Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[snowflake]

In case you haven't heard, it has been a busy week for me.
I know several are interested in what has taken place with the MAEAP verification on Monday, Agriculture Commissioners' Meeting on Wednesday, court case Thursday and the meeting with the GAAMPs committee today.

I will summarize all of this and more to share with anyone who is interested. I just need to unwind and get things in order. Please bear with me.

RaZ
Education and Outreach Director
Michigan Small Farm Council

WOW NICE TITLE, Would be nice if it came with the right to own!!
They should also outlaw dogs and cats, people feed them outside and attract coons and rats, and they often have bigger poos, Fear is a funny thing if you play it right you can educate the ignorant to believe what you will

any how I would like very much to know how the MAEAP,GAAMPS, and court case are progressing. I thought Garden City allowed someone chickens not to long ago? I do not understand how they can deny you??

What it's that much? I didn't know that I follow Chicken Chick's blog and thats what she does, I think that's the blog well any way I will have to check how much it is here we have a lot of sand here already its nothing but sand and oak tress I don't like oaks at all.

I would love some of your sand and oaks, we have clay and junk trees. We have paid $$$$$ to get our back yard tiled sloped and water free, it still looks like a lake when it rains, It does drain off much faster, but this non-stop rain is flooding our basement, more then ever before and the run is mud, I took down at least 1/2 of the plastic in the run to get it to dry out and de-stink faster, but that too needs at least a few days of NO RAIN

Another wet and dreary day is on tap preventing much in the way of outdoor work, I am getting anxious to remove the plastic tarps for the chicken's run. While it has allowed the birds access to a snow free area it could benefit from some wind and sunshine to clear out the odors.

x2 and good morning to you also, come on over I just took some cookies out of the oven, Have to freeze them every one gets up. Want to send some to Grand Daughter in college

 

[cuppycake]

Another wet and dreary day is on tap preventing much in the way of outdoor work, I am getting anxious to remove the plastic tarps for the chicken's run. While it has allowed the birds access to a snow free area it could benefit from some wind and sunshine to clear out the odors. I think that next week I will probably place the chicks in the grow out pen. I think the temperatures are finally warm enough and the birds are sufficiently feathered to allow the move. I currently have them in several cages along the wall of the coop and their water and feed requirements require that I replenish them twice daily. With the grow out pen I can use a waterer and a feeder that will only need refilling every other day. Old guys don't need anymore work than absolutely necessary. This dismal period between brown and green that we must endure each year would be a little easier to bear if the weather would stay dry enough that I can get my yard cleaned up. The amount of fallen branches, sodden leaves, and wind blown debris that needs removing is discouraging. Once it's cleared the days will look a little brighter. .

Absolutely. Our yard is a MESS! Take the typical winter junk and add on top of it that we just moved here this winter and the people before us clearly didn't care what things looked like. Lots of cleaning to do. Just got a call from the post office that my newest eggs have arrived, yay! Waiting on DD to finish breakfast and then we'll go get them.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Quote: sand and chicken poop

 

[naglady]

2nd round in the incubator is in lockdown (day 21 this morning). Lots of rocking and rolling and new chickies peeping away inside their shells. Araucana, Araucana x Sussex, Silkie x EE, and Silkies. Love this day! But, drats! Have to work. Foresee many calls and texts back and forth to home today.

i am on day 4 of my second time around.. 17 more days to go..

 

[chickflick]

Gentle Chihuahua cares for a little chick!
Gentle Chihuahua cares for a little chick!

 

[kimmie6067]

sand and chicken poop

inside the coop?

 

[fuzzybutt love]

my mini coop is sand (a converted rabbit hutch, looks like a 4x8 version of a tractor supply coop kinda) I buried wire around the whole thing in the ground so it can't be dug into. I like that the birds that end up in there have access to ground to dig in and sunshine without me being there to let them out, and when i get there i let them have supervised free range. Because it's very airy (Don't use in the winter) the poop dries quickly in there and rarely gets stinky, and the bird's digging kinda works it into the soil (gross, i know) and then i just hose it down and "wash" the invisible ick deeper into the soil.

