Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[1muttsfan]

Hi Getreal, welcome to the Michigan thread

As Raz says, the moisture is likely to be an issue. You could try placing the waterer in a heavy rubber feeding tub, but having it outside would probably be better. Ducks and chickens often do not do well when housed together, as the ducks are much messier. If you could separate them they would likely both be happier and healthier. Ducks usually only require a modest shelter, such as a dog house or igloo.

 

[chickflick]

Are we going to plan a Chickenstock for 2015???

Just one person wants another Chickenstock??? With all this enthusiasm, I think John and I will meet somewhere and have us a nice visit! I know, at Laura's house!

 

[newtnn]

Just one person wants another Chickenstock???   With all this enthusiasm, I think John and I will meet somewhere and have us a nice visit!  I know, at Laura's house!

I could be up for it! Do I need to bring a dish to pass?

 

[chickflick]

It's in Lansing, 3rd weekend in June. It's a big picnic and yes we bring a dish to pass. There will be more info as we go on... if we get more response, that is!!

 

[RaZ]

It's in Lansing, 3rd weekend in June. It's a big picnic and yes we bring a dish to pass. There will be more info as we go on... if we get more response, that is!!

We are just waiting for someone to rent the pavilion.

 

[tntchix]

I am excited for Chickenstock 2015. I wanted to go last year but it snuck up on me too fast.

I woke up to an icy deck and promptly fell on my behind. It was like slipping on a banana peel - one minute I was up and the next, boom! I'm fine just banged up my forearm and had to wait for my son to help me up as I was about doing the splits trying myself. All for 3 eggs out of 8 today. Really? Really?

Hubs flies in tomorrow night, hopefully it won't be a disaster waiting to happen for him...

 

[Trefoil]

hello all, been busy reading and trying to figure all this info out. first I live in the u.p. near the Wisconsin border. it's been in the 20s - 30s lately so we have left the coop open for the girls. I think they are molting but not sure. I'm sure hoping. I have looked for mites and can't see anything. now today I see one of the girls have blacks speckles on her comb. is this frost bite or pecking? I keep finding conflicting info. is it too cold for them to play outside? the humidity was outrageous. so my husband drilled holes into the rafters on top of the walls. this helped a lot. next I have 2 ducks in the coop with them. they all get along. my problem, the floor is always wet. we put down shavings then straw on top. that didn't work well and we are short on straw this year, so went to all shavings. I can't keep ahead of it. we put a heated waterer in like the one in the picture. it is empty every few hours. my thought is the ducks are wasting it. and it's getting all over the floor. we have it sitting on patio blocks

inside a big flower pot to catch the water. anyone here from this neck of the woods that can help me know what to do???
thank you

The best way to go, if you are allowing them access to the run, put their food and water in the run, that will keep most of the excess moisture out of your coop. If not, cut a 3' x 3' hole in your coop floor and cover it with hardware cloth and put their water source in the center of the wire. That way the extra water will end up on the ground, not the floor of the coop. Ducks need more water than chickens do, and they are messier, but chickens usually roost off the ground and ducks usually don't so as long as they get along it can be done. Ducks really need access to more water than a chicken waterer provides, either way of doing it can be used with a rubber tub or provide them a rubber tub of water in the run separately at least once a day. The ducks can drink out of a chicken waterer but not clean their nares (?). My vote is for a chickenstock.

 

[PDPercherons]

Well said about supplemental heat.

I also want to beat the deep litter horse a bit. I like deep litter and often suggest it. But it is NOT a heat source in a coop. Heat is a by-product of the decomposition process and a good compost heap has a proper balance of green and brown material along with moisture. Moisture in a coop is bad for your chickens. I often see internet "suggestions" that DL will heat your coop in the winter. I have found no valid evidence that this is true.

Keep your coop dry, well ventilated and draft free and your birds will do fine. Fresh food and water are vital. Good luck y'all.

I was initially told to use shavings to bed the coop down. After a week of our "first" winter I decided that was foolish and ridiculous. I keep the floor clean. I scrape all the droppings and extras out every few days right now. The only thing that gets bedding is the nesting boxes where I add sawdust first and straw on top. I do keep sawdust below the perch as it's easier to scrape up and clean. The main floor is kept debris free.

I also use rubber bowls for watering, and the 40 watt lightbulb is just light above. Heat would be minimal but better than nothing. Believe it or not, so far the light being on and the chickens inside have kept the water from freezing.

 

[bigmrg74]

We are just waiting for someone to rent the pavilion.

Are we thinking of doing this on a Saturday or a Sunday??

 

[JackieandChicks]

Yes on Chickenstock! I already have the calendar marked off I'm hoping to get some birds that I missed out on last year....Wynette, I still want a pair of your solid blues that I didn't get this year.

I have concrete floors under my birds, and I put a layer of sawdust (horse bedding) and then straw on top. I waths happy to find cleaning this weekend I could just scoop up the dirty straw with my pitchfork. I use leftover horse supplement containers for water - they have handles that I clip to the wire to keep them from tipping the containers over. I just change them out twice a day (when freezing) and thaw the frozen ones (I have a lot of containers).