Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[uchytil]

Drumstick- The Emus are doing well. Can take pictures of them today.
Yeah, love goats, but I still love my cows more!

Yup, still have American Guinea hogs. I have 3 sows that are due to have piglets within the next 2 weeks.

Thanks, see you at CS.

 

[RaZ]

No idea what laid these, but I quickly took the picture and left them be!

They look like killdeer eggs.

 

[ldelahanty]

Ok, on Friday I had a BO who was acting drunk...stumbling, but she is still eating and drinking and happy. She has kept with her laying schedule of three a week. I took her to the vet Tuesday and they said she had a possible ear infection, but she looked good and ruled out anything serious. We have been using the poultry vet RX under her wing for three days. She looked great yesterday and today she stumbles every couple of minutes. I have been looking everywhere for help and saw possibly calcium deficiency, but I feed oyster shell with coral calcium and egg shells. We use Dumor layer crumbles and she has lots of access to bugs and grass in the garden. I am really scared...btw she is about 18 mo. Old. Not time to stop laying. Please help!!! Has anyone had this happen? Oh, I also have another chicken over a year, and three that are 15 weeks, and one that is five weeks. We had one that was five weeks die suddenly last Thursday, (she was not with this chicken, the babies we in a brooder in the house, and the little one the vet said most likely died of a weak heart). I called the vet and she is going to call back after 6 I just can not wait! Please help!

 

[minniefarm]

We had a downpour this afternoon. Glad I didn't have plants in. With all this rain the mosquitoes are HORRIBLE! I have to completely spray myself down before I go feed and water the chickens in the evening. I just get swarmed.

Something else I have noticed. We have huge amounds of ant colonies in our sandy soil. Do chickens eat ants? They are in a run now, getting used to things but soon they will free range for some time everyday. I hope they can feast on the ants.

 

[tdhenson86]

Hey everyone! If you're going to be at Chicken Swap or in the Kalamazoo area, I have some Breda Fowl (2 black and 1 blue) and Light Sussex that I'd like to move so I can get the extra space back for my pens. They are all about 1-2 months old. PM for details. I can deliver them to CS, you can pick them up, or we can meet in the Kzoo area.

 

[tdhenson86]

We had a downpour this afternoon. Glad I didn't have plants in. With all this rain the mosquitoes are HORRIBLE! I have to completely spray myself down before I go feed and water the chickens in the evening. I just get swarmed.

Something else I have noticed. We have huge amounds of ant colonies in our sandy soil. Do chickens eat ants? They are in a run now, getting used to things but soon they will free range for some time everyday. I hope they can feast on the ants.

For our chickens, if the ants are big enough for them to see, they LOVE them. Tiny ants seem to get under the radar, though.

 

[cj7795]

I know there is probably a thread somewhere in here regarding this ... & I have searched for it but for the life of me can't find it. I live in Michigan (West side of Michigan - about 30-45 minutes away from Lake Michigan) ... we have 2 hens ... I am using childrens play sand inside their coop ... when I went out to slean out the coop yesterday (I clean the coop daily) I noticed that some of the sand inside the coop is wet? Not sure how this happened & if it is good for the hens or not. Any & All help/suggestions/anything is greatly appreicated.

 

[Opa]

I know there is probably a thread somewhere in here regarding this ... & I have searched for it but for the life of me can't find it. I live in Michigan (West side of Michigan - about 30-45 minutes away from Lake Michigan) ... we have 2 hens ... I am using childrens play sand inside their coop ... when I went out to slean out the coop yesterday (I clean the coop daily) I noticed that some of the sand inside the coop is wet? Not sure how this happened & if it is good for the hens or not. Any & All help/suggestions/anything is greatly appreicated.

Your description doesn't indicate how much sand is wet or how wet it is. You should expect the sand to become damp as it draws the moisture from the chicken droppings. Chicken manure not only contains the end result of digestion, it also contains their urine. This is the probable cause of your moisture. Unless you start detecting a strong odor of ammonia it shouldn't be a problem.

While many people use sand in the coops I personally don't feel that it is as affective as wood shavings.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Hey RaZ & Glad & Anybody else who sews-- have y'all seen these? adorable!!!

http://suestreehouse.blogspot.com/2008/09/ms-julep-chicken-pincushion.html?m=1

 

[Opa]

I still have a few more things that I want to plant in the garden and it sounds like I had better get it done this morning. Warm humid weather is ideal for the formation of severe thunderstorms which is what they say could happen this afternoon. I've planted 5 different varieties of sweet corn, each with a different maturation date, and I still have room for one more. This should keep us in corn for several weeks instead of having it all ripe at the same time.

A few more hours of effort and I will have completed reworking the boat to my requirements. I've got to install the transducer for the sonar/gps. Run the wiring for the stern mounted electric trolling motor and that will complete the boat. I've got a new strap for the trailer winch and new safety chains to attach to the trailer and once those are done we should be ready to start fishing.

I've overheard Granny talking to several people about how much she intends to fish this summer. Not wanting to disappoint her I've been trying to think of everything to make sure it goes well. Getting her into the boat could be difficult. Having her step from a dock, that may be moving, into a boat that isn't completely stationary could be a potential disaster. I think that beaching the boat so that it doesn't move and having her enter the boat from the bow will be a more stable method. I found an old swimming pool ladder with hand holds that I've modified to set again the bow and I think using that will make her feel a little for stable and secure.

I currently have 3 Vorwerk hens and all of them have decided to sit on the same 5 eggs. The nest box was sized for bantams and in spite of its small size they are all crammed in it. I wonder if they are going to argue over who is in charge of the chicks when they hatch. I also have a blue laced red Wyandotte that is broody and every day I remove at least 4 eggs from under her. I have been allowing her to keep an egg from a Welsummer and hopefully it is fertile.

Only 3 more weeks until Chickenstock and I am looking forward to seeing those of you that I have met before and meeting those that I haven't. Each year it has gotten to be a larger event and hopefully that trend will continue this year.