Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Farmerboy16]

Roosters - the zucchini of the poultry world.  

So sorry about birdman!

Welcome to all newbies!

I am so ready for spring too, but I am not looking forward to the mudseason though. Mud has a way of getting everywhere!

Anyone want a sweet buck? He does not smell bucky at all! Need to sell him to get a smelly one for my ladies!
http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/grd/4908617514.html

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Well, the first batch of chicks was picked up last night. 6 barred rock and 6 isa brown. Hopefully out of the twelve we can get two good production trios for the kids to take to fair. We ended up getting a stock tank and putting it in the basement. Since the decision to do this was made in January, the order placed Feb 1 and pickup on the 25th, yep it made all the sense in the world for DH to decide on Feb 24 that he needed to get someplace around for the chicks to be put. This resulted in heading to TSC at 7:30 at night (after having to jump the truck that hadn't been started in a week of freezing temps) to get the stock tank and shavings. I also picked up a new feeder and waterer since we will need them anyways. Luckily I had grabbed the heat lamps and bulbs during TSC's dollar days. Our conversation last night went something like this (heading home with the chicks)....

DH: I think we should put something over the tank so the cats can't get in
Me: really? you hadn't thought about that yet? We will cover it with chicken wire and then make a lid this weekend
DH: What can we use to put over the top?
Me: chicken wire
DH: I have got to figure something out to put over the top. I can't use a box because of the heat lamp
Me: We will cover it with chicken wire, then I want to make a re-usable lid with chicken wire and pvc that fits over the top
DH: We could make a lid with lumber
Me: or pvc
DH: We have got to figure something out tonight
Me: like chicken wire
DH: but then I would have to trudge up through the snow to get it out of the back of the barn
Me: OH FOR PETE'S SAKE, STOP AT MENARD'S AND BUY SOME HARDWARE CLOTH
DH: oh, that's a good idea
Me:

....yeah, like none of this could have been planned over the last month.....

On the up side, they are all doing well eating and drinking like it's a flipping mardi gras party. And the dog is in heaven...he didn't understand at first what the noise was, but once he actually saw them he was so excited. He stood with the side of his face leaning against the side of the tank just writhing with happiness....a 100# dog in total love with these little wisps of fluff!! The highlight of his day is the morning and evening trips to the coop to check on his birds...and heaven forbid you say the word "chicken"....he will beat a path to the door to head out and check on his girls. He has definitely tapped into his farm dog ancestry!!

 

[birdman55]

misfit.....i will have some white crested polish soon...just waiting for the pair to show up....

also im the wrecking ball....lol...i used to do demolition for a living for 5 years....dont want to say it...to loud but i was apart of taking tiger stadium down...we played ball for lunch...and drove forklifts around....as we were the only four in the stadium other then the one security gaurd...was pretty fun...

got the problem fixed with the water...it only affected certain parts of the house...glad thing for shut off valves...but just waiting unit 8 so i can try and fun the water...well keep our fingers crossed

well something good happened.....

 

[Stacykins]

wow, you sure are having fun, so sorry, hope you can get things fixed so the problem doesn't continue.

as for the Araucanas, they are tail less, are they not? so if any one is really looking for Araucanas, they should know that. Ameraucana's may be harder to tell so if you are looking for a particular bred, o your home work and ask around for dependable breeders. if you just want blue egg layers, you got what your wanted. HOWEVER,,,, I do agree you should not falsely advertise, and if you don't know what you have, just call them blue egg layers.

Araucanas should be rumpless (they are literally missing their coccyx) and tufted. Tufts are different in looks and genetics that muffs/beards. My avatar is an example of a double tufted hen. Some people who've never owned or seen a real Araucana won't know the difference if they haven't researched it, and most don't. Instead, they get those improperly labeled birds, and come into Araucana groups to go "we have Araucana!" when they post a picture....we have to tell them they have been duped, and instead have Easter Eggers...

You don't want to know the number of 4Hers that attempt to show Easter Eggers as Araucanas and Ameraucanas, because that is how the birds were falsely labeled. It is crushing when they learn the truth.

 

[tdhenson86]

morning....not so good for me....pipes just broke....water everywhere in the laundry room...dog went out the doggie door after i closed it off...and it was open half way....so the house is at 50...toilet line frozen..great start to the day

Oh no!!! I'm so sorry to hear that! I hope you are able to get it fixed soon!

 

[tdhenson86]

I have a little story for everyone. So we had extra Roos (we still do) and wanted to rehome them. We didn't want them to get eaten cause they were our pets. So we went ahead and looked on Craigslist for people looking for roosters. We found a guy looking for a buff Orpington. We had a rooster but we didn't know if he was a golden buff or a buff Orpington. We called him and told him that we had a rooster that was a buff color but it might be a golden golden buff. He really didn't seem to care what it was as long it was the size, shape, and color similar to it. He to us he was a hatchery of some sort. I don't get why he could look any harder to find something that was for sure a Orpington if he was going to call his chicks buff Orpingtons. Anyway he still wanted it, but, he wanted to trade something for it. An other rooster! We didn't want anymore roosters we told him. We kind of wanted something for him but if a roo was all he had he could have our roo for nothing! He kept asking if we wanted to trade. No no no we would reply. So anyway he still wanted the rooster so he ask if we could set up a time. We did then he started asking what kind of chickens we had. We told him we had silkies and amarucana's. A couple days late he come... WITH A ROOSTER. We told him we didn't want it. He said "But it's a amarucana. It would be purfect for your hens. I can't say mine are pure amarucana's because we bought them from TSC a while back but all I know is his wasn't. He practicly took our rooster, through the other rooster (EE) in our cage a empty cage, ran to his car and drove away! So then we had this rooster which we didn't need and it wasn't even pure bred Amarucana. So that's how we "downsized our roosters" not. I still have this EE roo. He is healthy as far as I can tell and isn't mean at all. He is nice but I don't need him. Sometimes you think you have seen it all, until something like this happens

Oh my gosh! I can hardly believe that story when I'm reading it! How rude can people get?

 

[tdhenson86]

misfit.....i will have some white crested polish soon...just waiting for the pair to show up....

also im the wrecking ball....lol...i used to do demolition for a living for 5 years....dont want to say it...to loud but i was apart of taking tiger stadium down...we played ball for lunch...and drove forklifts around....as we were the only four in the stadium other then the one security gaurd...was pretty fun...

got the problem fixed with the water...it only affected certain parts of the house...glad thing for shut off valves...but just waiting unit 8 so i can try and fun the water...well keep our fingers crossed

well something good happened.....

Those look great! Best of luck!

 

[ChickenLady2014]

morning....not so good for  me....pipes just broke....water everywhere in the laundry room...dog went out the doggie door after i closed it off...and it was open half way....so the house is at 50...toilet line frozen..great start to the day

Oh no, when it rains, it pours. Darn animals can be so much help sometimes

 

[ChickenLady2014]

misfit.....i will have some white crested polish soon...just waiting for the pair to show up.... also im the wrecking ball....lol...i used to do demolition for a living for 5 years....dont want to say it...to loud but i was apart of taking tiger stadium down...we played ball for lunch...and drove forklifts around....as we were the only four in the stadium other then the one security gaurd...was pretty fun... got the problem fixed with the water...it only affected certain parts of the house...glad thing for shut off valves...but just waiting unit 8 so i can try and fun the water...well keep our fingers crossed well something good happened.....

 

[snowflake]

well something good happened.....

VERY NICE