Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

On the subject of Rhodies vs Aussies, I have both and prefer the Aussies to the Reds. Its not that I don't like my RIR, I do, it just that my Aussies are SO much more personable and lay about as many eggs. The Aussies i have are bigger bodied than my RIR, so they would do better in the meat department although black down is really visible if it gets on the meat. And if pretty matters, the black Australorps take the cake IMO.

 

[mindylee]

Lol!
I have a 2x2 brood box and I pulled 14 peed off broody hens out!
In the brood box above, 2 more!
In a cat litter box with top, 3 more!
And on the ground in a corner... 1 more!
Got 2 doz eggs on order from Arkansas so when they arrive... a few lucky gals will be pulled and put to work!

Every other month my hens go bonkers and jump on a broody band wagon!

 

[jerabu]

So far, the impression I am getting is that Australorps are very friendly/outgoing/cuddly, where RIR's seem neutral. Not aggressive, but not terribly interested in people, either.

I think it will be australorps.

 

[Brennigan]

My brooder/chicks are doing fine at 75 degrees in the house. When can I take the heating lamp off to get them ready for outside?

I'd like them out in the daytime when it starts to get nice and then in the coop full-time when we hit the 45s/50s at night.

 

[SillyChicken]

6:00am, first little one arrived! A doeling!!! I'll post Picts later today...
There's more on the way!

 

[jlynnet]

My brooder/chicks are doing fine at 75 degrees in the house. When can I take the heating lamp off to get them ready for outside?

I'd like them out in the daytime when it starts to get nice and then in the coop full-time when we hit the 45s/50s at night.

I brood mine in the basement, which is about 56 degrees. I only give them heat for the first two weeks. At 5 weeks old I took mine outside back in early March. It was warm for a few days and they've survived the single digit lows without any heat added. As long as they've feathered out, they'll do fine outside. I gave them a box to huddle in. They love going outside now.

 

[jlynnet]

6:00am, first little one arrived! A doeling!!! I'll post Picts later today...
There's more on the way!

Yeah! Can't wait for pics. Baby goats are so darn cute!

 

[aart]

So far, the impression I am getting is that Australorps are very friendly/outgoing/cuddly, where RIR's seem neutral. Not aggressive, but not terribly interested in people, either.

I think it will be australorps.

You might want to get a few different breeds to evaluate along with the aussies, see which you like best.

 

[Maah]

Foil to increase broodiness in hens.

LOL! Much better than "Beak Book" or whatever it was.

So I was able to give away our 2 silkie hens, plus a NHR, & EE yesterday. 4 down... 5 more to go. The other 5 will likely go to freezer camp later this summer along with DH's little buff orpington "pullet" cockerel once he's grown up.

The little blue grey easter egger chick I got from FF&H's pullet bin is really starting to feather in nicely... and is keeping the darker grey with some brown blended in.

When I first got the 2 EE's on March 12th:



Today:


Can't wait for baby goat pics!!

Yay babies!

 

[taprock]

I believe spring has finally arrived in the frozen north. Sunday I saw a robin, Yesterday a Shrike, and today DH saw a pair of cranes and lone goose. I've been doing spring cleaning and although it would be nice to be outside there still isn't much to do with the feet of snow still around. I go out to the coop and chip ice and shovel wet bedding and poop off the ground so it can thaw more, but that's about all I can do.

My eggs aren't even here yet and I can't sleep already. Last night I dreamed the duck eggs all arrived with holes in them and that the incubator quit. Then I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep thinking of how I'm going to swing the fact there was a delay in one of the shipments. I came up with the excellent solution (this was at 3:30a.m.) just go buy another incubator!!

So I think I might!

We have two pigs arriving in three weeks and no pen. I don't think the snow will even be gone in three weeks. Things would be so much better if the white stuff would just melt!