Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[preciouskitty]

Quote:
Originally Posted by gladahmae

another soggy morning up here in the little finger! DH hasn't had any luck hunting yet, although part of that is his own doing since he could have shot a deer on the 2nd, but couldn't bring himself to take a doe so early in the season. (plus we need another freezer if we get any deer this year.) We did pick up one of those wildgame cameras from menards.....not the one we wanted, but I wasn't surprised they were sold out of the cheaper ones by Sunday afternoon. Put that on the south side of our property to see what's moving through there and when. I found DH's OTHER (3rd) trail camera as well, but batteries were not removed at the end of last year, and there is a LOT of corrosion in there now. It's an older, non-infrared, flash type trail camera, so it's not a HUGE loss if DH can't get it working, but irritating none the less. I was looking forward to possibly being able to pin down the travel lanes and figure out where the deer are going to bed down to the north, and possibly where a nice 9pt is hiding out during legal shooting hours.

He should have GONE FOR IT on the 2nd... I did ) I just won't if she tends to have a real little one still hanging with her..this one didn't! LOTS of season left!!

 

[gladahmae]

yes, there is a lot of season left, but he's getting ready to start working a lot of extra hours, which means no hunting time. I think I might just get a pretty new crossbow this year though. will be nice to get back in the woods (haven't bow hunted in 6 or 7 years now, basically since having kids) AND have something that I can confidently shoot more than 15 yards. I've taken plenty of deer, but hunting with my old bow was a HUGE challenge since it was so slow and my 'reasonable' and 'in good conscience' shooting range was 15 yards, MAYBE 20 if it was huge.

 

[preciouskitty]

Quote:
glad.. I have the Excalibur Ibex and I LOVE it! Have had it for 3 years now. It is SUPER accurate...I absolutely love bow season. Nothing like getting home from work & getting in the blind for a few hours to unwind (my blind is in my backyard )

 

[BobBry]

These, shot through the screen door, are the three SS I purchased at chickenstock last June. They, at least one of them, started to lay a couple days ago.

Sorry , as always , to hear of illness, human and livestock, theft, predation, and all the other maladies that beset us. However the good works, and events relayed in many of your posts
lift my spirits. Thanks for that. Youse is good people.

 

[gladahmae]

well gosh. i just remembered that I completely blew out my boots last year (rockys that actually kept my feet warm!). I sure will miss those boots.....they lasted 10 years! Pretty bummed out that I didn't get a doe tag for my dad's property sooner; they're all sold out now, and we don't generally see many "3 points on a side" bucks. In a few years that should change, but that doesn't help me for this year!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Hi all! been around but busy busy busy. Changed jobs, this one has lots of OT which i'm putting to use to fix up my place

Insurance idea for me is i'm planning on buying the emergency only medical coverage from my auto ins, which essentialy is only for if you wind up in a hospital. High deductible, so useless otherwise. Since my auto ins is higher on account of not having ins, it MAY offset it a tad. For my normal needs if that isn't too pricey i'm going to do a health savings account, which if you get the right one lets you roll over the money each year and borrow from in a few years if it isn't being used. That makes sense to me, that way since i don't go often if i do i know it's covered? That could be for eyes and teeth, too.

Bad thing about the ins thing is they don't specify how much or what kind of ins is required? Or do they? Drives me mad. And is it affecting the upcoming tax return? Have they decided that yet?

Bird news; Birds in my little coop had the misfortune of getting dry pox, poor things! But almost recovered. That one shouldn't make them carriers or anything. One of my house babies (Who isn't such a baby anymore at 3 mo) somehow got an owie in his EAR! How idk, but i've been q tipping with peroxide and it looks much improved. Poor ear was swelled right up, looked shrek-ish! Like the song, "i wouldn't have no luck if i didn't have bad luck...." LOL
But all is well in general.

 

[justtricia]

Hi! I am sorry if this topic has been previously discussed, but I do not have time to dig through the number of posts to see an answer. This is my first winter with my chickens and I want to be prepared.

I have a decent coop; however, it is not insulated. I am considering moving it next to one of my out buildings to block wind, or in putting plastic around the run part - maybe even putting it inside one of my leantos so it has blockage on three sides. I do not know if with grown chickens I need to use the light to keep them warm, or if they will be ok? I am using the deep litter method and I read that the composting process also helps to warm the coop.


Any advice from my fellow MI people would be great. My girls (and one Roo) have been amazing and I am afraid of losing them if not prepared.

Please do not hesitate to touch on all important winter things (i.e., water, food, outside time, light, warmth etc.) that would be relevant to taking good care of them and keeping them safe.

Thanks in advance

 

[snowflake]

These, shot through the screen door, are the three SS I purchased at chickenstock last June. They, at least one of them, started to lay a couple days ago.

Sorry , as always , to hear of illness, human and livestock, theft, predation, and all the other maladies that beset us. However the good works, and events relayed in many of your posts
lift my spirits. Thanks for that. Youse is good people.

Hi! I am sorry if this topic has been previously discussed, but I do not have time to dig through the number of posts to see an answer. This is my first winter with my chickens and I want to be prepared.

I have a decent coop; however, it is not insulated. I am considering moving it next to one of my out buildings to block wind, or in putting plastic around the run part - maybe even putting it inside one of my leantos so it has blockage on three sides. I do not know if with grown chickens I need to use the light to keep them warm, or if they will be ok? I am using the deep litter method and I read that the composting process also helps to warm the coop.


Any advice from my fellow MI people would be great. My girls (and one Roo) have been amazing and I am afraid of losing them if not prepared.

Please do not hesitate to touch on all important winter things (i.e., water, food, outside time, light, warmth etc.) that would be relevant to taking good care of them and keeping them safe.

Thanks in advance

hi and welcome to the Mi. site

if you can put it under shelter that would be great, plastic on the run or on the windy side of the run is also very good, depending on the breed most chickens do not need extra heat just plenty of ventilation, fresh water and food, your coop should be fie shelter. They will go outside more often if the run is free of snow, some like it some do not

there are lots of ways to keep the water from freezing, some use a cookie tin heater there is a thread that will show you how to make one, . bird bath heater in water or buy a heated waterer. deep litter is good I think it needs to be about 12" ? I water and feed outside only as it keeps mice and mess outside, others prefer to have it inside
like your coop and run, make sure you screep out 12 in around the bottom and cover with stones or dirt and/or add and electric wire about 12" up to keep them save from preditors

less wind is always good, have fun

 

[snowflake]

forgot to add, Bob, glad to see you are still hangin around, haven't seen you for awhile. Love the sussex they are so sweet

 

[gladahmae]

Bad thing about the ins thing is they don't specify how much or what kind of ins is required? Or do they?

They do. At my work, they offer ins. but the one I qualify for (since I don't work at least 30hrs every week) doesn't meet the federal requirements, so I'd have to get something ELSE to go with it. I don't think it will affect this year's tax return (that you will file in 2014) since they want to give you a tax credit if your income is below a certain point and you can bet your boots that they aren't going to extend a credit before you've had to pay anything, but in 2015 you might be able to use your ins. costs as a deduction on your return.