INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[daskhan]

I'm surprised too

 

[Faraday40]

Who knew a kids' science camp could change our lives? Here's our evolving coop.

First, my loving DH bought me a used coop to house a few chickens we hatched.


Brought it home, gutted it, added wheels, insulation, & paneling, then a nice coat of paint.





Turns out the wheels didn't work well, so here it sits with a run made from scavenged parts. Our very helpful & curious neighbors donated most of the materials.


Got a lot of snow, so before our 2nd winter we added a permanent snow guard around the bottom. A neighbor donated a door.
We also made "storm windows" using clear vinyl shower curtains. It's like a greenhouse inside, but the water did freeze.


By the 3rd winter we perfected the heated water bucket system (using horizontal nipples instead of the vertical ones) & added a run extension.
BTW it can snow a lot here.




This year we added a few gardens & mulch around the extension. I also made an extra level in the tall run. (We really weren't using all the vertical space.) In Nov, we just finished "storm windows" for the run extension. Here's what it looks like today. All ready for the snow.







So as you can see, my coop just keeps growing.... and growing!
If I had to do it over again, I would have started with a shed, but cost was a big factor.

 

[Indyshent]

Well, it looks like the puppy found himself a new home with my neighbors a few doors down. Very sweet family with two other dogs, several young children and 6 cats. The lady of the house in on disability and is able to stay home to help with his training. She'd asked me about helping her find a puppy similar to him, and so I asked if she would rather take him in because of our issues with him mauling birds (this family doesn't keep poultry at all). I'm sad to see him go, but we'll be able to see and play with him, and I know they'll take great care of him. He needed other larger dogs around who could help him straighten out behaviorally and did much better in his first home where he had an older dog to help housebreak him and teach him manners (like not biting too hard or playing to roughly). He was getting too rough with our kitten as well, and, while he was responding well to discipline in playing too roughly, I simply wasn't able to always be on top of him and no one else in the house was helping to train him.

All the sickies are responding pretty well to treatment in the living room so far. I'll be able to introduce the SLRW roosterling to the outside flock pretty soon. Introduced him to the CX hen (who was well enough--despite her mauling-- to give us an egg yesterday morning!) but he started pecking her head periodically, so I went the rounds with him last night (tapped him pointedly on the head each time he pecked her, then flipped him upside down for awhile and had no problems with him misbehaving at all afterward). Poor guy's used to getting badly treated by the sick tom and other roosters, and I think he just wanted to have someone under him a pecking order. Both the CX and the SLRW were getting a bit homesick and wanting the company of fellow chickens.

Gave the CX a long Dawn bath yesterday evening and let her fluff up in a laundry basket next to a heater on the couch next to me while I was working on a longwinded art history paper. She's such a sweetie and cleans up well. Still haven't been able to dose her because, as soon as a syringe is pointed in her general direction, handling her is like trying to wrestle a 20-lb bowling ball full of slightly miniaturized hyperactive preschoolers and supercharged bouncy balls, all moving at speeds Einstein believed to be impossible under the theory of special relativity. Since I can no longer tell which of the two hens I'm treating (the other one died and they were only distinguishable standing next to each other because Penelope finally caught up to her sister in weight), I'm thinking about renaming her Petunia. Priscilla was supposed to go to @chickrookie but Penelope was supposed to stay at my place and give me big fat eggs for the rest of days so I could finally have the answer to this riddle:

"If the giant, graceless CX hen is crossed to another breed,
the result is a slower-growing bowling ball,
and if the sleek, svelte, most graceful and elegant Sumatra cock is crossed over any breed,
the result is empirically proven to be the most sexy version of its mother breed imaginable:
What happens when a Sumatra cock mates a CX hen?
​

Yup, that my Big Red Button of poultry breeding at the moment. Is such a thing as a graceful, sexy CX cross even possible? The drop-dead gorgeous birchen Sumatra is really trying to make this happen too (which is one of the biggest reasons I may just keep him, despite him being yet another rooster on the premises, and the only new guy confirmed to ever crow).

 

[Faraday40]

I went out to take some pics today.
I think I got my roo's bad side.

My sweet, gentle boy looks like a scary Klingon from Star Trek.



Here's a better pic. As you can see, he's really not a big scary roo.
He's a lover, not a fighter. (BTW- The hens really do love him since he's a gentleman & offers them treats.)

