Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[1muttsfan]

That is really nice!

A few suggestions....
It would be wise to attach hardware cloth to at least the bottom 2' of your perimeter fences.
It looks like at least so far you do not have apron fence or buried wire around the outside. Predators could easily dig under that fence.
Maybe you already plan on covering them to prevent hawk and owl attacks.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

That is really nice!

A few suggestions....
It would be wise to attach hardware cloth to at least the bottom 2' of your perimeter fences.
It looks like at least so far you do not have apron fence or buried wire around the outside. Predators could easily dig under that fence.
Maybe you already plan on covering them to prevent hawk and owl attacks.

Oh yes, it'll be covered and dig proof by the time we're done. We're still very early in the process of our build. The tool crib panels we've put up so far were free from my husband's employer so we got very lucky there. We'll have hardware cloth up also hopefully within the next couple weekends... fingers crossed!

 

[aart]

The tool crib panels we've put up so far were free from my husband's employer so we got very lucky there.

What an awesome resource!
There was another run posted recently that was a tool crib type structure,
think it was a machine enclosure.

Got some chips finally, been waiting all summer(long story).
All the chips previously laid down had either degraded or migrated down to the low end of run. Now I can clean out the coop shavings to put on top of these.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

What an awesome resource!
There was another run posted recently that was a tool crib type structure,
think it was a machine enclosure.

Got some chips finally, been waiting all summer(long story).
All the chips previously laid down had either degraded or migrated down to the low end of run. Now I can clean out the coop shavings to put on top of these.

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Thank you!
Your flock is very nice, we just got our first BCM chicks last Tuesday, hatchery quality, but I found a smaller scale breeder that was reasonable on $ and has nice birds.
The chips look great!

 

[rachelsflock]

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I approve of your choice of vehicle. My mother and father would also approve. Mini vans are great utility vehicles. I just wish they weren't always upholstered. It's like those engineers don't know we are going to put hay and mulch and dirt in them.

 

[aart]

we just got our first BCM chicks last Tuesday, hatchery quality, but I found a smaller scale breeder that was reasonable on $ and has nice birds.

The Marans hatching eggs I got from a local 'breeder' were not pure or great quality,
but I only wanted a cockbird out of them for siring olive eggers....he's doing a great job!

 

[HenHouse4Life]

The Marans hatching eggs I got from a local 'breeder' were not pure or great quality,
but I only wanted a cockbird out of them for siring olive eggers....he's doing a great job!

Well he sure is pretty to me! I bet you have some nice looking eggs

 

[aart]

I approve of your choice of vehicle. My mother and father also approve. Mini vans are great utility vehicles. I just wish they weren't always upholstered. It's like those engineers don't know we are going to put hay and mulch and dirt in them.

Yes, they are! I have always had big dogs and hauled a lot of lumber, so a 4x8 'bed' was essential. My first one(1998) I had to remove the seats to put the plywood 'floor' in, this one(2005) they all fold into floor. I rarely have even one passenger.
This one is 13 years old and needs to be replaced, it's falling apart...the new ones are, SMH.

 

[aart]

Well he sure is pretty to me! I bet you have some nice looking eggs

Welll.....of the two females I kept lays pale speckled torpedo shaped eggs that wouldn't hatch well, the other hen I had was a mix but laid gorgeous dark eggs, when she wasn't being broody...8 times this spring/summer, I gave her away. Had 2 blues and this 1 black cockerel.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

Welll.....of the two females I kept lays pale speckled torpedo shaped eggs that wouldn't hatch well, the other hen I had was a mix but laid gorgeous dark eggs, when she wasn't being broody...8 times this spring/summer, I gave her away. Had 2 blues and this 1 black cockerel.

Holy moses, 8 times?!!??? Yikes.... you sure she wasn't a silky