INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

Lots of busy spring stuff happening here. Working on the yard, clearing more land. Keeping up with the events for the wedding the 12th, ugh its crazy. Looking forward to the weekend, DH and I have planned a 3 day anniversary weekend at the campground, Brother & his DW will stay here to parent sit this weekend. I will be a little nervous but am really ready for a short break. I might even get my fishing license!
My only concern is Sugar, my Oberhasli doe is due to kid around the 30th. So I am leaving strict instructions with my brother to call me immediately if there is any issues. She has had 3 kiddings without issues and I expect twins again.
Have to rethink the new "grow up pen". I am fighting with a cocci outbreak in my teen chicks outside. Its all portable coops now, so I assumed it would be less risk. I haven't had cocci in at least 3 years so its clearly not working out. The low area in the yard where the coops are tends to hold moisture longer. We will likely relocate all of the coops to higher ground.

 

[Mishlerfarm24]

Well I got home from class as fast as I could, he didn't make it!

 

[Faraday40]

We have two hens, each with chicks, in puppy cages in the garage. Hen 1 has one chick and hen 2 and two chicks. These hens and chicks are in puppy playpens that are right next to each other. They all see each other, smell each other and hear each other all day and all night.

This weekend, we took both moms and all 3 babies into the main coop yard for some outdoor time. We have a large puppy playpen that's hard-sided and about 12' in diameter circle. I expected to have a little trouble at first when we started the playtime. Initially, I had apprehension about chick & mama playtime in the main coop yard is the chicks squeezing through the cracks and the big hens pecking at them. I was prepared that there would be a little pecking at first.

That turned out to be a very bad idea.

The moms each got big-hair feathers and stood on their tiptoes and started trying to rip each other's combs off. Feather's were flying, combs and wattles were bleeding, the chicks were cheeping and running around the perimeter.

It didn't seem to matter that all day long, for the past five weeks, these two hens have had only a piece of screen separating them. It was like they had seen each other for the first time--and didn't like it.

Anyway, I separated the hens with chicks, and all hens and chicks had a nice afternoon. Hen 1 and her one chick stayed inside the circle, hen 2 and her two chicks stayed outside the circle. I sat in a lawn chair in the coop yard, keeping the peace. I've had several learn-the-hard-way experiences with chickens and this was one of them.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a breeding pair of Araucanas to sell. They're only 3 weeks old, but one has substantial legs and another has substantial comb buds and one has neither of those. Surely, out of those, there will be a male and a female. If you're interested in a breeding pair of Aracaunas, be thinking about these little guys.

I can believe it. My only true broody hatch was Bunny, the EE who actually stole the chicks from an Australorp. She was so fierce protecting those chicks, she even backed geese down. Its amazing what we learn, some things not so fun.

Interesting. I also have a broody. Trouble is a Sebright who could only fit 2-3 eggs under her. Only 1 of 2 developed, so I gave her 3 incubator chicks when they hatched & put "her" egg into the incubator. She's doing OK with the chicks but i must carry everyone out to the grassy playpen during the day & back to the rabbit cage in the coop each night. I tried having Trouble walk but she attacks & gets attacked by her former BFF Bubbles. When the little family is inside the playpen or rabbit cage, no problem.

Then Trouble's orig egg hatched. We kept the lonely only chick inside for a few days to make sure it learned to walk, eat, drink, etc. With past broodies I was never able to add extra chicks once they walked away from the nest. When I added the younger chick this morning, Trouble didn't attack it. In fact, it was the new tiny chick that pecked at its siblings right away in excitement. The younger chick is now 3 days old, and the others are 6 days old. So not as big of size diff between today as it was 3 days ago. I'm so happy not to have another brooder going. Meanwhile, I've been checking on them & they're doing great.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I am fighting with a cocci outbreak in my teen chicks outside. Its all portable coops now, so I assumed it would be less risk. I haven't had cocci in at least 3 years so its clearly not working out. The low area in the yard where the coops are tends to hold moisture longer. We will likely relocate all of the coops to higher ground.

@jchny2000
YOU MUST get wood chips down. It will take care of that issue. Put them down about 6' deep to start with. It will change that dynamic to healthy ground in no time at all.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Mishlerfarm24
Sorry to hear it. Very upsetting when something like that happens.

I think there must have been something much more wrong than just what you observed of his feet.

Be sure to keep a watch on your other chickens for any signs of problems or malaise. Maybe go over to TSC and get some probiotics to put in their feed for awhile.

 

[Indyshent]

Well I got home from class as fast as I could, he didn't make it!

I'm so sorry. We do our best tending to them, but sometimes they're just too far gone to pull back up. Birds are very, very good at hiding their health problems until it's about too late to save them, which is unfortunate.

 

[pginsber]

Hard to see here, but this is the Aracauna chick with tufts....looks more like a crazy mustache.

This cutie has substantial legs and is big. I love her coloring. She's sweet.

This one's a big baby. Won't leave mamas side. She has big comb buds.


These are our Aracauna 3 week old babies.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I know we all have a set of mud shoes or shoes that we use just for the chickens. What is everyone's favorites? i need to replace mine and it looks like they are no longer available.

This was the pair I had.
http://www.aquastopusa.com/#/Womens/Tara Navy

 

[Faraday40]

I know we all have a set of mud shoes or shoes that we use just for the chickens. What is everyone's favorites? i need to replace mine and it looks like they are no longer available.

This was the pair I had.
http://www.aquastopusa.com/#/Womens/Tara Navy

I have something similar but with a zipper. Great for mud & snow. If I leave the zipper 1/2 open, they're slip-ons.

In the hot, dry summer I sometimes just use last year's sneakers, because they're cooler.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I know we all have a set of mud shoes or shoes that we use just for the chickens. What is everyone's favorites? i need to replace mine and it looks like they are no longer available.

For summer - Sloggers Garden Shoes

Can get 'em at TSC or Meijer I always keep at least 2 pairs so I have one to wear if I visit someone else (biosecurity) then they go right into the wash. Have removable and replaceable insoles.

For winter - Muck Boots
Had the same pair for 4 years and still going strong. Best boots I've ever owned.