INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[RouletteRun]

Tonight is my chicks first night outside. The coop isn't totally finished, but most of the remaining work is another coat of paint on the orange and the addition of a few hasps on the one set of shutters and the front door. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do to cover the dog kennel I'm using as the chicken's run area. I went out and checked on them a little bit ago, they're all huddled together in one corner of the coop. Not surprising being their first night in new surroundings and not in a 72 degree heated house. They had the run of the coop for a good portion of the day, at first, I had to pick them all up and put them in and shut the hatch on them, it took them no time at all to start scratching through the pine shavings, and they stayed in for quite awhile after I opened the hatch back up. I had to catch and put them all in the coop for the night tonight and plan on getting up bright and early in the morning to let them back out again. I also still need to build some sort of little shelter to put the feeder under to keep it dry. I threw a couple hand full of feed into the pine shavings to give them something to scratch at in the coop, but I want to keep the food and water outside the coop for easier use for me. I had one of my Barred Plymouth Rocks fly up and land on my shoulder tonight as I was catching them to put in the coop, she was easy to catch from there. lol

 

[wheezy50]

First of 3 American Bresse chicks hatched under a broody hen. Still waiting for 2 more legbar eggs to hopefully hatch out tomorrow.

 

[Bawk]

I now have survived my second kidding day.  Such a busy day with making sure the goat kids everything out and the hoof dipping and the cord dipping and the shots.  Well I get the shots ready and my DH does the poke part.  I just could not do it.  So far each of the kids got their first shot of minerals a bit later in the day instead of right after standing up. 


And I must be doing something strange to my does because both of them only had one kid not the 2 or 3 that most goats have. 
...........

Lastly if anyone is interested, my brown goat likes to lick me much the same way a lap cat would try and lick its owner.  Still I have not licked any animal or egg I have.  But I did test out the goat's milk from my goat that kidded last week. 

Haha.. Glad you aren't licking them down as you did eggs ... Now that would be STRANGE!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I now have survived my second kidding day. Such a busy day with making sure the goat kids everything out and the hoof dipping and the cord dipping and the shots. Well I get the shots ready and my DH does the poke part. I just could not do it. So far each of the kids got their first shot of minerals a bit later in the day instead of right after standing up.

And I must be doing something strange to my does because both of them only had one kid not the 2 or 3 that most goats have.

Now the fun part of integrating the two moms and the two kids begins. For some reason the two moms that were the best of buds before the first kidding day, last Thursday, are not the worst of enemies. Headbutting abounds if they even see each other. Still I just don't have enough pens for each goat to have their own pen. I'm hoping by Friday the Brown goat will have settled down a bit and won't be out to head but the black doe or the black doe's kid.

If anyone is interested in buying a nubian doeling, feel free to message me. Depending on what you want done to the doeling and when you want to pick her up, the price varies from $100 to $250.


Lastly if anyone is interested, my brown goat likes to lick me much the same way a lap cat would try and lick its owner. Still I have not licked any animal or egg I have. But I did test out the goat's milk from my goat that kidded last week.

If this is first kidding for your does, they often only birth one kid the first time. I am really surprised the moms are acting that way, Sugar and Sophie co-raised your Ice Cream girl. I think it may be because Sugar is Sophie's mom.

Haha...haha....ha




Hahaha
Ha

Hehehehe!

Anyone have some advice on integrating a broody & chicks back into the flock?
Cookie had a private, quiet nest in the garage while hatching some chicks. About a week ago, we moved the happy family into a dog crate inside the run. (The "look but don't peck" approach.)

