Michigan - Page 5  

How are her Australorps doing now?  I honestly don't know which hens lay which eggs.  I have one Australoro now, she did well this winter, and is quite beautiful,  I think she is the prettiest hen I have.   I love her black/green color.  She is not overly friendly, but comes running if she thinks I have treats.  I am not sure, but I think her eggs are a little smaller than the barred rock and orphington,  but bigger than the bantams.   

The new chicks are getting big.  But I still cant tell the difference in the 6 blonde chicks. LOL.  when they are bigger, I am sure it won't be an issue.

Her Austro's are doing great!!! The last one ChickFlick got from the farmers that was'nt in the best off shape has really changed. She started to feed it bologna (cheap and full of fats and protein) and you can really see the difference. She's filled out, feathers that shiny green/black, and is laying and not eating the eggs. She won't ever get as big as Shirley, her other Austro, but she layes good.
   They don't like to be held but tolerate it, and they are the first there to see if you have any food. 
The farmer we got them from said not to feed them meat but they eat bugs like grasshoppers and japanese beetles during the summer. So we did not want them to be with out protein in the winter and ChickFlick started to make them food to supplement their laying mash.
This site has been a great source of information and we read where other chickencrazies also supplement their diets.

Hello-I live about 20 min. north of G.R.  I am a new chicken owner.  I purchased 15 chicks from Townline Hatchery in Zeeland, MI, the first week of March.  My chicks are almost 4 weeks old and are the highlight of each day.  Love this forum - read it several times a day it's so helpful.

Welcome Heidi.  Last year was our first year for chickens.  I also got chicks from Townline.  We started with an Isa Brown, Barred Rock, and Aracana/EE.  They have all been great layers and very enjoyable.  Take care.

Derek

Another newbie here... 
I've got a mix of nine young birds that are about three weeks old.  Our plan it to keep them for the warmer months and then either sell them or put them in the freezer in the fall - then repeat the process each year.  If all goes well, we may turn into year-round keepers in the future.
I do have one question - if we choose to butcher the birds, is anyone framiliar with a processor in the mid-Michigan/Lansing area that with process a small number of birds?

thanks!

Hi all you Michiganders! Jeez there are a lot of us...I am in SE MIchigan,about 15 mins.out of Port Huron.We have had chickens about 5 yrs. now.Mostly silkies but we have a mille fleur,5 Easter Eggers,2Black Stars,1 Golden Sebright,1Polish Roo,1 Barred Rock,and then there is Queen Lucy(my house bird)and she is a mix of mille fleur and OEGB.
Is anyone coming for Chickenstock? I have 14 silky eggs due to hatch any day if anyone needs a silky....

I'd like to say that I'll be at Chickenstock.  It's the first weekend of August if I remember right?  I'd like to have another silkie, but I'm waiting to see if the one I got is a pullet or cockeral.  Keep us updated on Chickenstock.

Yep first weekend in Aug....So far we have 4 babies hatched too. a partridge and 3 blue/black.Must be more by now but they stepped on one cause we disturbed them so we are just going to let them be for a couple days and see what we get.

How are all the Michiganders doing?  Anyone planning on attending Chickenstock?  I am still not sure yet.  August is a pretty busy month for us.  2nd week right?  I think it is just a couple hour drive for me.  I have to see if Hotwings is doing anything,  since I don't think my husband would be interested.  Who knows though,  are any men attending?