Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[naglady]

Everyone's getting cute little fuzzbutts! They're irresistible. Our TSC doesn't have any EE last I checked. It would be nice to add one more colored egg-layer.

That kid is adorable Daron!

Anyway, we just got back from Traverse City and the FRC competition. If you're interested in what it's like (nonstop chaos) check out my short youtube video:

And of course, I drove out on the peninsula and bought some wine. Can't go out there and not. I LOVE MICHIGAN!

Grand Traverse Bay from the Mission Point Lighthouse


My youngest two in front of a snowberg in the parkin

Couldn't stand it. Saw some fuzzballs at TSC and had to take some home. I have four each of Black Jersey Giants, GLW's and Ameracaunas.

Congrats on your new babies, now that i have the bator out and warming, i am thinking i better not go into a tsc because what happens if alot of my eggs hatch and i already have chicks from tsc..

 

[RaZ]

Perhaps "sugarring" is street slang for meth?

http://finance.yahoo.com/video/drug-agents-raid-home-meth-124000172.html

Just like chickens are a gateway drug to keeping cows...

 

[1muttsfan]

I am up in Marquette for the weekend, low in the 1's at night and many feet of snow, but the TSC here had bins of chicks. Unfortunately they were not being kept at warm enough a temp, and I feel certain that even though I tactfully pointed out to the manager that the chicks were too cold I am sure if I went back they would still be at 85 degrees and piled up cheeping at one corner. Ugh.

I think two of the cochins are laying so far, I have seen the frizzle and one of the LB's in there, and get about 2 eggs a day. Unfortunately Dryden is a long way from here or I would be happy to share them around. Another member is taking my LB/BR cochins in April, so I will only have eggs from them for a few more weeks.

 

[Maah]

what do you mean when you say broodies broke and what is the box you r refering to .. I m kinda new to this so any help you can give me is great thanx

Zeke, I don't know what post you are referring to but, when someone says they are trying to 'break a broody," they mean they don't want her trying to hatch eggs, they want her to go back and keep laying new ones. When a hen goes broody she wants to hatch chicks, some are so broody minded they will even sit on rocks, or golf balls or even nothing at all - they just stay put and sometimes don't want to leave to eat/drink or poop. Others steal eggs and have them in a nest and try hatching them.

Some people don't want the hen to be broody so they 'break her,' they usually keep her confined somewhere without a nest or bedding,in a somewhat elevated cage, so cool air flows under her.After a couple days or so, she usually forgets she wants to hatch eggs and can go back to the coop with other chickens.

Hi Zeke! Welcome to BYC!

Yes, this is exactly it. I have a hen that has been broody (wanting to hatch chicks) for over a month. I really don't mind that she went broody, in fact I think it's great that I have a hen determined to be a momma. However, she was starting to make herself frail over it by not eating or drinking. She's been sitting in her nest box and would not come out for anything. She didn't even have eggs under her. She was laying on nothing but shavings & straw. We had to physically remove her from the nest box every day so she would eat & drink. She would only eat the minimal before she'd go back into her nest box. We even tried to put food in front of her inside the box, she would not touch it. She was determined to stay in that nest until some magical babies arrived. So finally I had to break her of it, for her own health. I blocked off her nest boxes, and opened her coop up to allow in more light. This seems to have worked for her. It's been about 5 days now (I think?) and she's spending a lot of time outside... eating, getting fresh air, scratching around.

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Good morning all! Finally got caught up on the last week's worth of posts. Welcome to the newbies! Congrats on all the new chicks - I am certainly envious! We need to go to TSC and I am afraid I won't be able to control myself and end up bringing home a boxful. I keep telling myself that I have too many irons in the fire right now to add chicks!

It was an eventful week - DH ended up in the hospital - they found bleeding in his stomach but can't identify the cause. He is on meds for two months to see if that heals it. Of course, he was in on Tues night so that left the shoveling of the wet, heavy snow to me and the two little ones. I didn't even bother trying the snow thrower as I am sure it would have clogged. Everytime a truck with a snowplow or a tractor drove by, we all tried to look pitiful, but alas noone stopped to rescue us. Got DH home, he is feeling somewhat better now, still has pain in his stomach. Ended up ripping up the carpet in the kitchen (glued down). Used a large ice scraper to get the backing up. Discovered hotwater and ammonia does a great job dissolving the residual glue. Once that was done, was able to get the new tile laid. Yesterday, installed the wall base under the cabinets, caulked around the edges, finished painting the cabinet drawers. Today, the cold I have been fighting finally got me down (I am sure I picked it up at the hospital)

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DS was sick yesterday, so we didn't make it to the rabbit show at MSU. Hope that Jen and her daughter did well!

I am sitting here wondering how it got to be March 3 already....and more importantly, why do I already feel that I am behind on my spring projects?

I used my netti pot this morning and am getting some relief from the congestion. Opa has me thinking that I am going to make an applesauce spice cake and get it in the oven. A warm piece of cake should make me feel better, right?

The sun shining on the snow is dazzling today. I hope everyone enjoys their day!

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Quote:
Silly - you must be really close to me - I am about 5 miles away from there!

 

[ChicwannaB]

my TSC in Bay City had to postpone their chick shipment for some reason, all set up for them but tanks are empty till sometime this week I hope. I'd flip out if mine got in Ameraucanas!! I'm still trying to seal a deal on a swap to get some, or Aruacanas.

 

[Lisa and girls]

I forgot how much fun it is to watch baby chicks. Even watching them sleep is entertaining. Mine seem to have a fondness for standing on top of their feeder and launching themselves into a fuzzy pile of their sleeping sisters. Kinda reminds me of fuzzy bowling ball and fuzzy pins flying everywhere.

 

[tdhenson86]

my TSC in Bay City had to postpone their chick shipment for some reason, all set up for them but tanks are empty till sometime this week I hope. I'd flip out if mine got in Ameraucanas!! I'm still trying to seal a deal on a swap to get some, or Aruacanas.

Be careful. TSC calls them Ameraucanas, but they are actually just Easter Eggers. Just like 99% of hatcheries do, they call anything that lays a colored egg an "Ameraucana" even though they are not.

 

[mrshaggie810]

I got them from a BYC member, I can't think of the the name right now, Mother something. We set 11 and only 1 hatched. We had 5 alive at last candling so I'm not sure what happened.
I was thinking on taking her up on it because they wouldn't have to be shipped and you could have some. Only have to find a way to get them to you!

That would be awesome? Where are you at? I'm sure I could find a reason to go there.

Be careful. TSC calls them Ameraucanas, but they are actually just Easter Eggers. Just like 99% of hatcheries do, they call anything that lays a colored egg an "Ameraucana" even though they are not.

^^^^^ Yeah, that.