Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[taprock]

Yesterday was beautiful. My son and I had a chance to go hiking but passed it up to stay home. Me to clean the coop area and him to ride 4-wheeler. When all this rainy weather started 2+ weeks ago I had a garbage can blow over behind the coop so junk was all over against the back wall of the coop, Cleaning all the moldy mildewy stuff has my allergies horrible today but it is clean. I also moved the sand boxes into the coop and put several wheelbarrow loads of leaves in. I have to get everything settled this morning and then I'm off to a conference down Flint way for the next two days. Hopefully the chickens survive with son and DH watching over them.

 

[Elyssia001]

Hello my fellow Michiganders!

While I don't have a flock of my own yet, ever since my husband and I decided we could start one when we purchase our own home, I've become obsessed with the idea. I'm trying to make sense of all the information available to me and I was hoping that some of you might have some advice for me.

I know we definitely want the following in a breed:

1: Heritage - This one is really important to me, less so to my husband. I want to be able to find quality chickens of a single breed and help to improve the breed with our efforts.
2: I'd like a dual purpose breed, one with good layers and meaty birds. If we breed for improving the standard, there will be culls, and we want to eat them. (tbh, my husband just wants to eat them. He doesn't care much about the egg part)
3: I'd like a chicken with some color to it. White birds don't appeal to me much, and bring to mind massive, unhappy poultry farms.

We will likely purchase a home in Oakland or Wayne county. Winters don't seem to be too bitter, but we do end up with a lot of snow on the ground for a very long time. Do you think we should focus on a cold-tolerant breed?

I want to start out with one breed. If I am happy with the results, I'm sure I could convince my hubby that we need a second flock.

 

[Herducks]

Hello my fellow Michiganders!

While I don't have a flock of my own yet, ever since my husband and I decided we could start one when we purchase our own home, I've become obsessed with the idea. I'm trying to make sense of all the information available to me and I was hoping that some of you might have some advice for me.

I know we definitely want the following in a breed:

1: Heritage - This one is really important to me, less so to my husband. I want to be able to find quality chickens of a single breed and help to improve the breed with our efforts.
2: I'd like a dual purpose breed, one with good layers and meaty birds. If we breed for improving the standard, there will be culls, and we want to eat them. (tbh, my husband just wants to eat them. He doesn't care much about the egg part)
3: I'd like a chicken with some color to it. White birds don't appeal to me much, and bring to mind massive, unhappy poultry farms.

We will likely purchase a home in Oakland or Wayne county. Winters don't seem to be too bitter, but we do end up with a lot of snow on the ground for a very long time. Do you think we should focus on a cold-tolerant breed?

I want to start out with one breed. If I am happy with the results, I'm sure I could convince my hubby that we need a second flock.

I like this website for finding out more about heritage breeds, they have a nice chart that lays everything out. http://www.albc-usa.org/heritagechicken/chickencomparison.html

 

[SillyChicken]

Ha! I was just going to post the same site, only I also check the watch list to see which I prefer. I've got chickens and turkeys in both the critical and threatened list. I have Faverolles for one of my breeds. They're cold hardy, close confinement tollerant and pretty docile... and they taste pretty good too. The eggs are on the med to small side.

http://albc-usa.org/cpl/wtchlist.html#chickens

Welcome to BYC and the Michigan thread!

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi Elyssia, welcome to BYc and the Michigan thread

The Henderson Chicken Chart is also very helpful.

Although you said you were not interested as much in white birds, you might still consider Delawares - they are not all white, having black on the tail and neck, and are excellent brown egg layers as well as big, meaty birds. The ones I have had have also been very personable. I have also started raising Basque chickens (Euskal Oiloa) and the hens are good layers, and the roos are Huge. They are also very pretty to look at.

 

[SillyChicken]

Apparently we have the same problem near us, however, the herd on, and around, my property seem healthy enough. Too healthy and need to be thinned. I think every doe had twins. I have a small group that consists of does, fawns, and two recently driven away yearlings. I've not heard of any reports near me of EHD and I believe it's mostly south and east of here.

BTW, your old doe Trixe had her first batch of mixed FG/NZ. 7 altogether.

awww....pictures!!

 

[SillyChicken]

I think it has been a very bad yr. for pests, the moles in our yard have been worse then EVER!! front and back, like walking on sponges....a friend said he put HOT peppers down the runs and that helped get rid of them Going to try it
we do not have water on our property but have lakes and streams near by. we are seeing so few dear this yr it is scary. early this summer a farmer was on the news and said if the corn does not get enough rain it could become poisonous, as the fertilizer does not leave the plant. We have corn fields all around us an NO dear. DD lives in the city, near the river she has a heard of 7 that visit her yard almost daily, 6 doe, 1 buck. NO corn. how much corn are the dear in your area eating???

You could be in an area where the deer have been affected. Grand Rapids down through Hillsdale, and surrounding counties. The weather has been way too good for the pests!

We only have a few farms in the area where they had irrigation to help the corn. The other fields are pretty sparce. The soy recovered enough I think though I think yields are low all over. We've seen fewer and fewer deer over the years in my area due to so many factors. car hits, over hunting pressure... and now this darn midge fly! If it doesn't look good for hunting this year, I may stop for a while. May have to start raising some beef to make up for the loss of meat!

 

[Wrightsx4]

Hi again Elyssa! Great suggestions so far! I started this year so I'm still seeing which breeds I like best - I love the thought of a flock if faverolles. So pretty and quirky - can't help but laugh when I watch mine. I'm hoping to have a separated flock of them in the future. They're very timid so not great if mixed with more dominant breeds. Mine is still young but I can see it already - luckily several others defend her fiercely. Definitely check out those suggested sites. You'll get tons of info.

 

[Scifisarah]

Why in the heck we want chinese ag in michigan is beyond me!

*there was more i had typed but i deemed it not suitable for family friendly reading*

What do they mean by bringing chinese ag here? Not trying to ruffle any feathers, but maybe they have methods that might make farming more productive and not deplete the land? They have been farming for quite a while... Ah so I looked it up, and they are actually meeting to export our crops to China, which seems like a good deal for us: http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/09/michigan_agriculture_official.html

On another note, the first my of mottled cochin eggs was pipped when I got up this morning! I don't hear any peeping or movement though. SO hard to be patient. I am making myself finish sewing one thing before I can go and look again, otherwise I am wanting to check in every 5 minutes which makes hatching feel like an eternity.

 

[tdhenson86]

I like this website for finding out more about heritage breeds, they have a nice chart that lays everything out. http://www.albc-usa.org/heritagechicken/chickencomparison.html