Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Peep-Chicken]

Last year, I used no light, and got a egg from everyone of my four hens a day. Now, with 14/18 birds capable of laying, I haven't got a egg since the beginning of Novermber. Oh well, gives everyone a break I guess, but I would of liked to hatch eggs from my flock for Christmas or New Years.

 

[snowflake]

Good feedback! I've learned a lot on here over the years. One other thing I do; Since I keep my meds refrigerated I like to warm up the injection prior to. I usually draw and put the cover on the needle. I place the syringes in my shirt pocket for a few minutes to warm them. Not very scientific but what I do.

Does anyone do their own fecal exams with a microscope? Just curious, and if so, would be interested in sharing insights.

it takes a powerfull $$ I do think there are some that do their own

Star Bright Farms also sells goat milk soap, shampoo, etc. It's so good. All my girls love it. It's our own shelleyb1969. She's busy with her chickens, rabbits and goats, so she doesn't come on here any more, but she's a wonderful lady. Lots of products.

Chickens are loving this weather!! So am I! Don't mind not having snow. After last year, I'm just so happy we aren't all freezing our buns off!

Have a great day, all

X2 on the weather, looks foggy and dull again but I'll take that over shoveling sn......

good info today, thanks to all

 

[Stacykins]

Considering that it is almost the shortest day/longest night of the year, I can understand the lower egg levels, especially when flocks don't get light. I don't put lights on my flock. I let them rest during the winter. I still get a few eggs. My jaerhons' pullet eggs are now finally looking like real eggs, which is nice!

 

[preciouskitty]

I was getting 1-3 eggs/day from 10 layers (the 4 pullets need to start earning their keep SOON!!). Then, 1 egg in the past 3 days. That being said, most of the girls are feathering in beautifully since their molt and I see a lot of combs reddening up. Need more eggs soon cuz my neighbor is on a baking mission & needs about 2 dozen/week. We do a trade; I get her homemade granola that is to die for!

Kaia is still hanging in there. Mixing her food with some mushed banana & a small bit of yogurt totally thrilled her & she really chowed down yesterday. Still kind of having to force water down her...

This weather HAS rocked. The birds have loved it, I have loved it, my propane bill has loved it. By this time last year we had tons of snow for weeks that never melted til "spring" ...

 

[tntchix]

I was getting 1-3 eggs/day from 10 layers (the 4 pullets need to start earning their keep SOON!!). Then, 1 egg in the past 3 days. That being said, most of the girls are feathering in beautifully since their molt and I see a lot of combs reddening up. Need more eggs soon cuz my neighbor is on a baking mission & needs about 2 dozen/week. We do a trade; I get her homemade granola that is to die for!

Kaia is still hanging in there. Mixing her food with some mushed banana & a small bit of yogurt totally thrilled her & she really chowed down yesterday. Still kind of having to force water down her...

This weather HAS rocked. The birds have loved it, I have loved it, my propane bill has loved it. By this time last year we had tons of snow for weeks that never melted til "spring" ...

Girl, I have tons of eggs if you need them for your wonderful neighbor. I get a dozen every 2 days. just sayin...
Thinking about Kaia, hoping she improves soon.

I can't believe this weather either, I keep pinching myself.

 

[Opa]

I wonder why my old body can't seem to grasp the concept of sleeping in. When I closed my eyes last night it was in anticipation of getting some extra rest. Yet 5am arrived and I was fully awake. Now I've read all my emails, worked 3 crossword puzzles, read all the current news articles, and I'm now sitting here waiting for Granny to wake so I can fix her breakfast. Her body seems to understand sleeping in.

The warm temperatures and rain has made the 1/2 mile road from the barn to the woods a sloppy mess and the highway tires on my truck don't like it. I had real concern on Sunday morning about driving out. Several spots, while driving up the hill, were very close to impassable. So I will have to wait for the temperatures to fall and the ground to firm up before returning to my quest for venison.

However, today will be a good day to spray the legs of all my birds. I've noticed distended scales on the legs of several of my birds so evidently there is a infestation of scale mites. A couple of the hens show difficulty walking because of it so it is something I need to address immediately. Leg or scale mites are a pretty common affliction that is spread by interaction with wild birds. So it is impossible to prevent but easy to correct.

