Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[chickwhispers]

Speaking of fuzzies...@fuzzybutt love I was going to tell you your spring garden plans sound wonderful! Whatever you get accomplished please share pics. I love Flower gardens and can't wait to dig in this spring as well!

 

[Stacykins]

It's nothing...it's just a wolf.

Yep, a wolf! The picture was taken on a road just off U.S. 2/41 in Bark River/Harris. He is a gorgeous and healthy looking fellow! There are no reports of livestock losses in the area, though. I keep my goats locked up in their shelter at night, just in case. There was actually a second wolf whose picture was taken two miles from my house. But he had a bum leg that flopped around when he ran.



My sister's friend took the picture.

 

[chickwhispers]

That's an awesome picture. The occasional coyote or fox is enough for me though.No

here.

 

[1muttsfan]

Naglady, newspaper is not a very good substrate for chicks, it is too slippery (can lead to leg deformities) and is poorly absorbent. you could lay some paper towel over it, or I use puppy pads, both have more texture and absorb waste better.

 

[SillyChicken]

I been down and out all weekend...... dentist checked my tooth again on Monday and by golly it is the tooth I said I was having issues with. Go figure. So, it's dying and I have to either get it pulled or get a root canal/crown.. neither option I want really. I have to see a specialist because the tooth is funky, so yeah me, he's two weeks out. Pain killers hardly cut it, antibiotics have given me a rash. and I can't eat solid foods cause the tooth is raised up a bit and painful, etc. on the bright side, I've shed a few pounds.

I feel bad that I've not been able to clean my coops this weekend, they're froze solid and I can't clean them out. guess I'll keep piling on the bedding. I think I may put a sheet of plastic or a small tarp down, then the bedding and just gather it up and dump it come cleaning time. I don't want to damage the new vinyl I put on the floor. Hopefully we'll hit a warm spell soon. This winter has been crazy! The plan this summer, is to get better prepared in case we have another winter like this one. Double air layer another coops walls. Doors on the goat shed and reposition the other goat house, build a wind break retaining wall for the billy. And another fence pasture for the sheep.

We think we're going to build cold frames and line them along the foundation of the house (south facing).. It hardly ever freezes there and it would be nice to have a few greens. Does anyone else use them?

Though I can't wait till spring........ I have a feeling it's going to be one heck of a messy one!

Precious, glad your feeling better,

Raz, glad you finally went to the dr.. pneumonia is nothing to laugh at! Feel better soon

Sam, how's the elbow and your old friend doing?

Stacykins, I see that wolf, and all I can think about is that awesome blanket Tap made!

 

[chickwhispers]

@SillyChicken I hope you can wait that long.

I got some Eugenol and dental repair kit at the pharmacy for mine. It's holding up OK for now.

But I too need it pulled or root canal. Too much pain, Too many $$. Just plain too much!

 

[iamfivewire]

Beautiful wolf picture

 

[BigHope888]

Hello, my fellow freezing Michiganians! Is anyone going to the Ag Comission. meeting tomorrow? My boyfriend punked out and I'm not as prepared as I'd like to be : ( I do still want to go, though.

I've decided to hold off on chickens this year. Some "logical" part of my brain telling me to be all "responsible" and "renovate the bathroom this spring instead of investing in chicks." I'm bummed, but I know that the subfloor and plumbing need attention-I currently turn on my hot shower water with pliers, so...darnit, that future box of peeping chicks will just have to wait. In the meantime, I'll have another year to prepare, and anyhow, I can use that time to lobby in my hometown for legalizing chickens. With or without RTF, I strongly hope to change our "No Poultry" ordinance. I want to draft a chicken ordinance that my city can deem beneficial. So, going forward, if anyone has a similar goal, especially my closest neighbors in Northern Metro Detroit, please PM me if you feel the need to brainstorm or collaborate. I'll post any progress.

 

[Maah]

gladahme - thanks for the pain reliever ointment info. I wasn't sure about it (though I did research it more thoroughly since) & knew someone would tell me! The ointment we used was not one of the caine products.

So we unwrapped his feet yesterday to check the progress. No doubt about it being frostbite now... Poor bird. A fair amount of his feet/toes are turning black. Not exactly sure what will happen with him, but most likely hubby will just put him down. Now that he's warmed up & he feet have thawed out, he's not walking on them anymore. You can tell he got some feeling back in his feet & he's not happy with it. I think he's about 4 years old.

We have checked out our hens & none of them are showing any signs of frostbite on their feet, though we did notice a couple of slightly damaged combs but nothing on any of the others that's even close to what the rooster has. Though he always perched himself right next to the window at night though, so maybe he took the majority of it from the ladies. Or maybe he offended them somehow & they made him sleep "on the couch" outside. No idea.

This winter has been unreal.

On a side note... We have been getting eggs for the last few weeks like crazy! We have (I think) 11 or 12 hens (honestly, I don't know anymore... I'm guessing. I haven't counted them since we had that mink attack that took a lot out). Anyways, from the 11-12 ladies, we're getting 9-10 eggs a day. And half of our flock is older hens. Good job ladies. They're laying like it's summertime. IF ONLY!

 

[naglady]

thanks muttsfan i will use some paper towel..


I already have my incubator cleaned and turned on ready to start another batch of eggs , next batch of eggs going in are wyondotte,red orp,buff orp,rir, australorp hens / Brahma roo. so will see how these egg hatch.. getting them tonight. and if everything goes right i will set them tomorrow afternoon..


love the wolf picture


I cant wait tilll it warms some to get my coop cleaned also, been tossing bedding down also..