Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[NovaAman]

Roosters are genetically programed to chase off any competition.  Even birds that are raised together lose any kinship they might have once held.  Multiple roosters can be kept in the same enclosure and often an uneasy truce will ensue.  However, fights will occur.  It's been my experience that a rooster that is easily cowered will not fair well with others and often serious injury or death is the outcome.

Exactly.

I was thinking permanent separation. I free range my birds all day. but I do not coop certain birds together, though they may physically share the same run, it is divided into pens during the winter when they can't get away from each other.. My marans are cooped completely separate because the fighting through the fence was quite intense. A lot of that was with the hens! Anyway, if rigging a pen with in the pen is an option then do that. But be sure to give him his own girls.

 

[preciouskitty]

Depending on when DH gets home tonight, and what we can scrounge up for materials, I think I'm going to evict the chicks from the basement brooder tonight. Our pallet coop just needs a roof put on it (with HINGES this time so I can get food/water/bedding/chicks in and out of it as needed) and put in the run. They're between 3 and 4 weeks old, and it's plenty warm out for them! I also put the old trampoline tarp I appropriated (with permission) from the house up our driveway that got foreclosed on this spring. The cleaning guys were just going to throw it and a perfectly good dog house away, so I asked if they minded me taking it. It looks awful installed, but it'll do the job of giving the girls shade for most of the day. I don't think DH will complain too much since you can't see it from the house.

I've got 11 eggs due to hatch in the incubator tomorrow, and 5 under my broody silkie. I think I may slip a few of the 11 under her once they hatch, and the rest that hatch under my OTHER broody. I'll give her a test chick if I have enough of one of the breeds hatch to 'test' her with.......she's not the friendliest chicken we've got.....that's for sure. Hopefully I won't have to brood any chicks in my basement until this fall if all 5 of my BLRW chicks end up being boys (it's looking that way right now). Ugh. I think I got sunburned today. My fault. I spent some quality time in the lawn chair with a good book while the kids swam in the pool this morning. I think this was discussed last year, but what is the 'going rate' in other areas for getting chickens processed? I'm 2-3 weeks from finishing up my meaties and the guy I took my roos to this spring charged $4/bird, and told me for the meaties that if they were "too big to fit" in the bags he uses, that it's $5/bird (basically anything that dresses over 6#.) That seems like a lot to me.....

$3/bird here in Howell at Munsell's. Roof repair done. A whole $75 to fix problem . Once again due to craftsmanship when house was built (exposed nails rusting & improper flashing). Phew. Looks like I can still dodge new roof for 2-3 yrs as he says shingles still look pretty good. Opa, yes. You do hear the grass growing, as do I. And it just started raining again. It is never gonna dry up enough for me to cut.

 

[NovaAman]

I pay $2-2.75. $2 if I bag with my own bags, and $2.75 if the bag them. I don't know where benzie is, but I use Kapengas here in Holland. It is more for ducks andturkeys

 

[NovaAman]

I am glad we did not get the rain here. I am waiting for my hardly dry up. My drain field has yet to recover frothy flooding and the several heavy storms after that. I can't get any work done on it like a terra lift or use a bio-mat enzymes with the water. You wouldn't know it, but if you dug a foot down that whole instantly fills with water. My drain field is 2 feet down.. But when I do a butt load of laundry, water comes up 8 feet in front of the house after a heavy rain..

 

[gladahmae]

I pay $2-2.75. $2 if I bag with my own bags, and $2.75 if the bag them. I don't know where benzie is, but I use Kapengas here in Holland. It is more for ducks andturkeys

Up by traverse city......where everything costs more because it's traverse city. *sigh*

I have a lead on some Amish or Mennonite people who apparently process chickens....so I'm going to try calling them at their designated time and see where they are exactly (because if it's a long way away, that $1-2/bird difference could just be going in to the gas tank to GET THERE) and what they charge.

 

[RaZ]

Time to put the outboard motor on the lawn mower. I wonder if my street is a "no wake" zone.

 

[preciouskitty]

I need an outboard, too. Pic is of front yard in between two of the Howell major downpours yesterday.

Practicing uploading pic again. Appears I can only do it if I am using iPad, switch it from "desktop" to "mobile". But then I can't do any "special" characters or "fun" stuff. When ON a desktop computer, don't even get the option for "existing photo" unless I switch to "mobile"; and that doesn't even work 90% of the time.

Gonna need a tutorial someday (& I have tried using 3 diff browsers, too).

 

[Mom 2em All]

I am raising mosquitoes in my backyard.
I hope there is no city ordinance against it- however, the inspector is more than welcome to take them.
I went out between downpours yesterday to try and save my tomato plants- I wasn't out there long, My husband asked, "what are you doing?"


Well, the mosquitoes have to be fed- they have been waiting all day"...

 

[uchytil]

Amish in Fremont charge between 1.50 - 1.75 per bird. Best plucked I've ever seen. The bags are ok but then again I've had some last a year no problem. They bag the giblets separate.

 

[uchytil]

I am raising mosquitoes in my backyard.
I hope there is no city ordinance against it- however, the inspector is more than welcome to take them.
I went out between downpours yesterday to try and save my tomato plants- I wasn't out there long, My husband asked, "what are you doing?"


Well, the mosquitoes have to be fed- they have been waiting all day"...