Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[snowflake]

Anyone remember the YakLady? We're getting together in a few months to process about 40 or so birds at her farm. I hate to think I'm actually looking forward to it, but I am! It's nice to be able to spend the day with someone that has similar interests. ........ and she has such a beautiful farm too!

sounds like fun, but in a couple months it will be COLD I hope her barn has a little heat
if we do meat birds again I think I would do them so they are ready around oct, it is to hot of a job for summer

I know I'm totally a chicken rookie, but can you clip their wings to prevent them from fying? I can' think of anything that is cheap and lightweight that will hold snow.

if you use any kind of netting it has to be well supported or the first wet snow will take it down...we used a sturdy plastic netting from menards but when that heavy wet snow hit it stretched it down to the ground. we are spending this week during it up to make sure that doesn't happen this yr.,,,, does a good job keeping air predators out though.. making the fence taller may be a good idea. how big is your run?

 

[snowflake]

you may want to check on the electric netting from Premier 1 it is portable easy to put up and you maybe able to get it on sale this time of yr.

I plan to put an electric wire around the bottom of my run, this fall if you put it about 6" off the ground it should stop most animals as they tend to lead with their nose....Kids are smart most will not touch if you tell them it will hurt and for those that have to learn by experience it will only take once....although I have heard story's where they like to test it with different things.

BUT
you don't need at such a level that it would hurt any one

 

[RonEstrada]

Don't worry all, I plan on keeping my birds in a run. All the dogs in my neighborhood are kept inside invisible fence, as is mine. Now if I can just find the little electric collars to fit my chickens...

 

[gladahmae]

 

[SillyChicken]

YES! Please tell her I said hello. She and I talked at length about raising Yak for meat a few years back. I spoke with DH about it, and he said he didn't think he'd be able to take one to the butcher after watching it grow up and having it around a couple years (they grow slowly, and it's best to keep them on an all grass/hay diet). Sigh. She even donated some Yak meat to the 2nd annual MI Chickenstock! Nice woman - enjoy your visit!

I will tell her hello for you. We also talked about getting Yak. I am still mulling it over. and mulling and mulling.....so it will be a while as mulling takes me a long time to do.. kinda like an ent...
I had purchased my Royals from her as well, so I know they were good quality birds.

sounds like fun, but in a couple months it will be COLD I hope her barn has a little heat
if we do meat birds again I think I would do them so they are ready around oct, it is to hot of a job for summer

if you use any kind of netting it has to be well supported or the first wet snow will take it down...we used a sturdy plastic netting from menards but when that heavy wet snow hit it stretched it down to the ground. we are spending this week during it up to make sure that doesn't happen this yr.,,,, does a good job keeping air predators out though.. making the fence taller may be a good idea. how big is your run?

Yes it will be cold and I hope snowing for the later part of Nov!! Unfortunatly, processing will cut into my deer hunting time, but the buyers for the turkeys want them processed as close to Thanksgiving as possible so they are fresh.

 

[Amy PT]

if you use any kind of netting it has to be well supported or the first wet snow will take it down...we used a sturdy plastic netting from menards but when that heavy wet snow hit it stretched it down to the ground. we are spending this week during it up to make sure that doesn't happen this yr.,,,, does a good job keeping air predators out though.. making the fence taller may be a good idea. how big is your run?

Thanks, Snowflake. I wasn't asking for me, though. I was responding to gladahme. Our small run is covered in hardware cloth, and that is topped with barn roofing. It's not going anywhere, and nothing is coming in.

 

[RaZ]

Anyone have any tips for using a real pumpkin to make pie? How do you prep the pumpkin before mixing it as pie?

 

[Herducks]

Anyone have any tips for using a real pumpkin to make pie? How do you prep the pumpkin before mixing it as pie?

That is funny, i am getting ready to make pumpkin butter. I chunk the pumpkin and cook it in the crockpot, I would think you would do the same for pie filling.

 

[Opa]

Raz, pumpkin can be cut in half, cleaned, and then placed cut side down on a lipped cookie sheet then bake until tender. Once cooled use a heavy spoon to scrape out the pulp, place 4 cups in a 1 quart ziplock freezer bag removing air as you seal. Lay them flat in the freezer and once solid you can stack them anyway you want.

One would think that as you get older your head would be filled with just about everything there is to know. However, as I get older I become increasingly aware of all the things I don't know. For instance, I have always heard how rare hen's teeth are but I have never been able to find any. I constantly see chicken saddles being advertised for sale yet I have never met a chicken jockey. Then today after reading a prior post about electric fencing for chickens I'm made aware that there must be real small collars for chickens.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

I constantly see chicken saddles being advertised for sale yet I have never met a chicken jockey.

He wants to know if he qualifies? lol