Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[swampducks]

ISA and other sexlinked production birds are only meant to produce (a LOT) for a couple years......
......how many eggs a week did you get from them the first 2 years?

Don't remember. But more for sure, maybe 5ish per bird? I didn't know that about them. I'd hoped to get a couple fertile eggs to hatch over Easter but none of theirs did, guess I waited too long. Thanks for the info.

 

[gladahmae]

Played podiatrist on my rooster yesterday. Didn't see anything that looked like a "corn" on his feet so I guess it wasn't bumble? Either way, they were cleaned up really well, slathered with triple antibiotic ointment, and taped up. Going to keep him in isolation for a couple more days, and then re-tape and put him back in with his ladies.

Does anyone know.....how much shipping is from hatcheries these days? Didn't that all change when the USPS changed their live-animal shipping rules? Like it had to be next day or something instead of priority? Or alternatively.....if you order your chicks from tractor supply does that get you out of the shipping? We are planning on doing a small batch of broilers this year (not 60+ like we have in the past) and I don't want to pay as much for shipping as the chicks are going to cost.

 

[wannahomestead]

What year is it?!
I'm mad for the old 1975-1986 100 and 200 series lawn and garden tractors, they are the bomb!!
I've had a '79 214(rebuilt the Kohler motor once to.30 over and it's now the parts tractor) and an '86 216.
Use them to mow, throw snow and have a dump cart too. They are little tanks and can last forever if you've got some mechanical skills!

It looks to be an 83 based on the serial number. I've been developing my mechanic skills over the years so I'm less afraid to tear into things than I used to be. Knowing how to maintain and repair your equipment is an important skill if you wanna homestead (see what I did there? lol)

This one seems to be pretty good other than the cutting issue, which I'm hoping some new blades and a new belt will help. I MIGHT need a tensioner on the deck, but we'll see. Also there's that little oil leak I need to sort out eventually. For now, I'll just monitor the oil level.

I dont' think this little guy can pull too much, because it's kinda small. I don't have a yard trailer yet so that isn't a big deal, but I want one eventually. I also have my old Moto 4 ATV that can pull stuff. It needs some love though too. I am planning to rip into that this summer since I used it mostly last winter for plowing the drive. I'm also keeping an eye out for a walk behind snow blower too since next winter we'll have the coop and need to gather eggs. That way I can blow out a path.

Sorry for all that depressing winter talk, just trying to stay 1 step ahead, lol.

 

[Trexroo]

...

Played podiatrist on my rooster yesterday.  Didn't see anything that looked like a "corn" on his feet so I guess it wasn't bumble?  Either way, they were cleaned up really well, slathered with triple antibiotic ointment, and taped up.  Going to keep him in isolation for a couple more days, and then re-tape and put him back in with his ladies.


Does anyone know.....how much shipping is from hatcheries these days?  Didn't that all change when the USPS changed their live-animal shipping rules?  Like it had to be next day or something instead of priority?  Or alternatively.....if you order your chicks from tractor supply does that get you out of the shipping?  We are planning on doing a small batch of broilers this year (not 60+ like we have in the past) and I don't want to pay as much for shipping as the chicks are going to cost.
[/quote

Are you any where near birdmans neighborhood? The Amish on kittle road will order in the meat mutants for local pick up at the mill.

 

[gladahmae]

I'm up near Traverse City, so no...i don't think I'm near birdman. The closest amish community to us is around an hour away i believe.

 

[Trexroo]

I'm up near Traverse City, so no...i don't think I'm near birdman.  The closest amish community to us is around an hour away i believe.

The mio Michigan area amish are the ones I am formealure with and referring to. They might be closer to 2 hrs from traverse..

no good for you then.

 

[aart]

Quote: Weekendfreedommachine.com (gear drive subforum is what you want) is a great resource for mechanical advice, I couldn't have kept mine running without those guys tutoring me.

