Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Farmerboy16]

There's a pack of dogs threatening my animals today. They're barking and making threats at the fence and then retreating across the field to the pine trees when I go to stop them. I don't know who they belong to, if anybody. Two BIG dogs. They could easily take out a sheep and the chickens if they got through the fence. I shut everybody up and called the Kent Co. animal control to report them but the agency is pretty much non-existent so I left a message and won't expect a call back until well after the dogs have moved on. I REALLY do not like dogs.

Regardless to whom the dogs belong to, shoot them when they are threatening your homestead, shovel them in the ground, and say nothing. SSS! Your livestock and your life and family are more valuable than those dangerous mutts. The law is on your side.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

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!

So sorry to hear this. I hope you were able to get some answers. Sometimes this thread moves along so fast that things often get overlooked or forgotten. Please don't take it personally and don't hesitate to ask again.
My only thought on this is could your chicken have gotten ahold of anything moldy or poisonous?

Welcome to the new members

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

I had PMed her.

Hope she is doing better!

 

[BobBry]

I have no comment at all for this photo...

Why would these birds not be chickens?

I was just concerned about possible pathogens from the poop and the veggies. 75% of the shavings have been in there since October, and the other 25% since early March. I have them piled up so when I get my flower bed weeded and newspapered I can mulch it with the shavings, but that probably isn't going to happen until next week. I would have no problem covering the garden with the shavings in the fall and letting them breakdown all winter and then tilling them in in the spring.

That sounds good to me too. (Letting the litter decompose till spring)

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!

My problem with offering tohelp someone in situations such as this is simply that I don't know enough to help. Sorry.

Regardless to whom the dogs belong to, shoot them when they are threatening your homestead, shovel them in the ground, and say nothing. SSS! Your livestock and your life and family are more valuable than those dangerous mutts. The law is on your side.
"Your life and family" Have you, or anyone else ever Heard of anyone losing life or family to "dangerous mutts"?

So sorry to hear this. I hope you were able to get some answers. Sometimes this thread moves along so fast that things often get overlooked or forgotten. Please don't take it personally and don't hesitate to ask again.
My only thought on this is could your chicken have gotten ahold of anything moldy or poisonous?

Welcome to the new members

Ditto------

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Quote:

"Your life and family" Have you, or anyone else ever Heard of anyone losing life or family to "dangerous mutts"?

I am not trying to start a debate here...but um, yeah. There have been two situations that made national news in the last couple of weeks where people have lost their lives/been seriously injured by stray dogs....a mom in Florida was in serious condition after protecting her 6 yo daughter from a pack of 5 dogs which attacked them on the street and a 65 female was mauled to death by a pack of dogs while out jogging in California.

Our household takes stray dogs VERY seriously. My kids have been trained that if they see a loose dog they are to immediately get in the house and let an adult know. If fact, about two years ago there was a very large dog running loose in the neighborhood. It came right through out garage into our backyard where the kids were. We got the kids in the house, shut the gate and called animal control. Since it was almost 5pm, animal control told us to let the dog loose if we didn't want to deal with it overnight. The police responded to our call and informed us that if we were to let the dog go (after having it contained) and it attacked someone, we would be liable as we had it under control. Since the dog was eating my kids toys in the backyard and we have a large dog ourselves (who was in the house going crazy at the dog in the yard) neither of these options seems reasonable. The police finally called animal control and told them they HAD to come get the dog. There was no way we were going to let a dog who was already acting aggressive out when there were many kids out playing and riding their bikes in the neighborhood. While I am sure it was a really nice dog at home with its owners, I was not willing to take a chance on how he was going to respond out on the street on his own potentially encountering other dogs and small children. I love animals but I am not willing to hedge a bet on an unknown dog over the safety of a child.

 

[tdhenson86]

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.

Sounds like we might be neighbors. I'm in Paw Paw.

