Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[kimmie6067]

well I am now 2 pullets less. and my olive egger project that I was SO excited about is not going to happen this year. My splash marans pullet's insides were outside, so we culled her immediately, and while we were at it we culled the splash wyandotte pullet that we've had problems with her butt since day 1.

That marans was the only reason I've kept the EE roo around. When this bag of food is gone, I'm going to make a final decision on who to keep, and make the rest into dinner (the roos, not the pullets).


My crested pullets heads look awful from all the feather pulling too. This is not a good day.

So sorry to hear this news.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Other than there is still a coffee pot on in the coffee maker? or at least looks like it...

also, the teacup doesn't match the dishes in the cupboard...

I can see how it looks like there's a pot still there but there's no discernible handle. I keep looking at it but I don't see it. Just sayin'.

 

[Lisa and girls]

I am so glad most of the snow missed us. It is pretty when you don't have to be in it.  We only have a few inches.  I'm off to attempt a gluten free cake for my mom's birthday.
I showed this to DH last night.  His response was " you never let the roosters use the good china."

Lollll

 

[naglady]

Driving home in unplowed roads with about 6 inches of snow this snowstorm is quite nerve wracking, thankfully I was using my dad's 4 wheel drive pickup truck with heavy load in the bed of the truck.


Some pictures during the snowstorm

Old barn on neighbor's land



Snow covered creek in the woods with Jade my dog.


Cows waiting for their yummy hay


Yes, Maybelle have a nose pokey thing on her nose, its the only way that she can't nurse.

you take awesome pictures. love them, glad you made it home safe

 

[SillyChicken]

Driving home in unplowed roads with about 6 inches of snow this snowstorm is quite nerve wracking, thankfully I was using my dad's 4 wheel drive pickup truck with heavy load in the bed of the truck.


Some pictures during the snowstorm

Old barn on neighbor's land

Man, would I love to have that barn!

 

[SillyChicken]

Raz, were your ears ringing this morning?

We were discussing your chicken situation over coffee this morning. Basically, about the general direction of society these days... how back in the day, 99% of our food came from small farms, and now maybe only 2% of our food comes from there....... the rest is commercial or imported.

I had a co-worker approach me all excited cause he just discovered the MRTF law.. he wants a couple dexter cows to raise but his township wouldn't allow it! I laughed and told him he should have come to talk to me sooner!

So, how are we standing? Did they ever select a committee to address the GAAMPs or are they hoping to sweep it under the rug?

 

[Farmerboy16]

Old barn on neighbor's land

Man, would I love to have that barn!

If no one has made an offer that the owner wants it for the land by August, I will start a land Contract with the owner, and the first thing I will do is fix that barn!!! It needs lots of TLC! Overall the structure is sound, but the foundation needs to be replaced, and new roof.

 

[KrisRose]

I got attacked for the first time by a goose today. Kris- I have changed the name of the the gander I got through you, his name is now Mudd . Luckily I was dressed for the weather with layers or I think he would have broken skin. I had to pull him off. So I carried him around for a few minutes and insulted him tremendously. He's picked one of my geese to chum around with, so I may have babies this year!!

Bahahaha!! They are stinkers! Keep showing him that you rule and he will be better. However- never trust a gander. Esp during breeding season.
If they do clamp down on skin, like yer fingers. Dont pull them out. The inside of their bills are like potato peelers . Grab the sides of the bill where it attaches to head and squeeze. They should open their months so your fingers come out whole. They will be pretty bruised though. I have hand feed my gander wheat bread which is not a good thing to teach them .
Sue has asked after Lucy, now Mudd hehe. She hand raised him and was wondering if he bonded with your female as well as her two did.

 

[RaZ]

Raz, were your ears ringing this morning?

We were discussing your chicken situation over coffee this morning. Basically, about the general direction of society these days... how back in the day, 99% of our food came from small farms, and now maybe only 2% of our food comes from there....... the rest is commercial or imported.

I had a co-worker approach me all excited cause he just discovered the MRTF law.. he wants a couple dexter cows to raise but his township wouldn't allow it! I laughed and told him he should have come to talk to me sooner!

So, how are we standing? Did they ever select a committee to address the GAAMPs or are they hoping to sweep it under the rug?

The Site Selection committee has met via telephone and they decided not to include Wingless and myself on the committee. However, they did ask us to address the first face-to-face meeting on April 12 in East Lansing. We are working on what we want to say to them.

Meanwhile the Michigan Small Farm Council (MSFC) has been organized and we could use some help if people are interesting in preserving their own farm operations.

 

[lhawes]

About the hawks... I had to start leaving my birds in their run after a hawk decided it was prime feeding ground. Lost 3 birds in a matter of days. Then it still kept coming back and attacking even when I was with in feet of my birds. My run, the part I needed to cover is 12 wide and 20 long. I wish I had covered it in a pitched roof instead of a rounded, and used metal instead of PVC, but what's done is done. I will gradually over the summer start building the pitched instead until I have wood to come down from the top center to the side. So far I haven't had to much of a problem after adding in more supports after the first heavy snows. I was very terrified that parts would come down before then... Anyway, all I can say is I am happy to have finished the covered run. I do not begrudge the hawks an occasional meal, but I do begrudge them an open buffet on a continuous basis, especially when there are so many birds about that aren't mine!

Our grazing area is a lot bigger than yours.. pretty much free range them in about 1/4 acre. Only reason we have it fenced is to keep our dogs out really. It is getting a little bigger once we add the goats too. So, covering it is a bit difficult. We are thinking of covering at least a smaller area of it to help a little. We will also be putting covered areas throughout the area for the goats to seek shelter during the rain/snow, but the chickens might use that too.