not being there when her mom passed, so I knew it was important for my mom not to be alone until God called her home.  On Monday  at 5pm, the crowd thinned.  By 6pm my dad had to leave (too difficult to hear her breathing).  The next shift was running late, so my husband had to run home to tuck our kids into bed.  He called a friend to keep me company while he was away.  It was during that time between husband leaving & my friend arriving, that my mom passed while I held her hand.  

My mom & I spoke on the phone often.  So many words we shared & when the the docs recommended everyone say what needed to be said (final words), I had none.  Throughout the days I keep seeing things that I want tell mom about or all those little things that remind me of her.  These days have been so long, so I want to call home to speak with her for comfort.  Next week is her 80th birthday with Mother's Day soon after.  It's unbearable to think that I will only have her memories & not her hugs.  She was strong & in general good health.  Just one moment changed everything forever.

My sister also went into ICU last week.  She had a close call & had to fight with her docs so she could be released from the hospital to say good bye to Mom.  She lives with my parents &, unlike my mom, is in poor health.  My poor father is emotionally crushed & battling the same bronchitis.  They were married young & just celebrated their 62nd anniversary in Jan.  Mom was his world.

Please continue to pray for my family.  DH & I have been blessed with friends/neighbors who have provided meals & childcare, so I could stay at the hospital. I will not be posting for a while, but I wanted to share my feelings, b/c I no longer have my mom with whom to share.

Prayed for you all. I am so sorry, I cannot imagine.

 

[Indyshent]

Quote: Really wanted to get into MW but the places that sold them last year have apparently discontinued that. Mostly, I love turkeys and BB can work out for awhile at least. I told hubby we could process whichever ones didn't work out this year. So far everyone gets along, but our problems with Bacon didn't start until he was older, so we'll have to wait and see. I told him I wanted to get a hen turkey for the omelets and famed mothering instincts.



My "Farm" Update:
Now that the problem dog has found a new home, another dog has found her way into our house. She's a third or less the size and so far hasn't opened her comparatively tiny mouth except to nibble food and chew on a rope. She likes to chase birds though, but the turkeys will get bigger than her, so I don't think we'll have the problems with her that we did with the other dog (if nothing else because they'll get bigger than her). The birds are largely terrified of her even so because of their experience with the other dog (esp the docks, three of whom have been mauled).

The bitty ducks and a few of the larger/older chicks have been moved to the coop. The two EEs aren't adjusting as well as the ducks just yet, but it's a little cooler out there than they're used to as yet (and everyone's bigger than them!). Crossing my fingers, but I think both of the youngest EEs are hens

One's feathering in mostly blue with a salmon breast. The other is a really dark charcoal blue and starting to get the orange head syndrome typical of the 'breed'.

Apparently Australorps and EEs from Townline feather fast no matter their sex. A roo snuck into my hen house, so to speak. Had all the pullet signs... until he suddenly got a bright red comb at just a few weeks.

So far, we're shooting two roos to one pullet from the BO pullet bin

but the dog took care of the really sweet roo so now we're down to one (who isn't as sweet).

Not sure about the bantams, but knowing my luck this year, they're all roosters. Was really wanting a silkie hen, so we'll just have to wait and see. The mille fleur has the worst case of buttplugosis I've ever seen. This poor chick can't poop right to save it's life so about once a day, I have to manually clear its tubes. Poor thing hasn't grown hardly at all since I got it--the silkies are two to three times its size already.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

Okay, I am trying to feed my girls fermented feed. I let the feed ferment for 3 days then started feeding to them. My questions are 1. how much feed per chicken per day and 2. how long can I keep the feed in the bucket until it is no longer good. I made it in a five gallon pail and I am wondering if I made too much and it will spoil before they eat it all.

I feed mine free choice, meaning I put out more than they'll eat between feedings.

You can keep the feed in the bucket indefinitely . What I do is just add more feed and water to the bucket now and then as needed, and keep the batch going forever.

 

[atrueb00]

Weekly Chicken Event Post!

We have many of the 2015 swap meet and auction dates available on the Indiana BYC'ers Events Calendar! 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, April 17 - Dinky's Auction Center in Montgomery, Indiana
Saturday, April 18 - Croy Creek Trader's Fair in Reelsville, IN
Sunday, April 19 - Croy Creek Trader's Fair in Reelsville, IN
Sunday, April 19 - Golden Horseshoe Saddle Club/Knox Swap Meet

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, April 24 - Veedersburg Barn Sale in Veedersburg, Indiana
Friday, April 24 - Dinky's Auction Center in Montgomery, Indiana
Saturday, April 25 - Sandcut Trader's Fair in Terre Haute, Indiana - Facebook Page
Saturday, April 25 - Northeast Indiana Poultry Swap Meet in Bluffton, Indiana
Sunday, April 26 - Sandcut Trader's Fair in Terre Haute, Indiana - Facebook Page

