Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[uchytil]

seems like it always gets slow in the peak of summer...I check daily, just don't have a lot to say

Same here...Maybe this winter we'll all get excited about CS next June since we had such a small turnout this year. Much better in person than cyber chat.

 

[Folly's place]

Me too, and CS was good this year, if small. I did miss the birds, though. Mary

 

[aart]

I guess it is a slow time of year for this chat thread, everyone's busy busy busy.
Feeling/seeing winter approach prompts preparation activity, even tho there's heat wave forecast for next week...ugh.

Well, I'm feeling chatty so here's the that's that from here.

I've got 41 eggs in bator for a local hobby farm to replace lost layers.
Power went out while I was gone yesterday for about 4 hours...yikes <fingers crossed>.
Going to candle, cull and lock down today.

Youngest pullets starting laying this last week, got 2 out of 5 laying so far.
The 3 older pullets are smoothing out the process and eggs are getting bigger....
......with one insistent upon frequent double yolkers.

Older girls are fighting the light and wanting to molt, giving some funky eggs.
Might be the last year (the 3rd) I use supplemental lighting,
this winter and next spring summer will give me good data on birds hatched here.

 

[Trefoil]

I've got linoleum on the floor of my duck coop, and I use pelleted horse bedding for it...works really, really well. The only problem I had was that in the coldest part of winter, some of the poop got stuck to the floor and I tore a hole in it when I was trying to pull it off with a shovel to change out the bedding, but chicken' poop isn't as watery as ducks' poop, so that may not be a problem with chooks.

I have thought about using the pellets for bedding but was afraid the pellets would hurt their feet in the winter. This isn't a problem?

 

[Lonetengu]

So I wasn't sure where to post this so I figured it couldnt hurt to start locally. My wife and I found out she was pregnant a few weeks ago so needless to say she is off chicken duty for a while. And with the crazy scatter shot overtime hours I've been pulling at work I've not been able to take care of them in the way that I try and maintain. So I am trying to find someone in Michigan that wouldnt mind having any of the following of my flock I have left. I have a lavender orpington Rooster he's enormous and super mellow. a lavender orpington hen, a jersey giant hen, a black astrlorp hen, a Easter egg layer hen,and two barred rock hens as far as chickens go. And a Drake Ancona, two Ancona hens(different bloodline then the drake), and two Black Cayuga hens. I'm hoping that someone can help us out here as I can't bring myself to freezering bird for no good reason.

If you can help thanks, if you cant pass this to someone you think might,

Thanks for reading,

Lonetengu


P.s. I live near Clio, MI.

 

[aart]

So I wasn't sure where to post this so I figured it couldnt hurt to start locally. My wife and I found out she was pregnant a few weeks ago so needless to say she is off chicken duty for a while. And with the crazy scatter shot overtime hours I've been pulling at work I've not been able to take care of them in the way that I try and maintain. So I am trying to find someone in Michigan that wouldnt mind having any of the following of my flock I have left. I have a lavender orpington Rooster he's enormous and super mellow. a lavender orpington hen, a jersey giant hen, a black astrlorp hen, a Easter egg layer hen,and two barred rock hens as far as chickens go. And a Drake Ancona, two Ancona hens(different bloodline then the drake), and two Black Cayuga hens. I'm hoping that someone can help us out here as I can't bring myself to freezering bird for no good reason.

If you can help thanks, if you cant pass this to someone you think might,

Thanks for reading,

Lonetengu

Adding your location would help.

 

[Lonetengu]

Adding your location would help.

Sorry I'm near Clio,Mi.

 

[mindylee]

Sorry I'm near Clio,Mi.

A friend of mine is desperately looking to add a good rooster and some hens to her tiny flock of 4. She lost most to old age, and is looking for some nice friendly and healthy birds. She told me if i find any to get them for her. She lives in Silverwood. Could i give her your info?

 

[wannahomestead]

Whoa! Just had a SUPER close call and almost lost some ducks. I went out a little later than normal to close them up. I walked out and they of course ran around like they do. I look off to their left and not 40ft away is a coyote! I don't know if it noticed the ducks before I went out or not because it seemed pretty occupied with a mouse or something in the grass. I yelled and hollered at it and scared it off, all the while the ducks are running around in a group making noise. Not good!

Does anyone know if I can legally shoot a coyote if it poses a threat to my flock? I live an a rural-ish area. I'm zoned agricultural, there's no laws against discharge of firearms in my area. However, I'm close enough that if I fire people around me will hear/see it. I just want to make sure I'm on the up and up if I have to/can take a coyote to protect my birds.

 

[Lonetengu]

Check the varmint laws in your area.