Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[SillyChicken]

LOL, I'm beginning to think, it's a DH thing. Mine over thinks, then doesn't listen to me - after all, I'm the one researching what we need...builds what he wants........ then once "we" discover its wrong. I do it my way.

 

[Trefoil]

They couldn't have gone anywhere themselves, as thy were still too scared to go down the ramp, I am really kicking myself in the butt because I was going to put a little piece of thin wood over the doorway to help keep the cool breeze out at night.... but didn't do it Sunday night because I was too tired.... as far as a person doing it, we live far enough off the road (surrounded by fields) plus our lab (Jagger) and the neighbors beagles bark at EVERYTHING! So if they didn't make a commotion I doubt it was human, not to mention you cannot see our coop from the road unless you pull up to the side of the house..... just such a bummer!

Anybody know any place where you can buy "older" chickens? The Family Farm and Home near us just sells babies, and frankly I do not want chicken poop on my carpet/plants again, and I don't want to go through this hassle!!!

So sorry to hear about your loss Ginger. The easiest way to predator proof your coop and run is to buy 1/2" hardware cloth and cover any gap larger than 1/2". If you haven't already, bury the hardware cloth at least a foot deep around the perimeter of your coop and run. The hardware cloth must be attached securely, that means either a good pneumatic stapler, screws with washers or pound in staples. Until the chickens are at least almost adult, I wouldn't allow them free access to the run, a young chicken can get chilled and not know enough to go to heat/shelter. Even if you build a new coop, predator proofing the old one will give you emergency housing that could come in handy.

My sister went out and put christmas lights on her apple trees to help stave off the frost damage. She got nothing last year because of the goofy weather and was so bummed. I haven't talked to her yet to see how they are looking . . . my horses were sooo looking forward to those fresh MacIntosh apples last year, too, lol.

I'm worried about my peaches, same here last year and I can't tell if the frost got them this year too. My birds love them and compete with me for the peaches, so we'll all be bummed if it happens this year too. Meanwhile, I'm bummed and worried, my chicks didn't come this morning and there has been nothing on the tracking since they were accepted in at 4:30 yesterday.

 

[RaZ]

Good morning. Everyone seems to be doing well on the Minnie Farm. All five of my ladies laid yesterday. Now I can tell the difference between the BSL eggs and the ISA Browns! Yesterday DH told me that he might like to get a Pig to "finish off". I asked how come he could get a pig and I couldn't get a goat? Now it appears we are contemplating getting both. LOL the farm is growing.

Your ladies?

Just teasing. I am so happy that they settled in right away. I know that all of my girls have gone to good homes and my heart is doing the happy dance.

Ginger,
I have 8 Sebrights left that are 12 weeks old. If you want them, they're yours. I could even drive them up and check out your DH's store. If you want them or help building a coop give me a shout.

 

[RaZ]

There is a link on this article http://www.thebackyardprovider.com/2013/05/13/poultry-keeping-is-a-crime-in-garden-city-michigan/ Click on the word help at the bottom of the article.
If everyone posted this on their FB pages and blogs - http://www.gofundme.com/2vvaao - Maybe we could help Raz out..spread the word The whole principle of this.....this.......cluster F king mess...

PS.. it works!! spread the word! a friend in NY just made a donation!!

Thank you for sharing this, Silly. Getting the word out really helps. Not only me but all of us small farmers in Michigan and even across the country.

I did a radio interview today with Bill and Brian of offthegrid.com. They have a nationwide radio show. They were pretty well researched on the story and even talked about some of the other "politics" taking place in GC. Mostly they were outraged at the events taking place.

I'll post the link as soon as I get the air time for the show.

 

[SillyChicken]

Thank you for sharing this, Silly. Getting the word out really helps. Not only me but all of us small farmers in Michigan and even across the country.

I did a radio interview today with Bill and Brian of offthegrid.com. They have a nationwide radio show. They were pretty well researched on the story and even talked about some of the other "politics" taking place in GC. Mostly they were outraged at the events taking place.

I'll post the link as soon as I get the air time for the show.

