Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Opa]

It's almost impossible to believe but the 5am temperature is above freezing. Could it be that spring is actually coming? I know that winter seems longer than it used to. I suppose the reality is that the physical limitations that aging is starting to impose have made winter less enjoyable. If you're not skiing, two or three snow storms are more than a sufficient quantity to slake my desire to observe nature's winter beauty. If you're not ice fishing, enough ice to fill you glass is adequate.



While I've been up since I've avoided starting the coffee until someone else is awake to share the pot with me. A Folgers coffee jingle proclaiming the best part of waking just played and coincidentally Hope awoke so I guess it's coffee time. I love how quickly my Bunn coffee maker brews a pot of coffee but sometimes I miss my old percolator coffee pot. While the drip style pots brew a good pot of coffee and you are still treated to the aroma of a fresh brew, I miss the morning symphony. Most of you probably aren't old enough to remember when coffee commercials featured the sound of a brewing pot.

 

[Maah]

Not to sound repetitive but... Where is spring already? These chicks are getting stinky! The brooders were cleaned out last night, and already this morning my office is smelly gross.

I have a broody hen again. Our Black Australorp has decided she would like some babies. She picked the worst nest box of the bunch. I understand her reasoning for it... it's the highest up and on the end, so none of the other girls will be crossing her path. Not only does she pretty much have to do acrobatics to get to the box, but it's also the one closest to the door! Whenever we open the coop door to collect eggs she puffs up and crabs at us. Well don't pick that spot honey! I tried to set her up on a nest box on the floor of the coop. Nope... too close of proximity for some of the other hens wanting water.

She's sitting on fake eggs right now. I would like to give her some of our silkie eggs to hatch, but not sure I want her hatching silkie babies in the rafters! Ok, the nest box is about chest height... not the rafters, but still. Any suggestions?

 

[Lisa and girls]

Same problem with my office. I love having babies I'm the house, but man, I am cleaning twice a day. Ready to boot them to the garage!

 

[snowflake]

It's almost impossible to believe but the 5am temperature is above freezing. Could it be that spring is actually coming? I know that winter seems longer than it used to. I suppose the reality is that the physical limitations that aging is starting to impose have made winter less enjoyable. If you're not skiing, two or three snow storms are more than a sufficient quantity to slake my desire to observe nature's winter beauty. If you're not ice fishing, enough ice to fill you glass is adequate.



While I've been up since I've avoided starting the coffee until someone else is awake to share the pot with me. A Folgers coffee jingle proclaiming the best part of waking just played and coincidentally Hope awoke so I guess it's coffee time. I love how quickly my Bunn coffee maker brews a pot of coffee but sometimes I miss my old percolator coffee pot. While the drip style pots brew a good pot of coffee and you are still treated to the aroma of a fresh brew, I miss the morning symphony. Most of you probably aren't old enough to remember when coffee commercials featured the sound of a brewing pot.

have to agree, ENOUGH winter, seems to start later in the yr, and stay way to long!!!

some times I get the old coffee pot out just to fill the house with coffee smell, I don't drink coffee, but my son does and he has one of those nice 1 cup coffee makers, just not enough smell, I LOVE the smell of coffee,

Hope it gets up to at least 40 today, I need to get out to the barn and clean out the brooder for my daughter and clean up my oldest daughters car so we can try to sell it.

Still no word of chicken grandma, Hope she is OK

 

[NovaAman]

Not to sound repetitive but... Where is spring already?  These chicks are getting stinky!  The brooders were cleaned out last night, and already this morning my office is smelly gross. 

I have a broody hen again.  Our Black Australorp has decided she would like some babies.  She picked the worst nest box of the bunch.  I understand her reasoning for it... it's the highest up and on the end, so none of the other girls will be crossing her path.  Not only does she pretty much have to do acrobatics to get to the box, but it's also the one closest to the door!  Whenever we open the coop door to collect eggs she puffs up and crabs at us.  Well don't pick that spot honey!  I tried to set her up on a nest box on the floor of the coop.  Nope... too close of proximity for some of the other hens wanting water. 

