INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

Plucker is sold, just got the reply

 

[daskhan]

Great posts! DH had me order the book for the wizbang plucker. We have most of the parts already.

Congrats on the baby! I am so glad he has looked at things and understood it's importance to you! He will be impressed at the value of muscovy as a table bird. Prepared like beef, many folks can't tell a difference. My DH and parents thought I had prepared a beef roast until I informed them what it really was.
pipd I love your dorkings! They are so sweet! Chicken therapists for sure, they need mealies for a reward .

We are still working towards a chickenfest north so any of our northern members can attend. Hang in there, hope to get more folks actively participating!

Was there a chickenfest south? Did I miss it? I'd really like to go to one that isn't 100+ miles away

 

[SallyinIndiana]

This would probably make an awesome coop or run. https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/5289104354.html

Cheap chicken plucker https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/5288655708.html

looks like a deal! https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/5290082640.html

Plucker is sold, just got the reply

I've been looking for a plucker too. Well if anyone else is selling a tub plucker or sees one for sell I'm interested.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: We move the event every year. Our first fest was graciously hosted by @racinchickins in Mooresville. Wonderful event and met so many members! 2nd fest I hosted at the private campground I am a member of, in Liberty. Next fest is tentatively in Goshen.

 

[daskhan]

We move the event every year. Our first fest was graciously hosted by @racinchickins
in Mooresville. Wonderful event and met so many members! 2nd fest I hosted at the private campground I am a member of, in Liberty. Next fest is tentatively in Goshen.

How bought new goshen sounds better to me... Or rockville area? There's a 4h place there so far though it sounds like all the places have been in the north.. I've been to racins I liked the area but I think it was an hour and a half drive north

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
If you are able to host the event we can look at it. Understand that means 30 plus folks and family attending. Can be a lot more since we see new members join daily.

 

[pbirdhaven]

Need some help please. Can Mareks be seen in a chick of 4 weeks old that is indoors? From what I've read, it say usually between 12-20 weeks old. I have a chick that was flopping around yesterday morning in her cage, seems to have lost the use of her legs and was using her wings to stay upright. But when I picked her up and set her legs into my hand, she stood up. I thought maybe vitamin deficiency, and gave her some poly vi sol, but she has stayed the same, legs spread and wings holding her upright. She had splayed legs when she hatched but it was corrected within that first week and was walking fine until now.

Not likely to be Mareks. You got some good advice to treat the legs--that would be my guess. Sometimes a splay-legged chick is still weak in the joints even after the initial correction and can get overactive or "chick-handled" by the others.

Just want to talk a couple things out with people that know far more than me and can point out the error of my ways...

New coop design is almost complete (will share when drawings are finalized so you can tell me what I'm forgetting), and I have been researching quite a bit exactly what birds I want to add in the spring as I grow the flock. I want dual purpose birds, as once the ladies have moved beyond their use as layers I plan to pressure can them, so I'm looking at the heavier breeds. I like the idea of a mixed flock at this point. Not planning any breeding or hatching, just a nice mix of birds for laying. I'm semi-collaborating with my neighbor (who supplied my starter birds this year) on planning our spring order of chicks. He gets his chicks every spring from Murray McMurray and has had extremely good luck with healthy, productive birds.

At current I have the leghorn and ancona.

My short list is:
Cuckoo Maran
Delaware
Australorp

Also considering:
New Hampshire
Sussex
GLW

Anybody see something glaring where I've missed the boat with my choices/thinking?

I really like my Marans, but as pointed out, be sure that you're getting them from a reputable breeder. EllymayRans will most likely have chicks in the spring. I would steer clear of hatchery Marans; there was a lot of inbreeding because of the low number of breeders at first, leading to health issues. Combs easily frostbitten, also. She's not on BYC, but Jean Doerflein at Laurel has nice wheatens at reasonable prices and is at most shows.
I also have a couple of australorp hens, getting some age on them now, but they have been good egg producers and are a nice dual purpose. Love the Brahmas; I'm down to one older hen and a BrahmaX cock, but they are great birds. When I was moving and had the door propped open, my old cock would mosey in, check out the boxes, say hello, and wander back out. Both are winter hardy.
Look for the prices on jubilees to start to come down. Whenever a new variety emerges, everybody wants them. As they become more common, there's more competition from sellers. For example, my first Marans were much more expensive than what they bring now.

@Mother2Hens I had your post marked in my multi-quotes, but it didn't come up. I'm truly sorry to hear about Ditzy; I know how you love your girls.
I have had raccoons and opossums both behead birds, so could be either or another predator. An opossum bit off the heads of two young Appenzellers this summer--knew what it was because the dogs got it. They usually keep everything away, but this one sneaked in on them--saved the other youngsters in the pen, though.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Not likely to be Mareks. You got some good advice to treat the legs--that would be my guess. Sometimes a splay-legged chick is still weak in the joints even after the initial correction and can get overactive or "chick-handled" by the others.

Thanks, I do have her legs banded again. But I am noticing her right foot, her toes are always curled and when I try to stand her up in my hand now, her toes are not opening up. And when she sits, well that's all she is doing, her legs are in front of her, like if you or I were sitting on the floor. I have her in a towel donut to help keep her balance and so she could strengthen her legs, but those legs just slide forward and she is sitting on her bum.

@Mother2Hens so sorry for your loss. I know its so hard to lose a pet, but you have many people here that will help you get thru it, tears and all.

 

[daskhan]

If you are able to host the event we can look at it. Understand that means 30 plus folks and family attending. Can be a lot more since we see new members join daily.

Maybe next year but with winter coming we are tightening down the hatches and what not and probably not enough space inside for everyone plus bridgefest just ended most people here would have nightmares seeing that many people show up lol

 

[Indyshent]

While driving down to pick up my daughter/drop of my husband for an extended weekend, I got to meet @ellymayRans again! She's such a cool lady (and apparently has great taste in custom mix feed because my birds are already loving it!).

I stopped by RK in Martinsville to pick up more chicken chow (esp for the babies!) and picked up a new toy and some special root beers for my son's 7th birthday tomorrow. His dad is already not going to be there, and he doesn't have any friends to come over; the only people who are going to be able to make it at all are going to be his two siblings, me (who also has to study for a calculus exam the following morning) and my parents. So yeah, it was already going to be pretty miserable... and then, as I was hauling the feed into the garage, someone stole the all the root beer from my car.

At least I'll be able to keep his favorite hens.