Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[bluebirdnanny]

Just did a check before getting into shower. She was down and in the cage part with him and eating!!! That is a good sign. Watched a bit and she seems walking normal now.

Maybe they were just sleeping in. But he still isn't crowing. All is really quiet until I go out and then soft chuckling between them as they watch me and around warily.

So don't know how long before she will fill back in with feathers, they will settle and she will lay again. So it stinks but will have to buy eggs to eat for this week anyway.

 

[preciouskitty]

Quote:
I had the same thing happen to me earlier this summer with a juvenile hawk (that was driving me CRAZY with its incessant screeching all day long!)...anyhow, it came swooping down no more than 5 feet from me, right for the chickens that were happily (AND LUCKILY) scratching around some raspberry bushes...it was a CLOSE call, birds scurried under bushes just in time.. Thank you all for the info on hawk migration; this is my first year having chickens...never really knew much about their migratory habits. Keep the "kids" in their pen while at work, so they haven't been getting out to "play" til about 16:00 or so...& they seem to be ready to "go to bed" no later than 18:00 or so!!

 

[lbrykowski2011]

Yes, hers are egg laying breed so I know they lay earlier. She has a couple hundred birds I think. My oldest two are an easter egger, who I hear sometimes lay later and a silver wyandotte...not sure on those but her face has been bright red since I got her, so I keep thinking, soon....

I know what you mean, I have 3 I've been waiting on, seems like 4ever. They are around 24wks also. 1 I'm not sure what she is(sussex or something) and the other 2 RIR's. I got out every morning and late afternoon hoping and return with my head down, wishing I had more patience. LOL Good luck, post when your's start laying and then maybe mine will.

 

[gladahmae]

We've been lucky so far to lose one full-grown bird to a hawk (granted, it was my white silkie hen and we lost 3 chicks when the hawk got her) and it's never fun to be doing your 'bird count' and have that sudden moment of realization that you are short a bird or birds.

 

[naglady]

Thank you everyone for the Birthday Wishes..

A couple of days ago i was out with the chickens, and walked inside the enclosed run, heard like a low grumble sound, all chickens went for cover so i knew something was going on.. i stepped out and looked around in the top of the trees and saw a big hawk flying.. so i locked them all in their enclosed runs for the rest of the day..

Bluebird where do you live, i am from oscoda, about a 1hr from hillman.. there is a few of us on this side of the state.. glad to see another member that isnt to far away..

 

[lbrykowski2011]

Happy "50"th naglady
Sorry for your loss bluebirdnanny
I have had to lock mine up a couple times last wk and wk before for 2 hawks hanging around. Haven't seen them this wk. yet(knock on wood)

 

[ladyrsanti]

Because of the rain (and that my chickens are more likely to stay in the barn because of it) I was considering letting them out today. But all this talk about losses is forcing me to reconsider. I let them out ONCE since the fox took the second hen and immediately lost a hen - all day she was gone. Luckily she turned up at bedtime but still... The nerves. Now their coop is wet and the run is worthless, a huge mud and poo pit that they drink out of. It's one big, sorry, sad situation. Gotta get this new coop secure before the snow flies!

 

[chickflick]

I know the redtails stick around for the winter. So, have to be on high alert always. Also, their hunting radius is 10 miles. So, if you don't see them for a few days, that just means they're just at another location for a few days, but will be back. I lost one hen to a hawk. Was sitting on her and tearing off flesh while she was still alive. Not pretty. Poor thing. Was my first chicken.

 

[Our Roost]

Well gang, we discoverd fresh black bear paw prints along the power lines near our home and coop yesterday while out cutting firewood! Bad enough with the red tails, fox, bobcat, and coyote. Now we have a bear in the midst! We have a screened in florida room attached to the coop and its a safe have for the birds when we are not out there to watch them. Best thing I ever created for the chickens. Yes, our run is a sloppy mess also. Going to be very hard to deal with the winter months approaching. Pretty much a cooped up mess.

 

[gaitngirl]

Good afternoon, all! And Happy Belated Birthday Naglady

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Sorry for all of those that have had losses . . .

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On a good note - my hens are FINALLY starting to lay again. I don't know if they just had long molts (all summer long) or what but I'm now getting enough eggs to list for sale on CL again. I had read that molting can last anywhere from 4 weeks to 16 weeks and I think mine all went for the latter. Unfortunately, I had lost a lot of my customers when they quit laying months ago . . . I am still not getting the numbers I should be from approx. 50 hens and pullets but hopefully it will pick up a bit more. And if I could find where all of the ducks are laying I could actually supply duck eggs to most of the people who have contacted me wanting to buy them. I don't suppose anyone in the greater Flint/Swartz Creek area has extra duck eggs to sell? I have 3, sometimes 4, families that want at least 1 dz eggs per week. Preferably from free-ranged ducks. They pay $3/dz.