Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Scifisarah]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organophosphate

I don't normally quote wiki, but there are good citations here.

" Even at relatively low levels, organophosphates may be most hazardous to the brain development of fetuses and young children." Yeah, I will stick to using Frontline on my chickens. Maybe it isn't chicken approved, but a better alternative to the Sevin!

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

HH, that is a great quilt. Just beautiful.

Thanks. I can hardly wait to finish it.

 

[naglady]

Glad if you dont want to cull her so young.. you can always cull later when she has more meat on her..then you can atleast get a meal out of her..

 

[SuttonsDaze]

Hoping this post is appropriate in this forum. Our pullets are just over a month old now and all the google answers that i'm finding say that 5-6 weeks old is still a bit young to be out in the coop, but the dates are all much earlier in the year, so I can understand the concern. These gals have been in a playpen in our breezeway and no longer need the heat lamp. Now that the heat wave has passed it looks like temps will be in the mid 70's to low 80's for the next couple weeks with lows around 60. Our new coop will be finished by Friday next week putting the chicks at just over 5 weeks.

I planned on integrating them in with the rooster & hen by having them in a dog crate at night for a while which I can hook the heat lamp up to.

Are they old enough or should I continue to wait until they are 6 weeks old before I put them in the coop?

Thanks for any help, i'm brand new at this and still learning a lot.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Well, i don't feel so friendly to the skunk anymore. Neighbor is missing a chicken. Could be heat, could be hawk; but idk and i don't like not knowing, so........ I did see evidence when cleaning up last night that the skunk DID try to go up and did get at least to the lower roost so not taking chances. Sucks because they are good for eating grubs and whatnot but even if it was heat i couldn't find a body and they are scavengers, so it is likely that he's already had him a taste.

Mine are locked down at night again, god bless the cool weather.

 

[morrisonmanor]

Well, i don't feel so friendly to the skunk anymore. Neighbor is missing a chicken. Could be heat, could be hawk; but idk and i don't like not knowing, so........  I did see evidence when cleaning up last night that the skunk DID try to go up and did get at least to the lower roost so not taking chances.   Sucks because they are good for eating grubs and whatnot but even if it was heat i couldn't find a body and they are scavengers, so it is likely that he's already had him a taste.

Mine are locked down at night again, god bless the cool weather. 

I feel for you. I have been battling raccoons ALL summer. Unfortunately it has been a slow process eliminating them. I've learned that we can't feel to sorry for them even though they are only doing what they need to do to survive.

 

[gladahmae]

Hoping this post is appropriate in this forum.  Our pullets are just over a month old now and all the google answers that i'm finding say that 5-6 weeks old is still a bit young to be out in the coop, but the dates are all much earlier in the year, so I can understand the concern.  These gals have been in a playpen in our breezeway and no longer need the heat lamp.  Now that the heat wave has passed it looks like temps will be in the mid 70's to low 80's for the next couple weeks with lows around 60.  Our new coop will be finished by Friday next week putting the chicks at just over 5 weeks.  

I planned on integrating them in with the rooster & hen by having them in a dog crate at night for a while which I can hook the heat lamp up to.  

Are they old enough or should I continue to wait until they are 6 weeks old before I put them in the coop?  

Thanks for any help, i'm brand new at this and still learning a lot. 

I have chicks on my porch in a dog crate (plastic). They've been there since they were 2 days old. I wouldn't worry much about month olds being out as long as they are in a draft free area.
With temps in the 60s tonight I'll probably throw a blanket over it to conserve the heat and call it good.

 

[SuttonsDaze]

I have chicks on my porch in a dog crate (plastic). They've been there since they were 2 days old. I wouldn't worry much about month olds being out as long as they are in a draft free area.
With temps in the 60s tonight I'll probably throw a blanket over it to conserve the heat and call it good.

Thanks!

 

[NovaAman]

Hey Ever...

Sutton... I have a bad habit of brooding right in my garage with a heat lamp. I have birds that live in my garage that aren't really "safe" with the LF birds. Anyway, I do this so that when it's time to start integrating the chicks, they are already somewhat used to. Today, I tipped the brooder to the top being open to the side. I built it this way on purpose, so it's multi functional. The yoko's, japs, and one silkie and one faverolles can now get in and out of their brooder, and take walk abouts with the other birds, yet run back to the brooder, get in with out the big birds being able too. I use rabbit fence over the opening with the big holes at the bottom. Works like a dream. They are completely off heat now as well. If you can construct a temporary "safe" area in the new coop that they can get into until intergration is complete, that's what I'd do. Some people also suggest waiting for full integration when the chicks are near the size of the adult flock... Somewhere in the 10-12 week range. They are more able to defend themselves.

Anyway... Spot the chicken. The prize is a smiley face, woot woot, you got it... LOL

This is the nest Soledad was sitting on... 18 eggs all together. 11 marans, 6 silkie, and 1 from one of the other girls.. Not sure whose.


I didn't even know the marans hens were making their way up to the front yard, let alon into the ornamental grasses. I just thought they were laying the eggs over in the neighbors yard or the woods, or not laying at all... LOL

 

[EverMystique1]

Hey Nova,

It's been a while since I found a good sized clutch like that. But 2 of the 4 breeders are now mamas, so they aren't laying. The other 2 are keeping my incubator in business, that's for sure.

Hope yours all made it through this last heat wave okay.