Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[riss]

My dad actually wants to get chickens of his own

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Hi everyone! Hope you enjoyed the rain. I am still to see some. Only a little the other night and some went into the coop but the Hub put clear PVC corrugated panels where the shade cloth was and is working on that. I was talking until past midninght last night with my sister who lives in Puerto Rico. Learned about the crazy stuff there. She is a doctor and is sending me some prescriptions, yey!
But talking about food and stuff, I only slept about 3 hours and got up early and drove to Grand Rapids to Burton Meats in Burton St and grabbed a bunch of stuff. Some I was not thinking of but knowing it will be a long time until I can get my hands on some red snappers, I bougth the last 5 they had,lol Came out to 10 bucks per fish and they were clean. Just removed some leftovers and the fins and have 2 of those suckers in the oven right now. Got some taro roots and they are cooking as well. It was kind of cloudy when I was leaving, so I put the girls food inside the coop and left them there. While I was gone, Hub got them out and he worked on the run some. They were so happy with him. Got home and began sprinkling and I held the red shovel and they went in the coop but they were so freaking loud complaining about it. After it stopped, I let them out and closed the coop door. I told them that if it rained, they will have to go under the coop.

I have to take pictures of the bottom of the coop. They are making holes under there and it might not be safe. Hub said to put some dirt back in and closed it in with hardware cloth so they cannot go in. Any advice? I think of that part being a good hidding place if they need like from anything or even hot sun or rain.
I know that nothing is looking like I envisioned but it is working for them. I have no clue as to how I will do all the painting that needs to be done,lol I already screwed the hardware cloth and it will be a pain to remove it to paint, wait until it dries and screw it back. Maybe I can paint the whole thing,lol Have no idea how it will look like.
Anyways, I think that for next year, I will look into the state or county about trees. I never would have imagine that hazelnuts grow in Michigan. I love those. We always had them for Christmas as well and the big round ones (Nuez de Castilla), almonds and Macademian nuts. I like hazelnuts and salted or sugar roasted peanuts.
These are Nuez de Castilla or if I was to literaly name it in English: Castille Nuts?

I have been wondering if I can try to do some of the taro roots that donot take long to give fruit. It should be like carrots and potatoes... but I am not sure. I might call the dept of agriculture back in Puerto Rico and pick their brains up some. They might send me some seeds or pieces of plants as a test. I might be able with a green house. Nope! I have seen greenhouses and they look real nice and mine more likely look so different,lol
Will post pictures tomorrow or late tonight if I go outside.


Anyways, I love you all.

Rose, have fun camping and be safe!

~Hugs~and~Kisses

 

[aart]

I have to take pictures of the bottom of the coop. They are making holes under there and it might not be safe. Hub said to put some dirt back in and closed it in with hardware cloth so they cannot go in. Any advice?

They can dig out from under the concrete blocks.
I had to put pavers and bricks around them to deter that.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/excavation-by-birds-a-word-of-warning.1086535/

 

[Frankiegirl]

Rain just rolled through….followed by bright sun and I’m sure more humidity…..and likely mosquitos.

 

[chickflick]

Under the coop is a good place to hide from hawks and to get out of the sun since you have no shade trees. Put pavers around the blocks so they can't dig out. They love to take dust baths..
Thanks, we always seem to have lots of fun....

 

[aart]

Too hot to live today...and the next four days.

But I got to pet a baby alpaca at the farmers market this morning.

 

[aart]

Rain just rolled through

Just started here, they are saying severe Tstorm watch.

 

[Sally PB]

Anyways, I think that for next year, I will look into the state or county about trees. I never would have imagine that hazelnuts grow in Michigan. I love those

My hazelnuts would have done fine except for the blankety-blank Japanese Beetles. That fall after the leaves were skeletons, I got milky spore disease and spread it around to kill the JB grubs. They tried to leaf out the next spring, but didn't make it.

Dreamz, I ordered my trees from one of the catalogs; I don't remember which one. If it was Gurney's... I don't do business with them any more. They have gone WAY down hill.

Hazelnuts end up being kind of a big, overgrown bush, unless you keep them pruned and trained into a tree. I didn't do that. They send up lots of shoots from the roots. The funny thing about the nuts is that they are in a green husk that matches the color of the leaves. I had better luck seeing them if I was underneath, looking up. The husk looks like a fringed bonnet to me.

 

[saysfaa]

Those catille nuts are what we call English Walnuts. I think they do grow in Michigan, although black walnuts are a lot more common.
If you don't mind starting with young trees, Coldwater in Baldwin or Custer, somewhere near there, has a very wide selection of mostly native species of trees and I think they select seeds from local sources... may check them for nut trees.
Um, although I think it takes quite a few years before they bear. Hazel nuts probably bear a lot sooner.
For retail with lots of varieties of fruit, we liked Johnny's Seeds.

 

[RaZ]

My mechanic has a black walnut at the shop. There are a few saplings that he said I could have. I'm going to try to transplant them and see what happens.

Speaking of trees...all of the broadleaf trees that the gypsy moths defoliated are coming back into leaf. The evergreens are looking good except for 2 that seem to be struggling. I hope they make it. Both were perfect white pines and favourite hangouts for the chickens.

We had a second tornado touch down in the area. Not far from where the first one hit a few weeks ago. This one was "unconfirmed" whatever that means.