Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[naglady]

I just had to share, I have been wanting a sizzle and I think one of the silkies I hatched last week finally fulfilled my wish!

They are so cute..

 

[tjbeckman]

Thanks again to whoever refered me to Crazy Chicken Ranch. I have contacted them and will be able to buy a couple hens in April. Sorry I can't remember who refered me but THANKS!

You Bet mrcush, I am really excited to have found them too.

On a sadder note we lost a hen yesterday. My little sister found her around 11am, I had only let them out at 8:30. My sister is only 9 but managed to dig a hole a bury her, all the while crying before she even called me. She said that the chickens head had no skin on it and the eyes were gone... I know that's vivid but just wondered if this sounded like a certain type of critter?

 

[tjbeckman]

Ok here is something I found funny:

http://screen.yahoo.com/looks-goat-sounds-chicken-083000404.html

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

Ok here is something I found funny:

http://screen.yahoo.com/looks-goat-sounds-chicken-083000404.html

 

[Farmerboy16]

I get all of my seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom. Great place to get old timer, and GMO-free seeds.

I'm guessing that then manure is aged or composted already.  Use the oldest material first.

You have a perfect opportunity to experiment.  You could divide the bed into thirds: 1/3 all manure; 1/3 a 50/50 mix of manure and soil. last 1/3 just plain top soil.  It could be interesting.

Thanks RaZ, I might try that. Most of the manure I have is fresh, or rather will be when I do spring cleaning on all the coops, and sheds. But do have a few piles of aged stuff dotting the garden, but the chickens and the hogs have somewhat smooth them over.... I have an idea, feel free to drown that in cold water if it not a good idea. I can take all of the fresh manure, and fill up the beds with them, then make 5 gal bucket size holes where I want the plants to be, fill those holes with topsoil. That way the young plants won't get burned by the "hot" manure, and by the time the roots grow beyond the topsoil, the manure should have aged enough that it should not be "hot" anymore. Any thoughts on that? I am getting about 100 strawberry plants, and have enough of rough cut cottonwood planks to make quite a few beds. Will want to transplant my Raspberry bushes to the beds, and my Rhubarb, and Asparagus too. That way I don't have to worry if the hogs dig them up while they are in the garden for the winter, plus to make weeding them easier, and keep them contained.

 

[Farmerboy16]

A lot of my July hatched chickens are laying now. Woo Hoo!

 

[NovaAman]

You Bet mrcush, I am really excited to have found them too.

On a sadder note we lost a hen yesterday. My little sister found her around 11am, I had only let them out at 8:30. My sister is only 9 but managed to dig a hole a bury her, all the while crying before she even called me. She said that the chickens head had no skin on it and the eyes were gone... I know that's vivid but just wondered if this sounded like a certain type of critter?

sorry bout your hen... hawks start with the head and neck. Usually, I find very little of the head and neck left at all, but skull after a hawk has started on them..

 

[chickflick]

Ok here is something I found funny:

http://screen.yahoo.com/looks-goat-sounds-chicken-083000404.html

 

[tjbeckman]

Yikes just woke up to no power. Time to curl back in bed with the dogs and stay warm will check in later

 

[1muttsfan]

No power here this morning - and I have the flu, and there are eggs in the incubator

So, out in the10 degree morning dark to fire up the generator. Which had a dead battery, despite being plugged into a trickle charger. Have to check on that later.

Jump started the generator. Power now on to potential chicks. But, power cord that plugs into the house to power the furnace, water pump, refrigerator and outlets does not fit the outside house plug - never realized that there were two different configurations of the plugs.

Down to the office to pick up the other cord.

Come home to find power is now on

. BTW, other cord fits fine.