Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[lbrykowski2011]

The only issue with winter and "big" is that too big does = heat loss. Not saying don't go bigger than you think you'll need, absolutely do go big, but do also keep in mind the right ways to make your design efficient for the future. All this advice from a lady without chickens! LOL With ducks, I go 24 sq ft per duck outdoor pen area plus inside barn area that is ~6-8 sq ft per duck. Of course, all that's different with ducks. HTH anyway.

I have 2 houses and 100 sq ft run for my 4 ducks. I think you have to go bigger for them to allow for so much poop allowance.

 

[Brennigan]

1 square feet per bird is really a commercial standard, despite what you may have read. That is very cramped. You can get away with little less than 4 square feet if you have bantams, or if you have birds that are very docile and a tractor that you move regularly, as they will at least be on fresh ground. But for birds kept mostly confined to pen and coop they just need more space than 1 square foot (measure that out and see just how small that much space is).

Quote:
I am dumb. This is why my husband and father built our coop. Our coop was 5 1/2 by 5 feet. That equals 27.5 square feet, right? Enough for 3 regular sized hens? I think I got my "1 square foot per hen" measurement by dividing 4 by 4...because somehow that made sense in my brain? I honestly thought a 4x4 coop was giving 4 birds 1 square foot.

KEEP ME AWAY FROM COOPS AND MATH! I'll come help with the interior design, paint colors, and naming.

*facepalm*

 

[Trefoil]

Now that GAAMP has done their worst, we are left with challenging chicken bans constitutionally. Having ordinances on odor & noise can be considered reasonable,but I cannot think what grounds there could be for an outright ban on chickens .

 

[Farmerboy16]

Thanks everyone for the congratulations for my engagement and the birth of my niece. My grandparents have been married for 61 years, and my parents have been married for 31 years, so I do hope for a very long and happy marriage for Grace and I.

My coops and cow shed and hog sheds are more than 250 feet from the neighbors homes, so I am safe for the time being. But I am very depressed for my fellow farmers/small livestock owners that are not as fortunate as I was. I am so ticked off!

 

[Folly's place]

I note that it's fine to have three to six huge guard dogs anywhere; just not poultry?!? Parrots are fine, but not chickens? Why? Mary

 

[Opa]

For several winters I have kept all the windows open that are higher than the roosts so no heat is held and there is plenty of ventilation. The mere action of respiration puts a lot of moisture in a coop that if isn't vented will substantially increased the risk of frostbite. That moisture is more of an issue than sub zero temperatures.

To make things easier for winter I place all of my large fowl in one coop that has 64 sq ft of floor space and 24' of roost boards. It is attached to a covered run of 256 sq ft. I typically winter 25 birds in this arrangement and have never had an issue that could be attributable to overcrowding. Also I have found that the birds never use more than 1/2 of the available roosts.

While I have never hugged a chicken and none in my flock have names, I got my first birds over 60 years ago. All of my birds are extremely healthy and productive. Don't over think this chicken raising. In winter keep them draft free, well fed and watered, and they will be just fine.

 

[SillyChicken]

for now I guess I'm close to safe, but that doesn't mean I'll stop fighting it...


I'd like to end this on a happy note. I just spoke to the breeder I got my Jacobs ewe from today... told him I've not seen any indication Dani is going to drop any lambs. No weight gain, no udder development (I spent a good part of the day in the pasture Sunday)... and well.... I came home to THIS!



She's a good mom so far. I had to split the sheep area (like I did the goats) to jug them a bit and keep Penny from butting the baby. Penny I suspect may have lambs too so I moved the camera on to her. Sadly it's a little ram, but he is beautiful so ... who knows.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

@SillyChicken Congrats, so sweet

 

[Opa]

Some mornings start out pretty gloomy. Clouds darken our skies and the news does little to help improve the mood of gloom and despair. Then someone posts something about the true blessings and wonder of life and the day suddenly seems a little brighter. Thanks Silly for telling us of the lamb's birth.

 

[taprock]

Opa nice turkey, I've only heard of a couple people getting them up here. This morning we had our first hen cross the back field on her way to a field of standing corn. Hopefully she's the same girl who raised a clutch here last year so we could watch them.

Another cute baby Silly. How are your five babies doing?

I guess I'm not surprised over the changes being passed yesterday. I hate to be so cynical but I don't trust Michigan politicians to do anything that benefits the average guy.

1mutt, we may need to beg a few more eggs when I incubate in May. It seems yesterday another chicken managed to open the cage the broody is in. She was still sitting but three blue eggs were gone and 3 brown eggs were added. I'm guessing they must have been eaten but didn't find any yolk or anything, it was really weird.

The past week has been so busy. This week it continues. I will have some rest time as I get to spend the next three days at a conference on Mackinaw Island at the Grand. Since nothing else is open yet it should be quiet. However the catch is getting there. Hopefully the weather is better tomorrow because today I'm not liking any of my options. It has been so windy!

Today my eggs go into lockdown, which means I won't be around to see hatching if they are early. I'm worried about the ducks and really hope there are some little guys alive in those eggs. I have had three people tell me they are interested if I have extras.