Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Brennigan]

Candie was my lil lavander splash 1 yr old blind baby who I coddled all the time and def my fav. So smart and altho blind, got around just fine. Came running even bumpin into stuff heading towards my voice every time she heard me. Im sooooo greatfull that the ONLY egg she ever laid, I hatched and got an identical daughter from her. I too named her Candy. So she will live on through her. But wow I cant get over how ballzy these hawks are here and it never fails they grab my favs. RIP Candie!

Poor, girl! Sounds and looks like a little doll. So happy you have little Candy!

 

[LoveMyChicklets]

Well building my new chicken run this weekend. All my feather babies was running loose and enjoying pickin gass and bugs while I was swaeting my butt off working hard. I had almost the whole thing done EXCEPT the flight netting and my cute lil blind hen Candie was hanging out with me.

All of the sudden the roosters sound the alarm for danger and everyone ran for cover. I looked around and saw nothing and looked at Candie about 15ft from me.and as fast as I blinked my eye a cooper hawk hit her and took her. I freaked and before I can get up she was over the trees and gone! This is the 4th time a cooper hawk has done this to me and always never further then 20ft. The last hen taken, the hawks wings tuched me, thats how close she was from me. I HATE COOPER HAWKS!!!

Candie was my lil lavander splash 1 yr old blind baby who I coddled all the time and def my fav. So smart and altho blind, got around just fine. Came running even bumpin into stuff heading towards my voice every time she heard me. Im sooooo greatfull that the ONLY egg she ever laid, I hatched and got an identical daughter from her. I too named her Candy. So she will live on through her. But wow I cant get over how ballzy these hawks are here and it never fails they grab my favs.

RIP Candie!

OH NOOOOOOO! She was such a sweet lil' girl ML!!! I'm so sorry

I know you loved that little lady very much. RIP Candie girl.

 

[1muttsfan]

So sorry, Candy

 

[PhatChicks]

Hello Michigan group!

I'm in West MI, near Grand Rapids. I'm just now planting a chicken salad bar for my 7 girls. I was wondering if anyone had luck with growing their own lettuce. spinach, etc for them? I was thinking they would eat it all way too fast. Much faster than I can grow it.

Also has anyone used beach sand for a dust bath? I live about 10 minutes from Lake MI and can get lots of free sand. I was thinking of making a dust bath area with some clean beach sand but didn't know if it would be good for them.

Thanks!

 

[snowflake]

Hello Michigan group!

I'm in West MI, near Grand Rapids. I'm just now planting a chicken salad bar for my 7 girls. I was wondering if anyone had luck with growing their own lettuce. spinach, etc for them? I was thinking they would eat it all way too fast. Much faster than I can grow it.

Also has anyone used beach sand for a dust bath? I live about 10 minutes from Lake MI and can get lots of free sand. I was thinking of making a dust bath area with some clean beach sand but didn't know if it would be good for them.

Thanks!

a mixture of sand, peat,and wood ash is a good dust bath keeps the bugs away and hens seem to love it

Good Morning!

I'm sure I posted this picture before (it's from a year ago)... but this is Laney checking out a chick. She's a good girl. Excellent lovable cat & great hunter.

sweet kitty, love it when mine catches mice and moles, ball her out for catching birds.

What you look'n at Willis?

Willis is adorable,!!!

thanks for sharing the chicken plucker in action, does a nice clean job

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Beach sand gets too hot in the summer!

 

[SillyChicken]

Beach sand gets too hot in the summer!

I think it would depend on the location of the run,... if it were full sun, yeah it could get hot, but so could mulch or dirt. So I think these things should be considered when choosing the media. Covering the run would provide enough shade to keep the sand cool.

 

[uchytil]

Hello Michigan group!

I'm in West MI, near Grand Rapids. I'm just now planting a chicken salad bar for my 7 girls. I was wondering if anyone had luck with growing their own lettuce. spinach, etc for them? I was thinking they would eat it all way too fast. Much faster than I can grow it.

Also has anyone used beach sand for a dust bath? I live about 10 minutes from Lake MI and can get lots of free sand. I was thinking of making a dust bath area with some clean beach sand but didn't know if it would be good for them.

Thanks!

LOL, yeah I live near Muskegon and down by the beach the home owners have "free beach sand" signs. I would go for it. If you put it in a run the birds will tear it apart and mix the beach sand into the terra firma already there. Mine do anyway. Any dry dirt/sand mix will be theirs in no time. The thing about growing greens for the birds is they do eat it fast! I grow extra cherry and yellow pear tomatoes and feed the sucker branches and fruits to my chooks and ducks. They love it...

 

[Circejane]

Greetings from the Traverse City area! The DH and I moved to Leelanau County (the closest place to Paradise I can imagine) last summer, and this summer I've convinced him to let us get a couple of chickens. A work friend has a hobby farm with some extra ISA Brown pullets that will be lay-ready by fall. I'm hoping to get a coop chosen, built, and the chickens here well before then.

Our current menagerie consists of six rescue cats and a 10-year-old Newfie mix named Moo, who is possibly the best dog in the world. <3 In the past she's led me gently to fallen wild bird fledglings that we've rehabbed, so I have no worries about her with the chickens.

Looking forward to becoming a part of the backyard chicken community and getting to know you all.

 

[PhatChicks]

Very true. I'm planning on putting it on the shaded side of the run where it will only get sun during the morning until around 11am. Or putting an umbrella over it. I'll definitely think about the temperature before filling the dust bath area with sand. Thanks!