Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[chickwhispers]

Well I heard good news this morning! Just went out and opened the door between the breeding coop (they are still roosting and laying in that) to the floor of the large coop surrounding it.

Came back in to sit here and I hear Buddy Boy crow twice!!!!!! This is his first crow since the hawk took his Purby Hen from us. Well took her life.... the carcus I rescued and it is in the crock pot right now! But am so glad he is crowing again!

Worked on coop yest and will try and upload the photos later as Photo bucket won't load right now for me.

They are finally coming out of the little coop and exploring changes I made to the coop around the coop LOL. Store bought coop is 1/6 size of larger coop. Plenty big for the two birds!

e Awesome!

 

[mara1]

Well I heard good news this morning! Just went out and opened the door between the breeding coop (they are still roosting and laying in that) to the floor of the large coop surrounding it.

Came back in to sit here and I hear Buddy Boy crow twice!!!!!!

This is his first crow since the hawk took his Purby Hen from us. Well took her life.... the carcus I rescued and it is in the crock pot right now! But am so glad he is crowing again!

Worked on coop yest and will try and upload the photos later as Photo bucket won't load right now for me.

They are finally coming out of the little coop and exploring changes I made to the coop around the coop LOL. Store bought coop is 1/6 size of larger coop. Plenty big for the two birds!

that's great!

 

[mara1]

Quote: Any luck yet? Hope they made it home.

 

[lbrykowski2011]

Speaking of losses, there is another potential to losing your chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, goats or other small livestock.

http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=c9b2937d5c9adfe92dcf29812&id=df03573f7d&e=3df621088f

Finally got time to read this, I really hope this don't happen. I'm not near Lansing to go, but definitely can send a quick letter by the time they meet in Nov.

 

[RaZ]

Is it a purebred Araucana or a hatchery Easter Egger?

Labeled as Araucana from McMurray, but they actually came from clabornfamilyfarms.com in Waco, Texas. Very nice people to talk with.

Finally got time to read this, I really hope this don't happen. I'm not near Lansing to go, but definitely can send a quick letter by the time they meet in Nov.

Letter writing can certainly help. Most of the MSFC folk are writing to their Michigan senators and representatives asking that those who actually wrote the law will attend the November meeting and see how the law is being subverted by an appointed committee.

ETA, The committees are comprised of select people from;
MSU Extension
Michigan Township's Association
Michigan Pork Producers
Michigan Milk Producers
Michigan Farm Bureau
Michigan DEQ
NRCS .

Not one of those organizations have concern for the small farmer or backyard chicken keeper.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Afternoon y'all. Have a question for those of you that process at home. Specifically ducks

How does one be certain to cut both the important veins but not the esophagus or trachea while the bird is in the cone? And then after that is done, how does one remove the head without cutting same (to avoid carcass contamination as described here: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/components/0701b.html)

This time, I decided to play it safe and call R&B Processing in Corunna! But my thought on this is that I really need to know this for the future. Any help, suggestions, links appreciated.

Stay dry y'all. Saw 6 days of rain ahead on the TV last night

 

[Opa]

Afternoon y'all. Have a question for those of you that process at home. Specifically ducks

How does one be certain to cut both the important veins but not the esophagus or trachea while the bird is in the cone? And then after that is done, how does one remove the head without cutting same (to avoid carcass contamination as described here: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/components/0701b.html)

This time, I decided to play it safe and call R&B Processing in Corunna! But my thought on this is that I really need to know this for the future. Any help, suggestions, links appreciated.

Stay dry y'all. Saw 6 days of rain ahead on the TV last night

The bird's head and the upper portion of the neck extend past the cone.

 

[Stacykins]

Labeled as Araucana from McMurray, but they actually came from clabornfamilyfarms.com in Waco, Texas. Very nice people to talk with.

Ah yes, then they are definitely EEs. Actually, a few other Araucana breeders and I are on the warpath right now with McMurray to get them to stop calling their Easter Eggers Araucanas and Ameraucanas. It confuses so many people, and causes a lot of disappointment when people realize they have a hatchery mixed breed. I don't care if they call the birds Disco Layers or Spiffy Layers or whatever, just don't call them breeds they are not.

 

[RaZ]

Ah yes, then they are definitely EEs. Actually, a few other Araucana breeders and I are on the warpath right now with McMurray to get them to stop calling their Easter Eggers Araucanas and Ameraucanas. It confuses so many people, and causes a lot of disappointment when people realize they have a hatchery mixed breed. I don't care if they call the birds Disco Layers or Spiffy Layers or whatever, just don't call them breeds they are not.

I figured that they were not true heritage breeds. And I am OK with that. I just wanted a blue egg laying bird. I understand that people are likely to be confused by what appears to be false advertising. On the other hand, anyone interested in true heritage breeds is not likely to buy from a hatchery.

Calvin and Hobbs are true heritage SF from quality lineage. I suppose the cuckoo marans and BOs are hatchery mutts as well.

 

[Totalcolour]

I got a naked neck cockerel Today!

I'm going to make my own UGGOS!