Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Elyssia001]

Ugh Furnace is out today and it's ruining my plans for the entire week.

I love the recommendation for seeds, I was looking at www.seedsofchange.com but they wanted so much, that it was going to cost me $60+ to get just the seeds, not to mention I want to get a seeding soil block maker, and a growing light to start the seedlings here in a few weeks.

 

[RIRJen]

POKE POKE....I see you Robin!!!

 

[RBahmer]

Safeguard only treats barberspole worm and the brown stomach worm. It can also treat an infection of meningeal worm (ivermectin can prevent, but once the worm infects an animal, only safeguard can pass the brain/blood barrier to kill the parasite in the meninges). Many parasites are now resistant to Safeguard though, so it likely won't do you any good. It may still work in your area, but most places, it is sadly useless. Ivermectin or valbazen will work though, and those treat more types of parasites, too.

Before you worm you sheep, please get a fecal test done on at least a few of them. If you DO have a worm problem, you will know exactly what type of worm you are dealing with, and the load level. That way, you can treat with the proper wormer. Remember to never underdose, that helps lead to resistant parasites.

I agree with what you say on the Safeguard. I have had really good luck with my sheep using sheep ivermectin and valbazen. Need to be careful with the valbazen if they are bred though. I start out in the spring every year using the sheep ivermectin and then the next worming is valbazen. I have lambs due in February. My fall worming is usually ivermectin as that is when the ram goes in with the ewes.

 

[RBahmer]

POKE POKE....I see you Robin!!!

LOL I see you too Jen. How's the trip planning coming ?

 

[ladyrsanti]

I usually try my best to hold out until February before I start ordering seeds but you guys are making it tough. It's the LOOOOOONGEST, shortest, coldest month, perfect for garden dreaming. Then my sister and I do a swap of the seeds we ordered so we have extra cool stuff in our gardens and lots of variety. She's been perusing the catalogs already too, I hear. Both of us prefer the heirloom varieties. She's also given me some native plant seeds that she collects and grows, being an ecologist and all, she knows what's what. I keep my seeds in an old lunch box that I bought at an estate sale for pennies. Sometimes I find it's not big enough though. I really do need to go through it and ditch all the old packets. Some are very outdated.



So I broke down and bought a stock tank de-icer for the sheep. I got tired of kicking the bucket an it's going to be getting colder starting today.

The 50W aquarium heater is so far working in the nipple waterers, though I think I might increase the amount of time it's heating because now and again one of the nipples will freeze up. I still have it on for a half an hour and off for a half an hour. But it's working pretty good overall and I'm pleased.

My BR hen that was wasting is doing better and none too soon. I was about to put her down. I can't say it's the de-worming for certain or that she's in the clear but it was a bit interesting that she perked up the same day as the treatment. Still no evidence of worms though. I have to find some ivermectin now for next week. I was at TSC yesterday and staring at the display case, wondering which to get. I wasn't sure so I didn't buy any.

IT'S FINALLY SNOWING!!!

 

[RIRJen]

LOL I see you too Jen. How's the trip planning coming ?

We were thinking of heading down next month but I'm thinking more like middle/end of March-ish.

 

[RBahmer]

We were thinking of heading down next month but I'm thinking more like middle/end of March-ish.

Oh cool. Get a list yet ? lol

 

[gladahmae]

I was at TSC yesterday and staring at the display case, wondering which to get. I wasn't sure so I didn't buy any.

IT'S FINALLY SNOWING!!!

I got the generic pour on. It was $15 I think?

Snowing here too, and a whopping 7 deg.

That'll probably be the high for today. DH called me this morning, worried that we need to do something for the big girls to help them keep warm. I might get some of the cardboard out of the basement this morning and kind of 'box in' their roost bars so that their body heat doesn't dissipate so quickly. Of course, they'll probably just try to roost on top of it then.

We had a birthday party for DS2 yesterday. And I closed at work on Saturday night, and then opened on Sunday morning and then helped finish cleaning up when I got home from work. So, no eggs got collected until almost 8pm last night. Needless to say, they were all frozen and cracked. BUT. I am going to start keeping all of them now!! It's been 2 weeks since the last worming. WOOOHOOOOO!!

 

[RBahmer]

Morning Kim

 

[RIRJen]

Oh cool. Get a list yet ? lol

Not yet...I know I've probably got a splash rooster for you though! Oh...and I have fertile eggs out of the blue/black pen that has two splash roosters covering the hens! There was one blue "hen" in there that I kept eye balling and it occurred to me that she is a HE lol. Really pretty boy! He's now in the coop with my showgirls. I have blue, partridge and white showgirls from last years hatches so this years hatches should be fun!