Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Stacykins]

I could swing buy TSC on Jackson rd in AA for you to see what they have Raz, I go by there to get the DH after work.


Still has this month to go and already huge! My guess is 2, Can't wait!!

A month to go and she is THAT big? Wanna take bets she has more than two in there?! I have another doe due April 10th, close to yours, and even she doesn't look that huge! I could already feel kid movement with her, which is always cool.

My girl due the 12th is feeling uber pregnant. It is going to be a cold time to birth them babies! But there will be a midwife home at all times for it. Though my mother and I have been there for goat kid bithings in the past, my father has not. He will call either my mother or myself if he is the one home at 'go time', and the vet too if necessary. And it could very well be him, since he is home more. He retired after 30 years of military service + 10 years of being a high school teacher. Mom and I are worker bees, but at least we won't be more than 20 minutes away at any time.

The hair dryer will be one of our tools to get those kids dry promptly! A friend of mine whose doe gave birth two weeks ago, despite heat lamps and towels, the kids still got chilled because it was so cold outside. They had to be brought into the house to thaw, whilst mama freaked out.

 

[lbrykowski2011]

@ivebeenegged -welcome to BYC. You are not far from me and i also started with ducks last April and chickens last June and i learn a ton from here.

Question: If i want to look at doing some meaties, do you raise them separate from your flock? Also say I get 4 new chicks for the flock and a few meaty chicks, do they stay together or separate as chicks? Ty

 

[Amy PT]

Yes, Amy the ee'ers come in bantam too! Hard to get around here. I've only seen a few at auction...but that would give you the blue. D'uccles are listed as brown but mine looked on the pink side. Idk about any other colored laying minis.... Did you know there is a turkey mini? Comes only in white though. Conservation status, around the size of a standard size chicken

Blue bantam cochin. They are so cute & friendly

Thanks, friends. Fuzzy, our Ruby's eggs are white, not brown. and they are so pointy.

 

[Our Roost]

aart, good question. Eating a paczky donut sinker right now. Much better than a roos tail feathers! Fat tuesday brings out the devil in me.

Almost everytime I order hatching eggs or pullets, I expect to get a few roos in the mix. Distinguishing whos who if they cannot be sexed at birth is difficult. Yes, in some breeds, tail feathers are a dead give away to a roo. In others it may be their combs developing faster than the hens. I think there are tell tale signs more prominant in some breeds than others. Much like a box of candy, you never know what you are going to get! Interesting to get some other opinions on this subject matter.

 

[SillyChicken]

A month to go and she is THAT big? Wanna take bets she has more than two in there?! I have another doe due April 10th, close to yours, and even she doesn't look that huge! I could already feel kid movement with her, which is always cool.

My girl due the 12th is feeling uber pregnant. It is going to be a cold time to birth them babies! But there will be a midwife home at all times for it. Though my mother and I have been there for goat kid bithings in the past, my father has not. He will call either my mother or myself if he is the one home at 'go time', and the vet too if necessary. And it could very well be him, since he is home more. He retired after 30 years of military service + 10 years of being a high school teacher. Mom and I are worker bees, but at least we won't be more than 20 minutes away at any time.

The hair dryer will be one of our tools to get those kids dry promptly! A friend of mine whose doe gave birth two weeks ago, despite heat lamps and towels, the kids still got chilled because it was so cold outside. They had to be brought into the house to thaw, whilst mama freaked out.

Ugh, that's what I'm afraid of.. more than two will be a lot to ask for her FF.. I may end up needing to supplement... and this is not what I had planned! LOL!! I wanted some of the milk for myself... but she's going to need it all if there's more than two!

I was going to cut a 55 gal steel barrel and put a heat lamp in it. I'm hoping that would provide enough heat for the kid(s).

 

[aart]

aart, good question. Eating a paczky donut sinker right now. Much better than a roos tail feathers! Fat tuesday brings out the devil in me.

Almost everytime I order hatching eggs or pullets, I expect to get a few roos in the mix. Distinguishing whos who if they cannot be sexed at birth is difficult. Yes, in some breeds, tail feathers are a dead give away to a roo. In others it may be their combs developing faster than the hens. I think there are tell tale signs more prominant in some breeds than others. Much like a box of candy, you never know what you are going to get! Interesting to get some other opinions on this subject matter.

Today is Fat Tuesday?? I just don't pay attention anymore......went to Mardi Gras in NO as a senior in HS....WooHooo Happy Mardi Gras!!

 

[gladahmae]

@ivebeenegged -welcome to BYC. You are not far from me and i also started with ducks last April and chickens last June and i learn a ton from here.

Question: If i want to look at doing some meaties, do you raise them separate from your flock? Also say I get 4 new chicks for the flock and a few meaty chicks, do they stay together or separate as chicks? Ty

Meaties are going to get a LOT bigger at LOT faster than other chicks. You could probably brood them together for a few weeks, and I know that people successfully raise them together, but I would separate them after a couple of weeks if I had the space. Easier to control how much they eat that way (and they are going to poop 5x more than your other chicks)

 

[Folly's place]

I've always raised the meat birds separately, especially the (awful) super fast growing Cornish x chicks. They are huge__and slow moving__ and need less heat sooner than normal chicks. The freedom ranger type chicks aren't so extreme, but will still be faster growing. Love the DEAD snowman; that's it, exactly! I'm bummed about today's meetings at MSU__ tried and failed to find the sign-up website, and never got around to calling for information. Hope it's a good program, and will look forward to hearing about it. Mary

 

[aart]

I'm not advocating violence however

This one is a little less violent but just as satisfying.

 

[Folly's place]

Amy, about the bantams; John Blehm in Birch run have Ameracaunas, both large and bantams. He may still have some available to order, and he sells some chicks on craigslist also. My very nice Ameracauna bantam pullet is from his cull chicks last April__she's not the correct color, but a wonderful bird, and I'm not about show quality anyway. Cute aqua eggs! Mary