Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[gladahmae]

Trying to put the rest of the garden in today. As usual, I bought too many plants so now I have to find someone to give them too or try to find a place to squeeze them in.

Anyone have a suggestion as to when I should plant parsnips?? I love them and would like to grow some this year.....

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Good afternoon all! Been quite some time since I have been on here...am over 1,200 posts behind! Welcome to all the new folks, this is a great group.

Sorry for any losses. We lost three of our hens (including our two best layers) over Memorial Day weekend. The people whose pasture butts up to ours (where we had the issue with the tree stand) had some "relatives" living in a motorhome back there. Not only were they having some large bonfires (in a pasture

) they also shot three of our hens (on our property). Long, ugly story, called law enforcement but they just look at you like you are crazy. Officer was shocked when I gave him a commercial value of $210 for the 3 birds (5 eggs per week x 52 wks x $3 doz plus $5 per bird at auction when laying slows). I didn't even factor in replacement cost of chicks and feed.

On the bright side however, DH bought me two goats for our anniversary. Ricki and Roland.

They are such good boys!! We built a hoop shelter and using t posts and cattle panels are slowly moving them through the pasture. They are doing a great job of eating all the junk that has invaded since it hasn't been mowed.

The quarantine has put a little glitch in the kids' 4-H plans....our county has made a proposal to send the market projects to the processor before fair so the kids can still sell at auction, just the birds will already be processed. They are pretty disappointed, but we will make the best of the situation. We already have a policy of not bringing anything back home from the fair other than the show rabbits in an effort to minimize bringing home any cooties.

Everyone is bummed that we won't be able to attend ChickenStock. The kids have to march with the band in the local parade...which is a week later than usual. Even without birds, I am sure it will be a great time!

Hope everyone is safe and healthy! Keep an eye on those flocks!!

Cheryl

 

[uchytil]

Trying to put the rest of the garden in today. As usual, I bought too many plants so now I have to find someone to give them too or try to find a place to squeeze them in.

Anyone have a suggestion as to when I should plant parsnips?? I love them and would like to grow some this year.....

Root crops can be in now. Keep them thinned ( the hard part). We harvest parsnips, carrots, rutabagas, etc. all the way through February under the snow.

 

[gladahmae]

Will do. Trying to find a good spot (not in a main walking area for the toddler) for them will be the trick.

 

[aart]

Will do. Trying to find a good spot (not in a main walking area for the toddler) for them will be the trick.

Fences are good for neighbors, chickens........and toddlers!

 

[wannahomestead]

so I'm planning to try and go get lumber to build my chicken run tomorrow. Any recommendations? I was thinking of using 4x4 along the bottom perimeter, 2x4 for "studs" and 2x4 banding across the top. I've never built anything before so I definitely don't know what I'm doing

 

[aart]

so I'm planning to try and go get lumber to build my chicken run tomorrow. Any recommendations? I was thinking of using 4x4 along the bottom perimeter, 2x4 for "studs" and 2x4 banding across the top. I've never built anything before so I definitely don't know what I'm doing

Then I would suggest spending time figuring it out first, before buying materials....that would be my recommendation.
But I design things to death before building, can't stand the chaos of indecisive construction.

Apron on outside and inside of run...my chickens are trying to dig out of the run!
Well, not really, but man can they dig big holes! I've had to put big log along the inside of the run to keep them from tunneling under the outer apron.

 

[wannahomestead]

Then I would suggest spending time figuring it out first, before buying materials....that would be my recommendation.
But I design things to death before building, can't stand the chaos of indecisive construction.

Apron on outside and inside of run...my chickens are trying to dig out of the run!
Well, not really, but man can they dig big holes! I've had to put big log along the inside of the run to keep them from tunneling under the outer apron.

good tip. I don't want to rush into it. I've been planning it in my head for a while but don't have anything "concrete" yet.

 

[mindylee]

Heres mine for an ideal .

Also i have a friend in brown city thats selling a bunch of her dog kennel coops if interested.

 

[RaZ]

So my broody EE is finally over it. Got a nice green egg from her today. So that means that the other EE goes broody and for good measure one of the BOs decides to go broody as well.

I give up. Anybody have fertile eggs that they would like to part with?