Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Dreamzchaser]

Welcome @Dreamzchaser to BYC!!

So happy to have you. There are a ton of great people here to help you on your journey! Several of us are newer and can attest to the advice of having your coop/run set up first before getting chicks! They get big quick and will need their coop before you know it.
The feed stores will have chicks likely through early summer so you will have time if you’re not ordering from a hatchery.
The shed idea for a coop is a great idea vs prefab coop. The cost is very similar and the construction quality is much better. I made that mistake.
If you opt for a shed...with a little help, you can cobble together a run with some hardware cloth and boards if you’re not planning to free range your girls.

Best of luck!

I will look into that idea. I do know that I have moles. Where the chickens will go, I guess they will not have grubs but I think grubs are way bigger for chickens, are they?
I also want to get a small garden going, well two. One for the chicks and one for me. I have no clue what my little puppy will do once she sees them,My puppy is bipolar, well add, adhd at times. She can get so much energetic at times even though at most she is just laying around. I have to keep an eye on both. Do not need a chick to peck on the poor thing, lol

I do have questions about the feed. If they are laying eggs they need to be fed different? as a little girl, I do not remember about any feed. My mom will give them kitchen scraps. I would love to hatch them but if one is a rooster, then I will have to eat it and after seeing it come to life, that will be a bit hard. oh, no my bad, there was something called purina and it was like round brown pellets as well as crumbed corn. I have no clue what those are called on English unless the purina was due to the brand. I do not use any Purina brand, my dog is allergic and they hold their corn too long and is gets mold. My dog got ear infection twice because of my stupidity of not reading labels.
Is there a was to order from a hatchery and them being females?
Thank you for all the advise, it is much welcomed.

 

[1muttsfan]

There are many hatcheries that sell sexed pullets, and sometimes you can find them for sale in stores like TSC. if you're not allowed to have roosters you want to avoid straight run chicks - these are mixes of male and female.
There are several different types of chicken feed that are made for age and type, including chick starter, grower, and laying feed which provides extra calcium for hens producing eggs.

 

[1muttsfan]

Daytime temps in the mid to Upper thirties and night time temps in the teens. It's Maple Sap Run weather.

 

[Sally PB]

Gonna throw this out there to my sort of local BYCers...

Anyone interested in splitting an order of chicks? Ideal has what I want (Blue Australorps, available in May), but has a $30 minimum order. The $30 has to be poultry, and the chicks I want are $4/each. 8 chicks is too many for me.

Another place in Gladwin will have Blues in June, pick up, minimum of 5. Chick Depot; anyone heard of/dealt with them?

Might just have to wait, or take my chances with TSC.

I need to nail down when hubby wants to go to NC to visit his dad. Maybe chicks in June is a better plan after all. I'm not going away if/when I have unintegrated chicks. That is too much responsibility for a chicken sitter. And I would just worry the whole time.

He could go without me, but he'd balk at that idea. He didn't like the idea of his folks coming here either.

Just thinking out loud...

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Seems like March is a good start of warming up in West Michigan! Today starting at 33 degrees but feeling like 29 which I would never understand. I go on how I feel instead of the first number. That will determine how I will dress up, Here in Rothbury is so quiet and so dark at night. Good thing I have cameras all over to see who is around. Nevertheless the snow is beginning to clear out and hopefully can go out the yard to measure and figure out where my chickens will go when I do get them.
Hope to learn about people close by me. I lived in Muskegon county for 5 years and now just moved a bit up north to Oceana county. Anyone close by, please let me know. I am so full of questions about the area. I am usually an outgoing person that will speak with anyone at anytime but with the pandemic, I barely go anywhere. Planning to go to the county to get a little more information about my area and heading to Tri-County Feeding stores in Hart and Montague to check them out. Hope you all stay warm!

 

[Sally PB]

I went up to the greenhouse today. Still about 8-10" snow pack, but it's solid enough to walk on right now. It was like there wasn't snow there.

Supposed to be sunny/partly sunny this week. Goodbye, snow. See ya in 8-9 months.

 

[snowflake]

Gonna throw this out there to my sort of local BYCers...

Anyone interested in splitting an order of chicks? Ideal has what I want (Blue Australorps, available in May), but has a $30 minimum order. The $30 has to be poultry, and the chicks I want are $4/each. 8 chicks is too many for me.

Another place in Gladwin will have Blues in June, pick up, minimum of 5. Chick Depot; anyone heard of/dealt with them?

Might just have to wait, or take my chances with TSC.

I need to nail down when hubby wants to go to NC to visit his dad. Maybe chicks in June is a better plan after all. I'm not going away if/when I have unintegrated chicks. That is too much responsibility for a chicken sitter. And I would just worry the whole time.

He could go without me, but he'd balk at that idea. He didn't like the idea of his folks coming here either.

Just thinking out loud...

Hi Sally,
I got a flier in the mail yesterday, (local saver) There is a feed store in Lowell says they are taking chick orders, you might call them and see what they have. Starbard Farms 616 897 9147 They are at 11931 Riverside Dr. Lowell
Never been there myself but plan to check it out

 

[Sally PB]

Starbard farms!! I hadn't even thought of them!! Thank you! I have gotten garden stuff from them in the past.

 

[Sally PB]

@snowflake, I pulled that same flier out of the trash and called Starbard Farms. The gal I talked to said I could order 4 Blue Australorps. I want to go there and talk to someone who knows for sure that they can get Blues before I place my order. Pick up wouldn't be until the end of April. That's an improvement over June (drive to Gladwin) and hoping (TSC).

Thanks for bringing this to my attention! Gee, I love BYC and BYCers!

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Hope this helps!
Back from Tri-County Feeds and picked up a flyer from Townline Poultry Farm in 4198 96th Ave Zeeland MI 49464 and they are taking orders as well. The good thing is that it says that you can schedule pick up through your local feed mill. This I think might be good so you do not have to drive far.
You can order online through www.townlinehatchery.com or calling 888-685-0040.
Good Luck!