I was playing around with shutter speed & aperture settings, so the colors may look off. He's BLACK with that iridescent green shine. not green.


The same setting made my lav orp mix look amazing, though.

 

[Hholly]

I went out to take some pics today.
I think I got my roo's bad side.

My sweet, gentle boy looks like a scary Klingon from Star Trek.



Here's a better pic. As you can see, he's really not a big scary roo.
He's a lover, not a fighter. (BTW- The hens really do love him since he's a gentleman & offers them treats.)

I was playing around with shutter speed & aperture settings, so the colors may look off. He's BLACK with that iridescent green shine. not green.


The same setting made my lav orp mix look amazing, though.

Pretty chickies!

 

[chick rookie]

Lots of life events going with my Mom, not able to be on the thread much of late. She will have her heart valve replaced Tuesday, everything's been approved. Next 3 weeks, at least I won't be on here much but am trying to read PMs. Really trying to catch any posts that could be a bad situation for the poster too, if someone else hasn't replied.
Want to say welcome to any one new that's joined our thread! We are not limited to just talking about chickens. There's members that keep horses, rabbits, bees, goats, sheep, cows, alpaca, other poultry, waterfowl and a lot more! We only ask to keep discussions "family clean" as we welcome young adults to join in too. BYC also asks us to keep conversations respectful, as its a family oriented website. If you just need to rant or shout out, we are here for you too! So don't worry about being out of context here unless its not acceptable topic for BYC.

Last call, Please, PM only if interested. All birds have to be picked up here in Pendleton, I can't leave my mom home alone to meet up. I am downsizing some of my EE flock, and may have 1 quad available, or 2 trios. They are exceptionally hardy, good layer hens and non aggressive roosters. Some Brahma hens. All the birds I am offering are less than a year old. Also have a few Sumatra roosters left, and a few splash wyandotte roos. Siver appleyard drake, 2 Rouen drakes and some Muscovy drakes.Scovys are pied, lavender, black ripple or blacks. Will be processing any remaining birds this weekend we don't intend to keep over the winter.

Hate hearing all this about your Mom and such, I'll keep sending prayers for her and your family.

Pics of the birds or the eggs? I don't have either but I could get some of the birds later. I don't think my blue girl is laying right now so no pics of her eggs

I may be interested, if I don't lose my more of my hens! I'll PM you!

I've had a hawk take out two of my hens in the last two days

the bird it got yesterday was one of my 3 CCLs I was going to use for my olive egger project! To say I'm frustrated is putting it mildly. I've had a horrible time with predators this year!

I've had allot of bad luck with Air predators this year too I lost so many chicks and Silkies!! They are mad at me at the moment cause I have them locked up in their covered run, they don't understand it for their safety...

Hey all, I am from Michigan.

Any of you going to the poultry show in Connorsville this weekend?

nice to meet ya and welcome.

I have had 6 CX in the house since Oct 20. UGH, I'm very surprised hubby hasn't killed me yet.

Wow that a Lg mess I bet.

Who knew a kids' science camp could change our lives? Here's our evolving coop.

First, my loving DH bought me a used coop to house a few chickens we hatched.


Brought it home, gutted it, added wheels, insulation, & paneling, then a nice coat of paint.





Turns out the wheels didn't work well, so here it sits with a run made from scavenged parts. Our very helpful & curious neighbors donated most of the materials.


Got a lot of snow, so before our 2nd winter we added a permanent snow guard around the bottom. A neighbor donated a door.
We also made "storm windows" using clear vinyl shower curtains. It's like a greenhouse inside, but the water did freeze.


By the 3rd winter we perfected the heated water bucket system (using horizontal nipples instead of the vertical ones) & added a run extension.
BTW it can snow a lot here.




This year we added a few gardens & mulch around the extension. I also made an extra level in the tall run. (We really weren't using all the vertical space.) In Nov, we just finished "storm windows" for the run extension. Here's what it looks like today. All ready for the snow.







So as you can see, my coop just keeps growing.... and growing!
If I had to do it over again, I would have started with a shed, but cost was a big factor.

I think you did an awesome job.

