Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[gladahmae]

I think you should brood them in the basement...it might help you curb your hatching addiction
Just poking fun, please don't be offended.

Not a chance! No really, I maybe have one hatch left for this year, and that will be olive eggers and chocolate eggers. I'm about to have chicks coming out my ears though!

 

[JackieandChicks]

Little crooked toes all better! And looks promising for a girl (Wheaten Maran).

 

[Opa]

Trying to determine how many chicks a hen will brood is a little difficult but it basically comes down to size. How many chicks will fit under the hen. It's only for the first two weeks that it is an issue. After they have started to feather out being in close proximity to the hen and the other chicks (in a draft free environment).
I would probably figure 4 chicks for the silkies and 8 to 10 for a large fowl hen. As for the hen with one chick I would try adding and see what happens.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Little crooked toes all better! And looks promising for a girl (Wheaten Maran).

Oh good! I started getting my hardware cloth for my bird's covered run. Haven't a clue how to "make it pretty" yet, but with the heat here it is top priority! They can live in it for a month if need be until i get their house. 10x8 i'm thinking. 1/2" x 1" hardware cage wire. 30 " wide, 10 ft long.

 

[Opa]

Today is going to be an exceptionally long day. At 11pm my phone started playing "Amarillo Sky". The line "he takes the tractor another round" is the assigned ringtone for my old farmer friend and when he calls this late at night it can only mean one thing; that he is at the hospital.

He had called for an ambulance to transport him to Chelsea hospital, a 40 mile trip for me, as he was experiencing severe neck pain that extended into his shoulder and arm. I knew immediately ff that he had strain himself while working on his lawn tractor last Sunday. After several hours of poking and prodding, the ER staff came up with the same diagnosis and sent him home.

It almost 5am before I returned home. Just in time to start the coffee and my day. I've got a 8am doctor's appointment for myself so trying to catch a little sleep this morning isn't possible. There is no way would I want nor would I allow him to be at the hospital alone. He kept apologizing for having called me but I assured him that the loss of a little sleep was small price for our friendship.

The old saying "To have a friend you must be one" is something I've always tried to live by, and I feel that it pays me in dividends.

 

[tntchix]

Today is going to be an exceptionally long day. At 11pm my phone started playing "Amarillo Sky". The line "he takes the tractor another round" is the assigned ringtone for my old farmer friend and when he calls this late at night it can only mean one thing; that he is at the hospital.

He had called for an ambulance to transport him to Chelsea hospital, a 40 mile trip for me, as he was experiencing severe neck pain that extended into his shoulder and arm. I knew immediately ff that he had strain himself while working on his lawn tractor last Sunday. After several hours of poking and prodding, the ER staff came up with the same diagnosis and sent him home.

It almost 5am before I returned home. Just in time to start the coffee and my day. I've got a 8am doctor's appointment for myself so trying to catch a little sleep this morning isn't possible. There is no way would I want nor would I allow him to be at the hospital alone. He kept apologizing for having called me but I assured him that the loss of a little sleep was small price for our friendship.

The old saying "To have a friend you must be one" is something I've always tried to live by, and I feel that it pays me in dividends.

You are a great friend, Opa. Sending love and healing vibes to your farmer friend and to you. Maybe you can catch some zzz's in the office. They always take forever anyway.

 

[Maah]

 

[gladahmae]

Trying to determine how many chicks a hen will brood is a little difficult but it basically comes down to size.  How many chicks will fit under the hen.   It's only for the first two weeks that it is an issue.  After they have started to feather out being in close proximity to the hen and the other chicks (in a draft free environment).
I would probably figure 4 chicks for the silkies and 8 to 10 for a large fowl hen.  As for the hen with one chick I would try adding and see what happens.

Thanks! That sounds like a reasonable number per hen. I was running some searches trying to figure it all out and was reading some pretty big numbers (15-20?) in some cases for lf and that just seemed, well, a bit much.
Glad to hear your fried doesn't have anything too serious going on. Try to get a nap!

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Anyone interested in some Silver Lackenvelders about 5 weeks old? They are nice looking birds I ordered from Dwayne Urch out of Minnesota. They sent me six which is a few too many,. I kept one cockerel and a pullet so the other 4 need a new home. 2 appear to be cockerels and one pullet and the other I'm not sure. I'll have a few other birds from the same breeder I'll need to thin out as well once I decide which ones I want to keep. There will be some Columbian Wyandotte and Standard Partridge Cochins. Pick up only in Allegan MI. $10 each. Send me a PM

 

[SillyChicken]

Sending a bunch of turkeys, chickens and rabbits to the processor tomorrow. That's going to be quite a haul. If anyone is interested in this information.
We're taking them to Munsells... As of April 2014, they are state certified so we can legally sell the meat they process. http://munsellspoultryprocessing.com/

Correction to my post above... apparently the USDA inspection applies to the rabbits, and there is an extra charge for it too.


Craigslist add - chicken coop - would be a great starter coop or quaratine coop.. price not too bad. http://annarbor.craigslist.org/grd/4492949118.html
awesome structure, could be modified easy into a coop - free - http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/zip/4490804989.html
another starter structure- http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/zip/4466354256.html