Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[MsChickenMomma]

I really hate to be a pain, but I really need to re-home a rooster. I tried posting a couple of times on here and haven't had any takers. He's a two year old Rhode Island Red. I tried finding him a home where he can continue to live a good long life with a flock, but seeing how nobody wants him and I really need him gone, I'm willing to give him to anyone who wants him whether you want him for meat or not. He really is a sweet boy, but I just can't keep him anymore.

If you want him or would like more details, feel free to PM me.

-Ashley

 

[gladahmae]

Not chicken related, but has anyone else gotten the new digital electric meters from consumer's energy in? I got mine last month and my electric has literally doubled, I've turned most of my fuses off at the box and still using about 5 units a day.

Would be good, except this is an unfinished trailer and i don't have any appliances, this is only for occasional light bulbs and microwave use!!!! ???? Waiting for Mon to call and schedule for a meter inspection *this is nuts.* I even went to the lengths of turning off my water heater, so that's not it either. ?
No TV, no stove, no fridge, no AC, nothing. Last month they got me for over $40! This month will be even more by the looks of it.

When we got power to our house hooked up they put in a digital meter. Are they coming out and doing an actual reading, or just doing an estimate?

 

[naglady]

Just had my first hawk attack today.. one of my young 5 month olds.. I was able to salvage the breast and legs meat..
chickens are locked up now till we know for sure they are safe or we can be out there with them.. they have a big area in the back yard that is fenced in with access to two coops for protection.
how long before i can let them back out..
probably when we know for sure the hawk is gone.
.

 

[Huston's Happy Hens]

Have you wormed her?

No I typically don't worm..they get garlic in their water; and she is the only one in the group of 80-90 that looks like this...thanks for the input...I can give her ivermectin which I believe is a wormer also....appreciate any add'l input

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Quote:Originally Posted by gladahmae When we got power to our house hooked up they put in a digital meter. Are they coming out and doing an actual reading, or just doing an estimate?
The new ones they can scan, and it was an actual. I've been watching it several times a day to try to nail down what could be doing it.

 

[NovaAman]

Unwanted rooster/cockerels... Being realistic, unless you find someone who NEEDS a roo for their flock, because the last one passed... or what ever, you are more than likely NOT going to find someone who wants a roo for anything but dinner.

I know here in Holland, if I post a roo for free, there will be very quick takers, and I know exactly what will happen to them. They'll be dinner for some one else who doesn't mind processing. They'll even come and take them for processing for dog food on the older roos. So, instead, I just take mine to a processor, pay the $2 a bird, bag em myself at pick up and have a meal. Yes, it was hard the first time, and I freely admit that I went with the neighbor so I wouldn't cry. Now I am an old pro at taking them. I have decided that, yes, I love hearing them crow it out all day, I love their beautiful colors. Most of them are mutts too, so I only try and find homes for the pures, and only if their coloring looks right. I do not have room for every chick that hatches here and grows up. I keep the girls for replacement, and I eat the boys. The boys at least I know have had lots of sun, grass, bugs, lived a good life. and that good life is going to make a healthy dinner for my family.

I am not adverse to eating them, and to be honest, when I got my marans roo, Strutter, and I picked him up for the first time and got my grubby paw around his thigh, my first thought was, wow, he's going to make me some nice boys for Sunday meals. He's a 14 pound roo. One of his ladies, she's 8 pounds easy, and so I am figuring their offspring are going to be nice and hefty.

 

[NovaAman]

The hawk will most likely stick around for a few days. I had a very persistent hawk over last fall, and it was so much a pain that it'd try and attack even when I was with in feet of my birds. Scared the crap out of me several times, lost several of my hopeful birds. I don't get so bugged when they take out cockerels, but I get bugged big time when they take out my girls. They like my silkies too...

 

[Farmerboy16]

Jake- The calf's mother is 50% Angus, 50% Guernsey, the father is 100% Guernsey. So the calf is 75% Guernsey.

Lady- I will let you know when the colostrum is out of the milk.

 

[naglady]

nova that is what i was thinking. keeping them enclosed for a few days. dang hawks. I am surprised my dd isnt to upset. she even has alot of the girls nameds.
I have 21 birds left.. I was kinda hoping he would of got my 3 yr old hen, then it wouldnt of been so bad..
I normally catch chipmunks and drop them dead in the woods, i havent caught one in a couple of weeks.. wonder if that is why he is going after the birds.
i notice they disappear also..
time to reset the chippy trap.. and start feeding the hawk those instead of my birds

 

[preciouskitty]

The hawk will most likely stick around for a few days. I had a very persistent hawk over last fall, and it was so much a pain that it'd try and attack even when I was with in feet of my birds. Scared the crap out of me several times, lost several of my hopeful birds. I don't get so bugged when they take out cockerels, but I get bugged big time when they take out my girls. They like my silkies too...

So sorry for all the predator losses lately....

I have had a juvenile hawk here for months. Literally in one of my trees virtually ALL the time. Screeching incessantly.

I have only seen it go for the birds once. And Bigboy stood his ground. I did put them all in the pen for the remainder of that day. But, since this bird isn't going anywhere else anytime soon, decided I wasn't going to keep the birds locked up for the whole summer. Though I do only let them out if I am around. The cockerels have a call whenever that bird leaves a tree & everyone goes scurrying under the deck or bushes; whatever is closest to where they are foraging (I have a TON of "hiding" places).

While she hasn't gotten one of my birds...she did get a small rabbit the other day.

Hmmmm...never thought about chippy traps & leaving them lying around...have more than enough chipmunks to go around...and squirrels ...