Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[snowflake]

Good Morning all, forsythia branches are blooming in the house. love to bring a few in and force to open,. Hope to get the run cleaned out today, Got the back 1/2 fenced off for a breeding pin, need to get a coop in there yet. hopefully next week.

Happy Easter

 

[Wrightsx4]

I'm trying to catch up on reading here, I'm way behind. We lost our favorite little hen Wednesday, the single-hatch salmon faverolles we incubated last September. She never liked being outside unless she was being held by one of us, she was our lap chicken - my kids (and I) spoiled her rotten. Baby was 28 weeks old and had been laying little eggs for us for about a month - on the ground in her corner. She's also the one that wouldn't jump up onto the roost but waited for me to put her up there at night. So anyway, she was inside the coop early afternoon on Wednesday, it was really sunny and beautiful out so the other chickens were outside the pen dustbathing under our old truck. The gate was open so they layers could come and go as needed. The kids and my husband were outside - never imagined this would happen, but a raccoon went into our coop and killed her. My daughter walked in on it and we were able to rescue another hen but it was too late for Baby. I don't have anymore of her eggs we always eat them first because of their size I don't save them to sell. I have one in my incubator right now on day 12. I'm so mad at myself for only including one, but it seemed irrational to even set one until her eggs got bigger. I'm glad I did though. Not sure if her personality was unique or common for a SF, but she was the sweetest girl. Raccoons - I always worried about them and made sure to have everyone locked up safe before dusk, but this one was a bad surprise.

 

[tdhenson86]

I'm trying to catch up on reading here, I'm way behind. We lost our favorite little hen Wednesday, the single-hatch salmon faverolles we incubated last September. She never liked being outside unless she was being held by one of us, she was our lap chicken - my kids (and I) spoiled her rotten. Baby was 28 weeks old and had been laying little eggs for us for about a month - on the ground in her corner. She's also the one that wouldn't jump up onto the roost but waited for me to put her up there at night. So anyway, she was inside the coop early afternoon on Wednesday, it was really sunny and beautiful out so the other chickens were outside the pen dustbathing under our old truck. The gate was open so they layers could come and go as needed. The kids and my husband were outside - never imagined this would happen, but a raccoon went into our coop and killed her. My daughter walked in on it and we were able to rescue another hen but it was too late for Baby. I don't have anymore of her eggs

we always eat them first because of their size I don't save them to sell. I have one in my incubator right now on day 12. I'm so mad at myself for only including one, but it seemed irrational to even set one until her eggs got bigger. I'm glad I did though. Not sure if her personality was unique or common for a SF, but she was the sweetest girl. Raccoons - I always worried about them and made sure to have everyone locked up safe before dusk, but this one was a bad surprise.

I'm so sorry to hear about your little hen, but I sure hope that egg hatches and you get a wonderful chick to remind you of her!

 

[NovaAman]

As, Wright... Sam fav eggs stay small. Mine are medium, I don't sell them if I can help it. I will give the away for free to co workers when I have A LOT. I hate day time coon raids. I mean, how do you protect against that, even when you are outside? That's how I lost my Mr. Fluffers. He beat the crap out of that coon, didn't lose a single hen, lot of ripped out tails, side feathers, scratches and such, but he took a beating also, broken wing and internal injuries... Was devastating too. I've got a bunch of faverolles and mutts that are fav crosses. Love these birds. I lost my Fav hen, Buffy, to a hawk 2 November's ago. I had a broody silkie, and I shoved her eggs under her. Her last eggs, a pure and a silkie cross, they are running around my yard. Rod Stewart, the cross, is my head roo.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Thanks all. Yeah, that's the hard part - right in the middle of the afternoon. That raccoon won't do it again but I feel like I don't dare take my eyes off my chickens anymore. Hoping this egg hatches. Itll most likely be a sf/ee cross since she was always with my silver ee. Either way I will definitely get more SF to try to get one similar to her.

 

[naglady]

well i still have a live one in the incubator this am.. not hatched.. i am just wondering how healthy it is. or if its has any defects..

 

[Whatshisface]

Wow, that stinks sorry to hear about your chicken Wrightsx4. I don’t know if this will help in the future, but I keep a live trap out by my coop. I hope the Raccoon will go for the food he/she doesn’t have to chase first. If they do, they are mine. I’ve caught many Raccoon and opossum in these live traps but always at night, so far.

 

[naglady]

My chick hatched.. still attached to the shell with umbilicus to butt.. is that normal.. i am hoping it dries.. and unattaches..

i just left it be.. and chick is pretty strong.. so fingers crossed.. i know i may not be out of the woods yet..

 

[Maah]

Wright, so sorry about your chicken. I hope that egg hatches for you and you get a nice hen!!

Naglady,

so glad you had a chick hatch!

The umbilical will dry up.

I have had 3 chicks hatch this morning and currently have another zipping. Three more eggs with pips so far...

 

[snowflake]

I'm trying to catch before dusk, but this one was a bad surprise.

soo sorry about the coon attack, They are a real problem

Wright, so sorry about your chicken. I hope that egg hatches for you and you get a nice hen!!

Naglady,

so glad you had a chick hatch!

The umbilical will dry up.

I have had 3 chicks hatch this morning and currently have another zipping. Three more eggs with pips so far...

congrats for the new chicks.sorry you only got 1 naglady, hope it survives