Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[gladahmae]

Well I guess I'd better get to work on my potato boxes then! We don't really have the space to put them in the ground with everything else I have planned this year, so cute potato boxes it is!

Getting the tiller from my brother at some point this week (we went in on purchasing it with him and my parents) so I can get to work on my gardens. Really regretting the location of my strawberry plants since they have kind of become an island in the middle of my smaller garden. Might see about transplanting them into a more reasonable/convenient location in the fall.

 

[Elyssia001]

keeping fingers crossed for todays outcome with the GAAMP changes. 

I'm with you on that, Silly! Is it too much to hope that they do the logical and decent thing by letting MI's citizens do what is best for themselves?

 

[gladahmae]

Can anyone point me in the right direction for information on becoming NPIP certified? Not to do the testing, but getting tested. I'm possibly interested in doing it, but I'm having a lot of trouble finding any information to give me a decent lead on getting started or what it all entails.

 

[lbrykowski2011]

They both look like my girl who is a pullet. Its taking forever for her comb to come in. Where'd you get them?

I got all 6 chicks from FFH. So it looks like their all pullets except the EE. Not to bad i guess

 

[lbrykowski2011]

We've already given her a bath and blow-dry and she loved it!

The black chick i think was the cutest as a baby, but the white fluffs would be hard to beat now. If it's a she/he, still very pretty

 

[snowflake]

Can anyone point me in the right direction for information on becoming NPIP certified? Not to do the testing, but getting tested. I'm possibly interested in doing it, but I'm having a lot of trouble finding any information to give me a decent lead on getting started or what it all entails.

you need to contact MSU, they hold classes every spring, not sure if they have been held yet or not, also they can give you a list of those that are certified.
I have certification as does farmerboy, the problem is the antigen needed cost about $150 which is a lot for me
You may also contact 4-H in your area as they have people that are certified for the fairs and you may be able to find someone close that will come to you

 

[Amy PT]

I got all 6 chicks from FFH. So it looks like their all pullets except the EE. Not to bad i guess

I've heard of a lot of the EEs in the pullet bins turning out to be male. It seems that either they are more difficult to sex, or the folks doing the determinations at Townline need better training. Bummer. Ours is 5 weeks old today, and our fingers are crossed.

 

[snowflake]

I finished the grow out pen in the main coop yesterday... and took a picture before it got pooped on. It's broken in now; the hens saw to that last night. The poop board roof lifts to allow the windows to open. Still have to add a small run and pop door but that can wait. Those chicks NEED to get out of my house ASAP, especially those icelandics. They've got some serious energy. One of the pullets is a sweetheart though, one of those that comes up to you and leans on you. Love her, keeping her.


The meat birds are another story. Of course, y'all know about cornish x. I got one sneezer/wheezer/rattler in the bunch though (5 days old) and wondering if it might be the dust in the brooder room? The older chicks make A LOT of dust. I'm trying to think of where else to move them to that would require nothing more than a regular light bulb to keep warm (I only have one heat lamp at the moment). Maybe the basement but it's tough getting down there frequently to check on anything as we only have access to the basement from outside. I could do it but it would be a pain. Is it okay to keep the turkeys with the meat birds for the eight weeks? and then I thought I'd move them into the old coop with whoever is left of the extra pullets and roosters, whoever doesn't go to slaughter.

Nice coop!! read up on black head, it is a turkey disease carried by chickens I think, don't have turkeys so not sure but there can be an issue with having chickens and turkeys together, some do some say NO??

Welcome Dixie Chick. Check out the information on Chicken Stock in my signature.
I set 2 packages of bees today.

Love the bee's, wish I was brave enough to get them, I will be happy with letting others do the work and buying what I use

Welcome to all the newbies!! this is a good place to visit Hope you can make chicken stock

 

[gladahmae]

I've heard of a lot of the EEs in the pullet bins turning out to be male. It seems that either they are more difficult to sex, or the folks doing the determinations at Townline need better training. Bummer. Ours is 5 weeks old today, and our fingers are crossed.

townline feather-sexes their chicks which is NOT the most reliable way to do things since it has to be bred in (fast-feathering gene). I didn't think they sold EEs as anything but straight run?

 

[gladahmae]

you need to contact MSU, they hold classes every spring, not sure if they have been held yet or not, also they can give you a list of those that are certified.
I have certification as does farmerboy, the problem is the antigen needed cost about $150 which is a lot for me
You may also contact 4-H in your area as they have people that are certified for the fairs and you may be able to find someone close that will come to you

I have some other questions about the whole process if you wouldn't mind me picking your brain a little bit.