Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Our Roost]

coyzstze, egg output? My best advice is the black sex links. Truly productive egg layers as well as attractive and mostly docile. Plus, you can identify their sex at birth!

 

[Opa]

Need I say more?

 

[Elmer Fudd]

I would really like to get a silver duckwing for showman ship for my daughter dose anyone no were a can get a show quality silve duckwing

From what I've read Silver Duckwing is a coloring common in different breeds of chicken. I assume you are looking for a Old English Game Hen?

 

[coyzstze]

coyzstze, egg output? My best advice is the black sex links. Truly productive egg layers as well as attractive and mostly docile. Plus, you can identify their sex at birth!

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll give them a try sometime down the road. Right now I'm at capacity with Easter Eggers and Austalorps.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Has anyone ever had problems with developing black scum in those flexible rubber tubs in winter? I noticed that within 12 hrs of cleaning the tub (which includes a wipe-down) and refilling, the water would get foamy on top. If I didn't clean it every day, it got slimy on the walls and a black sediment on the bottom that had a smell to it. It was nasty.

There was a 50w aquarium heater in it that kept the water fairly warm. It never touched the surface of the bowl but rested about 1cm from the bottom. I shut it off and have gone back to refilling it as it freezes. I don't want to harm my birds with foul water. But anyone ever had issues like this? Is that just some kind of algae, mold or a reaction between the heater, water and rubber? It was weird because it didn't smell organic but almost rubbery.

 

[SillyChicken]

does it look like it's leaching into the water? I know those buckets smell terrible.. I have one and stopped using it too. now it's just a fancy prop for my ele water bucket.. lol!

 

[ladyrsanti]

does it look like it's leaching into the water? I know those buckets smell terrible.. I have one and stopped using it too. now it's just a fancy prop for my ele water bucket.. lol!

I can't tell but it smelled like it. It didn't smell like any algae or mold I've ever had in a water bucket in the muckiest days of summer and the heater only kept the water at about 68°F. I'm gonna see how it does without the heater and if I ever notice anything funky again, I'll get rid of it and buy something else.

 

[Maah]

I'm new to back yard chickens and live up by big rapids and was wondering what is a good chick to start with for eggs and meat and then I would love to get my daughter a bird to bring to the 4-h. Ever since I started talking about chickens she wants one for her self any ideas

Ha! I've been getting from FF and they had yellow EE chicks last year - I grabbed two and they turned out beautifully. The people at FF know I want all the yellow EE chicks that are coming in this year (unless they get 20 or something). I'm in there almost weekly (I have horses, too, and buy my catfood there) so they know my face. Will have to give them a list and have them hold for me - they start chick days on the 22nd of February....

FEB 22ND?! AHHH!!... Yea, I knew it was coming up. Better start buttering up hubby now, and maybe start planning my trips to the FF&H a little more wisely. Ugh. There's just too much snow outside to make me think chicks. How quickly it's coming upon us.

I would really like to get a silver duckwing for showman ship for my daughter dose anyone no were a can get a show quality silve duckwing

For the showmanship class at the fair, the bird doesn't have to be show quality. The showmanship is about your daughter's knowledge and ability to handle the bird, and be able to show that she has personally worked with the bird & learned, etc. Judges don't care if the bird is show quality or not, but they do like the child to know what show quality is. If her bird's comb was abnormal for that breed, the judge will like her to point that out, etc. Just get any old english duckwing (if that's what you want) as a chick & have your daughter raise it & work with it daily. IMO.

Has anyone ever had problems with developing black scum in those flexible rubber tubs in winter? I noticed that within 12 hrs of cleaning the tub (which includes a wipe-down) and refilling, the water would get foamy on top. If I didn't clean it every day, it got slimy on the walls and a black sediment on the bottom that had a smell to it. It was nasty.

There was a 50w aquarium heater in it that kept the water fairly warm. It never touched the surface of the bowl but rested about 1cm from the bottom. I shut it off and have gone back to refilling it as it freezes. I don't want to harm my birds with foul water. But anyone ever had issues like this? Is that just some kind of algae, mold or a reaction between the heater, water and rubber? It was weird because it didn't smell organic but almost rubbery.

What kind of smell does it have? If it's an egg'ish smell... it could be excess iron in your water. That will turn black. ...I know cuz our water here sucks.

 

[naglady]

Maah and Lady you both know you want to hatch.. dust those bators off and get started..

I put my eggs in lockdown, and found 2 unfertile eggs out of 20.. 17 look pretty good and 1 looks iffy so i put it in anyways and wrote dud on it just in case..

My friend has a brahma rooster and her hens are australorp, and she has buff and red orphingtons.. do you think if i hatch chicks from egg with this mix, if i would have decent egg layers or decent size bird for butchering. already talked with her and thinking i may hatch 24 eggs and split the chicks.. but want to know if anyone has experience with this mix..


lady sounds like mildew or mold on your water dishes.. soad a little bit in bleachy water and the rinse and that will kill the bacteria that causes it..

 

[uchytil]

Has anyone ever had problems with developing black scum in those flexible rubber tubs in winter? I noticed that within 12 hrs of cleaning the tub (which includes a wipe-down) and refilling, the water would get foamy on top. If I didn't clean it every day, it got slimy on the walls and a black sediment on the bottom that had a smell to it. It was nasty.

There was a 50w aquarium heater in it that kept the water fairly warm. It never touched the surface of the bowl but rested about 1cm from the bottom. I shut it off and have gone back to refilling it as it freezes. I don't want to harm my birds with foul water. But anyone ever had issues like this? Is that just some kind of algae, mold or a reaction between the heater, water and rubber? It was weird because it didn't smell organic but almost rubbery.

I use them for the rabbits, chickens, and goats but have never had that. I have had green algae in the summer. It may be the water supply with the heater helping it to grow. Why, in home systems that utilize shallow wells with bladder tanks the "black scum" is fairly common adhering to the rubber liner. In some cases, later on, when you open high volume faucets, like a tub, it may come out and is gross looking. Jacuzzi type tubs are notorious for this as the water sets in the pipes and black scum forms. Check your water system.