Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[mara1]

Geez working on the rabbit hutch last night n morning went to attica brought home 5 more chickens. Everybody on and chitchatting now i habe get caught up.

 

[mara1]

I got to thinking I should give a little info about my location. I live 5 miles forom the border but I grew up in Michigan. And we do have some property in Michigan for retirement plans. Right now it's more of a little getaway wth a hobby farm and woods. I really like this thread too.

welcome to the Mi. thread

Pictures. I've never successfully posted a picture here before. This is Dupe. Next to table so you can see how big he is...

He is precious, how sad you have to rehome him,

Hes gorgeous. Hows the kiddo doing today?

 

[mara1]

The progress on our new coop this weekend. Carry on.

Very nice. You'll have to post more pictures. There wasn't much rain here so I messed around with the porch, working out the details of the steps. I think I have it designed, now I just need to power tamp the slag, make sure all is level and finish laying out the bricks on the upper tiers.

good job to both of ya

 

[Lisa and girls]

good job to both of ya

X2. Both look amazing.

 

[Candy442]

x3 coop for Lady and Raz's steps are great!

Here are my beautiful two new additions to my flock. Icee and Sweetie, both Delaware pullets around 13 weeks?. Thank you Jake! I love these girls! They were cooing and singing to us all the way home

 

[iamfivewire]

only one green egg today & zero brown out of 5 laying hens (+ 2 pullets that havent laid yet & 1 that got kiled last week) .
So i guess chickens need a day off from work once in a while too
:- )

 

[chickwhispers]

good job to both of ya

X2. Both look amazing.

X3

 

[iamfivewire]

. . . . & getting ready for nitey-nite :

 

[chickwhispers]

only one green egg today & zero brown out of 5 laying hens (+ 2 pullets that havent laid yet & 1 that got kiled last week) .
So i guess chickens need a day off from work once in a while too
:- )

Yep. Sometimes they take a long "weekend"

 

[NovaAman]

I stopped over at Mrs. Brown's this evening and gave her some eggs. They don't eat eggs, but they do use them for baked goods. I brought the eggs as a bribe to "harvest" apples from the trees they have on the corner of her property. They haven't done anything with the trees for as long as I have lived here, and that's 4.5 years. SO... they just go. Anyway, they are being over run with prickly vine, and there is a lot of dead on the trees. Anyway, I couldn't reach half the apples with out a step ladder, so I will go in the morning and get some when there is actually enough light. Now I have a question. I am taking my lopers over, and gloves, and I am going to get those vines off, and then cut them done to the ground, and clear it all out. Can I cut off the dead branches right now? Or should I wait for spring to do it. The trees have not been sprayed or treated in any form for years. I can get a picture of the trees tomorrow, and you apple people can give me some advice on them. I am just going to do it for her, since she is elderly (80's) and pluck apples down for her tomorrow as well.

The apples are green, very sweet and very crisp.

I was going to build a bigger coop for the phoenix also. I have nixed that idea because I have decided that I am just going to put them in the original coop that I built when I first started. The coop is not used by any of the birds, they prefer the converted run... even in the winter! Anyway, there is a drop hole in the floor, and a 4x12 dirt run under it, so they'll be able to get their dirt baths on in the winter still, but be able to roost up high enough in the coop, that even if their tails get up to 3 feet in the winter months, they'll not get damaged, in there, AND I can mount the 125 red light to keep their coop warmer. After talking to a lady in colorado, she says that they provide just enough heat to keep the chill off, since they are more delicate. Jeez... NO freaking wonder I only can find a few random people in MI who have them. If I wasn't concerned about growing out their tails, I would just leave them with other hens for the group warmth factor, but it will be just the three boys for the winter in a 4x8... Not to may birds for group huddling. BUT not to many birds either where I have to worry about frost bit combs, which then would require dubbing. Not a fan of that.

SO, here's the thing about this where I need some other advice... I have NEVER locked birds up all year in a coop. EVER. What kinds of things do you people who do have the birds coop bound all winter give the birds to keep them from being... bored? In the run where the birds are usually, they have a lot of space for each individual grouping... AND leaves to scratch through that I scatter meal worms, dried crickets, scratch and corn to keep them busy, as well as fresh lettuces and hanging cabbages. BUT they can move around, the phoenix are going to be stuck in the 4x8. I know that's plenty of room for 3 birds, but we are talking about birds going from acres of foraging space to 32 sq feet, with 48 sq feet run space underneath... They will get all those same treats and such, but will that be enough do you think? OR am I over thinking this.