Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Elyssia001]

How are your hogs doing Farmerboy? We haven't seen any pictures of them for a while

 

[RTFchickens]

EverMystique1,
I have a broody too. I keep having to kick her off the eggs. It will be nice in the spring if she can hatch some chicks for me! I have BO and Isa Browns, but I want RIR in the spring. Maybe I can get some fertile eggs from a local BYC member in spring, and let her hatch.

 

[ladyrsanti]

I agree! My neighbor on the south has let me use his field for my cows after the neighbor on the north sold his land. I don't have to give the cows hay for another month or two!!! So blessed and thankful!


The cows in the temp fencing.


Made two paddocks. A big one for the big guys, a little one for the little guys.

Glad you got some pasture! Looks great! My sheep are already begging for hay but they're brats so.... Anyway, the milk this week was great and the butter was awesome - VERY yellow and rich. The resulting buttermilk is culturing along good too (a quart of it).

 

[lbrykowski2011]

I used one for my ducks last year and it worked quite well. Of course, I only had 3 Pekins back then, lol. Now I have 26!!! I will have to pick up a bigger one this year. I used the smaller one (can't remember how many quarts) which will go in the chicken tractor this winter. I will (hopefully) be down to 15 ducks soon so the 5 gallon size should work combined with a rubber bowl and the heated hose for refilling in the mornings. It's hard to say if it made much difference on my electric bill, as I also had the heater for the horses water going part-time (mostly at night), the heated base for the chickens' water, and a new infrared heater for the living room going on, too, so my bill was higher than normal anyway.
With the electric bill, it's odd . . . I've replaced all of the lights with ICFs, started unplugging appliances not in use, made more effort to make sure lights/whatnot not in use are turned off . . . yet my monthly bill is nearly double what it was 2 yrs ago. My summer electric bill is generally around $60 (and that was before I switched all of the lights to ICFs - I did it gradually). Now a 'good' month is $100. I have propane, not natural gas, so that doesn't factor in to the Consumer's bill.

Thanks, I only have 4 ducks in 1 side of the run and 6 hens+1 roo in the other. I was hoping that 1- 96oz. heated dog dish on each side would do for this winter and I'm home pretty much all day to take additional water out, although I am not a cold liking person, I will do it for my girls and 1 guy. lol Same here on the electric bill, we turn off and unplug everything we don't use and our heat and stove is all propane, our electric bills use to be around $70. and now they are usually around $150. We did get a puter that we use just in the morning and then sometimes in the evening, but I don't think that could use that much power.

 

[lbrykowski2011]

Yep. Spending a lot of time with my rake next door!! Both fixing the garden AND chasing the chickens home.
I knew they loved hostas, cuz they trashed mine..but, I didn't really care.

Brats...I have the best neighbor...so much so, that since she can't have a huge veggie garden due to the wedding next year, I will expand mine so we can share (kinda a mini community garden), & she'll handle herbs, garlic, smaller stuff.
so don't really think she'll turn the girls to soup (she does love them) ...& I do give them free eggs,,,

I am so very grateful for my neighbor also. I wanted to free range and immediately they would run to my neighbors' house. Told her I was sry and would keep them in my run. She insisted that I let them out, she loved watching them run and play and they were doing the weeding under her trees that she couldn't get to. Hallelujah!!! We also share a large garden that she had but couldnt keep up with. My boys till and do the weeding and she plants the stuff she uses most which is actually opposite what I plant, we get our own stuff and then know it's ok to wonder to each others' side and help ourselves to other stuff. I only have 2 hens laying right now and 3 others that should start soon, so I will be giving her eggs as soon as I can, darn teenage boys keep eating them as soon as they're laid. lol

 

[lbrykowski2011]

I'm thinking about going. I went last year (I think on Sunday) and most of the birds that I was interested in were already sold.

I might go on Saturday, if my truck is repaired by then and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

Looks like it will be a beautiful weekend to go, especially Sat.

 

[lbrykowski2011]

We will have to add a hosta swap at the 2014 Chicken Stock.

What is the 2014 chicken stock?

 

[RTFchickens]

I have not been to it before, but I was told its a gathering of BYC folks. I believe in the summer.

 

[uchytil]

Good neighbors are priceless!!!

Gawd YES! I'm so lucky to have a farmer across the street that is the best neighbor anyone could ask for. And all the other people on my road that are just as nice. We are blessed here. Funny but 90% of these folks raise cows, horses, and pasture, go figure.

 

[uchytil]

I have not been to it before, but I was told its a gathering of BYC folks. I believe in the summer.

June. Check out the threads in Chickenstocks. There's a newer one started for volunteers for 2014.