Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

Bought myself a new 'toy' today.
Runs off the same battery that fits my string trimmer.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

75 is still too hot for me. Out since 9am. All walking around just watching me work. Then hub came and the party started. Framing of the roof. I only did the HC and held a few posts. Quackies love the waddling pool but always go back to the chicken run. At once, they were all by the back door. Darn chickens told them that through those doors, food comes out,lol Really tired. Gonna shower and the whole world can collapse after me,lol



And of course, they have to check everything out!

Only 20ft of HD. Have about 8 more to go.
EDITED: 8 MORE 10FT ROLLS,LOL

 

[troyer]

Bought myself a new 'toy' today.
Runs off the same battery that fits my string trimmer.
View attachment 3204142

I don't have one but I think it would be nice.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Hello fellow Michiganders!

I'm new to the BYC and @Sally PB was kind enough to link me here! I'm a soon-to-be chick mama - receiving 3 barred rocks and 3 buff orpingtons the 2nd week of Sept.

Here's my question for my Michigan peeps: Since my chicks are hatching in September, it's going to be getting pretty cold here by the time most people say it's safe to transition to the coop (6 weeks). Do I need to keep them in the brooder until they're older? Do I put a radiant heat panel above the roost bars in the coop? Do I slowly acclimate them somehow to the lower temps before putting them in the coop?

*We have a large Over EZ coop that will be inside a 10x20 covered run.

*The brooder will be an 8x8 camping tent in my spare bedroom.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[saysfaa]

Hello fellow Michiganders!
...

Welcome! Congratulations on your coming chicks!

Well, you aren't going to want them in your house very long because of the dust.

I have pretty radical chick raising methods and theories but hesitate to share them because I've only had chicks once so far. And that was in May.

The short version is cold can be handled.
Based on my research on how broody hens raise chicks and what other people experienced, it is better to brood them outside where they can experience the natural changes of temperature. Even cold weather. As long as they have a way to warm up as they need to.

I used a wool hen. Based on what others have done and the little bit of experience I have, I would do that in the coop from the first or second week if I were starting them in September.

Many people give transitioning chicks a huddle box even if they don't use the wool in it.

 

[saysfaa]

I almost tackled the chicken shed today. It needs a good cleaning and organizing. After that, I can repair a couple of issues, do some painting, build the shelves for the garden supplies, and move some more garden supplies to the chicken shed.

Oh, that reminds me. Thank y'all for the help with composting. I have soil! It took longer than it had to because I watered it but not enough and turned it often but not as often as it needed for the fastest composting. It is very satisfying.

Instead, I went blueberry picking. Drying the cherries was an outstanding success but we will run out of them before next year at the current pace. I have the first batch of blueberries in the dehydrator. I'm hoping they will be as good in oatmeal as the cherries are.

 

[1muttsfan]

I only keep chicks in the brooder for the first 2 weeks, then they go out in a small coop with a run, or in a small pen in the bigger coop, with a Premier brooder plate. By the time they are fully feathered they no longer have to have heat, but if it is cold out I may raise the plate up higher and leave it in the coop for another week or two.
Saysfaa is right about the dust, you will not want them inside your house for long.

 

[aart]

Do I put a radiant heat panel above the roost bars in the coop? Do I slowly acclimate them somehow to the lower temps before putting them in the coop?

Is this panel what you'll be using for chick heat?
Can is be used horizontally?

it is better to brood them outside where they can experience the natural changes of temperature.

Ditto Dat.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Is this panel what you'll be using for chick heat?
Can is be used horizontally?


Ditto Dat.

Thanks for the responses everyone! @saysfaa @1muttsfan

I think I misspoke when I called my whole setup a "brooder", as it's more of a combo brooder/grow-out pen. My plan was to put a large cardboard box inside an 8x8 camping tent (in my spare bedroom). For the first 10 days-ish, I planned to keep the chicks in the cardboard box with the heat plate and food/water. After 10 days, I planned to remove the cardboard box and allow the chicks to be in the 8x8 tent with the brooder plate until I moved them to the coop (I was thinking 8-10 weeks??).

In the coop, my thought was to get a "Sweeter Heater" which is a large radiant heat panel that can be attached to the ceiling over the roost bars (I thought about plugging it into one of those temp control outlets so it would only turn on when temp got below 35 and turn off above 65). So that if/when we get drastic temperature changes, the young pullets would still be able to find warmth if they needed it, but it wouldn't heat the whole coop.

I'm not *super* worried about dust because they'll be inside a camping tent, and I'm not planning to use dusty bedding. I'm just attempting to ensure the chicks are as healthy and happy as possible before moving them to colder temps.

If you're curious about the tent setup, I got the idea here: https://www.thefeatherbrain.com/blog/camping-tent-chick-brooder

I want to be able to spend as much time interacting with the chicks as I can (hence having them in the large tent indoors), because I want them to be very tame and friendly. I have two neurodivergent sons (one is pretty severely impacted by autism - he non-verbal and cognitively impaired, but very kind and gentle, and the other ADHD), so part of this journey is about showing them how to interact with and care for the chickens as well.

Anyway, I really do appreciate the advice and info, especially from others who understand Michigan climate! I will definitely take all of this into consideration!

Thanks again!

 

[chickflick]

Welcome Chicky! The chicks do make a lot of dust, but the tent should help a lot. I used a tent over a tub I used as a dust bath in our basement. I had a handicapped chicken I kept in a brooder. Worked great.