Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[snowflake]

love the little girl

Welcome newbies!!

hope you can make it to Chicken Stock in june

 

[gladahmae]

Hello everyone! Chicken newbie here I am really interested in getting some chickens this spring, but the ordinances are pretty dumb in this area. Anyone live around the Bay City/Portsmouth township area? From what I understand, they allow one farm animal (including chickens) for the first 5 acres of land, and one animal per acre after that. I don't have anywhere near that amount of land, but why does one chicken need 5 acres? Has anyone had any luck getting around ordinances with the Right to Farm act? I just don't want to get my hopes up, just to have my chickens taken away. Thank you!

I know in our area (not the BC area) that there are similar restrictions, but they are for LARGE animals....such as horses.....x number of horses per acreage, and smaller animals such as pigs, goats, sheep, etc. are allowed in higher numbers. Might be worth a trip or phone call to your county/township to get the for-sure word. It's not like you *have* to identify yourself/address to make yourself a target. Right to Farm words things un UNITS, and one animal UNIT is something like 5000 chickens. I would stop by or call the township.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

@fuzzybutt love

I have a Rouen duck that wants to be a house duck, too bad I can't entice you to take her. LOL

Lol. Never had a duck. I bet she is a sweetie!



I got the job! I hope there is not too much ot. I have had issues with ot the last year and a half, always animal problems follow (or during) just like kids for me. This means i can now get the coop i've dreamed of for so long!!!!!!!

 

[eatwhatyougrow]

Found a place selling 8x8x4 preconstructed boxes for 40 bucks. I am going to get 8 of them a build a new chicken complex

 

[aart]

Congratz Fuzzy!

 

[Stacykins]

My little kid is really growing fast! I dehorned him last week, so I hope that I did a good job!

He is looking so big! I am not looking forward to disbudding. I give them banamine beforehand, but it still doesn't stop their little cries. But I did nearly have my eye taken up when a horned goat flung his head back while I was leaning over him. Hit my cheek instead, thankfully. So horns, not a fan. Plus, NDs can't even be shown if they are horned.

My kids finally have barn names. My mother took to calling the biggest girl Athena, so the names kind of flowed along that theme.

Xena, tiny adorable warrior princess.


Athena


And Percy (as in the lightning thief).




Not sure which girl kid I am going to retain yet! It is such a hard choice, I wish I could keep them all! The boy and the girl will be sold (boy as a buckling or a wether) once they are weaned.

 

[mandalin]

I know in our area (not the BC area) that there are similar restrictions, but they are for LARGE animals....such as horses.....x number of horses per acreage, and smaller animals such as pigs, goats, sheep, etc. are allowed in higher numbers.  Might be worth a trip or phone call to your county/township to get the for-sure word.  It's not like you *have* to identify yourself/address to make yourself a target.  Right to Farm words things un UNITS, and one animal UNIT is something like 5000 chickens.  I would stop by or call the township.

The township is where I got the info

The person who answered the phone was not very helpful, but she sent me a copy of the ordinance. It says domesticated animals such as horses, cattle, goats, hogs, sheep, llamas, and fowl that are not located on farms, shall be permitted under the following conditions. Then it says the number of such animals shall not exceed one animal for the first five acres of lot area and one additional animal for each additional acre of land area.

She did say Right to Farm supersedes the ordinance, but I'm not sure if that applies to me since I'm not on a farm.

 

[aart]

He is looking so big! I am not looking forward to disbudding. I give them banamine beforehand, but it still doesn't stop their little cries. But I did nearly have my eye taken up when a horned goat flung his head back while I was leaning over him. Hit my cheek instead, thankfully. So horns, not a fan. Plus, NDs can't even be shown if they are horned.

From what I've read, which is a lot, they are yelling more about being restrained/held down than from pain.
I've watched a bunch of videos and they start yelling the minute the head is grabbed to hold and stop upon release...but geez that yelling is unnerving!
Good Luck!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

.Mandalin could you be blunt with them without giving yourself away? Ask about 3 hens no roos; that is the usual allowance in the suburbs.

Then maybe if they are open let them see pics of potential coops. Most of the time i think the fuss is worry over potential eyesores. Or the dirt/noise factor. Otherwise plan to plant a lot of bushes!!!!

I think we. MI byc'ers should put together a set of videos for this kind of situation, showing clean contented hens and management practice/disposal shots. I can be the happy chicken hugger at the end- LOL. It could be a good resource if it were downloadable to a memory card or something? I'm thinking with a folder with pics and a presentation pamphlet of some sort???

 

[mandalin]

Unfortunately I think I already gave myself away when I had them mail me the info. If I was thinking I would have had them send it to my mom or just picked it up in person. I'm hoping that if I keep my immediate neighbors happy I won't have any problems.

I think that's a great idea about the presentation!