INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[iamfivewire]

the birdies "early Christmas present" is here (17 panels - they dont get to have the truck):

 

[ellymayRans]

My first experience with bitty poults. I couldn't get over how calm and sweet they were when I took them out of the bator.
The 2 yellow I thought were Midget White but they both have a dark stripe down their backs.

 

[Dish chickens]

day 20 and 3 are piped and cheeping

wishing for a better hatch then last one...80%

 

[Dish chickens]

I checked in with the owners of some of the chicks from last hatch. The chicks are all doing well and the gentleman just kept going on and on about how pretty they were and fun to watch. I kind of laughed because they are 3 weeks old and as you know this is their ugly stage. So if he thinks they are pretty now, I can't wait to check in when they are all filled out and grown. They are all Blue Orpingtons.

 

[Hholly]

Hey all! Is it normal for a hen rearing chicks to go through a molt or partial molt this time of year? My silkie mom looks all raggedy and is losing some downy feathers. I looked for lice and mites but saw nothing.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

The last 2 poults hatched before I left this morning. Those both appear all white as far as I could tell. The other 3, 2 look similar to each other but there is 1 that doesn't.

Oh how precious!

Check out the comparison on the Muscovy!! Little monsters! Haha!
Hatched 3/10
In my hand

Last night 4/11

Its crazy how fast they grow, I know! I just love this stage, the personalities are already starting to show. Going to be a gorgeous lavender ripple/barred.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

day 20 and 3 are piped and cheeping

wishing for a better hatch then last one...80%

hatching vibes

I checked in with the owners of some of the chicks from last hatch. The chicks are all doing well and the gentleman just kept going on and on about how pretty they were and fun to watch. I kind of laughed because they are 3 weeks old and as you know this is their ugly stage. So if he thinks they are pretty now, I can't wait to check in when they are all filled out and grown. They are all Blue Orpingtons.

Oh he will be thrilled!

Hey all! Is it normal for a hen rearing chicks to go through a molt or partial molt this time of year? My silkie mom looks all raggedy and is losing some downy feathers. I looked for lice and mites but saw nothing.

Probably is a molt. I have had them do it in the middle of winter too.

 

[kabhyper1]

Hey all! Is it normal for a hen rearing chicks to go through a molt or partial molt this time of year? My silkie mom looks all raggedy and is losing some downy feathers. I looked for lice and mites but saw nothing.

Yes it's called broody molt. All of mine do it.

 

[weezerfish]

So I've been chipping away at finishing our coop and making good progress. Apparently my son's chicks wanted to tell me I'm not moving fast enough. The two he picked out were black sex link chicks and were easily twice the size of the "Ameraucanas" and RIRs my daughters picked out. We've had them for two weeks now and the BSLs are growing fast. As I was making breakfast today my daughter yelled "DAD!" in that voice that instantly tells me there's a problem. When I got to her, her eyes were as big as saucers. Apparently one of the BSLs was sitting up on the rim of the tub when she walked up to check on the chicks. I knew we were getting close to them getting out, but she wasn't expecting it at all. pretty funny! So I spent the next 20 minutes fashioning a lid for the brooder out of hardware cloth to keep them in. Worked most of the evening on the coop and now getting really close to having it done. Hoping the weather cooperates enough to move them into the coop inside the garage this weekend. That will give them quite a bit more room to move. A couple pics of the coop below. Had to go with the raised coop due to cost considerations. I did bump out one wall a bit to add some extra square footage and minimize waste.


My little helper feeling cooped up in last weeks cold weather.


Still a little way to go but much closer to being done now. Will finish soon and start on the run shortly.

 

[ellymayRans]

Cool news...found my first duck egg in the front flower bed after baseball practice! I saw her squat for him the other day but he didn't even notice. Lol!

Not so cool news!! I noticed this evening only 1 turkey hen roosted! So i went and checked the nest i knew about and there sat a hen! I got her to move but Wow!! Not very far and she was MEAN about the whole ordeal! There were 2 eggs, which was strange because ive been collecting them daily since discovering it. I grabbed the eggs and tried to push her out of the woods and she was having no part of it! Obviously the other hen has been laying also so i searched the woods with a flashlight and no luck. All 3 of them were out free ranging today so i didn't really think they were getting broody, then again i also only thought 1 was laying. I'm just hoping she's just as mean to whatever has been eating eggs...i did set a trap at the back of the property as while i was at baseball DH called me to inform me i had a bunch of eaten eggs in our shed. One of the doors doesn't close all the way and evidently ive had a EE laying eggs in there, so i set the trap with eggs in it just inside the doorway. I really hope i trap whatever it is.