INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Faraday40]

Our Goshen TSC had chicks for 75 cents too! I HAD to get some... 3 silkies, and I think 3 sebrights. They had other layers too, all marked down.

Congrats! I don't think I would have been able to pass them up either.

 

[Nyla]

Do you have pics or some type of reference link? I could tell the brown Coturnix easily by feather color between 3-4 weeks, but the A&Ms I couldn't tell until 6-7 weeks old when the males developed that huge bulge behind the vent.

My Uncle use to work for Meyer Hatchery. He tought me how to vent sex chickens and ducks when I was 14 years old and had gotten my first ever ducklings. But I'm sure there are videos on YouTube. My quail started to crow around week 4-5. But I vent sex them at 6 weeks.

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPA7c18l0nc

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w48DcDoMc8

 

[ellymayRans]

For those of you who have seen my posts some weeks ago about my ailing red sexlink, Skua, I'm horrified to be posting this, but she was taken by a mink today. It was such a sickening coincidence because we had just decided that it was her time, and just as I went out there to get her, I found that. I'm just shocked beyond words. I feel like I failed her after everything she had already gone through. I'm still shaking.

Since it was pointed out by someone on another thread, the mink has been taken care of and will no longer be a problem. It still comes as a shock. In the nearly 12 years I've had my chickens, I've never even seen one anywhere near here. I'm just completely sick over this.

Ugh that is sad. I'm sorry.
Did you catch it in the act? How did you know it was a mink?
I found one as roadkill about 6 houses down from me a couple of years ago, I've had predator issues but never had any reason to suspect one.
Other than that one time I've never seen one, ever! I had to take pictures of it and look it up at the time because I didn't even know they were around.

Again, so sorry!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

@kittydoc thought I would update you on my now two crossbeaks- sigh.

Today I separated the two crossbeaks form the rest of the chicks. I will still put them all together for play time daily, but they are becoming noticably smaller. Separating them was the easiest way to monitor and make sure they are getting the food they need without having to compete- at least for now. I am putting their fermented feed in the blender to make the pieces smaller. They ate allot quickly- so they are hungry! In watching them I could tell they were having a hard time getting the food before doing this. This has made it noticably (how in the world do you spell that- too tired to spell!) easier.

Yes I have spoiled babies and yes, assuming they make it they will probably lead spoiled pampered lives.

Thanks for your help -still trimming weekly- but it is like the bottom tendon is just massively pulling those little beaks sideways! Very different than Jubal.

Oh - and timing is everything - had you written your first post about sales falling through just 3 days earlier I probably would have been all over some of your birds! As it is now I feel like I have my hands full! But chocolate cuckoos - Oh my!

Cross beaks are so hard.

For those of you who have seen my posts some weeks ago about my ailing red sexlink, Skua, I'm horrified to be posting this, but she was taken by a mink today. It was such a sickening coincidence because we had just decided that it was her time, and just as I went out there to get her, I found that. I'm just shocked beyond words. I feel like I failed her after everything she had already gone through. I'm still shaking.

Since it was pointed out by someone on another thread, the mink has been taken care of and will no longer be a problem. It still comes as a shock. In the nearly 12 years I've had my chickens, I've never even seen one anywhere near here. I'm just completely sick over this.

I am so sorry to read this. We just discovered mink here last weekend, and its took one of my turkeys. I had suspicions but finally got one in a trap. Found one hit on the road too. They are very active right now. My girl taken was a 3 year old Bourbon turkey, RIP Syd. This is why I just can't continue keeping poultry. Too hard to see them taken by predators

 

[Nyla]

Anyone know of a store that sells J- clips? Going to menards in the morning, hoping they might have them. I want to build grow out and breeding cages for my quail. I already have 1/2 inch, 50ft hardwired mesh just laying around my Broodery Room. And thought I'd turn it into something useful. I hate waiting for packages in the mail so I'm hoping to find a store that sells them.

 

[flyladyrocks]

Is there room for any more? It's MY nesting box! NO it's MY nesting box!

I was astounded the turkeys choose the smaller chicken nesting boxes over the larger boxes for them. Never thought there was room a chicken too!

 

[JanetMarie]

For those of you who have seen my posts some weeks ago about my ailing red sexlink, Skua, I'm horrified to be posting this, but she was taken by a mink today. It was such a sickening coincidence because we had just decided that it was her time, and just as I went out there to get her, I found that. I'm just shocked beyond words. I feel like I failed her after everything she had already gone through. I'm still shaking.

Since it was pointed out by someone on another thread, the mink has been taken care of and will no longer be a problem. It still comes as a shock. In the nearly 12 years I've had my chickens, I've never even seen one anywhere near here. I'm just completely sick over this.

Sad for your loss.

 

[Indyshent]

Cross beaks are so hard.

I am so sorry to read this. We just discovered mink here last weekend, and its took one of my turkeys. I had suspicions but finally got one in a trap. Found one hit on the road too. They are very active right now. My girl taken was a 3 year old Bourbon turkey, RIP Syd. This is why I just can't continue keeping poultry. Too hard to see them taken by predators

PM me if I can help

Looking into a LGD tonight. Have really missed having a larger dog around since our beloved Rottweiler died in April of 2014.

 

[tmarsh83]

PM me if I can help

Looking into a LGD tonight. Have really missed having a larger dog around since our beloved Rottweiler died in April of 2014.

I adore our rott. He's about 17 months now. He's still puppy, but such a good dog. So sorry.

Good luck finding the next pupper.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Ugh that is sad. I'm sorry.
Did you catch it in the act? How did you know it was a mink?
I found one as roadkill about 6 houses down from me a couple of years ago, I've had predator issues but never had any reason to suspect one.
Other than that one time I've never seen one, ever! I had to take pictures of it and look it up at the time because I didn't even know they were around.

Again, so sorry!

Yes, I caught it in the act. I'd only ever seen a stoat hit on the road not too far from here, no other types of weasels. It was pretty blindsiding. Luckily, since we live in a woods, my coop is built to defend against all the predators we see around here. We'd never had problems with diurnal predators before, so the run has always been just a fenced in yard. Between this whole event and the hawks that have come back every January / February, I may have to start saving up and make some changes to their run. :/

I am so sorry to read this. We just discovered mink here last weekend, and its took one of my turkeys. I had suspicions but finally got one in a trap. Found one hit on the road too. They are very active right now. My girl taken was a 3 year old Bourbon turkey, RIP Syd. This is why I just can't continue keeping poultry. Too hard to see them taken by predators

It's amazing how tenacious they are. The fact that it took a turkey is just... wow. I was literally standing over Skua and this one was still trying to get at her. It had been trying to drag her out of the coop, but couldn't get her up the step to the pop door that was open. Luckily I have a baby monitor in the coop, so I could yell for help without letting it get out of my sight. I know it's dead, but I'm still terrified about letting my girls out of the coop in the morning... :/