Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Lisa and girls]

fyi- last week for chick days at TSC

Thank goodness. I don't know how much more cuteness I could have resisted!!!

 

[Farmerboy16]

Got some bourbon red poults hatch yesterday!!! My first batch of the year, and its a good one! 10 eggs set and 8 hatched! e

 

[gladahmae]

good question, I have had my nipple water bucket out for 2 weeks now and my chickens don't touch it

I had to take my other waterer away to get mine to use the .nipple waterer. It will look like they're barely/not drinking because there's a LOT less waste than the bell waterers. Mine have been using the nipple waterers for 6 months or so now and STILL attack a bell waterer like they're dying of thirst if I put one out there.

Hoping the weather holds so we can finish getting one of the meatie tractors framed in when my husband gets home from work (if he feels like working on it).

 

[RaZ]

Today looks like a good day for some mind-numbing, back-breaking labour. That wood pile is not going to cut and stack itself.

 

[SillyChicken]

I googled fermenting feed for chickens as well. According to what I read, acv isn't the kind of fermentation that you do with feed. They said it wouldn't hurt though. They also stressed that the feed must be kept covered with water. I use ground feed&wheat with a scoop of calf manna in each batch and add whatever veggies I have. My elevator doesn't have barley.

What did google searches suggest? Always open to other ideas! The ACV did work, I have active fermentation, and yes, kept it covered with water......... and I fed it to the birds for the first time last night.......... they went nuts over it and cleaned all of it up. Best part was, I fed 2 dry scoops worth of feed to all the birds. I would normally be dishing out 5-6 scoops of dry. I admit... it was a huge hassle to drain the food with my current set up, so I need to figure out something else. But, if this is any indication of how much feed I can save, it'll be worth the extra time.
I've been having issues with my bator, temps.. so DH put in a digital thermometer (that he used with the old hot tub). The temps were way different than the thermometer that came with the kit.. and issues always seem to crop up near hatching time. But despite that, I did have a Sumatra/uggo chick hatch this morning. Hoping more will develop....... I added water to the wrong channel in the bator so poor guy was a tad dry. I cleaned him up, added water in the right spot, and closed the bator back up. Keeping fingers crossed the rest can hatch ok. I'll get the hang of it one of these days. Are there better options for moisture? Sponges? Open to suggestions!
I've been searching for a cost effective means for a quick chicken run and I think I'll be ordering a dog kennel. I priced out building one in wood/hwdwr cloth, netting........ bending my own pipes for a hoop run..... and honestly, by the time I was done.... I could buy a dog kennel cheaper. I'll run some Hwdr cloth around the bottom and netting I already have on the top and I will be able to keep my sumatras in a separate run.
Anyone living in Washtenaw (or near by counties).. the conservation district is having their annual plant order sale, but hurry, the end date is in a few days. http://washtenawcd.org/ps/treeplantsale.php If you're looking for native plants. I missed the tree sale, apparently you have to order in January........ but he put me on the mailing list this time so I won't miss it next year. It's a good source for seedling trees. I got a few hundred pines, oaks and other trees many years ago... and need to plant more!

Jackson county does one in spring also, and one in fall http://www.jacksoncd.org/treeplant-sales/fall-tree-sales/
No chicks left at TSC in Saline. take that back, they got some more in and have one more order left.

 

[1muttsfan]

Saw this on one of the other threads

 

[RaZ]

Harrumph! Even if we fixed it today, it would still be wrong. According to the ladies.

 

[SillyChicken]

LOL.........

Would never be "wrong" if while doing it they did it like we ask, not as they want! LOL!

 

[naglady]

I have a chick that hatched who keeps leaning to one side and flips over and can't get back up. Need some advice. I will try to post a picture.

took my chick a few days to get stable on his feet.. first day foot was curled under so i taped it.. then second day foot straightened up so took the tape off.. took a good 3 days.. so give him some time.. some chicks take longer. i left mine in the bator for the 3 days before i put him in with the others..

Got some bourbon red poults hatch yesterday!!! My first batch of the year, and its a good one! 10 eggs set and 8

 

[naglady]

Okay. I need some help. I made our pens with raccoons, possums, and coyotes in mind. I put metal at the top and bottom with a wire window. Somehow, they found a way to climb up and eat through the wire. I've lost 15 or so birds in the past few weeks to raccoons. Does anyone have any suggestions how I can get rid of them? Here is a picture of my pens to give you an idea of what I'm up against:

have you set any traps out for these coons.. i would do that also while your figuring out good security for you chickens.. a cooked or raw piece of chicken in the trap works good.