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Friday, May 1 - Topeka Exotic Animal and Bird Auction
Friday, May 1 - Dinky's Auction Center in Montgomery, Indiana
Saturday, May 2 - Feathered Friends Poultry Club Show in Columbus, IN
Saturday, May 2 - Wolf's Swap Meet in Ligonier, IN
Saturday, May 2 - Croy Creek Trader's Fair in Reelsville, IN
Sunday, May 3 - Croy Creek Trader's Fair in Reelsville, IN

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Friday, May 8 - Veedersburg Barn Sale in Veedersburg, IN
Friday, May 8 - Dinky's Auction Center in Montgomery, Indiana
Saturday, May 9 - Sandcut Trader's Fair in Terre Haute, Indiana - Facebook Page
Sunday, May 10 - Sandcut Trader's Fair in Terre Haute, Indiana - Facebook Page

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Friday, May 15 - Dinky's Auction Center in Montgomery, Indiana
Saturday, May 16 - Croy Creek Trader's Fair in Reelsville, IN
Sunday, May 17 - Croy Creek Trader's Fair in Reelsville, IN

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Friday, May 22 - Veedersburg Barn Sale in Veedersburg, IN
Friday, May 22 - Dinky's Auction Center in Montgomery, Indiana
Saturday, May 23 - Sandcut Trader's Fair in Terre Haute, Indiana - Facebook Page
Sunday, May 24 - Sandcut Trader's Fair in Terre Haute, Indiana - Facebook Page

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Friday, May 29 - Dinky's Auction Center in Montgomery, Indiana
Saturday, May 30 - Sandcut Trader's Fair in Terre Haute, Indiana - Facebook Page
Sunday, May 31 - Sandcut Trader's Fair in Terre Haute, Indiana - Facebook Page


**This information does not guarantee the event will happen. Please check the auction or swap meet website/Facebook page to confirm dates/times before you travel!

 

[Indyshent]

I have a Rural King BBB turkey that was the only one that survived out of another turkey and 4 bantams. Don't know what happened there, but when I took them back, they didn't have turkeys or bantams so she (hopefully) was all alone for a few days. I got some OE's from someone and put them next to her with separate food/water for a couple weeks now. Monday I lifted the barrier between them and half the time she is thrilled to have friends, and some of the time they are driving her up the walls. Since she is bigger and warmer, they want to snuggle all the time! I have most of the heat on my new babies from @ellymayRans because the OE's are big enough to not have so much on them. I loved having turkeys a couple years ago. They were so sweet and goofy. I really felt that my chickens were more protected with them. I'll be adding a couple more eventually. And now I want pea-fowl, but that is going to have to wait until I have my own farm.

I am looking at a place a few miles from my parents so wish me luck!!

Luck!

My turkeys weren't the biggest birds on the block when I got them this year, so they spent most of the time fighting for bottom place in the snugglefests. Now they're the tallest, but even so, they still want to cuddle with everyone. So far, we seem to have one tom and three hens

Want peafowl but they'll definitely have to wait until we get a bigger place (you know, not downtown Indianapolis). Beautiful but so loud! Turkeys are loud enough but everyone around here seemed to really like having Bacon around (even once he got to gobbling). I live in the 'hood', and nothing makes people stare like 'barnyard animals'--especially turkeys. A lot of people have really enjoyed the ducks as well.

 

[atrueb00]

Any one going to the swap in Milton, Ky? It's not far out of Indiana and closer to me than Indy.

@RoseMcEagle could you please provide the name of the swap so I can get it added to the event calendar?

 

[Indyshent]

Good grief, I totally forgot about blackhead. I actually had that on a list of things to do, sitting here on my desk and I got so excited about Turkeys I forgot. Just found the list behind my desk, when I redid it I didn't add blackhead back into the mix.

I know they are more fragile, one reason I did not want to get them before Sunday b/c we will be gone most of the day Saturday and I want to be around to keep an eye on them. My feed is 21%. I need to e-mail the Fertrell nutritionist anyway and will ask the best way to increase that protein. I wonder if during Turkey snuggle time I can just give them a little extra in the form of scrambled eggs? I do know that on the Fertrell website they have recommendations to adapt, but it is a different recipe than where I get my feed and in 2,000 lb. batches, a little more than I need!

Definitely call about Blackhead, but I can tell you that I haven't seen a case here.

For protein, take a food processor to cat food and mix that into the feed (provided you can find some without wheat). Scrambled eggs would do nicely, I'm sure, but cat food is the number one treat m birds wanted last year (excepting mealworms, of course. Nothing beats mealworms)

 

[birdman55]

well got the show quality barred rocks in today....so happy with them also just got a pic of the male displaying