Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Trefoil]

I like both stollen and fruitcake. Stollen toast...yummy. I "swept" the run roof tonight, those roof rakes are one the best inventions. It was beautiful out today, cold but beautiful. I opened the Aframe's door and for the 2nd day in a row they stood in the doorway and looked out, that's it. The birds I keep in a coop with attached (covered) run are in & out all day,no problem. Everybody else just gives me the "what are you,nuts" look when I open their doors. Opa- hope you get over the effects soon and heal. I ended up with 5 silkie chicks, one hatched a week earlier than the rest and has had poppy butt ever since. He (she?) really doesn't like baths and I feel sorry for it, but what else is there to do. I put olive oil on his behind, give them all vit & probiotics in their water, but still the same. He's still growing good, so I guess its really not that big of a problem. I'm not sure I'll feel the same way when I have 2 month old chicks in the house. They hatched from eggs I got on ebay, they are paint colored, I really like the splash silkies so hopefully these will be just as pretty.I need to worm my birds, does anybody know if it would be a bad idea to do it when the weather is soooo cold? I don't want to add more stress.

 

[taprock]

Last night I mentioned I had ended up working unexpectedly. Well by the time I got home it was almost dark and I was stressed so DH was very sweet and closed everyone up. This morning I went out to find a calico Cochin (pippi) who had been left out overnight. I think it was about 17 last night and she slept on the ground and suffered no ill effects. Tough little bird. The positive is I now get three days off in a row that should help me get caught up before Christmas. Tomorrow it is supposed to make it to 30 and I hope to clean coops. And....10 eggs today! The most since October!

 

[chickflick]

I have a dog house in the chicken run for that reason. If a hen got left out, she would have a place to go and get out of the weather. There's lots of straw in it. Too many stories of hens being left out.

 

[Our Roost]

Oh? It gets even better as we tend to pour bourbon over it as well. Of course the alcohol evaperates but you have a heck of a good fruit drunk cake! Glass of egg nog with rum and all is good.

 

[SillyChicken]

Tre.. I don't know about worming affecting your birds unless they are already showing signs of stress. If they're healthy, I can't imagine it would hurt them.

good idea for a feeder..
Well, one of my old corsi is getting really bad. She has been refusing to eat for quite some time, lost a bunch of weight and muscle... I've tried everything to get her to eat but she just won't. Last night something nasty came out of her..not even sure which end . I am suspecting blood as it was black... and lacked the right odor one would expect. Ugh I hate making these decisions.

 

[Scifisarah]

Trefoil - thanks for the info! I actually found some Berne insulated bibs at Farm Family & Home on sale for $44.99 so I bought those and am trying to decide whether or not to go with the Medium Short or Medium Regular for best fit. For gloves, I have been wearing jersey garden gloves, and then have some of the purple nitrile gloves like they have at the doctor's office over them. I buy them by the box on Amazon.com. I am thinking of looking for some light weight wool liner gloves for underneath and then with the nitrile gloves over, I don't think I'd ever get cold.

 

[chickflick]

Sorry Silly. It's a hard decison to make. Our pets are our family members, so it breaks your heart.

 

[RaZ]

It is always a difficult choice, Silly.
I hope this isn't one of our extended family.
Please exercise caution with heat lamps, water heaters and electrical cords. If you must use them, double or triple secure them.
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2013/12/chickens_die_in_barn_fire_caus.html

 

[snowflake]

sorry Silly, it is so hard, we had to do it a few yrs. ago to both of our old dogs. much,much, harder then if they just don't wake up one day.

 

[naglady]

So sorry Silly, Big Hugs..