Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[gladahmae]

On a happy note, my ONLY BLRW pullet (had 3 cockerels and 1 pullet) made it through. She and the others seem fine, other than none of them (2 EEs and a limping BO) will come out of the nest box in the coop.

 

[Stacykins]

My latest batch of goat's milk soap (made with milk fresh from da goat!) I got some new silicone molds that I really like. The soap pops out with zero problems! It was a 5lb batch, lavender scented.







My nigora kids! They're just so fluffy and cute!


Jacuzzi tubs...perfect for duckling swims!

 

[gladahmae]

That soap looks amazing!!!! and the ducks are sooooo cute!




Can anyone give me a hand with calculating costs for all my losses? DH stopped at the dogs' owner's house and he is more than willing to pay for the birds. Property damage is minor, so I'm not concerned about that. This can be done via PM if necessary.

I'm down 15 9-week old Cornish crosses (and was in $7.75/bird in feed at that point)
3 BLRW cockerels from a breeder (eggs I hatched)
From Meyer Hatchery: 2 buff orps, 1 Dominique, 1 black australorp, all pullets, all 8-9 weeks old
Hatched from my eggs: 1 EE cockerel, and 1 silkie/EE pullet

Do I calculate what they cost me so far? PLUS replacement? Replacement for same age or replacement for new chicks? I don't want to get into what I could have made off eggs or whatever. I'd like to stick with just the birds and being FAIR. I don't really want to 'stick it to him' , I just don't want to be out all the money.

 

[naglady]

I think its fair to calculate replacement cost for same age of birds..and what it cost you so far..


the bar soap looks pretty cool.

 

[RaZ]

Market price to replace the birds lost + feed + a punitive fee if you feel so compelled. (BTW Michigan law allows for you to recoup up to 3X the actual damages incurred).

 

[preciouskitty]

Market price to replace the birds lost + feed + a punitive fee if you feel so compelled. (BTW Michigan law allows for you to recoup up to 3X the actual damages incurred).

Glad......First of all, I am soo sorry for all of your losses

I agree with RaZ & others. For sure you should charge the cost of what you lost AND full replacement.

I know you don't want to "stick it to him", but you may want to sleep on whether or not to charge some sort of punitive damages. As many have mentioned in other posts with situations such as this (I.e., dogs running amok)' sometimes it takes really hitting someone in the pocketbook to get them to be a responsible pet owner.....

 

[preciouskitty]

Stacy---
Your soap is awesome.
And, you have no idea how much your pic of Ron & Luna make me want those cute little Nigerian angora goats!

For those wondering about the Spaz / Bigboy saga. All the birds were stuck in the 4 x 8 coop & attached 8x8 pen for 10 hours today while I was at work (so Spaz had nowhere to hide/mope). When i got home, they all seemed fine & couldn't wait to be let out, including Spaz. She still isn't her total spunky self, but immediately started chowing down on grass. Bad storm just passed thru & looks like they weathered it just fine under deck....they are all back out in the grass being chickens..

 

[gladahmae]

15 meaties x 7.75 in feed = 116.25
15 meaty straight-run chicks x 1.67 = 25.05
4 hatchery pullets x 2.71 each = 10.84
shipping for above estimated @ $20 (was $17 for 70-something, was quoted $35 for 6.....this is in the middle)
EE pair (2) x 2.00 each = 4.00
3 BLRW cockerels x 10.00 each? (that's what seems to be the going price for straight run for similar 'lines' from what I can tell) = 30.00
3 bags of feed for non-meaties x 16.00 = 48.00
Total for COSTS of chicks and feed lost = $254.14

Replacement of similarly aged layer chicks on CL sell for $6-15ea.....so let's call it 10.00 x 5 pullets = 50.00
Cost of 15 5.5# chickens for the table (just guessing here.....it was the rooster pen, so it was probably more like 6.5-7.5) @ $2.00/# (non-GMO fed since that's what we use) = 165.00
a dozen eggs from the same BLRW breeder shipped + incubator costs = 47.00
Total for replacements = $262.00

Grand Total = $516.14???????? Holy crap.

That number just seems........huge. I'll have to talk to my husband and see how he wants to go about this. The guy basically said to give him a bill and he'd pay it.

 

[gladahmae]

According to my "sources" (the people we talked to that told us who the dogs belong to) this person has already paid someone else $300 for damages to their chickens earlier this year......

 

[preciouskitty]

According to my "sources" (the people we talked to that told us who the dogs belong to) this person has already paid someone else $300 for damages to their chickens earlier this year......

Well then, $520 shouldn't freak him out too much. You have a very good breakdown of what your losses & replacement cost are. And, if for some reason he gets "snotty"' you could always politely let him know about the 3X Mich law that RaZ mentioned.