Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[snowflake]

Raz what kind of tires did you suggest for the tractors? DH got me a weed burner that runs on propane and he is going to make me a cart so I can pull the propane can around, the yard, think I need some soft tires??

 

[1muttsfan]

TC, I know Stacykins raises goats - sorry I can't help you

 

[RaZ]

Snowflake, I've found that soft or air filled tires work better on most grounds. Those hard plastic wagon wheels can sink in soft ground or get hung up in bumps and ruts.

Air filled tires can be pretty cheap from Harbor Freight and a simple 3/4 inch threaded rod works as a decent axle.

Here is an example of a project I made last year.



55 gallons of water is easily moved with this contraption. The weight is distributed without making ruts or getting stuck in soft ground.

 

[snowflake]

Snowflake, I've found that soft or air filled tires work better on most grounds. Those hard plastic wagon wheels can sink in soft ground or get hung up in bumps and ruts.

Air filled tires can be pretty cheap from Harbor Freight and a simple 3/4 inch threaded rod works as a decent axle.

Here is an example of a project I made last year.



55 gallons of water is easily moved with this contraption. The weight is distributed without making ruts or getting stuck in soft ground.

very nice, thank you, I like the idea of 4 tires

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Been off for a while, don't know what i missed!

Update on the goat, he's doing better and pinking up, put a good bit of weight on already! He's being free fed the hay now, and gets to come out and pick on the scrub brush and weeds some days as well. We haven't seen any bugs for some time, but since it's warm he's getting a dog bath shampoo soon too, knock the stink off ;D

Sorry i can't help on the goat, Totalcolor. We've never had baby ones before.

I purchased a trailer in the town where i had been living, so i can keep the chickens, YAY! Still keeping them out of town at the familie's place.

 

[Stacykins]

Any goat people around - I need help

My little boer doeling. Mama was not taking such good care of her at all - wouldn't let her nurse and is now almost dried up. So, I brought her in, bought some goat replacer and am trying to get her to take a bottle. Never done it before (she's adamantly refusing right now). (doeling is now 11 days old and hardly any bigger than when born).

Hubby wants to put her back with the herd and feed her during the day. I told him I thought it would confuse her, and that she'd never accept the bottle. The problem is, we don't have anyplace to keep her except in the garage in a dog crate.

Once she has accepted the bottle for a few days, would it be safe to put her back with the flock? Would she try nursing on Mama again?


I'd appreciate any advice right now!

While I've never done it, I've heard of folks supplementing kids who stay with their mothers with bottles of milk. Like if the doe has more kids than she can feed, or if she is a poor producer of milk. Eventually, they get the idea that the bottle isn't bad, it fills their hungry tums! It can be hard when they are used to the teat, getting them on a bottle, until they make that realization. I could see her being lonely and stressed if she is alone in the crate. I've kept kids in a large dog crate before, but they were a pair who could snuggle up together.

So yea, it is a tough call for you. Do what you think it best, I guess? I wish I had more insight to offer.

 

[RaZ]

Been off for a while, don't know what i missed!

Update on the goat, he's doing better and pinking up, put a good bit of weight on already! He's being free fed the hay now, and gets to come out and pick on the scrub brush and weeds some days as well. We haven't seen any bugs for some time, but since it's warm he's getting a dog bath shampoo soon too, knock the stink off ;D

Sorry i can't help on the goat, Totalcolor. We've never had baby ones before.

I purchased a trailer in the town where i had been living, so i can keep the chickens, YAY! Still keeping them out of town at the familie's place.

Well, no one is in jail. Yet!

Good news on the goat.

A trailer like a coop? Or a trailer like a mobile home that you live in?

 

[1muttsfan]

Fuzzy, glad to hear about the goat and the trailer.

 

[glambka]

Had a great day at the show! So cool to run into all of my BYC friends.

RIRJen, you did AMAZING as well! You weren't as insane as I was and only brought a handful of birds. Anyway here is the show awards I recieved.

-First place for Frizzle White Serama cockerel
-Reserve of Breed for Speckled Sussex hen
-Reserve Variety for Black Runner drake
-Best of Breed for young White Sebastopol gander
-Reserve Variety for Silver Call drake
-Best Variety for Chocolate Pied Call hen
-Best Variety for Black Bibbed Call drake
-Reserve Variety for Frizzle White Serama pullet
-Best Variety for Frizzle White Serama pullet
-Best Variety for Bantam Lavender Ameraucana hen
-Best Variety for Bantam Barred Cochin hen
-Reserve Variety for Bantam Lavender Ameraucana hen
-Best Variety for Bantam Black Mottled Cochin hen
-Reserve Variety for Bantam Black Mottled Cochin hen
-Reserve Variety for Bantam Barred Cochin rooster
-2nd for White Runner hen
-3rd for Speckled Sussex hen
-Reserve Variety for Bantam Blue Cochin hen
-Reserve Variety for Bantam Splash Modern Game hen
-Best Variety and Best of Breed for White Serama pullet (I just LOVE this girl!)
-Best Variety for Bantam Splash Cochin hen
-Champion Frizzle Serama for Table Top competition
-Reserve Champion Frizzle Serama for Table Top competition
-Champion Serama pullet for Table Top competition
-Reserve Champion Serama pullet for Table Top competiton

And the best for last...

-Best Modern Game with Best Variety and Best of Breed with my Birchen Modern Game hen
-Reserve Modern Game with Best Variety and Reserve Best of Breed with my Splash Modern Game hen

It was a fun day, but once all the excitement was over, I became physically drained and slept for 3 hours as soon as I got home.

Theron, my man, what a great day for you! And congrats to RIRJen as well...sorry I missed Fowl Fest this year. My son wouldn't cooperate and just HAD to pick that day to get married.

He wasn't too happy when I asked it if was okay if I went to Fowl Fest FIRST and then came to the wedding....I don't think I was being unreasonable...as Mother of the Groom I really didn't have a whole lot to do....

So...I put on my big girl pants and went to the wedding instead. Have to admit, it was pretty awesome.....plus I got to dance the night away!

And now i have a beautiful daughter to boot!

 

[Scifisarah]

I need some help with making feedbag totes. I volunteered to sew some (which is turning into more than I thought, but it's for a good cause) for the dog rescue we foster for to sell at fund raisers/silent auctions. Sewing the bags is easy enough, but they would really like them to be lined, and that is pretty much tripling my time per bag, and I'm having to pin the dickens out of them (which then leaves little pin holes all over the bag). Does anyone with experience sewing these things have any tips for me? My current method is to cut the bag to size, make the lining the same size as the bag (so it's cut and also sewn into a tube like the cut bag) and then sewing the bottom, and then trying to match up the fabric around the top, get everything even, etc. Getting the top right is what is taking so long. Making sure it's not twisted, or too tight or heaven forbid I end up an 1/8 of an in off in size on the liner....that comes out as almost a 1/4 in when translated into stitching around the top! Help! I'm considering doing it the opposite way, and trying to sew the top first, THEN seam it into a tube and then sew the bottom......

I have these Clover Wonder Clips for when I don't want to poke holes in things, they are AWESOME! http://www.amazon.com/Clover-Wonder...67810362&sr=8-1&keywords=clover+clamps+sewing Or if you need something more quickly, maybe try some wooden clothes pins? The little clips are so cool though, I use them whenever I can instead of pins now.