I've got a spray bottle filled with baby oil and a little later this morning I will lock the birds in the garden. Once a bird is sprayed I can place in the run until they are all treated. However, chasing down and netting 20 birds might take awhile.

As most of you know I've been spending a lot of time in the woods cutting firewood. Our woods was devastated by the Emerald Ash Borer and several high wind episodes and a tornado turned many of our trees into a tangled mess. When the ash borer infestation first occurred the DNR press releases claimed that only ash trees were at risk.

However, I've found numerous wild cherry trees that the trails in the cambium layer of the bark looks identical to the chases found in the ash trees. I also seeing evidence that the maples were attacked as well. Has anyone else noticed insect damage to their woodlots affecting other species of trees besides the ash?

 

[Amy PT]

Hi folks, I'm just peeking in here for a minute. If anyone in the Madison Heights area is missing a Muscovy, a friend spotted it near 12 Mile and John R.

 

[birdman55]

Wow that's a bunch of eggs, do your gals usually lay about a dozen a day?

well I got 22 eggs today....so that was a surprise...and the only thing different I did was put in more staw and clean out the coop....I guess that was there way of saying thanks

I was kinda scrambling this morning trying to find room for some more eggs as I was about out of cartons this morning. Luckily, there was like two left in the oldest carton so I just sat them out for lunch.

Wasn't the weather pretty nice today? Around 10 I was up and refilling the waterer, and I saw a big ole nightcrawler on the sidewalk. I picked him up and found the girls and they had themselves a merry game of worm tag for about 2 minutes.

weather was great...but not so great by me raining and im building four more coops...grr...check out the like below in blue...let me know what you think...a lot of ideas on there...building many incubators as well...larger ones too...and as for the worms...I wouldn't feed my chickens any earthworm...they carry bad things and when the chicken eats them then they get release in their bodies...so check into this...they are not good for your chickens...hope this helps...keep them chickens healthy and they will say thanks

 

[Whatshisface]

Quote: Hi Opa,
I have mostly Oak in my woods, with some ash. I have not noticed any damage to any of the bark. I did loose a really large Cherry and a couple of oaks to carpenter ant though.

 

[tntchix]

I wonder why my old body can't seem to grasp the concept of sleeping in. When I closed my eyes last night it was in anticipation of getting some extra rest. Yet 5am arrived and I was fully awake. Now I've read all my emails, worked 3 crossword puzzles, read all the current news articles, and I'm now sitting here waiting for Granny to wake so I can fix her breakfast. Her body seems to understand sleeping in.

The warm temperatures and rain has made the 1/2 mile road from the barn to the woods a sloppy mess and the highway tires on my truck don't like it. I had real concern on Sunday morning about driving out. Several spots, while driving up the hill, were very close to impassable. So I will have to wait for the temperatures to fall and the ground to firm up before returning to my quest for venison.

However, today will be a good day to spray the legs of all my birds. I've noticed distended scales on the legs of several of my birds so evidently there is a infestation of scale mites. A couple of the hens show difficulty walking because of it so it is something I need to address immediately. Leg or scale mites are a pretty common affliction that is spread by interaction with wild birds. So it is impossible to prevent but easy to correct.

I've got a spray bottle filled with baby oil and a little later this morning I will lock the birds in the garden. Once a bird is sprayed I can place in the run until they are all treated. However, chasing down and netting 20 birds might take awhile.

As most of you know I've been spending a lot of time in the woods cutting firewood. Our woods was devastated by the Emerald Ash Borer and several high wind episodes and a tornado turned many of our trees into a tangled mess. When the ash borer infestation first occurred the DNR press releases claimed that only ash trees were at risk.

However, I've found numerous wild cherry trees that the trails in the cambium layer of the bark looks identical to the chases found in the ash trees. I also seeing evidence that the maples were attacked as well. Has anyone else noticed insect damage to their woodlots affecting other species of trees besides the ash?

Opa, how many times do you spray them?

I have damage to most of my trees on my property elm, ash and maple, not sure if ash borer related but probably so.