Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[snowflake]

I wonder if it was a double yoker? you know almost looks like it was another chick trying to develop. i cant believe they didn't catch that at the hatchery...wild

That is very strange, I am surprised she survived

Don't forget to change your clocks

I agree 100% never could understand the reasoning


have a good day all, got the spare coop cleaned out and moved 2 roosters with 4 hens each into my separate coops, we will see if they stay put one of the bantams has already breached the pen, thought I had them fenced off good

must be I missed a spot

 

[BentoMinion]

Congrats Farm Boy!

Have I ever mentioned my parents? Yes, I love them but sometimes I wonder. I was discussing things with my father (who grew up on a ranch) and he was talking about his chicken coop he had growing up and how much he hated chickens. I told him we WERE giving it another go this year. I was not throwing in the towel. Although I was not hatching my own, I was going to pick them up at TSC. Hatching was great, but I am not in the mood to this year. We were talking about the coop issue... 2 hours later (he lives an hour away) my father was unexpectedly at my door and told me he was the to take care of my issues because apparently I have now "learned a thing or two" and "needed to learn the hard way". *shrugs* Ok then. And he then went with various items, some wood and IDK what else into the back yard and told me to stay inside with my minions. He only came in to ask for a shovel so he could get the shed door open. I am told it isn't pretty but there should be no issue. I also have a mostly built smaller coop in my lower garage. I decided to not go with an Aframe after all your advice. What I built is not pretty, but it should be fine. So we should be good. Runs need to go up come spring.

I took the minions out yesterday to TSC in Muskegon and picked up 12 chicks. We have 3 easter eggers, 2 black ones, 3 out of their "reds bin", 3 Welsummers? Was that the name? and I forgot the last chick. I am bad with names, can you tell? I wanted the cute little Bantams. Oh well, maybe I will get some after we figure out who lays and who is destined for the freezer.

This snow needs to go. I am told that now the addition will not start till May. Or that is what the contractor thinks. :-( Although instead of being just "weekend workers" they are talking about working all week to get it done. We hired local and the contractor has a family business that is not building related. So he was just going to work on the weekends. We were fine with that. So now it will go up faster, but I wish they could start sooner.

 

[1muttsfan]

When you have a baby born with extra parts, it is usually the result of a single fertilized egg dividing incorrectly - resulting in anything from identical (maternal) twins to Siamese twins to things like extra fingers. A double-yolked egg, if both yolks had fertile embryos associated, would develop into two separate feti, and be non-identical (fraternal), non-attached twins. It is not the yolk that develops into a fetus, it is the fertilized egg - visible as a the embryonic disc on the surface of a yolk. Very rarely, two fertilized eggs that are in very close proximity can combine and form one individual, known as a chimera, which contains DNA from both siblings.

 

[gladahmae]

I see 3 legs....ewwww.

Anyone have amberlinks...what color are their eggs?

I posted this a few days ago. the Amber Link egg is the 2nd egg from the top. Biggest consistent layers in my coop, pictured between either a barred rock or Wyandotte egg and one of my marans eggs.

<a href="https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/697050/lightbox/post/12867543/id/6170944"><img src="https://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/13427719/width/400/flags/LL"></a>

 

[aart]

Quote:
Thanks gladahmae..I remember that pic, it's one of my favorites.

 

[gladahmae]

Thanks! They're white/cream birds with red leakage in their body. When we got ours they were 15wks, so I picked the 2 with the MOST leakage so they wouldn't be such obvious hawk bait. That is something to consider if you free-range a lot. Smallish straight combs, light colored legs. I'm pleased with them overall, and if I can figure out my coop conundrum this year, I'll be getting a few more.

 

[tmkuroda]

I joined last year but felt I had nothing to input since it was going to be a year until I was able to have Chickens. Well that year has finally came and as soon as the snow melts we are going to build a small coop. I have decided (I have thought about this a lot btw) that I want 3-4 chickens. I would like them to produce large eggs and I want them to be different colors and to be friendly. LOL I have other questions too. There may come a time next winter when I will be gone for a few weeks and only have a neighbor pop over daily so I need help with the best watering/feeding set up for this. Also I want an automatic door opener. Need tips on which is the best, and if this can even be done!

Thanks everyone!
Tina

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Hi all. Just wanted to Fact Check something I've read. In the book The Homesteading Handbook by Abigail R. Gehring, it is stated that an all hen will lay unfertilized eggs that will stay fresh longer than fertile eggs. Has anyone ever heard this before? (I have not). Old wives tale?

 

[1muttsfan]

Controlled egg storage test done by Mother Earth News

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/how-to-store-fresh-eggs-zmaz77ndzgoe.aspx

 

[iamfivewire]

. . . i saw this on a facebook post - thought i'd share it with y'all :