I've got a snow thrower for sale that'll fit your tractor ;-)

 

[Jenni77]

Hi MI friends. I just posted an add for our rooster. Please check it out and see if you or anyone you know would be interested.

Thank you

(heartbroken)

 

[justplainbatty]

justplainbatty and birdman55 (his GF was hiding

)



So, who all went to the Imlay City bird sale? I was able to find @birdman55 as you see, but didn't know who else to look for. I ended up with a porcelain D'Ullce and a pair of self blue? oeg, the guy just said "blue"bantams. What did you all get?


this is China



I have not named these two yet.

I ended up staying all day for the auction. I got a few little things but then, I got a new toy! The first year I lived here, I tried to turn a new garden with just a tiller. As you can imagine, it didn't work out that well, especially with a clay base. I got a disker, just perfect for my Kioti! We turned the first layer over yesterday and will go deeper Thursday. I'll have a much better planting this time.

 

[mrshaggie810]

Thx for the feedback n the coop. I agree w everyone saying that design is too small. The Mrs. likes it because it looks "farmy".

I think a walk in is out of budget/skill level. Also im not sure if one would fit where i want to put the coop.

I am certainly open to ideas and comments on this though. i want to house 15ish birds. Ive budgeted up to about $500, but need to keep a run in that budget too

I built my first coop from pallets, a few (maybe 5 or 6) pieces of plywood, and leftover siding and shingles i got from the habitat for humanity re-store....I could house about 8 birds there...so you would have to go a little bigger....I had my nest boxes inside, and the whole thing cost about $150. I can share pictures if you want. I got the door from the re-store too. My current duck coop will house about 15 birds (I have 9 in there now) and cost about $60...but I already had some of the 2x4's and then I bought 2 culls. I can share pics of that too if interested.

it depends on what kind of meat birds you have, Freedom Rangers do fairly well on pasture, Cornish x don't know enough to walk 1ft. to the water when it is hot
I had trouble for a couple days too, jumping all over, yesterday was bad

My CX always free ranged great, but I had them with some pullets so they just followed them around...they were actually very laid back and sweet.

Played podiatrist on my rooster yesterday. Didn't see anything that looked like a "corn" on his feet so I guess it wasn't bumble? Either way, they were cleaned up really well, slathered with triple antibiotic ointment, and taped up. Going to keep him in isolation for a couple more days, and then re-tape and put him back in with his ladies.

Does anyone know.....how much shipping is from hatcheries these days? Didn't that all change when the USPS changed their live-animal shipping rules? Like it had to be next day or something instead of priority? Or alternatively.....if you order your chicks from tractor supply does that get you out of the shipping? We are planning on doing a small batch of broilers this year (not 60+ like we have in the past) and I don't want to pay as much for shipping as the chicks are going to cost.

I was thinking you were near me too...call your local feed store...mine is putting in two more orders so I'll be ordering from there.

justplainbatty and birdman55 (his GF was hiding

)




So, who all went to the Imlay City bird sale? I was able to find @birdman55 as you see, but didn't know who else to look for. I ended up with a porcelain D'Ullce and a pair of self blue? oeg, the guy just said "blue"bantams. What did you all get?


this is China



I have not named these two yet.

I ended up staying all day for the auction. I got a few little things but then, I got a new toy! The first year I lived here, I tried to turn a new garden with just a tiller. As you can imagine, it didn't work out that well, especially with a clay base. I got a disker, just perfect for my Kioti! We turned the first layer over yesterday and will go deeper Thursday. I'll have a much better planting this time.

Nice finds! Wish I could have met you guys! I didn't end up going...maybe next time...although it sounds like a bit of a flop.


Tomorrow is candling day! Getting our garden put in little by little (no tiller...the hand one got left at our old house and no money for a roto-tiller so we're going old school clearing grass with a shovel, hoeing the soil, then top dressing...we'll see how it goes. Also got a fence panel put up to act as a trellis for our grapes...and got some clean-up done...slowly but surely it's coming together!