Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[lbrykowski2011]

I do. After the girls pack the runs down (about once a month) I tear it up into loam again. They love it!

So do you add anything to your runs or just till up once in awhile? I never thought about tilling, it sounds like a great idea.

 

[gladahmae]

Uuugh. Just tried to catch someone's beagle that was sniffing around all the pens. 2nd time I've seen that dog running loose, but last time it was 300yds away. Thing took off as soon as I started calling it to come. I have no idea who it belongs to. :/

 

[tntchix]

Where do y'all get your feed? Especially those in the Howell area like @Opa and @preciouskitty

Right now TSC. I haven't checked into feed stores or mill yet.

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Hi all. Sounds like everyone is busy outside in the gardens. We are going to (hopefully) finish ours tonight or tomorrow night. Had thought we would get it done yesterday, but had our tap dance recital/rehearsal on Fri and Sat (after practice on Tues and Thurs) and we were just beat. It was great fun however as this was the first year my husband danced. Next year my son will be moving up into the adult class with us so I am really looking forward to it.

Our guinea hen has gone broody again...at least it is not October this time! Perhaps she will have better success this time. This will be her last chance as DH has decided that Pat our guinea rooster is being too rough on the laying hens and has to go. He is a good guy, not aggressive at all (even with my daughter) he just won't leave the one hen alone and I don't have any way to separate them at this point. Anyone interested in him? We will probably be bringing him to Chickenstock.

Anyone heard from @BobBry ? Just wondering if he was going to be able to attend CS this year.

 

[SillyChicken]

I would use a tiller if I had one........ but alas, I have a manual tiller named ME... and it's currently out of gas.

My plan was to cover the run and put in sand to help with the drainage/mud etc. The sand is great for drying up the poos, but work best if the sand is kept dry too.

I will go in after we get some rain this week and use a shovel to loose it up. I should make DH do it.. since he is the one who doesn't listen!

Yes the play sand at a big box store is supposed to be clean(ish) and what I would have purchased, however I needed several yards for my runs and now have this lovely clay sand.

I may end up going to landscaping (non dyed) mulch now that I have a good SOLID base.......I need a nap.

 

[RaZ]

Have tiller, can travel.

 

[SillyChicken]

Hi all. Sounds like everyone is busy outside in the gardens. We are going to (hopefully) finish ours tonight or tomorrow night. Had thought we would get it done yesterday, but had our tap dance recital/rehearsal on Fri and Sat (after practice on Tues and Thurs) and we were just beat. It was great fun however as this was the first year my husband danced. Next year my son will be moving up into the adult class with us so I am really looking forward to it.

Our guinea hen has gone broody again...at least it is not October this time! Perhaps she will have better success this time. This will be her last chance as DH has decided that Pat our guinea rooster is being too rough on the laying hens and has to go. He is a good guy, not aggressive at all (even with my daughter) he just won't leave the one hen alone and I don't have any way to separate them at this point. Anyone interested in him? We will probably be bringing him to Chickenstock.

Anyone heard from @BobBry ? Just wondering if he was going to be able to attend CS this year.

oh no... not having good luck with guineas around here. I had 6 last year, lost 3 over winter, one in the spring to a pred> (only hen) and the two that were left were terrorizing my turkeys. They were put down. The 3 chicks I got this spring to put with the others I thought I was going to have.. 2 of them were taken by a pred a week ago. I have one poor little one left that looks like it has also been injured by the same pred and is sticking close to the chickens. It is def a k9 of sorts because of the size of the bite on it's back. I've not had any problems since the dogs have been left loose in the yard. I think I'm going to give up on the guineas.

good luck with your hen, hope she has a good hatch.

 

[SillyChicken]

Have tiller, can travel.

I think the DH needs to deal with it cause it serves him right for not LISTENING!!! LOL! Not sure what it is... they get the wrong sand, stick their thumbs in my drywall.......darn guys! LOL!!

You can come over any time... we'll sit n have a beer and watch!

 

[uchytil]

So do you add anything to your runs or just till up once in awhile? I never thought about tilling, it sounds like a great idea.

Believe it or not the runs actually need to be "added to" as the birds seems to eat, dust, and just generally make the dirt disappear over time. I do add sand. It's play sand they sell in the box stores. I've never had problems with sand but as we all know Michigan is just one big sandbar anyway, lol!

 

[snowflake]

I would highly recommend NOT putting sand in your run. here is an article on why, http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2013/07/the-real-scoop-on-using-sand-in-your.html

interesting article , I have been slowly putting the sand from under our pool (witch I don't plan to replace) into the run. we have clay ant is is helping with the mud. is not very deep and gets well mixed with the dirt, chickens have been having a ball dustbathing. can not till as we have a very large tree in the middle of the run and I don't want to mess with its roots. it gives wonderful shade to almost the whole run. even though I free range my birds all day much of the hottest hours they head for the shade of the run. don't plan on plan on putting inchs in the run is to big, but a little mixed with the dirt sure helps with the mud of spring

I built a chicken plucker over the weekend and butchered about 6 jumbo Cornish X and just wanted to let everyone know this thing is as good as advertised working amazingly. attached are some pictures of the finished project.

love the plucker, sure would be nice, but if I give my DH one more project he may leave, we are so far behind on everything. This winter was just too lo
long. This is what I did this weekend. new egg sign