Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[fuzzybutt love]

I have a question. One of my girls tends to lay softer shelled eggs. I have put Oyster Shell out there for them and I think I've narrowed it down to which chicken it is and have seen her eat it. She was the one that got sick a couple months ago and I had to seperate her and give her antibiotics for 10 days. I was wondering if anybody would know what else I can do and/or why if I've seen her eating the Oyster shell she would still be laying softer shelled eggs. Thanks

Depends on what she had; some infections damage the ovaries. Research the condition specifically, or PM me and i'll see what i can do. Maybe a supplement would help, some probiotics? But if she's damaged, she may not be able to recover.

Whole new set of issues I'm not sure how to deal with. Our coop has a visitor who thinks he has moved in.
My son took these pictures after I found him carrying the pheasant around.

When I went out to see what was up the pheasant was in the chicken yard with the chicken eating away and none of the roosters had any problem with him. I am very nervous about wild birds and what "nice" things they may share with the chickens. He is not scared and won't leave at this point. Ideas? My son is already begging to keep him. We have a nearby shooting preserve so I'm sure he came from there.

Well, if you don't want him.......... he's BEAUTIFUL! I would worm him just in case, and hope for the best. Maybe cage seperate? Idk but you've already gotten germs on the property so to get rid of him now is useless. Enjoy!

Any fly tiers in the forum?
I used to. Maybe will again. Lots of hackles and saddle feathers available now.
Is any extra care needed to keep blood off the feathers to be used for flies?

Far as what i've read, you skin the chicken to keep the feathers, i have read about feather selling and the best prices were from intact saddle and hackles, skin attached. ( I don't , wouldn't, but don't mean i didn't see the prices on them! )

 

[NovaAman]

Well, if the bird will let you carry it around, check it over for the visible pests, treat if needed. Also, since it has already associated with your birds, just watch your birds. I don't think it is wild raised either. AND it is very pretty.

think its a good idea about the cockerel feathers. I mean, why not. I am not offended. Heck your gonna eat them, may as well get use out of the usable feathers too. Make and sell the flies. New hobby. LOL.

I got my pen made today in the run. Tonight will move all three faverolle hens, and one of the hens that is half faverolle to it with Florus. In 3 weeks, should be getting pure eggs. The hen that is 1/2 faverolle has all the nice looking traits for a faverolle hen, only she's white with some black markings. But great foot feathering, size, beard and muffs. And she submits to Florus pretty fast, and he's started to call her for treats. Well, anyway, I think 4 hens will do him fine.

Now does any one want to come over and help me move birds tonight? HEHE. Nothing like ticking off birds after dark. LOL

 

[MIchickens]

Ahhh....the joys of having a teenager is certainly something to make you pause. My daughter hit a deer last night and bent her hood, totaled the passenger side fender, and completely destroyed her headlight. I'm thankful nothing happened to her. She was on her way home from work and she was on the phone with my wife when it happened. It must have been scary to just be talking casualy and then hear my daughter scream (I gave both of them a talking to about being on the phone while driving).
I spent my day tracking down parts and then installing them....looks good as new now. I have a little pin striping to do to make it match but, for $135.00 in parts it wasn't that bad. My daughter bought me a coffee mug that says "Got Chickens?" on it as a thank you.

Gotta love living in Michigan!

P.S. I might be up for driving to Ceder Creek Hatchery in Twin Lakes, MI if anybody want's to go. I can take 3 others seated comfortably...4 if you don't mind getting really close with your buddies. I have to call and check on availability, but I don't see a problem making a chicken run! My proposed run I would take M-90 to M15(very short stint on this road) to M-57 to M-46. I am willing to pick up anybody along this route (up to 4 people). Maybe we can all plan a day to be there and have breakfast/lunch out there? It would be nice to meet everyone.
Let me know if your interested....in the meantime I will check on availability.

 

[1muttsfan]

Taprock, pheasant are not native to northern Michigan, they can't survive the cold and deep snow. Undoubtably that is a farm-raised bird that either escaped from a shooting farm, or the farm where it was raised, or was intentionally released by a well-meaning but ignorant person. If you dont want him I will take him!!

 

[Opa]

Being a cantankrous old rooster I think people tend to make mountains out of molehills. You can make yourself sick worrying about your birds when the bottom line is sometimes they get sick, sometimes they die no matter how much biosecurity you practice. I would be thrilled to have a visiting pheasant and wouldn't worry about what he might be carrying. Birds that congregate in large numbers are more likely to carry something than a solitary pheasant. Sparrows and starlings are more likely to cause problems.

 

[Stacykins]

My Nigerian Dwarf doe is just over halfway through her pregnancy! Very excited for any kids she has, and the milk she'll produce for us!


I recently took this picture. I love this Araucana pullet's tufts! They're so even and poofy!

 

[tjbeckman]

So the guinea that I posted pics of the other day has finally found her name... After watching her a while Kelly decided she should be named Kevin...(from UP) Gotta say after watching the walk it couldn't be more accurate

 

[gladahmae]

I got my pen made today in the run. Tonight will move all three faverolle hens, and one of the hens that is half faverolle to it with Florus. In 3 weeks, should be getting pure eggs. The hen that is 1/2 faverolle has all the nice looking traits for a faverolle hen, only she's white with some black markings. But great foot feathering, size, beard and muffs. And she submits to Florus pretty fast, and he's started to call her for treats. Well, anyway, I think 4 hens will do him fine.

Now does any one want to come over and help me move birds tonight? HEHE. Nothing like ticking off birds after dark. LOL

Can you explain a little more about this whole penning thing to get the crosses/breeding matches that you want? I'm trying to do the mental gymnastics to figure it all out for spring eggs, but having 2 or 3 roos will make things a bit more difficult for what I have planned so far. All the roos have been raised together which makes me think they have a better chance of getting along with one another (and 14 hens) but I'm leery of spereating them for a month or 2 for eggs and then re-combining them and the whole pecking order thing. I'm probably over-thinking it, but I'd love to know what you have set up.

ETA: I know about the whole 2-3wk rule to make sure I have the correct rooster genes.

 

[taprock]

Yup opa I realize I am being a bit paranoid....I am blaming it on the fact I am currently reading "Spillover" by David Quammen which is all about animals and infectious agents. I'm seeing hidden virus and bacterium everywhere! Anyway after finding him all cozy in the little coop, i gave up thinking about it as I couldn't take back the fact he had snuck in. I did check him over for mites/lice and he was clean. However, after all that he flew off to the woods just before dark. I expect we will see him again since he knows were to find food now. At least that is what my son is hoping. I'll wait to see if he returns before saying whether we will keep him or not. DH joked that I said I wasn't buying more birds, so instead I'm just letting them wander in.

Bobbry - when I give roosters to my brother for eating he skins them and returns the feathers to me. I put them in the freezer until I have time to clean them.

 

[SillyChicken]

Taprock, pheasant are not native to northern Michigan, they can't survive the cold and deep snow. Undoubtably that is a farm-raised bird that either escaped from a shooting farm, or the farm where it was raised, or was intentionally released by a well-meaning but ignorant person. If you dont want him I will take him!!

I have to disagree.

The ring necks are native. (unless you're thinking the chinese pheasant brought in by the state to stabilize the ring neck).

They are regulated by the state and have a scheduled hunting season. It would be ill advised to shoot the pheasant. And he will survive just fine in the cold.
Many people raise them and release them into the wild to help bring the species back as there aren't that many. And yes many are raised on game farms.

I would enjoy his presence.... come spring, he'll leave looking for a girl friend, it looks like he's young. (white over eyes).