Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Opa]

To predator proof your chicken run you should extend the hardware cloth 6" below the ground level and then out 18-24" Coons will attempt to dig under right at the point the fence touches the ground. No need to trench 2' deep.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hardware cloth for the bottom 2-3 feet, chicken wire is fine for the rest.

Bulk feed does not stay fresh for very long. Bagged manufactured feed is made to stay fresh longer, although in warmer weather I would not buy more than two months worth at a time. The water-soluble nutrients lose a lot of their value over time, especially when the bag is open; within 90 days a considerable decrease in food value occurs. Keep open bags in a covered container and store all feed out of direct sunlight.

 

[mrcush]

Put her in a broody breaker cage....get it over with.
I added a nipple water bottle after pic was taken.


My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop and I would feed her some watered down crumble a couple times a day.

I let her out a couple times a day and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.

Thanks!

 

[wannahomestead]

so I now have 4 Khaki Campbell ducklings and 2 Pekin. They're about 5 days old. Once they begin to show sex I'll probably be re-homing males; I'd like to keep 1 male.

My mower has been super unreliable. I have it torn apart right now, picked up a new deck belt for it yesterday, put new blades on it, adjusted the PTO. Unfortunately my grass is now legitimately 2.5-3ft tall, so now I have a field. It's too much for my little mower so I'm planning to have someone with bigger toys come through this week and take it down for me. Once I have my mower all up to snuff I'll probably use it but also list it for sale so I can get into something bigger. What I'd REALLY like is a tractor. I've been looking at the old Ford N series and similar.

I have to go assess the damage to the garden today. We've had A LOT of wind to go with all that wind and I think some plants took a hit. I know my basil is not looking too great right now.

 

[chickengarden4]

Thanks for the info!

 

[chickengarden4]

Hardware cloth for the bottom 2-3 feet, chicken wire is fine for the rest.

Bulk feed does not stay fresh for very long. Bagged manufactured feed is made to stay fresh longer, although in warmer weather I would not buy more than two months worth at a time. The water-soluble nutrients lose a lot of their value over time, especially when the bag is open; within 90 days a considerable decrease in food value occurs. Keep open bags in a covered container and store all feed out of direct sunlight.

Thanks for the info!

 

[aart]

so I now have 4 Khaki Campbell ducklings and 2 Pekin. They're about 5 days old. Once they begin to show sex I'll probably be re-homing males; I'd like to keep 1 male.

My mower has been super unreliable. I have it torn apart right now, picked up a new deck belt for it yesterday, put new blades on it, adjusted the PTO. Unfortunately my grass is now legitimately 2.5-3ft tall, so now I have a field. It's too much for my little mower so I'm planning to have someone with bigger toys come through this week and take it down for me. Once I have my mower all up to snuff I'll probably use it but also list it for sale so I can get into something bigger. What I'd REALLY like is a tractor. I've been looking at the old Ford N series and similar.

I have to go assess the damage to the garden today. We've had A LOT of wind to go with all that wind and I think some plants took a hit. I know my basil is not looking too great right now.

You have one of the old John Deere little lawn and garden tractors...can't remember the year/model?
I need a new deck for mine...and might know someone that wants your little tractor for snow throwing if you sell.

 

[wannahomestead]

You have one of the old John Deere little lawn and garden tractors...can't remember the year/model?
I need a new deck for mine...and might know someone that wants your little tractor for snow throwing if you sell.

I do. It's an 80-something 111. It's not a bad little tractor (especially now that I"ve replaced 2 of 3 belts and put brand new blades on it) but I've learned real quick that I just have wayyyy too much grass for it. I actually plan to turn a portion of the property into garden next year, but for now I still need to do some level of yard maintenance.

I'll let you know what happens.

 

[aart]

Quote: Gator blades are the bomb, way better than standard blades ...but sometimes in really long grass taking a partial cut width is needed.
They do take some maintenance, worth it in IMO..and you'l have better performance if you only use JD belts(they are a slightly different angle than aftermarket belts).

Do you have a 2 or 3 blade deck?

 

[Maah]

Ok, BAD MAAH! I know.. I've been gone for a while. And... I'm going to continue to be bad & completely skip over all the 2447 post I've missed. Soccer season just sucks all my time.

I've really just popped in quick because I know Chickenstock is coming up. I am still planning on going to that. Has anyone done up a flyer for this year?

Quick update: We got 6 new pullets this year from Townline... 1 of the pullets (golden Wyandotte) ended up being a rooster. Gee thanks Townline. But, we also got 4 straight run Welsummers... with my handy dandy knowledge from BYC buds, I was able to pick out 3 girls, 1 boy. The boy we picked was "questionable" when we picked him, but we did so with the "it's ok if we get 1 boy" since we don't currently have a rooster. Well, add this 1 boy with the Wyandotte... and we have 2.

Also, we rehomed the guineas. Hopefully now that the guinea cock can't kill off my new rooster(s) I'll be to hatch again some day! (though I'd still rather have a FBCM roo). I still haven't been able to hatch eggs from my own flock for the past 2 springs & it's depressing.

Meaties (2 doz) for DH's fair project should be coming within the next week.

All the farm critters are doing great... chickens, goaties, & buns.