INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[tmarsh83]

I am still up, last few days have been long and super busy. Pulled up all but my original goat pasture and one hog pen today. We purchased 660 feet of new field fence tonight! DH is on a roll. He found telephone poles to cut and use as corner posts, and we generated at least 25 Tpost for the new pasture and paddocks from what was here, just reused. Starting to tear out the old coops also and replacing with breeder coops.
Goats and hogs will be very happy with the larger space we have planned. Electric fencing going in once its done. Also adding a new building for farrowing piglets.

I'll try to contain my jealousy.

 

[Mother2Hens]

RIP My Precious Blue Splash Silkie, Ditzy

1 year and 10 months old


My DS and is GF were just visiting the chickens and said they hadn't seen Ditzy. Since she's a loner, I didn't think much of it but went out to look for her (1:00pm). I jokingly told them, "I think Ditzy has a death wish because I always find her standing out in the open by herself." While looking for her I noticed two small piles of her feathers near each other. I had about feeling about a hawk since I recently witnessed a failed hawk attack. Then I found her body decapitated, and hard as though she'd been dead for a while It was probably 20 yards away down in a totally different section of the backyard, somewhat hidden or at least not noticeable at first. I'm really confused about what did this. According to my Predator Chart, a decapitation is from a raccoon, mink, weasel, or bobcat. I have seen raccoons before, but not lately. I let the chickens out this morning at 7:00am CST, and it was cloudy and more dusk-like than normal. Ditzy was the last one in the coop when I let them out, so I actually picked her up and set her outside the coop and went back to bed.
Has anyone found their chickens decapitated/de-cropped? I just can't believe it. She was a funny, sweet creature. I laid her body by the other chickens so they could get the idea that she's no longer with us.

 

[daskhan]

Few updates that will hopefully get pictures as the day progresses:

Last night, an aunt, an uncle and a cousin and her twin toddlers came into town from Kansas and Wisconsin to stay at my grandpa's house and celebrate his birthday. I brought over Noisy Boy (silkie rooster) and Brienne of Tarth (Dark Brahma hen) for the kids to pet and play with. Both chickens performed exceedingly awesomely with all adults and the seven children (oldest was ten, youngest is about two). Only two girls of the bunch; the rest were ultra-rowdy boys. Even with all the noise and babies chasing them, the chickens were very calm and enjoyed the attention (for the most part). I got to talk chickens with my cousin, whose husband has been trying to talk her into them, and got to inform the lot of them about poultry keeping in general. Had a really nice time 

Grandpa also loaned me his huge live animal trap for the opossums under the house. I baited it with some cracked eggs and peanut butter, and lo and behold, we caught the giant mommy possum! Woot!  Will drop her off in the woods around Fort Harrison and set the trap again to catch her babies. 

Should probably catch them all before release due to them being babies if she's on her own she may not come back to them

 

[justplainbatty]

Can anyone direct me to farm land for sale around Steuben County? What are the chicken laws? I have roosters, lots of them. Studying to become a vet, need to stay close to Michigan State University, but I like the Hamilton area there. Michigan is flat, ugly, Indiana, hilly, pretty, vineyards, lakes, wow! I just need to stay around I69 and within 2 hours of MSU. TYIA for any help on where to look. ~JPB

 

[Indyshent]

Should probably catch them all before release due to them being babies if she's on her own she may not come back to them

They're several months old--were all born this spring. They're not nursing or anything and are, apparently, feeding themselves and drinking water just fine.

 

[ellymayRans]

Spreading the word via Facebook! 

When's the next rescue attempt, and can I come along? 

Thank you and thank you!!

The neighbor I'm working with has been on vacation but if we set a date I will surely post. Right now our discussions are more around her capturing what she can on her daily feeding trips and just come get them. So more than likely it will be a last minute run. When we did the group thing I think it was too much going on and they caught on pretty quickly which didn't allow us to catch as many as I had hoped. They aren't used to a lot of people being there.

