Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[fuzzybutt love]

I wish they would just come off it and classify chickens as a pet species too; i don't see any difference at all between a cockatoo and a chicken except the price.

Sad thing is that mine (except the few minis that i put inside for the winter) are housed on 5 acres zoned ag with only a handful of homes on a dead end road. Still spooked.

 

[RaZ]

I wanted to add for anyone who is liking the idea of super friendly birds, whether buying chicks or adults i have several tests:

First i try to make eye contact. Eye contact is the #1 necessity. A definite deal breaker if they won't.

I never considered eye contact. I suppose that I have done it. I just never thought about it.

I do think that some people have a better knack for taming animals. To me, it has always been natural. And pretty easy.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Yup, those are some pretty happy critters.

Eye contact is everything to me. It shows me they trust me, that they took the time, and are curious. I do it with even the wildest animals......... I study their patterns and their preferences, make a point to be in their area but not intrude. They like to eat and rest in the same places in the same times.

Sometimes to look away is everything too. I look, let them look. Looking away shows my trust of them too.

It's why i like art that reflects that aspect, much richer.

 

[Trefoil]

@ladyrsanti -Made the eclairs, camera on phone not working, but mine didn't turn out quite as nice as your's and I slightly burnt the bottoms. However, they're all gone.

Thanks for sharing the recipe. I want to get a piping bag, I think that would make it easier, but man were they delish!!

I have a few discs out in lower back and almost impossible to sit long, so been doing alot of cooking. Having a hard time with the chickens, but yeah I get my injection today!!! I got 7 eggs out of 8 girls yesterday for 1st time, so I think their all done molting and hopefully all back to laying or maybe cuz it's been a lil warmer out?

Does anyone recommend Meyer Hatchery? They are advertising that they now have true Americauna and I wanted to order 1 or 2, would love to add blue eggs with my green and pink ones. Was thinking 1 or 2 Marans for the chocolate eggs also. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

I got birds last year from meyer, no Ameraucanas though. I would recommend them, the birds are very nice and laying well, even the ones they classified as poor layers..

 

[Trefoil]

Anyone that needs help convincing livestock owners to support us chicken people with the GAAMPS problem might find this helpful:

"First They Came - Pastor Martin Niemoller

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me"

I copied this from a different website a few years ago and have found it pertinent to a lot of our problems.
I can attest first hand to Raz's skill at taming animals. And, I love baby pictures.

 

[Stacykins]

So pretty. What does "Gypsy faced" mean?

The term isn't attempting to be an insult to any Romani people. It just means a dark faced chicken. So rather than a bright red like some other chickens, there is more pigment in the face.

 

[LoveMyChicklets]

On a side note: Randall Burkey Company has free shipping + a free treat cake if you order by January 20th. If you go to their Web site... no codes needed.

Now, too bad they don't carry the brooder heat plate! I really want to try one of those this year.

 

[gladahmae]

Are they really that dark in person? I wish that i had a camera that captured that good.......Mine are a greyish color, with a hint of green/ blue.  The blue layer is a washed out blue, perhaps like the lighter one in your pic.  I've never actually SEEN one a robin's egg blue!  Envious! 
Is this where you got that layer? Or is she one of your own projects?

They really are that dark! The lightest egg is a light green from one of my EEs. As for the camera, that one is just from my iPhone.


The SBEL that dmrippy have are her own cross. They were originally a leghorn x Ameraucana but she's also doing legbar x leghorn now so they chicks are just white and i think to make sex links for other stuff. My blue egg is from a Wheaton or blue Wheaton Ameraucana I hatched out from eggs from lark rise (user name) and the olive egg is from the same shipment.

 

[preciouskitty]

Yep that dark. AND, yesterday Lela FINALLY laid an egg; so I guess her molt is done! Coming home (at midnight) from being gone this week, sure was nice to have a Marans egg! Guy that has been staying at the house as we're driving home from airport "got a weird dark egg today. Almost reddish (as Marans' eggs are). That black one was in the nest, so I guess it was from her"

I knew it was Lela (Maia still in molt)...VERY happy when got in the door & saw that beautiful dark egg on the counter! Now if Partrdige (EE) hurry up & finish, I'll have my rainbow of eggs back

 

[Amy PT]

The term isn't attempting to be an insult to any Romani people. It just means a dark faced chicken. So rather than a bright red like some other chickens, there is more pigment in the...

Fascinating. Thanks for schoolin' me.