INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[nenebynature]

Let's Sex!

I have two Partridge Cochins. My husband wants to name them Laverne and Shirley, but I think we have a Sonny and Cher.

Birthday is 5/31, which puts them at 5 weeks today.

Partridge One

Partridge Two

So sweet!!

 

[nenebynature]

Starting to not like the 4th of July. Enjoyed the day and the cookout. But in the evenings every firework sets off my Peacock, Horace. He starts screaming which sets off his girls and my guinea hens. They start screaming and then my chickens join in. We had people setting off fireworks until 12:30 in the morning (Who does that???). Add in a couple hundred pounds of dogs cowering in our bed and sleep was in short supply for everyone!

I am so thankful that my Franklin was sacked out for the fireworks! They have been going off for days and none of us have been getting much sleep. Frankie decided to show off his frustrations by digging in my hostas. I'm sure the chickens will return to continue their dust bathing there now that fresh dirt has been unearthed

 

[nenebynature]

@JanetMarie and @Leahs Mom well dummy me was a sucker and bought another rose bush! It's zoned for five and I live in a seven so fingers crossed!

 

[Indyshent]

Starting to not like the 4th of July. Enjoyed the day and the cookout. But in the evenings every firework sets off my Peacock, Horace. He starts screaming which sets off his girls and my guinea hens. They start screaming and then my chickens join in. We had people setting off fireworks until 12:30 in the morning (Who does that???). Add in a couple hundred pounds of dogs cowering in our bed and sleep was in short supply for everyone!

In this neighborhood, we're glad when it's just fireworks (heard a lot of gunshots last night, too). Lot of very firework loving families here because they've been going off about every night since before Cinqo de Mayo. We had people shooting them off past 2am this morning, and when I got up this morning, there was *still* somebody shooting off bottle rockets.

I want to hear more about the chicken bubble of the 1800's!

The Victorian Hen Craze started after Queen Victoria received seven Cochins in 1842. She pretty much invented Western poutry fancy. However, the fad didn't last forever (although poultry fancy in Britain did last long enough to name the Jubilee Orpington during her reign, and the Coronation Sussex for her son's coronation), and many people who had invested in breeding the biggest, coolest, fluffiest, most in demand breeds found themselves pretty much unable to sell their stock by 1855 in America. Tanks to this craze, however, came the Brahma.

http://theplate.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/05/the-forgotten-history-of-hen-fever/

 

[akorte]

In this neighborhood, we're glad when it's just fireworks (heard a lot of gunshots last night, too). Lot of very firework loving families here because they've been going off about every night since before Cinqo de Mayo. We had people shooting them off past 2am this morning, and when I got up this morning, there was *still* somebody shooting off bottle rockets.



The Victorian Hen Craze started after Queen Victoria received seven Cochins in 1842. She pretty much invented Western poutry fancy. However, the fad didn't last forever (although poultry fancy in Britain did last long enough to name the Jubilee Orpington during her reign, and the Coronation Sussex for her son's coronation), and many people who had invested in breeding the biggest, coolest, fluffiest, most in demand breeds found themselves pretty much unable to sell their stock by 1855 in America. Tanks to this craze, however, came the Brahma.

http://theplate.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/05/the-forgotten-history-of-hen-fever/

Thanks! Now reading, "The surprising ways chickens changed the world"

 

[akorte]

Question: I have my coops raised 18 inches off the ground. The chickens love the shade and hang out under there a lot. Yeah great planning! But, they poop under there. A lot. And, it is difficult to clean, doesn't get that much air (3 sides are closed in with garden lattice and hardware cloth), and never gets rain. So, it is starting to stink! Boo poor planning! I rake out the poo about once a week, but I need a new plan. Would putting sand underneath help? Or do you have any better suggestions?
Right now my runs are still grass.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Deep litter with wood chips and also throw the litter from inside your coop int the run and underneith after the grass has been spent. Makes very healthy soil for them.

We actually enclosed under the hen shed so they couldn't get under. I didn't want to be trying to fish birds out from under it. My husband built frames with hardware cloth that we screwed in all around. That way they're removable if we move the shed or change configuration in any way. You can see them and the deep litter in the photos below.

 

[nenebynature]

Deep litter with wood chips and also throw the litter from inside your coop int the run and underneith after the grass has been spent. Makes very healthy soil for them.

We actually enclosed under the hen shed so they couldn't get under. I didn't want to be trying to fish birds out from under it. My husband built frames with hardware cloth that we screwed in all around. That way they're removable if we move the shed or change configuration in any way. You can see them and the deep litter in the photos below.

View attachment 1066186 View attachment 1066187 View attachment 1066189

Great set up!

 

[akorte]

Deep litter with wood chips and also throw the litter from inside your coop int the run and underneith after the grass has been spent. Makes very healthy soil for them.

We actually enclosed under the hen shed so they couldn't get under. I didn't want to be trying to fish birds out from under it. My husband built frames with hardware cloth that we screwed in all around. That way they're removable if we move the shed or change configuration in any way. You can see them and the deep litter in the photos below.

View attachment 1066186 View attachment 1066187 View attachment 1066189

I like the stumps for them to play on!

 

[Finnie]

Starting to not like the 4th of July. Enjoyed the day and the cookout. But in the evenings every firework sets off my Peacock, Horace. He starts screaming which sets off his girls and my guinea hens. They start screaming and then my chickens join in. We had people setting off fireworks until 12:30 in the morning (Who does that???). Add in a couple hundred pounds of dogs cowering in our bed and sleep was in short supply for everyone!

I haven't liked 4th of July for years! For 20 years, we've had one dog after another that were deathly afraid. Our 7 year old dachshund can't stand distant gun fire or thunder either. Fireworks are a nightmare for her. Fortunately, our two newest dogs don't seem to care. I hope it stays that way.

Let's Sex!

I have two Partridge Cochins. My husband wants to name them Laverne and Shirley, but I think we have a Sonny and Cher.

Birthday is 5/31, which puts them at 5 weeks today.

Partridge One

Partridge Two

The nice even barring on number one indicates female. Number two doesn't have anywhere near the coloring my partridge Cochin rooster had. But the short tail and lack of feathering all over indicate male to me. And the larger comb. My male was bald for so long, I thought he had "failure to thrive". But eventually he did grow feathers.

Question: I have my coops raised 18 inches off the ground. The chickens love the shade and hang out under there a lot. Yeah great planning! But, they poop under there. A lot. And, it is difficult to clean, doesn't get that much air (3 sides are closed in with garden lattice and hardware cloth), and never gets rain. So, it is starting to stink! Boo poor planning! I rake out the poo about once a week, but I need a new plan. Would putting sand underneath help? Or do you have any better suggestions?
Right now my runs are still grass.
Thanks in advance!

One thought would be to remove the lattice so that air and moisture can circulate under there. My coop is 18" off the ground too, but it is open on all four sides. So easier for me to throw bedding under there for them to scratch all around. I never take anything out from under, just keep adding more as it breaks down. I think sand would be rough, since it would require scooping, and you don't have good access for that. Deep litter like Leah's Mom mentioned would be less smelly in the long run.