Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

Nipples are a pain in the butt to keep from freezing.

Not the HN's with a heater in vessel

Welcome to the MI chat thread @The_Cat !
That coop is probably too small for more than 3-4 birds.
Did they live in it last winter?
Nice run!

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi Cat, welcome to the Michigan thread.
Lure them inside with some treats before it starts to get dark outside, then close them in until morning. After a few nights inside they will likely put themselves to bed.

 

[Folly's place]

Hi everyone, it's Sunday night already! We have been working on replacing some fencing, and of course it's not yet done! Tomorrow and Tuesday I'm home, and rain is predicted, naturally. So much for stringing woven wire!
We are also fighting those wonderful little poultry mites, and sprayed for the second time tonight. One of the cockerels still had some after last weekend, so everyone got the magic permethrin treatment again. Wonderful! Mary

 

[ToniTalley]

Chickens like to roost high, and your outdoor roosts are higher up than the coop. Maybe lower the outside roosts so the coop roosts are the higher ones.

 

[bigmrg74]

So today as I was over at the farm checking on the girls, I just happen to look over at the fence around the pen and I see a dead rat right at one of the stands that holds the fencing upright. Not really sure as to how it ended up dead there. It could have easily torn through the plastic netting that I used for the mobile fencing around the tractor. A few marks on it from where the girls might have pecked at it, but not a smoking gun as to what would have killed. And I don't use any poison around the coop either for fear of the girls getting into it. Not really all that sure as to how it got there in that condition. Hopefully, that's all I have to worry about with them.

And in other news today, I went in traded in my 2005 Chevy Malibu for a 2015 malibu. Dang that car has enough bells and whistles on it.

 

[Folly's place]

It was (almost!) new car fever! Something to do on a rainy day, right? Mary

 

[chickflick]

Hopefully the rain has ended. It's going to be cold tonight. I know with the warm weather we were having, doing the fall chores got pushed aside. Going to have to get my butt moving and get things done.
RaZ must be busy with getting his new home up and running. Hopefully the garage got started and working on the coop.

 

[Folly's place]

Fall chores. Right. Fencing not done, woodpile barely started, weeds everywhere. Must call chimney sweep! Home appliance repairs happening as I type this, lovely. But the rain has stopped at last! Mary

 

[aart]

We got about 3-4" over two days...glad to see it stop.
5, maybe 6, out of 7 pullets laying now.
Got some of the most important fall chores done in that nice weather, more to go.

 

[Maah]

Good morning folks!

DH & I have talked & we're considering getting rid of our flock & coop. Please let me know if you are interested. We are located in West Michigan, Wayland area. I'm on the fence about it, but agreed that it's time. But what about hatching?! I keep mentally flip flopping back & forth... but will stand firm on our decision. I'll miss that part the most... incubating & watching the little kiddos pop out of their shells every spring. **Sigh** OK, so I'll miss much more than that. Anyways, ages range from spring pullets (5 of them) through 3 year old hens - all various breeds, 1 rooster (Welsummer). Frankly I'd be willing to give the flock away for free if someone came & got the lot. If someone only wanted the spring pullets, I would charge. It's roughly 20 birds... I haven't counted them lately. Between my own "chicken math" problems & the predator we had come around this last month, I'm guessing on the exact number. LOL.

As far as the coop... it can't go until all the ladies are gone. It wouldn't be free, but I'd make it a fair price since the buyer would have to remove it themselves & it's very heavy! It's a nice coop, DH built it himself. I believe it's 8'x4'x8'high. Plenty of nest boxes, large "poop deck" (I call it) for them to roost on inside at night. DH & I still plan on doing meat birds over the summers, and I've considered keeping the coop just for that... but I'd better not. I don't trust my incubating addiction to not just fill the coop back up with layers knowing I'd have somewhere to put them. Ha! There is also a separate small coop that we would use for spring chicks or to separate out an injured bird. It needs some repairs done but can also go.



On a side note... we also have 2 purebred Holland Lop bunnies that need to go as well. Their hutch & their supplies would be included in their free price. The female is in tact, the male is neutered.