Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Thank you for the laugh @HollyDuckFarmer.

It does feel like giving up not to "verbalize" back so to speak but I suppose if I don't have solid facts to state, I will only be doing myself a disfavor. Not to mention I don't want childishly argue in public.

Thanks for all of your answers.

 

[Sparverius]

Even if you do live in a township that allows for the keeping of chickens, if you are a category 3 or 4, you no longer have legal protection afforded by the RTF law. If you do not have a commercial operation (selling of eggs) you were never protected by the RTFA.

Bottom line is that if you are category 3 or 4, you are at the mercy of your local government and your neighbors.

But what does this mean? Specifically "you no longer have legal protection afforded by the RTF law." Does this ruling make chickens illegal even if township ordinances allow them? If not, and they remain legal, then would I even need legal protection from RTF? If I do everything legally and in compliance with our ordinances, could my neighbors do anything about it?

That being said, I do plan to tread lightly and try to not be a bother to my neighbors. I won't keep roosters even though they aren't actually banned, I'll keep the coop and run clean and nice and behind privacy fencing, keep the flock small, and basically try to not bother people with this. But I know some people just don't want to be near chickens no matter what, so that's what I'm worried about. I moved in recently and don't know all of my neighbors very well yet, so I'm not sure how they'll feel about this...

Is there somewhere I can read the actual official text of the ruling? All I can find via Google are articles about it. I'm not sure what category 3 and 4 means.

Thanks for your help!

Welcome.

If you've talked to your township and they told you the ins and outs and you're okay to have a flock then I would go ahead and do it. You're probably okay for now.

Thank you. That's what I was hoping to hear; I'll remain optimistic for now! Sounds like you've got a good plan for your farm, I hope it all works out for you and they don't give you any trouble.

 

[RaZ]

Is there somewhere I can read the actual official text of the ruling? All I can find via Google are articles about it. I'm not sure what category 3 and 4 means.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdard/2014_DRAFT_SITE_SELECTION_GAAMP_443917_7.pdf

 

[lbrykowski2011]

@Trefoil
I don't know what type my muscovies are. She is white with grey and black and some green.

He is black and shines beautiful green and purple in the sun. He is twice as big as her.

She gets to upset when I go in her pen, I wish I could candle her eggs. She has about 15 under her, who knows how many will hatch

35 days is so long to wait. My khaki's have a bit of a nest going with 7 eggs so far, but neither of them are showing any signs of going broody. I will give them another week and then i have to go back to collecting their eggs, we eat them and I'm running a lil low.

 

[lbrykowski2011]

Thank you but I am not going to be ready until next spring or summer.. Trying to get my ducks in a row per say and trying to figure out what kind of ducks and chickens to get.

Well if you want muscovies, hopefully she's a good momma and will have more next spring.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Even if you do live in a township that allows for the keeping of chickens, if you are a category 3 or 4, you no longer have legal protection afforded by the RTF law. If you do not have a commercial operation (selling of eggs) you were never protected by the RTFA.

Bottom line is that if you are category 3 or 4, you are at the mercy of your local government and your neighbors.

I've always been at the mercy of the local government and neighbors because I don't have the time/money/nerves to even attempt to claim RTF which I never really considered as pertaining to me anyway, let alone fight it. My hat is off to those that do fight and can fight. But if someone came along today and told me I had to get rid of my animals, I probably would do it if I want my kids to be able to go to college (and I do). I know there's no militia that's going to come and stand at my side and defend my right to farm. The thought of the potential heartache alone, from having to give up my passion, sometimes makes me wish I had grown up in NYC where the thought of farming would have hardly crossed my mind for its implausibility, a distant dream that suburbanites have. Instead I dream of moving to VT. That's where I want to be. *sigh* Vermont...

 

[SillyChicken]

That is also one of the states we've considered too Lady...

You can bet that if I had to lose what I have case some jerk didn't like what I was doing in my own yard....... I would become "that" neighbor from hell!

So today I finally got some milk out of my doe. She was pretty heavy this morning. Part of the problem is she doesn't like being touched, and I'm a complete noob at this so together we put on quite a show. I strained and shoved in an ice bath right away... have not tried it yet.

We also set the hive today, (set means we added the bees). It was not an ideal day to do it but we had to take the chance today. DH and one of the dogs got stung. Windy conditions made the bees a bit testy even with a sugar water sprayed on them.

 

[Opa]

The problem with goat's milk is that it tastes like goat's milk.

 

[Sparverius]

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdard/2014_DRAFT_SITE_SELECTION_GAAMP_443917_7.pdf

Thank you! Reading through it now. Hopefully this will clear things up.

 

[RTFchickens]

SillyChicken,
The goats milk looks so good! I love love love fresh raw goat milk! Since I can't buy raw milk in MI without owning the goat, I'm buying a goat! I'm getting them in July
I don't think goat milk tastes bad at all! As long as its fresh! I can't wait for mine! I'm getting two doe that have freshened and kids will be old enough to leave mum in July. I'm also getting two unrelated kid bucks to breed the does in spring...