Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[drumstick diva]

Gladahmae -hope you get the eggs out before they stink. I have a fleet of those bamboo back scratchers from dollar tree, they have a curve- like fingers at the end and are perfect for dog toys from under furniture, eggs from tight places, etc.etc. I also use them to push or pull mousetraps without having to touch them. They are handy for so many reasons. especially since I am so short- makes me more independent.

 

[Trefoil]

Wow, small town, I am in Millington also!

Great! This area is getting pretty well represented here. I don't suppose you have any white LF cochins? I want a couple of pullets,chicks, or even older hens. If you ever need a rooster, I've got em. Cochin, silkie, or rosecomb leghorn.

 

[babigyrl22]

Obviously the sooner you can identify that the bird is in fact a cockerel the easier it is to dispatch them.  I recommend doing a cervical separation where you hold the body with one hand and the head with the other.  A quick pull separates the cervical spine and death occurs rather quickly and is blood free.

Thanks. This is exactly what I should have done once I suspected the two cockerels in the mix but I figured a bantam wouldn't be so bad. Yeah, my mistake but now I know.

 

[Opa]

Another good day is well underway. The sun will be up in a couple of hours and I will be sitting in my deer blind watching it break over the hill. Being awake and alert to witness the beginning of the new day is one of life's small miracles.

 

[EMAW]

Good Morning Michigan,
It has been a while since I have been around. The move and transition back to the States was more difficult for the family than we anticipated. We are finally settled into an apartment and will move into our house in Feb.

No way to catch up on what has happened over the last 6 months here so all I will say is I hope everyone is well.

I am currently working with our township to better define and receive a variance to the zoning laws to allow fowl and sheep. Right now the reg. reads 2 head of livestock (cow/horse size), but they seem very receptive to allow a change but we will see. I have gone ahead and placed an order for chickens for May, it’s going to be a colorful mix (4xMaran, 2x Buff Orpington, 2xEE, 2xSpeckled Sussex, 2xGolden Buff, 2xSilver Grey Dorking, 1xMystery Egg layer). Lots of building and fencing to do next spring, I am going to be spending a lot of time on craigslist and at the habitat store looking for good deals.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi Emaw, welcome back to the US and here

 

[tjbeckman]

Great! This area is getting pretty well represented here. I don't suppose you have any white LF cochins? I want a couple of pullets,chicks, or even older hens. If you ever need a rooster, I've got em. Cochin, silkie, or rosecomb leghorn.

I don't I am actually just getting a flock started. I grew up with them and have missed them. I also have two younger sisters who I am getting involved in 4H as I am a leader. I am thinking some sort of Bantam for them for showing since they are smaller. I am planning to get them each a meat pen to sell too. I am thinking about heading to Marlette after Christmas to see what they have for birds there. Have you ever bought there before?

 

[Farmerboy16]

They don't look very remorseful.  Glad you got time off to get things done.  Are you going to sell any of your June or new piglets?  What is the milk treated with?




 

No they don't! They still want my attention, etc, of course I being somewhat a forgiving person, have to cave in to November's "scratch my face" looks, which I do.


Most June piglets and yet-to-be-born piglets are for sale, although the piglets can't leave their mothers until 6 weeks old. When cows are treated for Mastitis, their milk does not go in the milk tank, but gets dumped in the drain, so free food for the pigs, but if the any pigs are going to be slaughtered, I will withhold the milk for a few weeks before being slaughtered. Other than that, I hear that milk fed pigs taste great, better than store brought pork.

 

[gladahmae]

Took a leaf rake, a garden rake, and a porch balluster out and fished around under the coop this morning (while the girls pecked at my boots and legs) and managed to get 3 more eggs out. They're all the same size, shape, and color, so hopefully I only had ONE naughty girl hiding them. If there are any more under there, I can't reach them and hopefully they crack over the winter instead of exploding in the spring.

I'm loving the speckled eggs I'm getting from my girls!


Anyone have an idea of who lays what color? I'm guessing the far left is from the sex-links since the eggs that color are generally the largest, and on the far right from the barred rock, since I get one every day and one of our BRs is usually sitting on it (and others) when I go check for eggs. Is the lighter egg maybe from the orpingtons? I get those less frequently......

This guy is going to be really lovely when he finishes getting all his saddle and hackle feathers. He's actually got more red than this, but the dreary weather isn't providing me with enough natural light to capture it. Let's hope he's well-behaved, since he's my only pea-combed roo. (We'll be changing he band out for a larger size tonight when DH is home to help me corral him)



Anyone want a cute little rooster?

I think he's maybe an EE x speckled sussex mix? I love his polka dots, but he's one of the ones that's not going to see summer.

 

[Herducks]

I am hating the dreary weather. I moved my coop up the hill a little to get my little ones out of the mud. I think they are much happier. I need to get a larger coop built for them though. I have 13 young ones in a coop that should house 3-4 adults. So far they have been fine, but I need to get them moved to a larger coop ASAP!