INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[ellymayRans]

So my fearless protector laid in the same spot all night as a great horned owl called out and he barked at it non stop! ! I love all creatures but these freak me out knowing they can pick off your full grown Peas while they roost!

I'm going to go see if I can get a good recording of it. Typically I only ever hear the Barred owls here. I known the Great Horned are around because my brother just a few houses down has told me about a very large owl being in his backyard. .I knew it had the be the GHO. Just never heard one. Such because I fear for all the outside sleepers!

My wonderful boy earlier today.

 

[Mother2Hens]

So my fearless protector laid in the same spot all night as a great horned owl called out and he barked at it non stop! ! I love all creatures but these freak me out knowing they can pick off your full grown Peas while they roost!

I'm going to go see if I can get a good recording of it. Typically I only ever hear the Barred owls here. I known the Great Horned are around because my brother just a few houses down has told me about a very large owl being in his backyard. .I knew it had the be the GHO. Just never heard one. Such because I fear for all the outside sleepers!

My wonderful boy earlier today.

He looks like a wonderful boy!

The other night when I was in the far back yard, I heard a great horned owl calling for its mate repeatedly. I texted my DH who came back there, and of course, the owl stopped! It's interesting that they're the only owls that make the classic "Who Who" sound.

Tonight's Bedtime in the Coop story…Screech, my tiny Cochin, and Eliza, my giant Orp were intently looking at each other through the partition windows. I was waiting for Eliza to peck through the window at Screech. Then Screech stood up on her tippy toes and peered over the partition. Then she leaped up and over the partition and landed on Eliza's back!! Eliza's big dark eyes about popped out, so I grabbed Screech and held her close to my warm body to distract her before I put her back on her side of the perch. She is a nut!

 

[Hholly]

He looks like a wonderful boy!

The other night when I was in the far back yard, I heard a great horned owl calling for its mate repeatedly. I texted my DH who came back there, and of course, the owl stopped! It's interesting that they're the only owls that make the classic "Who Who" sound.

Tonight's Bedtime in the Coop story…Screech, my tiny Cochin, and Eliza, my giant Orp were intently looking at each other through the partition windows. I was waiting for Eliza to peck through the window at Screech. Then Screech stood up on her tippy toes and peered over the partition. Then she leaped up and over the partition and landed on Eliza's back!! Eliza's big dark eyes about popped out, so I grabbed Screech and held her close to my warm body to distract her before I put her back on her side of the perch. She is a nut!

LOL, So you have partitions to keep the peace?

 

[chick rookie]

Tis the season! I really do enjoy Halloween. ..this year I put up a new shower curtain. Oooo did I get some belly laughs outta this one! My 15 year old literally fell down when he walked in hahaha...my 6 year old, whom I just had to quietly peek in (of course he never shuts the door!) I catch him slowly peeking around the backside of it, I couldn't stop myself from busting out laughing and Ohhhh did he jump! Lol!
We have a small candle plug in that acts as a nice night light.
Here it is walking in without and with the lights!

I'm still laughing. it's my birthday so I love this holiday the most but my kids are all grown ad they live out of town so I don't see grand kids much either so I don't decorate. but I sure wish I had that when my kids were little...... I would so use it and lol when they saw it.... I guess I bad too. oh well.

Aww, how could anyone believe such things about such a precious little hen?

(Bantam Cochins have me nearly as well-trained as Dorkings and Plymouth Rocks do...

)
Interesting... Are you sure it's even putting off much heat at all for the birds inside the coop if it's outside? I guess I'm not sure if I understand how it works..?

Also, if you're concerned about it shattering, you could put some fencing over it, like maybe chicken wire? When mine shattered, it stayed in pretty big pieces and didn't go far because it was in a caged lamp. The scary part for me was more the fact that it happened at some point overnight, so those hot wires were exposed to all the dust and stuff from the coop for an unknown amount of time.

Didn't think much of it at the time, but thinking back makes me shudder to think how that could have ended...




And agree on the w-word. We're not there yet.

I am going to have DH put Hardware cloth over it this weekend to help keep any shattered glass from flying too far. It's hard to exsplain how it works so I will get pic's to show you. It really does keep the house a good temp, BUT it's not real cold yet. The other night when it got down to 31, the temp in the house was 40. so that's great. DH says he could sleep it in... lol if he wasn't so big...

Tired & sore tonight from processing and still reducing for winter. Today still felt really chilly, even though it was dry. Refuse to get the coveralls out yet! Getting coops ready, have a huge load of hay coming this weekend. Added an adorable Yorkshire gilt piglet last night that looks like a little sumo wrestler! She is so plump and round you can almost hear the stomp, stomp when she is running up to greet you, lol.. Going to make a really good breeding sow, has a calm demeanor and isn't timid like your average piglet. Just so pleased with her, she likes to be scratched and pet. I am able to pick her up without loud pitiful squeals. thats very unusual. Have a few more piglets coming this weekend, and I will be all set for next year. Plan to stagger my breeding plan so we will not have to search for piglets anymore.