She's sitting on fake eggs right now.  I would like to give her some of our silkie eggs to hatch, but not sure I want her hatching silkie babies in the rafters!  Ok, the nest box is about chest height... not the rafters, but still.  Any suggestions? 

Some may not agree...mark the eggs, leave her where she is, the day before hatch day, move her and the eggs to confinement so she can't go back to the high nest, and no hens can get at her. If you can, build a broody coop that you can lock her in. Needn't be big, 2x2-2x4... Mine are 2x4 and 3x3.5.

 

[tdhenson86]

have to agree, ENOUGH winter, seems to start later in the yr, and stay way to long!!!

some times I get the old coffee pot out just to fill the house with coffee smell, I don't drink coffee, but my son does and he has one of those nice 1 cup coffee makers, just not enough smell, I LOVE the smell of coffee,

Hope it gets up to at least 40 today, I need to get out to the barn and clean out the brooder for my daughter and clean up my oldest daughters car so we can try to sell it.

Still no word of chicken grandma, Hope she is OK

You know, they make coffee scented candles.

OR, you could just join the rest of us and start drinking it.

 

[naglady]

My mother just took her dog Ally to the vet. Her last trip to the vet. In the past few months, the old girl has been going downhill. Most recently, there has been a radical shift in her behavior, such as increased aggression with no provocation. The other dog or cat may walk by her and suddenly get attacked. Even towards humans she's shown a lot of aggression. She's been on pain medication for mild arthritis, so that isn't the cause of her change.

Ally is a beagle mix who has always had 'issues'. She went through four homes (two of which dumped her, including a family that officially adopted her from a shelter, then decided they didn't want her, but tossed her rather than bring her back). She suffered abuse in her past homes, we know that. But she's never been this bad. We knew things she was sensitive to, and behaved accordingly. It makes me sad, but we've had her 11 years (she was two when we adopted her) and loved her very much in that time.

So sorry to hear about ally..

It's almost impossible to believe but the 5am temperature is above freezing. Could it be that spring is actually coming? I know that winter seems longer than it used to. I suppose the reality is that the physical limitations that aging is starting to impose have made winter less enjoyable. If you're not skiing, two or three snow storms are more than a sufficient quantity to slake my desire to observe nature's winter beauty. If you're not ice fishing, enough ice to fill you glass is adequate.



While I've been up since I've avoided starting the coffee until someone else is awake to share the pot with me. A Folgers coffee jingle proclaiming the best part of waking just played and coincidentally Hope awoke so I guess it's coffee time. I love how quickly my Bunn coffee maker brews a pot of coffee but sometimes I miss my old percolator coffee pot. While the drip style pots brew a good pot of coffee and you are still treated to the aroma of a fresh brew, I miss the morning symphony. Most of you probably aren't old enough to remember when coffee commercials featured the sound of a brewing

oh yeah i remember those commercials.. and now i have the brewing pot sound commercial going thru my head.. thanks alot.. lol

 

[naglady]

I am offering up some of my partridge rock hens. Born last August. Excellent layers. The reason being, I want to diversify my flock and I have 8 of those girls. Friendly and get VERY excited around treat time. They'll jump up and nip at your fingertips if your wearing nail polish just in case it might be something yummy. Beautiful healthy birds. Free to a good home. If interested pm me!
Here's a few of them saying good morning.

where are you located..

 

[ladyrsanti]

Those partridge hens are pretty, like flames. If I didn't have chicks coming out of my ears, I'd be all over them.

So I got rid of one dozen eggs today. One of my husband's coworkers sent him home with a bag of spent beer mash and an empty egg carton.

Fermented grains for my chickies, eggs for them. Sounds like a deal.

On the down side, I've got a cold coming on big time.

Always this time of year it seems. I've been lucky so far - haven't been sick all winter. Guess it caught up with me.

 

[Lisa and girls]

The ladies have been adopted and are going to a good home. Thanks all for the interest!
Lady, I hate spring colds. They are the worst! Feel better soon.