Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

I was hoping that my flock would lay 4000 eggs this year, but with the molt and seasonal slow down it's not about to happen. Lately I've only been getting 2 or 3 eggs per day, and couple of zero egg days. They did come up to 7 one day last week but mostly it's been pitiful. So far this year I've gotten 3828 eggs. With only 16 days left in the month and their lazy laying they will never reach my hoped for goal.

I spent the afternoon processing my last deer and now I'm listening to the rattle of the pressure cooker. Venison stew should make a great supper.

How many hens/pullets?
Do you use supplemental lights?

My Wellie girl stopped laying about 3 weeks ago, the only pullet to do so- I do use supp. lighting, I think she's molting.
Have found some of what I'm pretty sure are her feathers, 2 other birds have similar feathers but are laying, and as of yesterday she has no tail feathers.
She's only 9 months old....thought that was kind of strange, but I guess not unheard of.

 

[Opa]

aart, my flock this year consisted of 8 ISA browns and 6 black sex links that are 1 1/2 years old, and 5 Welsummers that were 3 years old. I culled the Welsummers in October. They hadn't laid in over a month and given their age it was time to cull. I have 2 Welsummer pullets that hatched in mid August and hopefully I can use them to replenish my Welsummer flock.

Since hens only lay a given number of eggs in their lifetime, I want them as quickly as possible. So I use supplemental light and plan on culling the hens at 3 years.

 

[uchytil]

I got another egg today. Along with the one from Friday I am up to 2 eggs for the month.

Wow, yay! Our egg production is down also. I get all giddy when I bring in the duck eggs. I just can't get enough.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

Hope everyone's doing well, haven't been here for a while.

Anyone feed their birds cottonseed meal?

 

[1muttsfan]

Doesn't sound like a very good feed

http://www.extension.org/pages/67043/feeding-cottonseed-meal-to-poultry#.VI-OWmZOm2c

 

[PDPercherons]

I highly dislike the brand of needles from TSC, they're horrid for serious medicating, at least with the horses. Will probably be fine for the birds. I keep all my medicine refrigerated and some of it is even required to be frozen.

 

[ChickenLady2014]

For those looking for goat milk soap... (& don't want to wait until we convince someone to bring it to chickenstock lol).  You can try here:
http://www.kinderhavenfarm.com/index.html 


I've used her soap before & liked it.  She is an old family friend that I remember while growing up... her kids were just a little younger than I am.  I haven't seen her in a long time... maybe once in the past 10 years ... (my mom's retirement party? I think?), but I know she must still be a kind hearted soul.  When I went off to college & couldn't take my dog "Pepper" (blue heeler mix) with me, she took her in & Pepper became part of their farm & family.  I had gone for a visit later & Pepper was much older (& much "chunkier" than I remember, LOL)... & obviously well loved.


She had given my husband & I some of her homemade goat milk soap as a wedding gift "back in the day".  The Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey was my favorite of it and looks like she still makes it.  Back then I think she only did the soap... but looking at her website now I see she's expanded into a wide world of nice looking products.


Give it a shot if you'd like, just thought I'd throw it out there.


Also, if you want a special flavor (ie: vanilla only)... just shoot her an email, she might just do it. 

 

Thank for the info, going to definitely try some

 

[birdman55]

I got 14 eggs today...and just got rid of ten dozen eggs...
had a nice day....hope everyone else did....got the base on the four new coops done...tommarow I shall build walls, put wire up and put the doors in and then transfer the birds to the proper spot

 

[ChickenLady2014]

I got 14 eggs today...and just got rid of ten dozen eggs...
had a nice day....hope everyone else did....got the base on the four new coops done...tommarow I shall build walls, put wire up and put the doors in and then transfer the birds to the proper spot

Wow that's a bunch of eggs, do your gals usually lay about a dozen a day?

 

[bigmrg74]

I got 14 eggs today...and just got rid of ten dozen eggs...
had a nice day....hope everyone else did....got the base on the four new coops done...tommarow I shall build walls, put wire up and put the doors in and then transfer the birds to the proper spot

I was kinda scrambling this morning trying to find room for some more eggs as I was about out of cartons this morning. Luckily, there was like two left in the oldest carton so I just sat them out for lunch.

Wasn't the weather pretty nice today? Around 10 I was up and refilling the waterer, and I saw a big ole nightcrawler on the sidewalk. I picked him up and found the girls and they had themselves a merry game of worm tag for about 2 minutes.