Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[fuzzybutt love]

Today's loot- i just can't get the blue to show good

 

[taprock]

Aart, here is a link. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WZ4KO0/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[ladyrsanti]

Lady.. what kind of drum carder are you using? I'm looking for supplies... is there a reasonably priced place to buy from?

Mine is a Louet. I bought it new and it was kind of pricey for being a hand-crank. I honestly don't remember how much exactly but if you do a search online, you'd find out quick enough. Electric models are very expensive. I'm sure you could find a used model for a decent price on Ebay or whatever. They're not necessary but do make a nice lofty batt from which to spin = loftier yarn, especially if you want to blend fibers. I've processed an entire fleece with nothing but a dog comb though and gotten great results.

 

[JackieandChicks]

Question - if I wanted to incubate a few eggs, when it is warm enough in degrees to save them? It's pretty cold here but will be in the 40's - I have been saving a few but read on another list that if they are cold they are not very viable. Thanks!!

 

[mattsinger]

Question - if I wanted to incubate a few eggs, when it is warm enough in degrees to save them? It's pretty cold here but will be in the 40's - I have been saving a few but read on another list that if they are cold they are not very viable. Thanks!!

Im not an expert....but just went through this. I think as long as the eggs dont freeze, you should be ok. I collected 9 eggs from my coop back the week of January 19th. IT was plenty cold. I am just finishing the hatch now....and it looks like I'll have 4 of the 9 hatch. This is only my second attempt at hatching eggs, so I would assume someone knowing what they are doing would have had better results.

 

[mindylee]

I put 100 eggs in bator and tossed out 18. And some I tossed had veins so they where fertilized. So cold didnt effect to bad when collecting here and some where cold when I collected them all.

So ya never know unless ya try.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Speaking of hatching eggs, does anyone here happen to have any fertile eggs of FBCM or maybe a white or blue egg layer that they'd sell? I don't have an incubator at the moment and when I do buy one, it's not going to be a big one, nor do I want many hatches so I'd only need a few and I'd rather not ship so someone close to Kent Co would be good. My new coop is big and all but I've already got 19 birds out there and don't need too many more - just looking to expand the egg color palette, replace my non-layers and willing to take my chances with a small hatch. No more than 6 eggs tops.

I was just going to go pick up a minimum number of chicks at TSC when they get them but my hubby is talking me into hatching some and I don't really want more of what I have in my coop but would rather get some new blood in here. I might toss a few of my blue EE eggs in a bator since my roo is a wheaten marans. Could be interesting but not too exciting for me. I've already got three shades of green layers out there that give me almost gray to almost olive green eggs. I'd rather have some really dark eggs, some white and another blue since my EE that lays the blue eggs isn't the best layer and tends to go broody frequently.

 

[Our Roost]

ladyrsanti, would you take some french black copper morans chicks instead of eggs? Doing a hatch of barnevelders in april. Then bcms in may.

 

[naglady]

i agree, with mindy, doesnt matter on the cold it is outside, just let the eggs set out at room temp for 24 hrs.. b4 you put them in the incubator..
I got 15 chicks out of the eggs i collected during freezing temps.

 

[RaZ]

What a great day to be outdoors. Not a cloud in the sky, no breeze at all. You didn't even notice that it was only 20 degrees. And we were out for 3 hours.
the first part was a tree ID walk led by a UofM-D professor.

Next was a maple syrup "class" led by my future ex-wife.