Well, it looks like the puppy found himself a new home with my neighbors a few doors down. Very sweet family with two other dogs, several young children and 6 cats. The lady of the house in on disability and is able to stay home to help with his training. She'd asked me about helping her find a puppy similar to him, and so I asked if she would rather take him in because of our issues with him mauling birds (this family doesn't keep poultry at all). I'm sad to see him go, but we'll be able to see and play with him, and I know they'll take great care of him. He needed other larger dogs around who could help him straighten out behaviorally and did much better in his first home where he had an older dog to help housebreak him and teach him manners (like not biting too hard or playing to roughly). He was getting too rough with our kitten as well, and, while he was responding well to discipline in playing too roughly, I simply wasn't able to always be on top of him and no one else in the house was helping to train him.

All the sickies are responding pretty well to treatment in the living room so far. I'll be able to introduce the SLRW roosterling to the outside flock pretty soon. Introduced him to the CX hen (who was well enough--despite her mauling-- to give us an egg yesterday morning!) but he started pecking her head periodically, so I went the rounds with him last night (tapped him pointedly on the head each time he pecked her, then flipped him upside down for awhile and had no problems with him misbehaving at all afterward). Poor guy's used to getting badly treated by the sick tom and other roosters, and I think he just wanted to have someone under him a pecking order. Both the CX and the SLRW were getting a bit homesick and wanting the company of fellow chickens.

Gave the CX a long Dawn bath yesterday evening and let her fluff up in a laundry basket next to a heater on the couch next to me while I was working on a longwinded art history paper. She's such a sweetie and cleans up well. Still haven't been able to dose her because, as soon as a syringe is pointed in her general direction, handling her is like trying to wrestle a 20-lb bowling ball full of slightly miniaturized hyperactive preschoolers and supercharged bouncy balls, all moving at speeds Einstein believed to be impossible under the theory of special relativity. Since I can no longer tell which of the two hens I'm treating (the other one died and they were only distinguishable standing next to each other because Penelope finally caught up to her sister in weight), I'm thinking about renaming her Petunia. Priscilla was supposed to go to @chickrookie but Penelope was supposed to stay at my place and give me big fat eggs for the rest of days so I could finally have the answer to this riddle:

"If the giant, graceless CX hen is crossed to another breed,
the result is a slower-growing bowling ball,
and if the sleek, svelte, most graceful and elegant Sumatra cock is crossed over any breed,
the result is empirically proven to be the most sexy version of its mother breed imaginable:
What happens when a Sumatra cock mates a CX hen?
​

Yup, that my Big Red Button of poultry breeding at the moment. Is such a thing as a graceful, sexy CX cross even possible? The drop-dead gorgeous birchen Sumatra is really trying to make this happen too (which is one of the biggest reasons I may just keep him, despite him being yet another rooster on the premises, and the only new guy confirmed to ever crow).

Glad to hear they are getting better.





Well I think I have another DUMP chicken... this time it's a big beautiful Rooster, don't know what kind will get pic's latter, it might belong to the people down the street?? going to try and find out latter today.

 

[Faraday40]

Quote: Is it common for people to just drop off an animal at your home?

Last month I had someone ask if I'd take in a pet hen, but never did someone abandon one. I had to say No to the hen, because I was trying to sell my remaining extras before winter. The unwanted chicken was kept in an apartment & the only pet. About 5-6 mo old & had trouble walking. The owners received it for free. I still scratch my head when I hear about situations like this. Why would anyone take a chick if they weren't planning on owning a chicken & why would someone give a single chick away to people so clueless? Believe it or not, but it's the 3rd time someone came to me in a similar situation. I can understand rehoming an unexpected roo, but getting a chick without the means to care for it is crazy. Of course, abandoning a roo on someone else's property is also crazy. That's why I ask if it happens often. Are you known to take in rescue animals?

 

[Indyshent]

Anybody know the address of the pea rescue home? I was going to try to meet @ellymayRans there this morning, but she hasn't given me the address so I have no clue how to get there. Please PM it if you know it, if not, I'll be home working on a lab report and studying for a chemistry exam all day...

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Anybody know the address of the pea rescue home? I was going to try to meet @ellymayRans there this morning, but she hasn't given me the address so I have no clue how to get there. Please PM it if you know it, if not, I'll be home working on a lab report and studying for a chemistry exam all day...

I hoping you got in touch with them. Racin went last time so he would know. So if you are still looking maybe try messaging him.

 

[kabhyper1]

Just a heads up to the new members on here. We also have a FB page for Indiana Bycer's https://www.facebook.com/groups/653896251318576/1001307293244135/?notif_t=like