Indiana BYCers chickenfest 2015

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
me too.

 

[EurekaChic]

I love that idea!

X2

 

[chick rookie]

me too.

x3

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Haha, I subscribed here right when it was made and never got around to posting my thoughts!

Here I am!

Oh my gosh, there was SO. MUCH. FOOD! I didn't try a lot of it because I was so full already after my first plate! A food committee is a good idea, or at the very least having someone to say, 'we already have 5 side dishes, bring something else, please?' Or even, instead of everyone bringing their own food, some people can be responsible for plates and forks, or tablecloths, or other such things.

As far as timing, well, I'm going to have to go against the general consensus here. Best time for me would be any time between mid May and mid August. That's usually where my summer break lands. I don't know if I can come to anything earlier or later than that, although it would largely depend on my schedule. But let's just say I don't really want to travel very far in the middle of the semester. Maybe we can look into a northern and southern get-together instead of just having the one?

Honestly, I liked the event overall as it was. No pressure to go play this game or go participate in this now. We were able to chat with whoever wasn't busy, get to know who was there, and just have a nice, relaxing time. If there must be something, we could do something like a 'Secret Santa' thing instead of the door prize drawing, so there isn't as much pressure on one or two people to get enough prizes for it to be worthwhile. Everyone can bring one prize, and then draw a name, and whoever you draw gets the prize you brought or something. Just a thought.

I agree on locations, times... its wide open. I have said several times to plan events south and north central so we can all meet up! We can do this more than once a year, I am really ready for that!
I really, really loved it too. The last 2 years our chickenfests have been so much fun! Food was flat amazing. Just finally meet everyone we talk to, and brainstorm on ideas. Loved chatting with Wade on feed ideas too and cutting costs by co-opping grains etc. He always has such fantastic "what-ifs" that gets my mind going. Love the swap too, all of us have a breed we want to have, and want to share. LOVED the Tshirts! It was really good to put faces to names, and get to talk in person.
Timing is pretty open for us, weekends work well. My DD covers for me if we are gone, so I work around her schedule. DH prefers saturdays but since we are planning ahead, a sunday works too. DD wants to come to our next one, so a sunday is better for her. Told her she needs to join the thread

My nephew has also been bitten by the chicken math bug, so he is learning fast..lol. He is the next addict in the family. see it coming already! He has fallen in love with the ducks and geese just like Grampa. Way too many enablers here!

 

[hoosiercheetah]

. He is the next addict in the family. see it coming already!

Peer pressure:

"You know you want a hen. C'mon man, everyone else has a hen. Having a hen now and then won't hurt you. Don't you want to be cool like your friends? Look, we all have hens right now. I've had four today, and I'm fine! You can quit anytime you want, no problem man. Look, I'll even give you the first hen for free......"

And so it begins. A year later the kid has traded his car and his killer stereo for hens, and you're finding hens stashed under his bed, and he says, "I learned it from you, okay! I LEARNED IT BY WATCHING YOU!!"


If you're really lucky, he won't go over to goats and rabbits. After all, hens are gateway livestock. I know you know what I mean. ;-)

 

[Minminme]

ROFLMBO Hoosier u r too funny! I uh have t admit though ur right! Lmbo my son (35yr old) has decided he likes th idea of raising birds for meat and eggs, he wants t breed and sell chicks and eggs too. Jeesh he is worse than me already! And he hasn't even started yet!

 

[pginsber]

Some very good ideas have come up here, I'd like to put my support behind:
Camp fire
Secret Santa
Activities/discussions session: Sometimes on the BYC board, we have differing opinions. That doesn't mean I wouldn't like to hear more about a topic. (FF, homemade automatic doors, routine deworming, vaccinating, goats, accupunture, city code changes, economy of raising and processing meat birds, deomonstrations of bumblefoot treatment, chicken inspection, etc.)
T-Shirts: Yes, please!!
Food committee/paying for food=Catering. I would pay a fee for a catered meal. I'd also be open to a simple meal like baked beans, potato chips and hot dogs, etc. Things that could be cooked over a campfire.

It seems unnecessary to ban responsible alcohol consumption. Its' presence does not preclude a family friendly event. We can request discretion, if that would be of value.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Some very good ideas have come up here, I'd like to put my support behind:
Camp fire
Secret Santa
Activities/discussions session: Sometimes on the BYC board, we have differing opinions. That doesn't mean I wouldn't like to hear more about a topic. (FF, homemade automatic doors, routine deworming, vaccinating, goats, accupunture, city code changes, economy of raising and processing meat birds, deomonstrations of bumblefoot treatment, chicken inspection, etc.)
T-Shirts: Yes, please!!
Food committee/paying for food=Catering. I would pay a fee for a catered meal. I'd also be open to a simple meal like baked beans, potato chips and hot dogs, etc. Things that could be cooked over a campfire.

It seems unnecessary to ban responsible alcohol consumption. Its' presence does not preclude a family friendly event. We can request discretion, if that would be of value.

I don't have teenagers yet. But I'm thinking if there is alcohol, it should be kept in a locked vehicle. Not that my toddlers would purposefully take some but I have been around teenagers that would find a way to snatch it at picnics and such behind their parent's back. That said there were not many children or teenagers this year or last year at the chicken fest. My children tend to be the majority and the drama makers.

Editing to add, that I really liked having the dogs there. My children enjoyed dogs both years, even if they were different dogs.

 

[ChickCrazed]

Some very good ideas have come up here, I'd like to put my support behind:
Camp fire
Secret Santa
Activities/discussions session: Sometimes on the BYC board, we have differing opinions. That doesn't mean I wouldn't like to hear more about a topic. (FF, homemade automatic doors, routine deworming, vaccinating, goats, accupunture, city code changes, economy of raising and processing meat birds, deomonstrations of bumblefoot treatment, chicken inspection, etc.)
T-Shirts: Yes, please!!
Food committee/paying for food=Catering. I would pay a fee for a catered meal. I'd also be open to a simple meal like baked beans, potato chips and hot dogs, etc. Things that could be cooked over a campfire.

It seems unnecessary to ban responsible alcohol consumption. Its' presence does not preclude a family friendly event. We can request discretion, if that would be of value.

I agree with your thoughts on alcohol. There isn't anything wrong with a beer or two and as long as people don't over indulge it can still be a family friendly event!

 

[hoosiercheetah]

It seems unnecessary to ban responsible alcohol consumption. Its' presence does not preclude a family friendly event.  We can request discretion, if that would be of value.

I would want discretion to be emphasized.