Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[SillyChicken]

whats the possibility it's in the food?

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Our food or theirs? Antibiotics are routine in many large meat operations.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...re-widely-used-by-u-s-meat-industry/index.htm
Why they feel it is ok as a preventative on non sick animals but do not like us treating actual sick ones is beyond me; that is more likely to cause antibiotic resistance i.m.o., and long term means it is not getting flushed out as good before slaughter. This article is a pointer for avoiding them and decoding tricky labeling.

As to the birds, no, the types of bacteria i am looking into can give infectious bronchitis, cholera of birds. In theory the heat from cooking their pellets should be sufficient to kill bacteria and most pelkets are either fish or soy based.

 

[Monstro]

Hello. Figured I should introduce myself, not sure if I have yet but been lurking.
Recently moved to SW MI Cass County, from Allegan county. Newish to chickens this year. Had 5 roughly four months old.
Lost one a couple days ago. One kept getting out the top (6' tall pen but no top) she was always waiting to go back in at closing time. Except the other night. Searched and couldn't find her. Hoped she'd find her way into the barn beside coop, which has open dog doors, nope. Found her next day frozen in the open she never took cover.

 

[mistyhollow]

Hello. Figured I should introduce myself, not sure if I have yet but been lurking.
Recently moved to SW MI Cass County, from Allegan county. Newish to chickens this year. Had 5 roughly four months old.
Lost one a couple days ago. One kept getting out the top (6' tall pen but no top) she was always waiting to go back in at closing time. Except the other night. Searched and couldn't find her. Hoped she'd find her way into the barn beside coop, which has open dog doors, nope. Found her next day frozen in the open she never took cover.

Welcome to my neck of the woods. I get my chicken feed from Community Mills, Inc in Cassopolis.

 

[Monstro]

Welcome to my neck of the woods. I get my chicken feed from Community Mills, Inc in Cassopolis. 

Well hello neighbor We get our dog food there and just picked up a bag of Prince to try from there. We live just outside of Cassopolis city limits.

 

[suliah]

Hello. Figured I should introduce myself, not sure if I have yet but been lurking.
Recently moved to SW MI Cass County, from Allegan county. Newish to chickens this year. Had 5 roughly four months old.
Lost one a couple days ago. One kept getting out the top (6' tall pen but no top) she was always waiting to go back in at closing time. Except the other night. Searched and couldn't find her. Hoped she'd find her way into the barn beside coop, which has open dog doors, nope. Found her next day frozen in the open she never took cover.

that's tragic! Lost a chicken to the cold already?

I"m worried about mine as well... I have 6 Isa browns that made it through last winter in a tiny coop, but my 4 EE's (hatched in February) haven't had to deal with winter yet, and they don't seem to be tolerating it well.

I built a new coop (much bigger than the last, with better/more ventilation), and my Isa Browns and my ducks seem to be doing JUST FINE! But my EE's are huddled together on the highest perch and shivering and/or hiding under the coop (which sits about 2" above ground level, they dug a little hole to get down there).

Should I be worried?

 

[iamfivewire]

welcome Mons - & sorry about the loss :- (

 

[chickflick]

Newbies!!!

I have a couple of different options in my run for the hens. Just in case they get locked out. I have a dog house filled with straw and also a couple of tops from the pet taxis so they could get out of the weather and stay warm.
Your Isa's should be ok. I can't believe they are shivering. But then again, we went right past fall and into winter and might not have gotten use to it like normal.

 

[Monstro]

The four left refuse the white stuff. They briefly explored the first light dusting and have refused to leave the coop since. The one we lost was only one who didnt mind it, I think she had also taken the leader role.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

The only time i do deep bedding is winter. A foot or two of straw! Takes the moisture and chill out of the air. My ee are fine, cold but fine. I have kept this breed the whole 5-6 years i've done chickens, never lost one to cold. They do not like snow, wet feet, or drafts. I made some little flannel coats one year and my ee adored me for it. But though they act wussey they are pretty cold hardy. I feed conditioning mash in the mornings to keep them at peak and in good spirits.