Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[SkinnyDragon23]

I am a new chicken owner, going to use mine to show in 4-H. I was planning on breeding my chickens also at some point, so I recently bought a couple Polish Tolbunt chicks and a couple Tolbunt mixes. The problem is, one of the Tolbunts has an extra toe, and obviously that's not good. Would it be bad for me to breed this chicken, or will it pass on the extra toe gene? I'm already upset that I won't be able to use it in show. Ahh, I should have checked the feet before I bought them!

 

[gladahmae]

You could still use it for showmanship, just not for breed/variety stuff I think. I would not breed it if you plan on selling the extra chicks or trying to breed toward the breed standard. No sense in fighting genes from the start if you can help it.

 

[aart]

Had a great day as predicted....so warm and sunny with low wind!

All the chicken's were outside, got pen set up for the juvies and they are integrating nicely now.
Got a mini pen set up for the week olds, they did fine outside all day.
Rascal the Chicken Dog in training (not really) is getting used to the erratic behavior of caged birds.



Got the coop partition pop door installed...am thrilled with the automatic latches!
Still gotta reattach the hardware cloth.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Yes it was beautiful out there i got out early today so i got to laze in the sun with the flock. We dug around and they all went in with full crops. ( i cheat and get worms under logs for them) flock momma.

 

[RaZ]

I keep trying to build a fence that will hold water. It seems to work for awhile and then the water escapes.

 

[chickwhispers]

@Farmerboy16 Beautiful kids! Glad you saved them all!

@RaZ How do you build a waterproof fence? Am I missing something here?

If you're serious have you tried plywood coated with the rough stuff used for truck beds? If you're joking then

It was so gorgeous out today! The weekend is going to be nice. Everyone enjoy this beautiful weather!

 

[taprock]

Unfortunately our good weather meant it wasn't snowing. It was cold and cloudy and windy. I wore my snowsuit the whole time I was out today and even working didn't get me too warm. The pig pen is done for tomorrow. Their hut isn't, but hopefully will be before tomorrow night. I put the youngsters outside for a bit. I have another hurt girl. It seems Brutus the Malay has been courting the tiny bantam girls. Why he doesn't like the girls his size I don't understand. He isn't being mean at all but is huge compared to a modern game. I may have to separate him if it continues.

I am more and more nervous about hatching ducks the more I read in the duck threads. And 28 days seem to take forever!

Opa I have been able to look at the apple trees finally. My favorite tree has dead limbs everywhere. Does the cold winter affect apple trees? Or more likely age? The voles around here have chewed the fruit trees horribly this year. There are some I am not sure will survive. With the depth of the snow this year, even some folks who wrap the trunks have damage way above the wrap.

I haven't even started seeds yet but I can finally see my garden free of snow! Most of the woods, herb bed, flower bed and north side of the house are still snow bound.

Congrats Farmerboy!

 

[RaZ]

How do you build a waterproof fence? Am I missing something here?

If you're serious have you tried plywood coated with the rough stuff used for truck beds? If you're joking then

It was so gorgeous out today! The weekend is going to be nice. Everyone enjoy this beautiful weather!

It was more a "tongue-in-cheek" comment than a joke.
There is a saying that if one wants to keep goats they need a fence that will hold water. The premise is that no matter what we do some critters will find a way out of their designated area.

That happened to me both last night and again this afternoon. As much as I tried to keep them in their own area, they managed to get to off-limit areas. There was no harm done, but it just goes to show that security for your critters can always be better. If there is a way out, there is a way in.

Given my situation, I sometimes post in metaphors and parables. And sometimes. I'm just plain goofy.

 

[mattsinger]

NIce to see it warming up a bit. Got my two 5 week olds moved outside. By the looks of their combs... Id say one one pullet and one roo.

 

[chickwhispers]

Quote: Ahhh! I see! Well then...

I hadn't ever herd that.

But then I've never had goats either. One goof turn deserves another.