 

[daskhan]

So update on my roo Henry I soaked his legs in a bucket filled with soapy water and while I was about to apply the vapo rub I noticed one of the bumps actually had a feather coming from it and I didn't see any mites in the water or on him so I'm wondering if it's actually a birth defect or if he's mixed with like a brahma or something idk I think the previous owner just didn't care for him well

Chicken in a bucket or a bucket of chicken

 

[chick rookie]

RIP My Precious Blue Splash Silkie, Ditzy

1 year and 10 months old


My DS and is GF were just visiting the chickens and said they hadn't seen Ditzy. Since she's a loner, I didn't think much of it but went out to look for her (1:00pm). I jokingly told them, "I think Ditzy has a death wish because I always find her standing out in the open by herself." While looking for her I noticed two small piles of her feathers near each other. I had about feeling about a hawk since I recently witnessed a failed hawk attack. Then I found her body decapitated, and hard as though she'd been dead for a while It was probably 20 yards away down in a totally different section of the backyard, somewhat hidden or at least not noticeable at first. I'm really confused about what did this. According to my Predator Chart, a decapitation is from a raccoon, mink, weasel, or bobcat. I have seen raccoons before, but not lately. I let the chickens out this morning at 7:00am CST, and it was cloudy and more dusk-like than normal. Ditzy was the last one in the coop when I let them out, so I actually picked her up and set her outside the coop and went back to bed.
Has anyone found their chickens decapitated/de-cropped? I just can't believe it. She was a funny, sweet creature. I laid her body by the other chickens so they could get the idea that she's no longer with us.

O wow Poor Ditzy. I am so very sorry.

That makes me very sad. I know you must be heartbroken.

 

[justplainbatty]

I recently lost one, total decap by coon then, 5 more with throats removed - weasel. Sorry, I know the pain....

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Hey all,

Life has been crazy and a hectic mess. Just have not been able to keep up with anything, least of BYC (and that was all before our latest problem -see below)! But miss being here, and hearing about your chickens. I'm getting so little sleep as it is, but now I am here for moral support and advice - see below. First - INDY ReZONE - pretty much happening at this point. I was unable to attend the last committee meeting due to a family issue, then went out of town so I missed the full City Council meeting where they passed it - but they edited it so it has to go back to MDC for them to okay it - which may have already happened. Not sure if it has to go back to City Council for a final vote or not - no doubt right now that both MDC and City Council will pass it. But in roughly 6 months (from when it is officially passed) it will be enacted. I felt like I was fighting a one woman battle, and could not be there til then end, but honestly not sure it really mattered.

But the nightmare has begun for us. Well, our neighbor declared war 16 years ago, this past year has been intensive attacks, mainly false reporting using using city resources. She told us she was calling animal control and code enforcement 2 weeks ago, so we've been waiting and wondering.

We got the code enforcement letter today. I am a basket case, hubby, my rock, is not here. I am researching - and honestly finding it hard to figure out where it says the specific things they list are violations since they are not listed in the sections they refer! Not to mention they list things we aren't doing! We will be battling with code enforcement. I will be honest, I am very hesitant to put any details here on a public forum. If anyone has dealt with, or knows anyone who has dealt with code enforcement regarding their birds, has any advice for me or has researched this stuff for the city of Indianapolis and can give me some input please PM me. I had researched previous to buying chickens BUT 2 weeks ago our computer crashed, while our external drive was hooked up and it was fried too, so my research is gone. We are trying to recover files - no luck yet.

I'm sure I don't have to express the agony this is causing us to all of you.

Oh and Kudos to @pipdzipdnreadytogo for her article on chickens and supplemental heat. Great article and thanks for sharing your expertise! In case you all didn't
see it https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...site&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email

Have you talked to Andrew. I'm thinking he would be a good person to start as he sells coops in Indianapolis and his store is in Indianapolis too.

Can anyone tell me of a place near Anderson that will process chickens for a reasonable price? TIA

the two places I know of are each an hour or so away from you. And for a small number of birds I'm not so sure either is cheap. But the more established of the two places is This old Farm in colfax.