Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RaZ]

Raz, Is there a minimum acreage?

For a farm??
No.
There is no described definition for the area that you need. State and federal statute do not put definitions on area.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

RaZ, sorry I am late to the game. I looked back thru-- what happened? I knew abt the Census & all that...

Also, anyone around with Rainbow Rangers? Or tips to add chickens to my flock of 9 Ducks (please see my other thread over in the Ducks Forum)

 

[BobBry]

Eh - got completely wiped out Thursday. Hubby and I checked around the coop and with the tracks came up with a weasel. I was set and determined it was a wily, ninja raccoon but it's proof positive now. Have you seen the picture of these cute buggers?? You would never suspect they're serial killers. So my 5 silly silkies, easter egger and Light Brahma are gone. Well, at least I can begin again, alittle smarter about birds. Less silkies (though I ADORE them) and some "real" chickens as my hubby would call them. I imagine by February all the wildlife is good and hungry.

Sorry for your loss. That really hurts. Weasels are so hard to protect against.

 

[BentoMinion]

My incubator came yesterday! It would have been here Friday, but our road was not very passable till later in the day.

I set it up and it help temp for 12 hours consistently. It is a still air hoover bator. I have it sitting on my counter. lol I am having problems deciding if I want to hatch chickens or quail first. I was thinking quail, but now I am thinking chickens. Hmm..... I already built a... brooder? Where you put the chicks for the first few weeks till they get feathers. I still need to pick up the heat lamp, but I know where to get one and I though I would when I picked up the feed.

I still need to build the coop and the run. I do have some boards for the run already and this week will pick up wood for the coop plus the wire needed.

 

[BentoMinion]

I am so sorry for your loss Zengrrl

 

[Chambertin]

Keep them in the incubator until the feathers dry, then in the brooder.
They come out of the egg feathered, just wet.

 

[SillyChicken]

My incubator came yesterday! It would have been here Friday, but our road was not very passable till later in the day.

I set it up and it help temp for 12 hours consistently. It is a still air hoover bator. I have it sitting on my counter. lol I am having problems deciding if I want to hatch chickens or quail first. I was thinking quail, but now I am thinking chickens. Hmm..... I already built a... brooder? Where you put the chicks for the first few weeks till they get feathers. I still need to pick up the heat lamp, but I know where to get one and I though I would when I picked up the feed.

I still need to build the coop and the run. I do have some boards for the run already and this week will pick up wood for the coop plus the wire needed.

sounds like you're off to a good start!

When you build your coop, build it bigger than you think you need it. They never end up being big enough! Also, make sure that its EASY for you to clean it!

 

[naglady]

Eh - got completely wiped out Thursday. Hubby and I checked around the coop and with the tracks came up with a weasel. I was set and determined it was a wily, ninja raccoon but it's proof positive now. Have you seen the picture of these cute buggers?? You would never suspect they're serial killers. So my 5 silly silkies, easter egger and Light Brahma are gone. Well, at least I can begin again, alittle smarter about birds. Less silkies (though I ADORE them) and some "real" chickens as my hubby would call them. I imagine by February all the wildlife is good and hungry.

So sorry to hear about your loss

Right now, we are mostly in the "organization phase" of becoming an organization.
The website should be up and running by the end of the weekend.

The main thrust of this organization is that the Ag Commission listened to a few of us over the past 6-8 months as we talked about backyard poultry. We spoke as individuals and how the MRTFA and GAAMPs affected us. We researched and presented to them how changes would (might) affect a majority of small farming operations.

A couple of the commissioners recognized that there is a growing movement of people who want to provide agriculture for themselves and share with their neighbors. It was suggested that we organize to better present our views with state officials. Thus, the MSFC was formed.

We are not just "chicken people", we are everyone who has a stake in agriculture in all of its forms. We are the people who may be steam-rolled by local ordinances that try to prevent us from sustaining ourselves and/or making a living.

I have asked that Michigan people address the commissioners and they have done so. Several have attended the meetings and spoke in favour of backyard poultry and small farm operations. Many have written letters and sent e-mails in favour of self-sustainability. Those individual voices were heard. However, our voices carry more weight if we are organized.

This is just my opinion, but I think that if we continue to send letters and e-mails supporting our rights to raise our own food sources we can get the powers that be to recognize that we have the right to do so. So I'll ask again that you contact your representatives with your opinions.

 

[1muttsfan]

Zengrrl, sorry to hear about your birds - hard to have all your hard work disappear like that.

 

[snowflake]

I had a broody silkie, but she gave it up - I think she finally realized no one in the banty coop was actually laying eggs.

Snowflake, I will be working the weekend of Chickenstock this year

- but I do travel down to Lansing to visit my folks periodically. Did you have a breed in mind? I will be concentrating this year on the Basques (I really do like them) and hopefully Cream Legbars, with possibly a sex-link cross of Cream Legbar roo over Delaware hens - producing Delaware pattern hens with crests that lay green eggs. I have so far managed to hatch out 3 CL chicks from the appx 30 eggs shipped more or less 3 weeks ago - not great, but 2 are pullets. My older ones are 3 months old and will hopefully start laying in the spring.

That is so sad, CS is much more fun then work, I think I would like 3 Basques hens if you can manage, if young chicks maybe 4 in hopes of getting at least 2 hens. I am close enough to lansing that it is an easy trip to make almost any time. let me know when it is convenient for you( not to soon as it is very cold) and how much, it took awhile for the hen to come up to us but she is now at the head of the group when I go out side The roo was friendly from the start and is very talkative. Love him

While spring is still a ways off once the turkey vultures return it's well on it's way.

no turkey vultures here yet, but it is so cool when they come, and the sand hills, both are harbingers of spring

Eh - got completely wiped out

SO sorry to hear this. Glad you are not giving up, can you tell how it got it?? weasels are tough, one of my greatest fears, I know they are in the area but have not had any come up here