It looks like they want to get out of the dog crate & go exploring. I opened the crate for a moment yesterday when only 2 other hens were in the middle run. A Legbar pecked gently at a chick & Cookie jumped on her head. Neither hen was backing down, so I put my boot between them to separate. This morning that Legbar was all ruffled & glaring at Cookie thru the cage door. This afternoon, I tried opening it again & nothing really happened. A few chicks ran about, Cookie looked as puffy as a balloon, some slight "keep away from me" pecks (not hard), & one poor hen was completely terrified of the little fluffballs scurrying around. My broody from last year looked very interested in the chicks but didn't do anything but watch. The Legbar was occupied with food, so she just didn't care. I pushed the little family back into the dog crate before I left.

Because of all the AI going thru the Mississippi Flyway, I've been keeping my flock penned rather than free range all over the yard. We just got rid of the roo 3 weeks ago, so he won't be there to break up any hen fights. So now I'm wondering what my next step is to introduce mama & chicks. Should I open the cage at night & allow them to sleep in the coop? Should I continue to open the cage for brief interactions while I'm present?

Here's a very happy Cookie taking a dust bath.




Forgot to mention that Cookie is our only bantam, but she has always held her own with the big girls.

My first broody moms were an oops. One of my BA had a hidden nest way up on a shelf. Found a chick in the coop, started looking around, and surprise! Poor hen had broken a toe jumping down, and thats when I first realized she had hatched babies. After only finding the 1 chick, but were several eggshells, I started looking under hens. Sure enough, Bunny my EE had the rest and was NOT letting loose of them! I gave her the chick. She raised 4 healthy chicks free ranged with the big flock.
Introduction by the "see, can't touch" method works well for me here. Just create a barrier so the big hens can't reach the chicks until you see they are ok.

Okay, now someone MUST design that shirt! I want a "chicken lickin" Indiana BYCers hoodie!
Quote: Agreed, I want one

Quote: @kabhyper1 you should not be worried about stating your opinions at all. Very good points to make.
For some of us its just not possible. I have very few neighbors close, all but one have poultry and waterfowl. Theirs visit us, ours visit theirs. The neighbor that doesn't have chickens did, but just recently sold his. (now buys eggs from me LOL) My closest neighbors geese and ducks come to our pond. I talked to my closest neighbor, and they are following the AI news also. Since our 2 flocks have always co-mingled We both feel if one of us gets it, the other will too. If its airborne, we will anyway even if confined. We are both very worried and hope it won't make it here.
My only other option is just not keeping them anymore, honestly.

Quote: Really good to hear he is home! Will continue praying for you and your Dad also.

 

[ellymayRans]

yep, never going to live down the chicken lickin. I'd be proud to rock that shirt.

i knew i liked this site before but, really how could you not fall in love!!!!!!!! On a good note all of you saying prayers for me and my dad they are working

dad came home today. He is so happy. Still a long road ahead. So, keep it up

That's wonderful! So happy for you and your family!

 

[Mother2Hens]

Can anyone tell me if this is a peahen or peacock? My neighbor found and has been taking care of it but doesn't have much information. Do any of you raise them?

 

[ellymayRans]

First of 3 American Bresse chicks hatched under a broody hen. Still waiting for 2 more legbar eggs to hopefully hatch out tomorrow.

Congrats! Hope the rest hatch for you!

 

[Mother2Hens]

oops didn't mean to hit the submit button! It's great to see CRSelvey post again!!!!

 

[minmin1258]

Oh it happened again. .... He will shoot me for this, but in a text today he said "even licking animals up tight wouldn't work" In preventing AI. He meant locking but auto correct thought differently. I laughed pretty hard! @raisinemright
 

When I die and If I get reincarnated as an animal, I hope I don't get stuck at @raisinemright's farm! I can't stand when my dogs lick me, let alone the thought of a person licking!

I've heard of people licking the windows on the bus but really...licking your chickens??? Ewwwww! That's something my Chickee would have done!

 

[minmin1258]

Okay, now someone MUST design that shirt! I want a "chicken lickin" Indiana BYCers hoodie!

You know you are never going to live this down!  Perhaps next year's T-shirt could be on the theme of "chicken lickin' good!" 

I'd buy one too!