INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Finnie]

DD wanted to make a crayon melt for an art project. She thought it looked like a crying rainbow - which then reminded her of the "Rainbow Bridge" poem. So she turned her canvas into a memorial for our beloved Cuddles. I still miss my sweet Cuddles, but I'm proud of my compassionate little artist. I doubt the judges will understand, but I know some people on this thread will.

Love it!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Faraday40

Love the art project. Your daughter is very creative. Beautiful work and thoughts.

 

[Leahs Mom]

So far we've made it through the heat of yesterday. 1 more day to go.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

DD wanted to make a crayon melt for an art project. She thought it looked like a crying rainbow - which then reminded her of the "Rainbow Bridge" poem. So she turned her canvas into a memorial for our beloved Cuddles. I still miss my sweet Cuddles, but I'm proud of my compassionate little artist. I doubt the judges will understand, but I know some people on this thread will.

Hugs to her, beautiful thoughts for your Cuddles too. There are some we never forget, but eventually we heal.

So far we've made it through the heat of yesterday. 1 more day to go.

My orpington hen isn't doing well, I brought her inside for the air conditioning. I am afraid she probably won't recover. I have her on electrolytes but she is an older girl. We lost a black Sumatra cockerel to the heat quite sure today also. My neighbor brought a lot of melon down, and we fed some to the coops, I put the rest in the fridge for tomorrow. I hope this isn't the pattern for August too!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Its that time of year for us. I am looking at my flocks, breeds, species and planning for winter. Lots of thought on it, have stopped hatching everything but quail, aside from a couple orders left for chickens.

What chicken breeds are working for you? What breeds don't?
For us, I adore OEGB and Silkies, but bantam breeds didn't work for us. Rocks, White Leghorn and Rhode Island Reds are my best egg producers. I like the Comets eggs but the health and longevity is so limited. Love the Orpington! Awesome, sweet and large dual purpose breed. Beautiful colors. EE/OE are also a great dual purpose. I have bred out any hint of aggressive roosters in all my flocks. If a problem crops up and can't be corrected, they leave. Love the Dark Cornish demeanor. I have some wyandottes again, so its another type I am still looking at keeping. Sumatra are beautiful, but will likely not keep them next year.
My chickens have suddenly almost stopped laying. I can't help but think its this horrible weather and several are starting molt.

 

[Faraday40]

My chickens have suddenly almost stopped laying. I can't help but think its this horrible weather and several are starting molt.

x2
I noticed yesterday's & today's egg counts were less than 1/2 normal.

 

[Mother2Hens]

I was confused by your photo at first, but them realized that the owl is a statue on a stand! LOL I bought a plastic owl a year ago (in an end-of-summer half-price sale ~ lol), but haven’t used it because I worried that it would scare my chickens. When I first got it, I casually introduced the owl to my chickens by turning it back and forth at an unnatural angle to try to show that it wasn’t real. I didn’t want to just pull it out and have those big eyes freak the chickens out! They looked a little concerned at first. I even knocked the owl on the ground upside down to further emphasize that it wasn’t real. Haha I was going to condition them for a few days before putting the owl out, but I never did. I didn’t know if the owl would deter my favorite pileated woodpeckers from visiting. I had read that hawks and other predators get used to a fixed object like a fake owl, so I thought about drilling a couple of holes and running a string through it for movement—kinda like my used car lot pennants! An owl that does flips might deter hawks. Haha
And what a beautiful picture of your new little peas!

These are staying for future breeding/egg-laying:

Iowa Blue cockerel & pullet

"Crusty" the crested Sapphire

part of our coop & pen set-ups:


There are 4 4x6 coop sheds w/ 10x15 pens.
also have pens either side of wood coop (not seen in picture)

@iamfivewire Nice photos of your chickens and of your coops— Very impressive accommodations! Has is been cooler/less humid in Michigan?

@jchny2000 Sorry to hear about your parents having to deal with so many doctors' appointments. Not to mention having them out in the heat—getting in and out of the car! I went through that with my Dad, and it's stressful.

l admired your compassionate comments (as usual) about bringing in your barn cats in during the oppressive heat—and saving the dumped kitten! It's sad to see such callous treatment of any animal. Unfortunately, I think it's one of those behaviors passed from so-called parent to child. Ugh!
Hope your Orpington girl improves!

@Faraday40 Loved all of your photos! I bet the lawn chair in the background behind your beautiful lavenders is purposefully in that position to provide cover.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Originally Posted by kittydoc
My really heavy English blue Orp roo suffers in less heat than this. I keep expecting to find him expired every time it gets up to 90. He stays outside in the sun if just one hen is in the yard, even if he's panting.

Maybe this would be helpful...

Btw, my four chicks are spoiled rotten already! It's obvious that they got a great start from your care and attention because they're much more friendly and interested in me than my last orps were at that age. I'll post more pictures of them tomorrow.

I rigged up some "air conditioning" this evening in my outdoor chickens' coop. Couldn't get a clear photo, so I put together this example:
Not sure how long the freeze pack lasted, but at least it helped them get settled.

 

[MikeTodd]

So this is the only Silkie we have and I am hoping it is a girl sk I can keep her. She is 7-8 weeks. Any idea if pullet or roo??

 

[racinchickins]

Quote: I've had my electric netting for several years now. I've never seen it on sale either. And I also have a solar charger. Thinking it's time to change out the batteries as I'm not so certain the charge is lasting all night anymore. Did you get the replacements from Premiere1?

on your netting did you buy single spike or double spike netting? i'm wondering as there seems to be a big price difference between the two and i wonder if it's worth buying DS.

@hanakimi

IT IS DEFINITELY WORTH GETTING THE DOUBLE SPIKE. Oh... sorry, I didn't mean to shout....


When the ground is dry it is almost impossible to insert a single spike. The double spike you step in with you foot. It can even be hard to get those in when it's dry below the surface.

I can't even imagine trying to get the single spike in.

I also have double spike and recommend it for the same reasons.

Peafowl owners, my peacock dropped his train this week. Literally within a couple days! Does that mean breeding season is over? My peahen nested 3 eggs but abandoned it after July 4th weekend. She is also molting, even the crest feathers are gone.
Heat index is pretty awful next few days. Be sure to watch out for yourself outside too!

Horace (my male) still has his train and is displaying for all its worth. I do notice its getting a bit ragged, and both peahens still have their chicks, so they pay him no mind. Peachicks are getting big and already have their crests.

Quote: I had two peachicks that I hatched before the hens started setting. They were doing great, and then both expired in the last two days. They were in the barn with my chicken chicks. I think it was the heat, they were doing great until then. However, they aren't very aggressive getting food and water, so next year I will raise them separately.