Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[fuzzybutt love]

Lost my quote have to check it out, right now i am trying to figure who besides the dnr that i could bring my birds to for verification. I remembered that the guy asked me how i knew angel was a boy- so maybe finer details need another set of eyes? Nature center? The rehab place itself? Not a lot out there local for dove info. I bet the rehabbers see more stages of growth than most, though. I have only one comparison. I don't want to breed them but considering keeping a pair in case i change my mind- ??? Not so many ringnecks in mich just pigeons at auctions and diamonds in the pet stores.

 

[taprock]

I have a chicken who is Sizzle x Showgirl. Her mother and Uncle? I believe where both a result of bad breeding. They lost their feather due to breakage. They are both gone now. Martin the current girl, was an accident, I didn't want to hatch any of her mother's eggs because of the feather issue. She is now naked and has been for the past two months. She is not molting as far as I can tell, there is no new feather growth. Has anyone had anything similar? Is there any hopes of her regrowing the feathers? It is going to be cold soon and I'm not sure what that means for her.

 

[Stacykins]

So I keep my plethora of juvenile cockerels in a separate pen until they A: sell or B: I butcher them. It isn't covered, but I keep a wing clipped to keep them in their place.

This morning, one of the cockerels was torn in half. Still in the pen, just divided into two separate bits. Any idea what does that?

I tossed the remains out of the pen, and am setting up my game camera so it is focused on the spot. I'm hoping whatever snacked on chicken last night comes back for some leftovers...

 

[SillyChicken]

I have a chicken who is Sizzle x Showgirl. Her mother and Uncle? I believe where both a result of bad breeding. They lost their feather due to breakage. They are both gone now. Martin the current girl, was an accident, I didn't want to hatch any of her mother's eggs because of the feather issue. She is now naked and has been for the past two months. She is not molting as far as I can tell, there is no new feather growth. Has anyone had anything similar? Is there any hopes of her regrowing the feathers? It is going to be cold soon and I'm not sure what that means for her.

well, on the plus side. if you were to process these guys, they wouldn't take long!

 

[Opa]

So I keep my plethora of juvenile cockerels in a separate pen until they A: sell or B: I butcher them. It isn't covered, but I keep a wing clipped to keep them in their place.

This morning, one of the cockerels was torn in half. Still in the pen, just divided into two separate bits. Any idea what does that?

I tossed the remains out of the pen, and am setting up my game camera so it is focused on the spot. I'm hoping whatever snacked on chicken last night comes back for some leftovers...

The bird being torn in half probably indicates that there were two coons fighting over it and when you approached they ran off.

 

[mindylee]

I have a chicken who is Sizzle x Showgirl. Her mother and Uncle? I believe where both a result of bad breeding. They lost their feather due to breakage. They are both gone now. Martin the current girl, was an accident, I didn't want to hatch any of her mother's eggs because of the feather issue. She is now naked and has been for the past two months. She is not molting as far as I can tell, there is no new feather growth. Has anyone had anything similar? Is there any hopes of her regrowing the feathers? It is going to be cold soon and I'm not sure what that means for her.

Of the sounds and looks of it she has a double copy frizzle gene and unfortunately her feathers will always be like this. Its actually painful for her and she will always be bald or near bald. Most folks that have birds like this usually have to keep them in their house or where they can be warm at all times. On the Cochin frizzle page it is explained on how that gene works and what becomes to most birds with it. Usually not a good life. Ideally breeders don't breed double copy frizzle genes cause its a big no no. But some breeders don't care and breed for what ever and profit and the resulting birds pays for it. Hope this helps

 

[ladyrsanti]

My FBCM girl died a couple of days ago.

I raise chickens for slaughter and I was in tears when this one succumbed to disease. I make no apology and have no shame for being emotional, but sometimes it surprises even me, crying over a chicken. But I tried to bring her back from her paralysis and she was doing so well, for weeks, was starting to get around on her own and eating fine... then one day, she was just laying there, barely breathing. I gently picked up her head to administer some drops of water and she opened her eyes, regarded me and died.

So, my two, almost three year quest to have a FBCM hen is once again failed. I have a beautiful FBCM rooster but no hens for him. Perhaps next spring I will try once again to hatch (third time's a charm if you subscribe to such things, right?) - IF - I can find some quality hatching eggs... or perhaps I will give it up as a lost and meaningless cause. It's just dark eggs. I mean, thus far I have not seen any FBCM eggs in MI any darker than my Wheaten Marans' and mine are just on this side of the Marans color scale (3-4, about a shade darker than a grocery store brown egg). Everyone always tells me they get lighter during the laying cycle (this when I purchase in early spring) but it's sounding more and more like an excuse for shoddy breeding anymore. Sorry if that sounds harsh. I'm frustrated and trying to talk myself out of caring for the breed. It's just dark eggs, just aesthetics unless you get the odd James Bond fanatic as an egg customer whose perfectly willing to pay whatever Bond would pay to have his special marans eggs. Just dark eggs...

 

[SillyChicken]

sorry about your girl lady, you tried harder than most..

 

[aart]

Condolences lady.

 

[RaZ]

So does anyone plant a winter cover crop?

I want to plant something in the backyard which is pretty compacted and shaded all summer long. I'm thinking field peas if I can find some. But I'm open to any crop that can be used as green manure.

I could look this up on my own but I'm being computer lazy...I'm doing stuff outdoors since my back is feeling a little better. TIA