INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[flyladyrocks]

I think i need an intervention and I know this is not the place to come! Spring has sprung (even though I realize it could be 20 in 2 weeks) and the chick itch is in full force. My I want list as usual is getting longer by the minute.
In sadder news - no livestock shows at Marion county fair this year

Horse and pony, small animal and dogs. No mention of poultry on the e-mail- do poultry count as small animal? We won't show our birds anyway but sure do like looking at the animals. In fact it is my favorite part of the fair!!! This farm girl at heart is very sad. I knew we've been leading up to this in the past few years, but still so sad. I wonder what will be in those buildings?

 

[Leahs Mom]

What? Why no livestock? I thought that was a huge part of 4h?

 

[twoacrefarm]

It's beginning to feel a lot like spring here in Southern IN. We are supposed to get close to 70 tomorrow and in the 70s on Monday. In observance of that... I took a half day

. DH wanted to know why I needed to do that when we were about to have a whole summer ahead of us. He just doesn't understand those of us who LOVE warm weather.

This week DH has replaced all of the decades old cattle fence on our property with 5 foot 2x4 welded wire livestock fencing. Tomorrow, our whole yard will be officially fenced off! That is super exciting as I am SO OVER chasing the ladies from our neighbors yard. I'm crossing my fingers that they don't learn how to fly over it. So far, they are a year old and have no interest in getting off the ground. Lets hope it stays that way.

The new chicks are growing rapidly and i'm hoping to start integrating them with the older girls in a month or so. All thats new here! Hope ya'll are getting some of this wonderful weather!

 

[flyladyrocks]

"4-H is full of traditions that make it a strong and recognizable organization. It also is an adaptable organization that changes to meet the needs of the members. Please be aware that Marion County 4-H will not be having livestock shows at the Marion County Fair this year. While this has long been a tradition, the lack of tradional farms in our county has lead to a decrease in number of livestock shown."

What?  Why no livestock?  I thought that was a huge part of 4h?

 

[Mother2Hens]

One of my Frizzles laid a tiny round egg today!


Here are a couple of new photos of my adorable, personable girls!

(I switched them for the next photo).


And yes, they're still sleeping in their basement suite.

This is their bedroom (the shower). I put padding around a shower rod and wrapped it with painter's tape. We've kept the basement temp at 60 this winter. In the morning, if the temp is 40 or above, we let them out the basement door to join the six hens. Since I got them at six weeks old from @ellymayRans last Oct., they've had a long quarantine and a gradual, supervised intro to the flock. The frizzles are always right next to each other and hang out near the large hens. I just haven't wanted to stress them (and me) out by putting them in the big coop with the other hens in the middle of winter. They are really easy house chickens since they are tiny bantams.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Re Honey Bee discussion with @Leahs Mom , @atrueb00 , @iamfivewire , @racinchickins and others...

My sister who lives in Louisville has had bees for three years. Coincidentally, she texted me with this info yesterday that Bee people might find interesting...
I'm getting 3,000 from a local guy who orders large quantities from Kelley Beekeeping so that he can resell at a lower price. My original hive didn't survive the winter due to robber bees last fall. It was too late in the season for the queen to lay enough eggs to go thru the 21 days of hatching to replace those killed defending the hive. Not enough left to keep each other warm.

Robber Bees sound scary!

Speaking of scary, one of my orps lays her own style of egg — and I thought I'd better show three, not two! LOL Even if my finger was in the photo.

 

[ellymayRans]

Julie they're just precious! I've been in VA this week and just got back yesterday. My Mille Fleur Cochins have started laying and I have 5 eggs I'll be setting tomorrow and every egg thereafter for as long as I can handle hatching!! Lol! A fellow BYCER had reached out desiring them and I just love to share this breed!

A lot of people think they would rather not get into the bantam breeds but I have such a love of some!

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[Indyshent]

If you want some really interesting, historical reading, try looking up the "chicken bubble"/Victorian "Hen Craze" which started after Queen Victoria received seven Cochins and set up an aviary for them.

 

[Faraday40]

e are a couple of new photos of my adorable, personable girls!

Those little frizzles are very adorable. I'm still a lover of LF, but DD talked us into keeping a bantam orpington & a sebright. DH calls them "useless chickens," but I find that their BIG personalities & hilarious antics add so much fun to our flock. I can't imagine not having a couple bantams around.

.......Now DD has some silkie eggs in the incubator. I have a strong feeling our bantam number is going up.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Here are some happy chickens enjoying the weather yesterday and today! (And the happy Buckeye cockerel that hasn't had access to his girlfriends most of the winter

)