 

[ladyrsanti]

I am not trying to start a debate here...but um, yeah. There have been two situations that made national news in the last couple of weeks where people have lost their lives/been seriously injured by stray dogs....a mom in Florida was in serious condition after protecting her 6 yo daughter from a pack of 5 dogs which attacked them on the street and a 65 female was mauled to death by a pack of dogs while out jogging in California.

Our household takes stray dogs VERY seriously. My kids have been trained that if they see a loose dog they are to immediately get in the house and let an adult know. If fact, about two years ago there was a very large dog running loose in the neighborhood. It came right through out garage into our backyard where the kids were. We got the kids in the house, shut the gate and called animal control. Since it was almost 5pm, animal control told us to let the dog loose if we didn't want to deal with it overnight. The police responded to our call and informed us that if we were to let the dog go (after having it contained) and it attacked someone, we would be liable as we had it under control. Since the dog was eating my kids toys in the backyard and we have a large dog ourselves (who was in the house going crazy at the dog in the yard) neither of these options seems reasonable. The police finally called animal control and told them they HAD to come get the dog. There was no way we were going to let a dog who was already acting aggressive out when there were many kids out playing and riding their bikes in the neighborhood. While I am sure it was a really nice dog at home with its owners, I was not willing to take a chance on how he was going to respond out on the street on his own potentially encountering other dogs and small children. I love animals but I am not willing to hedge a bet on an unknown dog over the safety of a child.

Predictably, by the time animal control called me back they had moved on. I can't shoot them here, unfortunately, there's no way. Well, not only do I not own a gun or even know how to shoot but my field backs up to a row of 1 acre lots with homes. I have a neighbor that shoots squirrels and it really frightens me because they're shooting towards my property, while I'm outside, just like I'd be shooting towards theirs and others. It's just too dangerous IMHO.

Living the Simple Life, I too do not trust ANY dog. It's been an issue with me all along because I'm constantly made to feel like it's me that has a problem for not trusting them, rather than the animal's disposition or the owner's responsibility for them. But I've seen enough and been through enough to be wary. I wouldn't have wanted to have small children outside near these, for sure. Like I said, they were big and the ring leader was very aggressive. Luckily it took off when I yelled at it but it was obviously not too afraid because it kept returning and testing me.

I was told to call animal control again if they ever came back. -_- To what end, I have no idea. All I know is I'm apprehensive about letting my animals out with them on the loose.

Did I tell you guys about the neighbor's dog that got loose that one day during a thunderstorm? I can't remember. It came bounding across the yard to me all wet and stinky and I had no idea if it was friend or foe but it turned out friendly, thank goodness because if it hadn't I would have been flat on my back for how fast it came at me. I called the owner, put it in the garage until he could come pick it up (turned out to be several hours). When he arrived, he told me it gets loose all the time and all the neighbors nearby know about its antics. Well, then he just went to the garage and let it out and didn't put it on a leash or anything and it tore straight for my roosters in the tractor. Went ballistic and he couldn't catch it for anything. He yelled and chased and the dog was barking and snarling and trying to get at my birds. I just went into the house and left him to it. Hopefully he learned something. If he didn't, he will when he picks up the dog at the animal shelter next time.

I'm so sick of dealing with the dogs around here. I don't even know where they're all coming from. I've seen so many different dogs without owners attached but are obviously cared for. I hate to be the one to have to get mean on everyone but I have little choice.

 

[rainbowrabbitry]

New to BYC. From Southern Michigan. I raise Bantam Cochins and Marans.

 

[kimmie6067]

Regardless to whom the dogs belong to, shoot them when they are threatening your homestead, shovel them in the ground, and say nothing. SSS! Your livestock and your life and family are more valuable than those dangerous mutts. The law is on your side.

No not really I know someone that shot a dog (happened to be a pitbull) in his yard. It kept chasing his daughter and finally bit her and nothing really happened to the people or the dog so the next time it came in the yard he shot it. But I dont' think he followed the rules of SSS. But you can get in trouble for shotting dogs.

Kimmie

 

[kimmie6067]

New to BYC. From Southern Michigan. I raise Bantam Cochins and Marans.

Welcome Rainbow!!! Great group here.

Kimmie