Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[misfitmorgan]

I love the rubber buckets for my goats, and the rubber pans for my chickens/turkeys/ducks. They're too far for a water heater, so they're getting fresh water three times a day, at least, sometimes more. We've actually set up a big horse trough with a floating heater in it at a central location, and fill buckets from that. It is easier to fill one horse trough every now and then with a hose that lives in the house when not in use, as opposed to toting buckets all the way from the house. It is actually pretty warm, the water, when they first get it.

I can't believe the ducks act like it is summer still. They sit their butts in the water pan and splash about.

Hey i might be moving up by you but i was wondering about the temps. Because if i did move it would be in like febuary when it is still cold and of course all the livestock would come with me and i wasnt sure if temps would shock them or not.

 

[Stacykins]

Hey i might be moving up by you but i was wondering about the temps. Because if i did move it would be in like febuary when it is still cold and of course all the livestock would come with me and i wasnt sure if temps would shock them or not.

You are already in Michigan, and it is pretty cold in the lower peninsula, too. So no, it won't really be a shock for them.

 

[misfitmorgan]

i just compared forecasted temps on accuweather and it seems it is between1-5F difference so i think they can handle it...today is actually suppose to be warmer there then here lol.

 

[uchytil]

i just compared forecasted temps on accuweather and it seems it is between1-5F difference so i think they can handle it...today is actually suppose to be warmer there then here lol.

When I lived in Sault Ste. Marie the biggest difference wasn't the snow depth, or cold, it was the fact the most everyone drove snowmobiles to work

 

[taprock]

Welcome new Michigan folks!

Birdman it amazes me how friendly your pheasants are. Youmust really work with them.

We ended up with fresh venison yesterday. DH was plowing (road commission not home) and hit a doe with the plow truck. So last night he quartered it and put it in the extra fridge. Now we have some cleaning to do. DH also got a coyote on Sunday. He was a very red colored male. They have been very close to the house this fall and I am happy to see one less around.

Very few chickens ventured out this morning. -8 and beautifully sunny. I really don't mind it all that much, I'm still too warm by the time I get back inside From doing chores. I'm just very happy to see some sun.

 

[misfitmorgan]

When I lived in Sault Ste. Marie the biggest difference wasn't the snow depth, or cold, it was the fact the most everyone drove snowmobiles to work

When i lived in munising they did the same thing...snow fall was insane. I would be moving to the Garden pennisula though so i hope it will not be as bad.

You are already in Michigan, and it is pretty cold in the lower peninsula, too. So no, it won't really be a shock for them.

We were hoping to take a trip up there this weekend or next just concerned about snowfall aka travel time. 3hrs one way on good roads.

 

[birdman55]

yeah I work with them all the time...some are more tame then other...I even have the ringneck male eating out of my hands...




now that its winter he doesn't want to eat out of my hands...but the females still do....

on another note....I woke up this morning to no water again...even after I let the water run and put a heater in the well pit...went out there to the well pit and the sump pump frozen and there was 12 inches of water....I got the water to go down and to dry out and now there is water...that only took four hours to do....what a week....next week will be better...cause I got the fridge for the big incubator and the chicks should be hatching...yes cant wait for the new edition to the flow...well going to candle them tonight...so im keeping my fingers crossed

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Broke down and brought my banty pair in for the winter. Roo is getting older, and right before last winter was the poison scare. He did ok until it got in the single digits then i saw his comb getting the bluish tinge and he was stumbling. i trimmed his foot feathers so they weren't tripping him and now only time will tell if he'll get full circulation. China, his hen, did fine. She is in too.

With the cold and also flu going around one good idea is to add a generous dish of snow to their coop. In the event the worst happens and you can't get out there it may save their lives. Not a substitute for real, lukewarm water.

 

[SillyChicken]

We use the 5 Gal heated bucket in the yard by the house, the dogs (dogs have heated kennel but can go outside free choice) and sheep can access it anytime. For the goats, we cut a plastic 55 gal barrel (food grade) in half, cut a hole in the fence between the two pastures, and have a stock heater in that. The chickens and pigs have the tin type under water heaters. The rabbits get a warm bottle of water in the am and we swap out bottles in the PM with more warm water.
All seem to work well for us except it gets us in the back side when the bills come. The hot tub running doesn't help either but soaking in it sure makes the rest of me feel better!
Picking up a crock pot tomorrow!

 

[snowflake]

Children can definitely be a blessing.

children are indeed a blessing, just keep on loving,they will be OK, as long as they know they are loved.....

Brrr.. i can't even contemplate summer activities.... i know it exists but summer seems like a dream right now! And for some twisted reason the seed catalogues have started arriving.... just mean!

your seed catalogs have just started to come? I have been getting them for over a month, I went through them and Burgess is the only one that has everything I want and I don't want to pay shipping charges from 2or3 so I will most likely buy from them

got coops cleaned out today and refreshed water the heated waterers have worked well even in this cold. the feed bags over the poop boards is great, just pick them up and dump them into an uncut bag. poop comes off so easy, less mess when we have a thaw