Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[birdman55]

Do you have much for predator issues w/ them free ranging? How about human threats such as cars/trucks/mean people/etc?

I'm considering some level of free range, but only when I'm around to supervise.

i free range them but they are still in the back yard and they have a good 100x100 area with the two pit bull dogs....so with them watching over the chickens, pheasants, peafowl i dont have a predator issue...at night time when the dogs are inside is when some predators like coons try and get at the birds....

 

[wannahomestead]

i free range them but they are still in the back yard and they have a good 100x100 area with the two pit bull dogs....so with them watching over the chickens, pheasants, peafowl i dont have a predator issue...at night time when the dogs are inside is when some predators like coons try and get at the birds....

Gotcha, thx man. I have an acre of area that is unfenced so definitely a different scenario. I'm planning a run attached to the coop currently, but I hope to allow them some level of free range. I don't have much to deter predators though If I'm not out with them.

 

[Opa]

For several years I used an electrified poultry fencing from Premier http://www.premier1supplies.com/fencing.php?mode=detail&fence_id=96 Easy to move around the around the yards and kept birds safe.

 

[Trefoil]

Doesn't look very German to me.

Haven't you ever heard of "gerry rigged"?

Went to the doctor this morning and he told me that my arm is going to be painful for a long time; one of the consequences of operating on bone. The last surgery was February 3rd and I thought it would have been totally healed by now. It isn't, but he says it's okay, but he still wrote another prescription for another round of antibiotics. After 18 months I'm getting awfully tired of dealing with this. I'll bet, hope it gets better soon/

I think I need to change my internet and cable tv service. AT&T bill came today and it's gone up $50. Last time it went up I reduced the number of programs we get to get the price down, but I don't think we can reduce it anymore. I've got charter and its over $50 for internet alone. I did the "reduce programs" until I ran out of programs to reduce and now I'm stuck unless I go dsl.

I know lots of folks constantly change cable providers and insurance companies on a regular basis as a means of trying to the prices half way affordable and get better service. I'm starting to think maybe the same theory should apply to barbershops. When I started going to my current barber my hair was brown and there were no bare spots. Each time I get my hair cut there is more gray and less of it. Wonder if it is caused by their technique?

Yup, its probably the barber, time to change.

Gotcha, thx man. I have an acre of area that is unfenced so definitely a different scenario. I'm planning a run attached to the coop currently, but I hope to allow them some level of free range. I don't have much to deter predators though If I'm not out with them.

Mostly they do all right free ranging during the day as long as they are locked up safely at night.

 

[Lauraks76]

Wondering if anyone has tried growing barley or wheat fodder to feed their birds? I hear it can be more cost effective( more time consuming too). I'd like to hear about your experience with this....

 

[1muttsfan]

Generally recommended is 4 square feet of floor space per adult standard size bird in the coop. While there may be situations where you can get away with less, crowding birds can lead to a lot of difficult behavior such as picking, it is less sanitary, and harder on the birds during bad weather when they're stuck inside.

Sorry Opa, hope this time you get a little better healing.

Tap, my Del eggs went in last week. Between last week and this week I have set over a hundred eggs. Kind of hoping they don't all hatch.

 

[gaitngirl]

Lauraks - I've been researching barley fodder as well. I want to be set up to do that for chickens, ducks, and 2 horses this next winter. I already sprout BOSS for the poultry now.
I haven't been able to find a local source for barley locally - nearest I located is about an hour and a half away, I think. I would have to buy a fairly large quantity but the price wasn't bad. None of the farm stores carry it, nor do any of the Elevators as of a few months ago. Online prices aren't terrible but shipping cost is rather hefty . . .
Have you found any decent sources?

Also, if you go to 'Feeding and watering your flock' here in BYC there are a lot of people that have great advice and ways to set up fodder systems - big and small alike. If you just search 'Fodder' on the site, it should take you right there.

 

[uchytil]

Went to the doctor this morning and he told me that my arm is going to be painful for a long time; one of the consequences of operating on bone. The last surgery was February 3rd and I thought it would have been totally healed by now. It isn't, but he says it's okay, but he still wrote another prescription for another round of antibiotics. After 18 months I'm getting awfully tired of dealing with this.

I think I need to change my internet and cable tv service. AT&T bill came today and it's gone up $50. Last time it went up I reduced the number of programs we get to get the price down, but I don't think we can reduce it anymore.

I know lots of folks constantly change cable providers and insurance companies on a regular basis as a means of trying to the prices half way affordable and get better service. I'm starting to think maybe the same theory should apply to barbershops. When I started going to my current barber my hair was brown and there were no bare spots. Each time I get my hair cut there is more gray and less of it. Wonder if it is caused by their technique?

Hope you do get to feeling better. The human body is not like machinery that's for sure. Can't just throw in a new u-joint and be done with it.

Cable - yep! Pretty much the same thing here.

 

[ToniTalley]

If anyone wants free black silkie mix roos...in NW Ohio.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/970682/ohio-black-silkie-mix-roosters

 

[Monstro]

Haven't looked into sprouting yet, but have thought about it.

I wonder if its possible to find where a local large farmer gets his bulk seed from. Maybe one would add a couple bags to their order for you?