Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Lisa and girls]

Would anyone like a buff brahma and ee roo? Free to a good home. Thought I could handle Roos but I can't. I'm in plainwell. Pm me if your interested. They're both nice boys just rough on my girls.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I posted about this link petition for Katelyn and Lucas to get a variance from the city of Perry Michigan

Here is Katelyn with one of her chickens.


Katelyn's family had the chickens on an urban farm across the street. Here is a local news report about how the local farm is being forced to move. The family just wants to keep a few of the chickens in a backyard coop after the farm moves because they have therapeutic value for the children. It upsets me that just a few misinformed neighbors can make things so difficult. Even though I only learned about this family a few days ago on BYC, I really want to get the word out to people who understand. I hope you all don't mind that I am posting again on this thread about it.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

A very sure yes. The narrow pointy feathers at the base of the tail "saddle" are a dead givaway. I've had hens have the shimmery tail, but hen's saddle feathers are short wide and blunt.

Very pretty, hope he's good for you. I love roosters, a couple have loved me back and some have plain out gotten mean. Those nice ones make up for the meanies though, i love watching how gentle those boys are with their girls. My old rooster used to not only feed his, but make their nests for them! Some are terrors. You'll know when he gets his spurs, not for a long time yet. They aren't very popular with the ladies until they are mature, when their longer tail feathers get in. (but they still will woo)

 

[fuzzybutt love]

My favorite hen, that looks similar to the bullied one. This one is bullied too, she's just too laid back for the rest of them. But she is happy to perch up on my lap and be held.

 

[uchytil]

Thanks for the article Scratch and Peck. While I sit here eating tater salad the wife made with our eggs! I read some of the comments and can't believe one guy questioned whether he paid taxes and/or reported income. People have way too much time on their hands. My hands were covered with duck poo before lunch, lol! Anyway, as far as therapy animals - no doubt in the world! My wife has worked in the long term care world as Activity Director for decades now. She has me bring in chickens, ducks, cats, dogs, rabbits, whatever...the residents, guests, and staff always enjoy it. The older folks that are in the system now were the ones that grew up on farms (most all of them). They usually tell a story, or two. The young people toatally get a kick out of anything animal - period! I've never met a person that did not appreciate it. However, bring them home and someone (the same people that love them being shown to their parents let's say) has a problem. I just don't see this issue ever being solved. People have become to accustomed to their neat little world filled with gadgets, postage stamp lawns that are chemically altered, and pretty little doggies that never poop on driveway. All you can do is fight for what you believe in. If you lose either you have to move on, or start the fight anew.

 

[preciouskitty]

Quote:
Bigboy, my "alpha" EE rooster has just started that making a nest for the hens thing! At first I didn't know what he was doing, and I just figured it out this weekend. Couldn't believe it. Earlier in the week he & the other EE roo (Blackie) both also started sharing treats with the hens (literally picking raspberries off a bush, putting them on the ground & "pointing" the girls to them, sharing a piece of grass in their beak, etc.). Both these roos have gone from being "teenagers" concerned with only "one thing" to more like gentlemen!!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

i love the big "giggles" they do when they are doing it, the great big showoffs.

my girls are so spoiled they won't use a nest even if it's just been changed a tad by renewing the straw UNLESS a rooster sanctions it. This roo i have now is so-so, but the old boy was so considerate he'd even stand guard when a hen was laying. He even sang to each hen the day each layed her first egg; it was the sweetest thing i'd ever seen. Who knew? So there are some good roos.
my old roo, i miss him a lot. This is him being silly and singing himself to sleep in a nest he made, one of his earlier attempts before his hen started laying. ( squeaky little eeeeEEEEEeeee.........eeeeeee EeeeeEEEEEE)

 

[preciouskitty]

Quote:
Two weeks ago I would have had NO clue what you were talking about! But I do now..and it is a total crack up! This whole bird thing is so fun..I don't even want to come to work anymore..would rather stay home & see what they are gonna do next!!

 

[nadaaboutit]

I am a Newbie I am joing this because of my best friend Nova....we are so close so this is how we stay together I love animals however I am afraid of chickens so this is to help me get over my fear of them.....thank you all!

 

[gaitngirl]

Went out to feed the horses this morning and found one of these. Went behind the barn to feed the pullets in quarantine and found three more. One was quite bug-munched so I gave it to the girls to eat with the apples. I used to love hunting for 4-leaf clovers when I was young.
Anyway, I came back up to the main coop to check on everyone. My muscovy hen gave up on the last remaining egg in her nest finally. My BSL hen that stole eggs from one of the Isas and has been faithfully sitting on them FOREVER wouldn't leave the nest to come grab a quick breakfast this morning. Sometimes she will, most times she won't. I decided to take the eggs away from her today. She's been fine with me handling her or checking the eggs (the Isas tried to peck me always - quite viciously). I was pretty sure these eggs were not fertile. They were either from my Light Brahmas or my EE that lays a really pale, creamy pink egg. The first egg I picked up peeped at me! Two of the others are pipped. The fourth - nothing. The chicks that hatched last week were killed by the Isa that had sat the nest. She attacked them while they were hatching. I don't know if this BSL will be able to protect them from the others or not and I don't have any other place to put her and chicks for now, so it looks like I'll have chicks in my basement under lights again! I'm just waiting for them to hatch out fully (I'm checking them every 1/2 hour) and I just got the brooder bin set up. I'm excited to have chicks again but not looking forward to having them in the basement, lol. I'm really hoping these are Brahma/EE crosses (my only roo that has access to the hens is a very nice EE). I will definitely have to set up another coop/run by next spring just for broodies and their chicks.