Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[jerabu]

I mentioned it before but one more time - If the sap has ice on it toss the ice. You now have a more concentrated sap (higher sugar) and guess what? It takes less wood, and time, to get some sugar.

Wouldn't that make freezing it a cost effective way to do things?

 

[aart]

Quote: I was wondering if there might be a way to get some of the 'water' out of it prior to boiling.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Wow super busy...got to eat lunch today for a change and saw some interesting posts...

Culling is a responsibility we keepers have. Cervical separation is the best way. It's harder for some people but just like cleaning the house - sometimes it just has to be done!

Goats- Why wouldn't someone want goats? The deer do enough destruction without the goat's help, lol!

Maple Syrup. OK, simple answers to simple sugar. No, it's not cost effective to use propane, or natural gas, or buy wood. But, for a hobbyist whom feels it would be fun to make some - go for it! Big sugar bushes get government grants, tax breaks, and all kinds of other incentives so they can use gas, fuel oil, or wood fired evaporators, pumps, filters, reverse osmosis, and other users of energy, and sell for the market rate and still make money.

Here's what I do to make it free (if you think sweat equity is free) - tree services give away wood, the power company clears power lines and leaves wood ( just ask the land owner first), free pallets? Oak is your best bet but apple, cherry, maple, ash, even pine and poplar will make sap boil. I cut on my property but split by hand so I guess I have to factor in some gas/oil for the chainsaw. In any case there are ways around paying for wood. Once you make a quart you'll be able to gauge how much wood to stack for next year.

I mentioned it before but one more time - If the sap has ice on it toss the ice. You now have a more concentrated sap (higher sugar) and guess what? It takes less wood, and time, to get some sugar.

I had a 7 gal. bucket freeze and we did just that, poured off the liquid and chucked the ice - just wished we'd left all the buckets outside to freeze

 

[Maah]

Narrowed my chicken selections down to only a couple breeds.

It's either going to be RIR's or Australorps.

Any pros or cons to either breed in Michigan weather, in an unheated coop?

I really like my Australorps. They're friendly and seem to get along with whatever other breeds are in my flock just fine. They are great layers and do well in the winter.

I've only ever had one RIR before and wasn't as impressed with her as I have been with other breeds. Yes, she laid well and no she wasn't mean... But she also wasn't anything to stand out to me either - no personality, she just "was". Of course, like I said, I only had the one so I can't make an overall judgement on the breed itself.

One of my Australorps went broody last summer so I gave her some eggs to hatch (saved me the trouble incubating them). She was a wonderful momma.

 

[jerabu]

I have a couple maples on my property. Maybe I will give this a try, though I doubt they are sugar maples. I just know they aren't reds, either.

 

[jerabu]

I really like my Australorps. They're friendly and seem to get along with whatever other breeds are in my flock just fine. They are great layers and do well in the winter.

I've only ever had one RIR before and wasn't as impressed with her as I have been with other breeds. Yes, she laid well and no she wasn't mean... But she also wasn't anything to stand out to me either - no personality, she just "was". Of course, like I said, I only had the one so I can't make an overall judgement on the breed itself.

One of my Australorps went broody last summer so I gave her some eggs to hatch (saved me the trouble incubating them). She was a wonderful momma.

From all the reading I have done, That seems to be the case with Australorps being personable and fluffy, and RIR's not being anything really special. I am leaning towards Australorps. Though I am raising them for eggs (and meat when they quit giving me those) I still want to like them, and maybe let my niece and nephew play with them. I like animals with personality.

 

[uchytil]

Wouldn't that make freezing it a cost effective way to do things?

Yup, leave it in pans outside covered and you reap the benefits

 

[uchytil]

Respiratory distress, classic cough - sad sounding chicken(s). What's worked? I have done some research and have a few ideas. Just wondering if anyone has run into this and what they did that worked? Not really interested in vet visits, or post-life examinations, for chickens. Thanks in advance.

 

[SillyChicken]

I have a couple maples on my property. Maybe I will give this a try, though I doubt they are sugar maples. I just know they aren't reds, either.

Sugar maple leaf

Sugar maple - tree species: Acer saccharum​

Characteristics...

• Shape: palmate (3 upper lobes are pronounced, 2 basal lobes are small)
• Margin: 1-3 points per lobe
• Venation: palmate
• Size: 8 - 16 cm (width and length relatively equal)
• Petiole: 5-13 cm
• Color: green
• Fall color: yellow to bright orange
• Deciduous

 

[Amy PT]

Our Australorp is wonderful. I'm wondering if everyone else's is LOUD? Our other 3 hens are quiet except for the few minutes of an egg song every day. Alice, however, is loud, loud, loud a lot.