Any Michiganders out there?

[Maggie3]

Possible 12 inches by the time this storm passes through our area. It kills me to see chicken pics with green grass...Oh, how I want winter to be over.

 

[Hawkster318]

Hello flatlanders...

I was born and raised in the Gateway to the Thumb (Imlay City), but we have recently escaped to Wisconsin. Looking forward to returning someday...

 

[sawyer]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum..

About a month ago we acquired chickens from a neighbor who's sister knew a young man who was going to college and could not take his flock.

At first we said no, we could not dig out our dog
kennel fencing, frozen into the ground, lots of snow and no coop, I just felt I did not have the time with other pressing commitments.

As luck would have it my neighbor stopped over and said he had 10 chickens in his rabbit coop; and had I changed my mind?

Well, the snow had melted in our short January thaw, I had the day off and he said he would help me empty an 8x8 shed and build some nest boxes etc. I really thought I was the fool for saying yes.

However, we made the coop work, got 4 nest boxes built, put a couple of flat boards up for a roost and put 9 Arucana or Amerucauna hens and what appears to be a Leghorn rooster in the building.

Over the next few days I did a crash course on chickens, bought a couple of large metal garbage cans to store feed, got some laying mash, scratch, a hanging feeder, water dishes, a heat lamp and a 60w sunshine bulb. I improved the roosts and cut a door in so they could venture out if they liked. (They do not currently like.)

This past week with record breaking cold temps and winds, we had 30 eggs and I caught a hen eating one. Great production, they are happy campers and I'm really beginning to like them......

Looking forward to learning from everyone.

Sawyer

 

[Heidi]

Sawyer - that sounds like a crash course in chickens. Good luck with your new girls and we are glad you joined our somewhat insane chicken forum.

So what are you going to do with all those eggs???

 

[sawyer]

Well, we used to frequent a restaurant up the street from home, stop in for coffee and a light breakfast. They serve free range eggs from somewhere near Newaygo. Two or three days a week I'd have a couple of poached and English muffin toast, the other days oatmeal or PB&J on toast. Since we now have the chickens and all those homegrown eggs, we have breakfast at home when we want eggs, usually I give the dogs each a yolk to cut down on our fat intake, and when we need some social contact or a treat we head up to the shop.
I am learning to bake bread, lots of ways, most of time I'll use and egg or two in that also. The rest we have given away in six packs to our neighbors and friends. Like a drug dealer, we will get them hooked on the good eggs and then start selling to them..

So far no one has complained. I just ordered a 23' x 50' nylon net for the top of an outside free range run we will build and I would like to get another 25-50 pullets of some kind to have an abundance of free range brown eggs. We don't have a lot of room at the compound but will make room between the barns, dog pens and garden to make it work......... Lots of great info on this forum, appreciate the work that has been put into it.
Thanks.....
Sawyer

 

[silkieboxerluv]

Im here across from the corn field next to the creek=) We are in Milan Michigan, just found this site a few nights ago-I love all the information.

 

[Guitartists]

Bronson Michigan here

We're currently looking for a country home so I can get a whole flock of chickens! Seems everyone is selling in town... but large country homes are hard to come by

Especially when you're a family of 6!

 

[silkieboxerluv]

I need to find a used incubator-Im new and have staggered hatches=( I just need an old one for the chicks to hatch in.

Thanks

 

[nutmeggie]

I'm up in the UP. Wayyyy up north in Marquette. I don't have chickens (yet) but do have geese. I love it up here!!