Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Sally PB]

I'm sure the warm snow we are supposed to get tomorrow will form a new layer.

Yup. It's gonna be a mess. Sigh.

32 days to spring...

 

[uchytil]

Scoot over to the the Chickenstock thread if you're coming. I explained the raffle if we want to continue the tradition. I posted what I'll bring. You don't have to participate but even if two people do it'll just be a straight swap, lol.

 

[uchytil]

Yup. It's gonna be a mess. Sigh.

32 days to spring...

Just a number, lol. Spring starts for me when the sap starts flowing.

 

[aart]

Yup. It's gonna be a mess. Sigh.

Looks like there will a temp drop before the snow starts

Just a number, lol. Spring starts for me when the sap starts flowing.

Spring for me will be when I don't have to shovel snow anymore.

 

[Sally PB]

Spring for me will be when I don't have to shovel snow anymore.

Spring for me is when I can get stuff done in or for the garden. Not there yet...

 

[saysfaa]

For me, early spring is when the snowdrops bloom. Full spring is when the daffodils bloom. Late spring is when the lilac bloom.

 

[RaZ]

So today was allowance day and I had appointments in town for a few things. Second pair of tires are installed so at least I'll be safe on the road now. Got them at last month's price. Shop owner got 4 for me then and held the second pair until this month. Gotta love and support your local businesses.
When I left this morning it was 40 degrees and everything was melting. When I got home after 3, it was 47 and water was standing everywhere. My sloped driveway was iced over so bad that I had to use 4WD and a running start to get up the hill. Still ended up sideways when I stopped. And that was with over 200 lbs of kitty litter, salt, and bird feed in the back. Unloading bag by bag was dicey but I managed without falling or hurting myself.

At 8 PM it is still 45 and has been raining since sundown. Tomorrow is going to be a huge nightmare as temps drop and rain turns to snow. Not scheduled to work but I'm on the sign-up sheet to work if someone calls in. I'm expecting that call in the morning.

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I can relate to printer issues. My died a few weeks ago so I had to but another one today. It's a cheapy but still an unexpected expense.

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I love the native plants left standing for winter food sources for the birds. I see a lot of activity in the driveway island and the stand by the garage. I won't do any garden "clean-up" until close to Memorial Day. Native plants feed so many birds during the winter plus provide shelter for so many insects that over-winter in the leaf debris. I like to wait until insects and larvae emerge. They feed so many newly hatched songbirds

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Safe travels, Dreamz!

Our driveway is a watery, icy mess. No way I can get any of the ice off that messed up blacktop. The ground is still frozen, so it's stuck tight. Whatever comes off is going to have to melt off.

Thank you. Same here. The wind blew my trash cans about a moile away and almost fell getting them back. I forgot that I have my laptop and was able to come in. It is ugly and on top it will rain tomorrow all day, yuck!

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Mine is not dead but HP will charge me an arm and a leg since my warranty is done. So went to Crashmaster's in Muskegon. 20 bucks and will pick up tomorrow. Well not me, will ask hub to do it. I have to make sure I have blankets packed in case of emergency and water and snacks,lol Feels like I am going on a picnic,lol

Put a new bag of wood chips today. There is poop everywhere. Does not stinks but sure is soft since temps dropped. I kind of liked it when I could pick them up frozen,lol I am filling up the water and feeders before leaving around 3pm. It will be an ugly road trip but there will be no hurry. Nice and slow,lol

Question for those who have a roo: how long can you keep the eggs fresh? I mean even if fertilized by the roo they can be eaten, right? as long as they do not go under a broody hen or an incubator. I now can have a roo but not sure. Just trying to learn before I do something I might regret.

 

[RaZ]

Mine is not dead but HP will charge me an arm and a leg since my warranty is done. So went to Crashmaster's in Muskegon. 20 bucks and will pick up tomorrow. Well not me, will ask hub to do it. I have to make sure I have blankets packed in case of emergency and water and snacks,lol Feels like I am going on a picnic,lol

Put a new bag of wood chips today. There is poop everywhere. Does not stinks but sure is soft since temps dropped. I kind of liked it when I could pick them up frozen,lol I am filling up the water and feeders before leaving around 3pm. It will be an ugly road trip but there will be no hurry. Nice and slow,lol

Question for those who have a roo: how long can you keep the eggs fresh? I mean even if fertilized by the roo they can be eaten, right? as long as they do not go under a broody hen or an incubator. I now can have a roo but not sure. Just trying to learn before I do something I might regret.

Mine will still print from the computer but the touch-screen doesn't work. Can't copy or scan or FAX. Don't need those features often but I do need them. So when the ink went dry, rather than buying new cartridges, I opted to spend the extra $30 for a fully functional unit. As a bonus, ink for this unit is half than the old one.

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I think everyone should have a winter care kit in their car. I have one in mine.

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Be safe on your trip. We all care about you.

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Fertile eggs can be viable for 10+ days. A broody hen can gather them for nearly 2 weeks before setting and have them all hatch at the same time. That amazes me!
Fertile eggs can be eaten as normal if you collect them before incubation. There might be a spot on the yolk that indicates it is fertile.
As a fairly new chicken-keeper, I would not recommend having a roo.
I waited a long time before I ever had a rooster or even straight-run chick purchase. (I had enough trouble in the city with just hens). Once I got here to the country, I picked up a roo. Turned out he was a bad one. I had to cull him. He was mean AF.
Two years ago, I got a mature roo and a young roo from a fellow BYCer. The elder (Big Boy) is the perfect flock guardian roo. His son (Little Boy) is less so. Neither are mean or aggressive but LB is not a good protector and he is a sneak mounter even though he has his own hens.
I would suggest that you wait before introducing a rooster. On the other hand, if you love the crowing (like I do) then go ahead with open eyes. Good luck, hun.