Michigan - Page 5076  

Quote:

Originally Posted by glambka 

Hi guys....need some prayers here.  My nephew was one of the 4 soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on Wednesday; he grew up in Shelby Township and graduated from West Point last June.  He was due to come home in January.  We are heartbroken. I understand at least one other young man was from Rochester and a third may be from Charlevoix. 

I am so so sorry for your and your family's loss.  I will keep them in prayer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicken grandma 

There are 11 million laying hens in those big buildings around Michigan according to Michigan State University. And the reason they are in the buildings is that Michigan is in the migration path of wild birds and has many farms, so avian diseases are frequently spread from flock to flock. Also they can keep the temperature at 72 year round and they also keep the lights on 16 hours a day. So it is a controlled environment.

I did not know that when I moved here and brought my hens here 4 years ago.  It's good to know.

Ok, that totally does make sense, and I did not know that either.  The facilities that I am familiar with are not in MI so perhaps I spoke in haste, but I still don't think they are living ideally.  Yes they are protecting their investment, but they are also messing with the natural order of things.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NovaAman 

I was just very irritated when I originally read that... I have met an actual, for profit, meat/egg layer farmer. These people give a hoot for their investment, and it brought me to a new understanding. Their whole family does this poultry business, from turkeys, meat birds, to egg layers, and selling chicks. The same people who butcher for me. We got to see some of their birds and facilities. It was not something to be scoffed at and regarded as a bad thing. I think they have done very well by their birds/investment.

I did not mean to ruffle any feathers, and as I said, I am not familiar with specific farms in MI but there are plenty of farms for eggs and meat chickens around the country that have chickens living in over crowded, nasty, disease ridden pens, where birds fall over dead and are laden with antibiotics.  I know this is not the way of them all, and I know that this is people's livlihoods, but I also know that some of them are controlled by big business against their better judgement for how they would like to keep their chickens, and they have no choice but to comply, or lose their income and investment.  So while I do apologize if I was offensive...1. I am new to poutry in general and this board, and 2.  It is not always as cut and dry that either the birds are well taken care of or in poor environments.  And yes, I am sure they are trying to also take bio-protective measures, but it is not a very responsible vet who would go into a different farm with the same clothing as he wore at a farm recently treated for illness.  But, I should not have generalized that it was ONLY to protect the vet, I just meant that sometimes that is the case.  And I know not all chickens are treated the same, and I will admit I am not familiar with any large commercial farms in MI, but there are pletny of farms that do have birds laden with antibiotics, and disease that are treated very poorly.

But yes...I suppose I will just STFU from now on too. lol.  Although I do love a good debat, I don't if it is at the cost of upsetting others. 

Thanks, Nova.  That's Roobity-doo.  I think I've got him trained to come to me now.  Every evening I go to the back deck and he pops up and gets close enough for me to grab.  Tonight, my daughter tried to get him and he kind of freaked out and flew up near me, but I had no problem picking him up so he must like me now.  Then again, I am the one who throws treats to him...

Glambka, sorry about your nephew. 

LOL.  I've got a PIA, too.  Niel has turned into such a little bugger.  And Newton, I don't think any of us have touched him in over a year.  He stays just out of your reach.  Always there for treats, but all look-y, no touch-y. 

I simply cannot stay updated with this thread ! If I missed anyone's message I apologize ! Mom2 I hope you get your porcelain d'uccles :( Sorry about that :( 

Im in New Orleans !  Blessed ~ And when I come back, snakes, hatching eggs, and hamster babies will be waiting for me ! 

Glambka, I'm so sorry !! :( I'll keep you in prayer. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by chickflick 

We camped in Traverse last month.  Love it there.  Where did  you stay?

We stayed at the Holiday Park Campground on Silver Lake. Very nice place with a ton of airstreams.

Good morning everyone!! Miss you guys been busy here with my chickens, my brother his wife and granddaughter they moved here from AZ and are working on getting their house finished so they can move in, my yard, and the big first annual Clark/Bakos family fun adventure that is going to be held here at my house on Aug 11-17 a pig roast, tubing, camping etc...

My chickies are doing great!! Getting big and beautiful! My son is making me a chicken tractor this week can't wait to put my girls in there, they will love it. I was wondering since I live in the woods there are mushrooms here and there now if I put my girls in he woods what if they eat some? Or will they know better? Should I make sure there arn't any? The other day while weeding I found the smallest mushrooms in my life they are only about a 1/4 inch wide and maybe that tall.

I didn't try to read all the posts I missed with the dial up its to time consuming. Hope everyone is doing well.

Kimmie