Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

I think processing day school is a great idea, I just wonder if there was any legal ramifications for butchering "in public" nowadays.

 

[gladahmae]

P.S. one thought I had about plans for 2014... It would be really neat to have at least one Processing Day School, taught by experienced folks. What do y'all think of that?

I actually found a nice video on youtube for how to process birds by skinning them. When the dogs got into the meat birds I managed to process 6 of them before it started thunder-storming using that method. I honestly think it only took me about 15min/bird to do it too once I had done a few. I did cervical dislocation, and then cut their heads off and hung them up to bleed out (which wasn't that much) and then skinned and gutted them.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Quote:Originally Posted by HollyDuckFarmer antibiotics in the water. The plain old duramycin helps against staph infections in early stages, maybe since you were able to catch it quick it may just get rid of it??

Quote:Originally Posted by preciouskitty I have the poop chart in my links? Not much to go on.
I am very hopeful for her and you.

Quote:Originally Posted by taprock Hmm. That is interesting! I get a case at least every winter, usually right after the temps drop and after a particularly windy night. Mine don't eat good though when they get it; so now i don't know whether they have had "something" or not!
Quote:Originally Posted by gladahmae Aw. So sorry!

Quote:Originally Posted by Amerauchick17 I've had this issue too; i got an orpie because they were supposed to be so friendly, but mine attacked me and the girls like a roo! Laid eggs, and brooded.......... mine was hatchery stock, though and i think that was the difference in temperament. Bigger comb, bigger attitude! LOL

We were all talking about this last year, you actually did it? Heat tape under some kind of cover? Do tell! I was wanting so badly to do something like this but got stuck on the actual how-to.

 

[RaZ]

Does anyone around me have a decent used baby cage they want to get rid of? I want to make a "hospital" cage out of it.

On a separate note, I have 2 new roosters.

 

[mara1]

Hi everyone. sorry to here everyone's woes. I only had thigh left so shes been in the house. I guess I'm crazy just bought a small mixed flock in the middle of a freeze. He said they are between 1-2 years( hope I did'nt just buy stew chicken) Is there a way to tell a hens age? Whats the chances of a roo being quite?

 

[preciouskitty]

@RaZ
OMG! Your 2 new roosters just gave me childhood flashbacks! We always had a parakeet...in fact, only "pet" I ever had growing up. The crew I have now are ALL my firsts (yep, 1 dog, 3 cats & 14 chickens...why start slow )

@fuzzybutt love
Yeah, I have the "poop chart" bookmarked...unfortunately, the only 2 pix pretty close were "she's probably just got a little bug/ate something" or "this one died of, most likely, cervical cancer". BUT, Spaz finally ate a little dry oatmeal. First thing I've found today that interested her. She certainly is drinking her water. She's in the living room with me, have a large sheet I tossed on floor for her. Noticed yesterday she was much more active if we let her out of the infirmary (er, large dog crate) & let her wander....

 

[fuzzybutt love]

For the record, if anyone thinks i'm ever being sarcastic or condenscending it's not true at all!
it is especially hard when all you have to go by is written and none of the expression to go with it........ i can't speak for others but for myself it's hard to judge sometimes whether i'm talking to someone who's had chickens for months/ years; so i just put it all out there just in case. I just really love birds I really really hope that i haven't offended anyone or driven them away!

I have had situations that i just couldn't figure out, the worst feeling ever is when no one even tries to guess or respond. That is why so many links from me, i've spent a lot of midnight hours pouring over the internet trying to save my girls over the last several years. Now i'm working i don't always have the time, and i figure that many others might not either so i put up the links so others can maybe benefit too.

Coop news: Everyone is doing ok, i have made the controversial decision to go the dreaded antibiotic route for the cold snap. I know that mine have CRD that they carry already, so something as simple as e coli from picking around in there could take them out in this bad of a temp dip. I heard some slight snuffling in the beaks when i held them today; it's either going to be the duramycin or some tylan with some jello powder dissolved in there to cover the taste (i've read cran juice recommended) I also "downgraded" their feed from purina all flock to dumor grower/finisher. I am wondering if the diarrhea in a few of my hens is from getting too much protein. They do eat more in the cold, and i have been out of corn... ? So now a lower protein feed. (and corn for this coming week) No heat here, even if i had the electric run out there i'd be too scared of a power outage. It was several degrees below zero the other night, and the 2 and a half month old is still doing great. He's not sniffling even! In the camper coop i have at least a foot of straw in there, free feed, and plenty of light from the windows to warm during the day; i don't let them out in the winter unless it's pretty "warm". Still getting eggs from my ee's! Hardy little things.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Precious kitty, you may finally have you a house bird again Maybe yours just needed a boost.

I kept my two d'uccle pairs in the house this winter (i cheated totally; yes they are noisy!!!) I just stacked a couple nice sized dog kennels up in the spare room. Cardboard under them (they shredded the newspapers) And when i can let them out thus far it's the kitchen and t.p. cleanup. (i got sick over christmas and never did get those diapers sewn)

 

[preciouskitty]

Precious kitty, you may finally have you a house bird again    Maybe yours just needed a boost.

LOL! Um, no! As soon as she's better, she's back out with her buddies (which I know she misses...tho, she seems pretty cool with the dog & cats as company. Oh, & yeah...I have been the internet search queen since she got "funny" & I brought her in on 12/30! Wanted her separated from the rest ASAP...just in case.....

 

[1muttsfan]

Does anyone around me have a decent used baby cage they want to get rid of? I want to make a "hospital" cage out of it.

They make cages for babies? Wow, that would make them easier to keep for sure.

I have been closing the pop doors at night, and close the ventilation window a little more in my big coop; put down some extra dry shavings; and feed some scratch later in the day. No additional heat, though.

Snowflake are those your dogs? Very sweet looking.

While there are many good reasons for using antibiotics, there is growing evidence that the use of antibiotics for prevention (instead of treatment) of disease, for promoting growth, incorrectly (inadequate dose/not long enough treatment time/wrong antibiotic), and for infections that do not respond to antibiotics (such as viruses) have lead to an alarming decrease in how well they work - we can look at Opa's recent infection troubles as an example of that. Since antibiotic resistance can pass from one type of bacteria to another, development of resistance in non-pathogenic bacteria can lead to resistance in disease producing bacteria as well. Using antibiotics inadvisably on your birds may put you and your family at risk of infections that will no longer respond to antibiotics (such as MRSA).