My big coop is a camper, with linoleum floors? not sure but i use a flat shovel to scrape it out and then i bleach-mop it. I use bedding in the winter, straw worked best for insulating and kept it a lot nicer temp-wise than the chips, but i like the chips better for in-between like now. I have a good size run built on, and have fenced around the edge of the camper so they can get under there for cool sand in the summer. During those 100 degree days that's where the birds went, into the deep shade and they dug little holes like dogs to keep cool! I would like a "real" coop, but if i were to use a camper setup permanently i would make a trap door in the floor and make a secure fence around the camper, tight to it and buried into the ground to give them permanent access to the fresh air and dirt. The main drawback of the camper is that during the hot seasons you have to be out there right away to let them out, as it does get hot quick with all the windows; but during times like this it's invaluable since the birds have tons of room and the windows let in light and air so they don't have to go out! (Mine don't go out during nasty weather) The under camper fencing has just one access hole, so on the days i have to go but need the birds to be protected from the hawks i just shoo them under and block the hole, then put in food and water dishes. (I have other access points for that) Other times when there's fighting i use the setup to divide the offenders, and let the others range in the pen. Or let some in the pen and some free range? Either way it gives me options and is easy to clean with a rake and a garden hose.

Anyway, the run is also sand (the whole yard is nothing but sand, really) and i like that because it dries quickly and the rain washes the poop away

 

[fuzzybutt love]

This is my first coop, and it's not pretty that's for sure! Still the most functional though. It started off with the rabbit nesting area (upper half behind the door) and all the rest was wire; during the first summer it became obvious that there needed to be more protection from the wind and the sun; so the top 2/3 got boarded off. There is another perch that you can't see in the top level, where they can go to sit and there is a small gap along the nest box to allow light and air (fenced off for safety) The bottom third is chicken wire. The windows allow for a nice place to sun on those cold days when they are closed. I think little awnings over the windows to make for more shade would be even better, and would help on the days the rain gets blowed all to heck. And i'd never use chicken wire again, hardware cloth is what is needed.

Here you can see that i used lattice to fence the front part of the camper, for decorative and to give me a way to separate/ corral the birds. The rest of the fence around the bottom of the camper is sadly, chicken wire.



I also have a little flower garden around the tree, fenced off from the birds. It provides visual interest, and if anyone's peckish the others use it to put a visual boundry between them And if anyone gives chase it's round and round until they tire of it, LOL. I dont' like corners, i have big flower pots placed in front of them with just enough room to squeeze behind so they can get away if there's conflict. Otherwise there's a chance of literally being cornered when attacked! The whole shebang is set into a nook of the woods, and is shade most of the day except for when the trees lose their leaves. I imported aged manure and dirt for the flowers as the whole place is just sand. Hose the flowers, hose the sand! Woe to the worms that make the crossing out of the flowers into the run, the chickens have a blast hunting them out and they also pick at whatever plant decides to brave it's leaves through the fence wire.


spring last year. One bench was inside the fence to sit with the birds, one bench was outside for visitors so they could watch them or just look at the flowers or whatever. I had roses in the big pot. You can't see the big fence, but it is as high as the corner poles and is galvanized wire. Fencing the tree into the run was pretty, but if i had the chance i'd trade it for a roofed run that would be predator safe, and use a large bush for the visual interest! Or a mini tree of some sort. Top left by the camper the corner has scrub brush too, that i kept. Birds like to use it for cover. I think allowing for scrub brush, or some kind of sturdy bushes/ plants that they won't eat in the run is a good idea too. Space is good, but my birds seem to enjoy the nooks and crannies better than a big square.


Another idea that sprang from practicality: Using rabbit cages as nest boxes. Works 2 ways; i can build a nest onto the one side out of straw, and i set them on a shelf with a perch in front. (Though i think a little sloped roof over to keep wanna be perchers from pooping on the top would be prudent) They are just the right size for nests, and if/ when anyone goes broody i can lock the door from the others. They also function as sick bay at times. (but i would like the larger cages in the future, I especially liked the ones that hillbilly hen's husband was building) I also have a large dog kennel that i set up in the camper when needed for the large birds for these purposes.


(pic for the heck of it)
My pet rooster, was a ham. Looked after the ladies , here he was singing a little squeaky song for my little hen, who was laying her first egg. Was sweet to see.

 

[CRPerryJr]

Just a quick hello to everyone! I'm from Michigan too and have been a member here for quite a while, but FINALLY got my chickens! Please feel free to take a gander at the girls and my coop here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/perrydice-chicken-tractor

I'm still rather new to all this, but can't wait until my girls start making me breakfast!

Thanks for looking!

 

[RaZ]

Nice work, Perry. I think you could easily modify the trailer jacks to use all terrain tires.