Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Opa]

I use sand in the run and wood shavings in the coop

 

[taprock]

Raz - ??

My perfectly timed hatch - so I could watch after work Thursday has been messed up. I already have one early Welsummer x chick and 5 other pips! I have always counted day one after 24 hours has passed. Is that wrong? I don't have a place ready for the chicks yet. I have to play musical brooder/ coops as each previous batch gets moved also. However the broody duck is locked in #3 grow out coop so no one can move yet. I managed to catch the duck yesterday morning at ten to six when I heard her quacking outside. I'm sure it looked ridiculous and I was covered in mud after I was done but Puddle had been hiding out for 3 days so I needed to catch her.

 

[mrshaggie810]

Oh no! I had an early hatcher, and then that was my only one that hatched. I didn't have my brooder ready, so I just moved some stored clothes out of one of the large rubbermaid totes I had, and used that. Yay for finding puddles! Hopefully you can get it all worked out without too much craziness!

 

[mrshaggie810]

You want to keep them warm and dry, and also safe. So if your coop is secure, and they need the space, and you can keep them warm, I think you are ok to go for it. I moved 3 week olds out when it was in the mild part of spring, with a heat lamp in their coop, and a cover over the run if it was raining, and they did just fine.

 

[TKMS]

Silkie-mix flock is still available and need good homes.

 

[Opa]

Sometimes a picture says more than words

 

[snowflake]

Opa, that was awesome

 

[snowflake]

I have some visitors right now.

love the sand hills, we get them on the farms all around us nut never in our yard

Can anyone comment on mulching with leaves? I need something to keep the grass down in the one garden. Whole leaves? Chopped?

Also can anyone comment on net style trellising versus string trellising for tomatoes?

I have mulched successfully with leaves, if you can cut them up it is easier for water to get through. a mix sounds like a really good idea.

My ducks have officially moved to their home!!! We are getting chicks too and will split the interior and outside run to keep them seperate. Also my youngest helper boy taking a ride to the coop (its a 1 1\2 mile trek)



Coop still needs work but there is linolium floor put down and is also ran up the walls 2 feet per side.

cute little guy, bet he loves the chicks


I have sand ontop of dirt, gets mixed in by chickens. but it does drain better then when no sand. some say it is very cold in winter, so don't use it in the coop
I have mixed hay and wood chips in my coop, water and food outside only, keeps things cleaner

very interesting article on the avian flue. hoping it doesn't hit MI.....you would think with all the talk about it we would ne selling eggs like hot cakes. but only a few want to pay 2.50 a doz. in the country. ....which is OK, I have lots of relatives and am starting to freeze some so I don't have to pay $5.00 a doz. this winter when I want to bake



got a we bit behind in my reading over the last few weeks, may catch up,but still have lots of outside work to do.

 

[Stacykins]

love the sand hills, we get them on the farms all around us nut never in our yard

I have mulched successfully with leaves, if you can cut them up it is easier for water to get through. a mix sounds like a really good idea.
cute little guy, bet he loves the chicks


I have sand ontop of dirt, gets mixed in by chickens. but it does drain better then when no sand. some say it is very cold in winter, so don't use it in the coop
I have mixed hay and wood chips in my coop, water and food outside only, keeps things cleaner

very interesting article on the avian flue. hoping it doesn't hit MI.....you would think with all the talk about it we would ne selling eggs like hot cakes. but only a few want to pay 2.50 a doz. in the country. ....which is OK, I have lots of relatives and am starting to freeze some so I don't have to pay $5.00 a doz. this winter when I want to bake



got a we bit behind in my reading over the last few weeks, may catch up,but still have lots of outside work to do.

I purchased some flexible silicone ice cube trays just for freezing eggs. I had one silicone ice cube tray, and it is SO nice. It stays firm enough to hold by the edge and not spill the liquids, but frozen cubes pop out with zero effort or banging the tray on the countertop.

 

[aart]

I purchased some flexible silicone ice cube trays just for freezing eggs. I had one silicone ice cube tray, and it is SO nice. It stays firm enough to hold by the edge and not spill the liquids, but frozen cubes pop out with zero effort or banging the tray on the countertop.

Brand?

I bought a couple too, they stink.....not stiff enough to hold with one hand.