Had a new "first" today, and it is pretty disappointing. I have a beautiful muscovy drake, a barred lavender I have to cull from the flock. He is in jail tonight. Caught him several times this afternoon grabbing chicken hens! This is the first time I have seen a muscovy do this in the 3+ years I have kept them. I am sure not going to use him as a breeder. Really frustrated, he is gorgeous and very human imprinted, exceptionally social fella. Not risking him killing any chicken hens

. He has plenty of female ducks to choose from, and most are pretty friendly to the few drakes I have. My ducks free range off season from hatching, so they must be able to comingle with other species without issue. For those not familiar a drake (male duck) that breeds a chicken hen will kill her. Completely different "plumbing":
My naked neck/turken rooster is getting himself in a lot of trouble too! He has taken an "interest" in turkey hens, and had several angry turkey hens chasing him this afternoon! Never seen such a ridiculous thing, he is only about 6 pounds. Has a lot of growing to do yet! A mad turkey hen will actually stomp another bird/animal to death if they feel its a threat. He is also in "jail" to calm him down, and keep him from getting stomped. A few of my turkey hens are close to 18 pounds or more.

Piggy's where are the pic's???? Sorry to hear about your duck.

Genetics-related posts are the only ones I skim through!

@chick rookie ~ Loved all your photos of your flock members. These two are especially cool!


chick rookie posted: We are going to steel your ideal of the pipe wrap for the our new coop. and the partition is a good ideal, how is it standing in place?

For the partition, I just cut the notch a tad smaller, so it grabs onto the perch particularly if the partition is foam and the perch has foam pipe covering.
If you buy foam pipe covers, I recommend ones like mine (available everywhere). Most stores have two versions, and the cheaper ones look like the material used for swimming pool noodles. That type does not hold up well being clawed. I change my covers approx 3X a year when they get too shredded. Pipe insulators come in different widths, too, so do some measuring before you shop. The ones on my perches are 1 1/4". Smaller sizes are better for bantams, but it doesn't matter that much since they can easily grasp the foam.

@ellymayRans ~ They've never nibbled on the foam. They do the "wiping their beak" on the foam perch to show ownership, but they've never pecked at them even when they eventually get frayed from their claws.
P.S. I'm calling child welfare about your shower curtain!

hahaha I love Halloween, too.

Those aren't my chickens, but they are very cool. Thanks for the tips.
I cant believe anyone would think you have spoiled chickens?????????

 

[Hholly]

I'm still laughing. it's my birthday so I love this holiday the most but my kids are all grown ad they live out of town so I don't see grand kids much either so I don't decorate. but I sure wish I had that when my kids were little...... I would so use it and lol when they saw it.... I guess I bad too. oh well.

Happy Birthday!!!

 

[kittydoc]

Our Biele pullets are laying! Five and a half eggs out of six girls. The cock's egg even had a tiny yolk in it, which I've never seen before. They are 7 months old, very happy with that since 8-10 is average. I heard one singing the egg song at dusk several days ago, so I expected laying soon. My cockerel has been crowing at least 6 weeks. With my hens mostly molting, I'm glad somebody is laying.

 

[Indyshent]

I'm so sorry about your drake, Janet! Hopefully, you'll get another one with the pretty cream and lavender muscovy hens this spring. I'm not sure what your bitty ducklings are going to grow out but really hoping one's magically pretty for you

As much as I'm not looking forward to more processing today (in the face of such huge writing school projects I have to complete, and the fact that I'm not going to be able to spend much time at all with my family this weekend), I've really enjoyed your company and meeting your awesome sweet-hearted parents and all your pretty birds. I don't blame processing for my icky time at all--just my overly demanding art history professor who wants 14 typed report pages by midnight tomorrow

 

[Indyshent]

Our Biele pullets are laying! Five and a half eggs out of six girls. The cock's egg even had a tiny yolk in it, which I've never seen before. They are 7 months old, very happy with that since 8-10 is average. I heard one singing the egg song at dusk several days ago, so I expected laying soon. My cockerel has been crowing at least 6 weeks. With my hens mostly molting, I'm glad somebody is laying.

Is the black English Orp at Janet's from your place? Holy cow, he's the biggest, fluffiest chicken I've ever seen!

 

[kittydoc]

Is the black English Orp at Janet's from your place? Holy cow, he's the biggest, fluffiest chicken I've ever seen!

He sure is! Sounds like he's taken a lot from his daddy, who's my avatar. Grandpa (from another breeder) was a giant bird, too. Thanks for the compliment!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Tired & sore tonight from processing and still reducing for winter. Today still felt really chilly, even though it was dry. Refuse to get the coveralls out yet! Getting coops ready, have a huge load of hay coming this weekend. Added an adorable Yorkshire gilt piglet last night that looks like a little sumo wrestler! She is so plump and round you can almost hear the stomp, stomp when she is running up to greet you, lol.. Going to make a really good breeding sow, has a calm demeanor and isn't timid like your average piglet. Just so pleased with her, she likes to be scratched and pet. I am able to pick her up without loud pitiful squeals. thats very unusual. Have a few more piglets coming this weekend, and I will be all set for next year. Plan to stagger my breeding plan so we will not have to search for piglets anymore.

@jchny2000
How do you house your pigs for winter? Do they go outside much, or mostly stay in under cover?