Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[uchytil]

try your county conservation office, see if they have a tree sale.

Bawhahaha...I worked for those weasels last year sorting trees, bushes, and what not for the spring sale. Not going into the details but all I know is I worked my butt off. It was all volunteer so all is good (for them), ha ha. Anyway rant over. They did not have crab apples. Maybe this year but I'll go elsewhere for better stock. They got most of there stock from other states like Oregon - that's where their cherries came from. I bought a few and they all died. I have a planted a huge, across the board, mix of conifers, fruits, etc and never lost a one until I got those.

Whoops, had to edit. I read it wrong - you are Getting a New Doeling! I thought at first you still had one left from last year, lol! Fingers crossed that I'll have some born this spring. Confidence is low on the Toggies. Percy was doing his best but at that point he was outweighed about 5 to 1. Pretty sure he got the NG doe though. But, as anything in nature you never know till it actually happens. So, you are looking at increasing the herd. How's that fence destroying buck doing?

 

[suwahsen]

I just picked up a quarter of beef and it came with a couple of packages of suet. I thought they might be a nice treat for the chickens on a cold day, but I'm not sure how much to give them. I have twenty chickens. Anyone have an opinion on this?

 

[SillyChicken]

I'm still waiting on a reply for the doeling.. Hoping she is still available. Yes trying to grow my herd, slowly so we can make sure we have what we need and can afford what we have. I am still looking to sell the buck, but if I can't sell him, then he has to go one way or another. I'm not dealing with him another breeding season.

 

[SillyChicken]

I just picked up a quarter of beef and it came with a couple of packages of suet. I thought they might be a nice treat for the chickens on a cold day, but I'm not sure how much to give them. I have twenty chickens. Anyone have an opinion on this?

Can you put it in a suet cage? so they can peck at it when they want, and it won't get everything all greasy?

 

[RaZ]

Bawhahaha...I worked for those weasels last year sorting trees, bushes, and what not for the spring sale. Not going into the details but all I know is I worked my butt off. It was all volunteer so all is good (for them), ha ha. Anyway rant over. They did not have crab apples. Maybe this year but I'll go elsewhere for better stock. They got most of there stock from other states like Oregon - that's where their cherries came from. I bought a few and they all died. I have a planted a huge, across the board, mix of conifers, fruits, etc and never lost a one until I got those.

I'm glad you mentioned that. I too have had the same experience with my county tree sale event. I really hope that it is different in other counties.

I think I'll stick with some of the commercial operations that do not rely on and exploit volunteers.

 

[1muttsfan]

Suet may be too concentrated a source of fat for chickens. High fat supplements (corn is another culprit)will decrease the amount of balanced ration birds will eat, and may affect egg laying. Obese birds are also more prone to egg-laying issues.

Our birds are supplied with plenty of nutritious food, as opposed to wild birds. Also, most wild birds who eat suet are primarily bug eaters, not seed eaters.

 

[JackieandChicks]

Last minute...this guy has a ride to Lansing tomorrow if anyone is interested in a BLRW roo who is under a year old. He's a nice boy, just going in a different direction with my breeding. $10 or make an offer The ride leaves here at 1:00 pm...

 

[aart]

Quote: Van Buren County Conservation District has a tree sale, but not sure of the origin of the seedlings...they also have a native plants sale, those are grown at a Michigan business.

 

[SillyChicken]

I had good luck with my trees, but then again, the bulk of them (500 trees) were purchased 30 yrs ago, and of course that year was one of the worst droughts we had so I watered them every day for a summer. I haven't gotten them in a while, But really need to put a bunch in now that we have our property lines surveyed, so this is a good way for me to go.

We'll be picking up the doeling tomorrow!

I will probably keep her separate from the goats until I can get her tested myself and wormed etc. I love her color!! and not hugely concerned if she is registered or not. All the people I sold too last year didn't care. All I did was re-coop my dehorning costs on their sales, but they went to good homes which is what matters.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

That is great news silly! She is very pretty.