You're welcome... I'm getting tired of the lies and bullying from those who feel they are empowered to tell us what we need, don't need and how to live our lives. Many of my friends feel the same way. I hope a few more of them will step up and pop a few bucks for you. The friend in NY, lost their business during hurricane Sandy and have been busy rebuilding. I thanked them for you.

 

[RaZ]

You're welcome... I'm getting tired of the lies and bullying from those who feel they are empowered to tell us what we need, don't need and how to live our lives. Many of my friends feel the same way. I hope a few more of them will step up and pop a few bucks for you. The friend in NY, lost their business during hurricane Sandy and have been busy rebuilding. I thanked them for you.

We teach our kids to do the right things like play by the rules, obey the laws and stand up to bullies. It turns into a mixed message when the bully is the government and they choose NOT to obey the laws and follow the rules.

I don't mean to sound like Chicken Little, but these heavy handed tactics could be used against any small farm operation if it is not nipped in the bud now.

On a side note, I have written a thank you note to everyone who has contributed via the website. Not exactly Miss Manners approved but I want to express my gratitude.

 

[NovaAman]

I came home in such a good mood! No head ache, really happy that my eggs were in...

Another styrfoam box, only this time marked as GLASS and fragile. Interesting... hole in the side of the box, and dented... Opened up the box and wetness. Egg yolk and yuck. It is my guess, some one at the post wanted to see if it really was glass in the box. Running total on destroyed eggs...
White Yokos 4
Polish 1
Red shoulder 3
Jap Bantams 2

I still need to candle the other 37 eggs to see what damage has been done to those, but there were no cracks in those that I could see. I am dreading to see what kind of scrambling has been done to them. So, I am going to go and get some egg wipes for hatching eggs. Some of the eggs that were fine were soaked from egg white and yolk from other eggs. It's amazing how different both packages were treated. I guess some one at the post was having a really bad day.

 

[Scifisarah]

Just came in from painting my chickens' butts with some Q-tips and food coloring so I can know whose eggs are whose and not end up with any silkie/cochin crosses. Anyone know about how that that lasts? Hopefully a while... My husband is just like, you have gross hobbies.

Getting our silly octagon veggie garden weeded. I spent so much time putting down new landscaping cloth and mulch on the path areas last year, and the grass is already going right through all of it. Not sure what to do about that. I guess I shouldn't have gone with the "economy" grade cloth. I am thinking of getting some of the 4'x50' 4 mil thick plastic mulch from Menards, and burying it down about one foot and having the other 3' up in the air fastened to some stakes to help keep weed seeds out. I just don't have time for the endless weeding of garden bed, and path.

Every year I buy a bale of straw from FFH and it is FULL of wheat or whatever kind of seeds the straw is from. Does anyone know of a place around Rockford I can get a bale or two of straw that doesn't have all the seeds in it? I buy the straw to keep weeds out, but end up having to pull more just from the straw!

 

[RaZ]

Nova, that is just terrible. I hate that some parcel handlers just don't seem to care.

Scifisarah, Your DH sounds like a hoot. I'm laughing at the image.

Do the environment a favour...skip the landscape fabric. It is terrible stuff and don't work. Try this instead.

For a path, lay down 5-7 layers of damp newspaper and cover that with wood chips. The newspaper smothers weed seeds and the wood chips make a nice walking path. In the garden beds themselves, if you have established plants, pull the weeds by hand. A p.i.t.a. for sure but you avoid harsh chemicals. A new planting bed can use the newspaper with good compost on top. Plant directly in the new beds in about 4-6 weeks.

I think that most of us have Spring Fever and are anxious to plant. Waiting a few more weeks will not hurt the crop yield. I did some raking and I'm getting ready to lay out the newspaper and place a few straw bales on top of that. I'm trying a straw bale garden this year for some things. I'll take some photos and post the pictures as I go along.

Maybe the desire to plant is similar to the desire to see our eggs hatch and the anxiety of waiting for the hen to lay her first egg...

 

[kimmie6067]

Ginger someone took your birds? Can you think of someone that would do something like this?