Recent content by Farmer Mike

  1. Farmer Mike

    Farmer Mikes Member Page

    Hi, I'm new here so I haven't had time to work on this page yet. I have been a stalker (fan) of the site for about a year. After following loads of input and advice I am in the recreation chicken business...hen house and run done and have received three eggs so far!!! (8.29.11) It is now...
  2. Farmer Mike

    Ducks first michigan winter

    Just curious here as I am interested in ducks. I have an old coop, about 10x10, that is about 5-7 yards or so from the small pond they would reside in during the summer. Would I keep the ducks confined in the old coop when the pond freezes or do they also need an outdoor run? My chickens have...
  3. Farmer Mike

    I have a small pond, any suggestions on livestock to keep?

    Thanks very much Oregon Blues...very helpful post. Since I have 8 chickens I don't really need more eggs, but wouldn't turn them down. Thanks for all the input on breeds which is usually more difficult. I plan to fence in the area with welded wire, maybe electric. I do have a swimming pool...
  4. Farmer Mike

    I have a small pond, any suggestions on livestock to keep?

    Thanks for the feedback. I could go with meat birds, but my wife wouldn't like it (she wasn't crazy about butchering the roosters earlier this summer). My view is I prefer not to have free-loaders...the animals must contribute in some way...if they are self-reliant birds that simply keep ticks...
  5. Farmer Mike

    I have a small pond, any suggestions on livestock to keep?

    I have no clue on ducks (none, nadda, zero ziltch) or other fowl except chickens (which I already have). My main goal is to make better use of this pond and land, and if I could make it more sustainable for me in terms of food or resource, all the better. Over the years I have had ducks use...
  6. Farmer Mike

    I have a small pond, any suggestions on livestock to keep?

    Thanks for the reply. The banks range from 2' on the southern side, and 4-6' on the other sides. Run off would be via overflow, which then extends about 150' to the edge of property, from there it combines with a 40 acre pond run-off, downstream to a very large reservoir. Is this more...
  7. Farmer Mike

    I have a small pond, any suggestions on livestock to keep?

    I have a small pond about 25' across at the widest point and maybe 40' long that I plan to dredge to be about 3 or 4 feet deep (currently about a foot deep of muck as I have it mostly drained). It is spring fed and has clay soil, moderately exposed on the Northeastern side and shaded by...
  8. Farmer Mike

    What treat did your chickies get today?

    They do come running over to me now, but they are just little beggars, doubt they have any real interest in me..
  9. Farmer Mike

    Rat problem

    I've seen a few dead rats that my dog caught and I see evidence of a tunnel under the coop so I assume the are moving in and feeding off of the spilled feed as the chickens can come and go from their hen house to the run. I raised the feed up off the ground so it isn't as easy to get into, but...
  10. Farmer Mike

    What treat did your chickies get today?

    today they might get a watermelon rind, one of their favorites...a friend told me grapes are no good as this affects their egg laying...never heard of this before..have you? Otherwise grapes are their favorite so far...they come to me looking to see if I have any...(I have three vines in the...
  11. Farmer Mike

    They only lay in one nest box

    So far, and my 8 hens are just starting to lay, they just use one box (most of the time). One hen decided lately to just lay on the floor in random spots so I have to hunt around a bit to make sure I have all the eggs. They rarely use the second nest box...today I found 4 eggs in one box and...
  12. Farmer Mike

    Poop Board or no Poop Board

    I use the deep litter method so I just turn over the area with a pitch fork every couple of days. But I have only been doing this for about 4 months so we shall see what works...the ammonia smell will likely dictate the changes.
  13. Farmer Mike

    Coop Run - How can I encourage my hens to use it more?

    They are fairly new to the coop so they are likely adjusting. I do have some pallets so I can try this as I add sand. Thanks.
  14. Farmer Mike

    Coop Run - How can I encourage my hens to use it more?

    Not sure of their ages exactly. I think some are about 7 months old at the oldest, while a few are younger, maybe 2-3 months old (they are smaller and friendlier...to me...not the other chickens..
  15. Farmer Mike

    What do you do with your chickens????

    This is a question I will have to think about. My wife was not happy about the idea of a harvest. I got the hens mainly for eggs. I can hope someone might want the older birds for something as I prefer productivity, not pets. Alas, we treat them very well and are considering naming them...
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