Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Farmerboy16]

So Oliver's ears are ok from the frostbite? 

Seems to be!

Maple sap coming out of a tree is very dilute, and will need to be boiled down to evaporate the excess water. Typically, the sap you get from your tree will only be 1-2% sugar, and will need a lot of reduction to turn it into syrup. One gallon of syrup typically requires 50-90 gallons of sap, depending on sugar content in the sap.


The sap flows best when the nights are below freezing, and the daytime temps are above freezing. So now should be a good time to tap.

Yeah, I know about that I have to boil it. Coming out of the tree looks like water. Its boiling as I type. Would be happy to get at least a cup of syrup.

 

[chickflick]

I find blood once in awhile in my coop. Look closely at their combs and wattles. Sometimes it's a toenail.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

An awesome free fence with great instructions!
http://alidoesit.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/wattle-fencing/

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Trefoil i second the toenail possibility. I had to trim a couple times this looooooong winter! Came in to blood on the roosts! Poor girls.

 

[aart]

aart duh yes mine has a thermastat,. lol your keeping me on my toes.

Yeah well, we all have brain blips.

 

[Candy442]

I find blood once in awhile in my coop. Look closely at their combs and wattles. Sometimes it's a toenail.

x2
trefoil, we have one of Jakes Delawares and found she had blood on her but could not find a victim either...close exam by DH he saw small cut to Delawares comb. I read chickens wilk heal real quick but we put blucoat on her entire comb just in case...she is a real sweetheart!! And tends to get pecked by dominant Reds at roost time...she is Always late to get on the roost and has to run the pecking gauntlet while standing on the poop board looking for an opening on the roost!

 

[ladyrsanti]

Tapped one of our Maple trees today for the first time. Hope its not too late in the year.

Tapped it at 10 am this morning, and by 6 pm, got about 1.5 gal.

I will be happy just to get a quart of syrup or a bit less. Just trying out a little bit at a time, if it goes well this year, then next spring I will do a bit more.

That's smart. I tapped 8 or 9 trees and now paying big $$$ for firewood as we ran out after the first boiling. We broke even yesterday, boiling as much as we collected, about 15 gallons. Cost us $40 for 1/2 gallon of syrup. Yuck. I can't recover that even by selling it at the farmer's market. But hubby wants the syrup so... I keep boiling. Next year, I will only tap a tree or two.

 

[aart]

I tapped 8 or 9 trees and now paying big $$$ for firewood as we ran out after the first boiling. We broke even yesterday, boiling as much as we collected, about 15 gallons. Cost us $40 for 1/2 gallon of syrup. Yuck. I can't recover that even by selling it at the farmer's market. But hubby wants the syrup so... I keep boiling. Next year, I will only tap a tree or two.

I've often wondered about the cost of the fuel to boiling down sap to syrup.
Wonder how the cost of propane or natural gas would (wood haha) compare to using purchased firewood?

 

[SillyChicken]

How do you know if your hen is broody vs. something else? I have 2 hen that have been on their nests since 8 this morning, which is SUPER unusual. When I went in the coop and tried to remove eggs from under them they both puffed up their feathers and made lots of clucking noises at me. If they're broody I want to put the chicks I got yesterday under them ASAP. Thanks!

I don't know if that would work since they just 'went' broody... considering they'll be that way for almost a month. I have when they've brooded for a while (put the chicks in at night) but not when they first go broody.

 

[taprock]

I lost my girl Gunther last night. I wasn't surprised just sad. She would drink but would not eat. Besides becoming increasingly weak she had no other symptoms so my guess is she either had something wrong internally or she ate something that was not food. She was incredibly grumpy looking all the time but very sweet and just over a year old. AS sad as it is I have only only two girls this winter so I guess that isn't bad.

Miss Mouse is back in the cat carrier with another injured foot. During the day I take the top half off for a while and she interacts with the dog. Last night I quick put the top on and didn't put the door in because I wasn't worried she was going anywhere. So this morning I'm sitting at the computer and hear her talking away. Only she isn't talking from the carrier. Little Miss "I can't walk a step" made it out of the carrier and about 8 -10 feet to the computer desk and had found a cozy spot for herself. Luckily she had not gone the other direction as we do have stairs.

I intend to spend as much time outside today as possible. When we actually see 50 degrees for the first time since fall, I intend to make the most of it. My DH had chicken decals made for my car for Christmas and I have not been able to put them on because of cold and snow. But today I plan to wash the car and add my flock to the windows!