Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[1muttsfan]

thank you for all the suggestions about the UP, don't think we can go after labor day cause of school age grandkids.

Any time in the summer is nice by Lake Superior, but spring/early summer the blackflies and skeeters are just about intolerable.

1muttsfan, I have to 4month old chantecelrs....hatched from whit hen and partridge roo, they are showing brown feathers in the wings but have not started crowing, nor turning red in the comb. chanties have such small combs & wattles it is hard to tell if roo or hen. the breeders whites that got brown in the wing were roos, but I am wondering if that is always the outcome, with the father being brown could they be hens?

That is an interesting question. Since white is not sex-link, you would not expect to see sex-link coloring in the offspring.

According to the Chicken Calculator:

A partridge roo not carrying white (i/i,C+/C+) over a dominant white (I/I) hen should produce all gold duckwing offspring.
The same roo over a recessive white hen (c/c) would produce all gold duckwings
If she carries both, you would get all white pattern gold duckwings (red pyle, looks like leaky white)

If he carries recessive white (C+/c and she is both dominant (I/I) and recessive (c/c) white, then you would get a variety of all white to white pattern gold duckwings
If she was dominant white only then she would look more like a red pyle, as would all their offspring.
If she is recessive white only, then you would get a mix of all-white and gold duckwing offspring.

So in none of these crosses to you see all white offspring, and the ones that have color come in both sexes. So I would guess that your leaky birds are white-pattern gold duckwing, and could be male or female. Clear as mud.

Try it here - http://kippenjungle.nl/kruising.html

 

[RaZ]

Slow on this thread for sure. I've been outside mostly, trying to get things ready for that ugly season. I did manage to lay down a new hardwood floor in the kitchen. I would like to do the cabinets but it won't happen anytime soon.
My truck died so I ended up having to borrow money to get a cheap run-around vehicle. Found a Jeep Liberty for a good price. Then the mechanic found the problem with the truck and fixed it. So all is good mechanically for now.

While we are busy with our flocks, gardens and surviving the politicos are at it again. New GAAMP changes are in the works. http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2015/09/farm_management_practices_up_f.html

It seems that the MFB lobbyists are once again working against the small farmer and the backyard farms. They and the MML have paid lobbyists in Lansing who are chirping in the ears of the elected officials and the appointed ag people as well. It is a tough fight but we need to keep at it. There is a public comment period for the GAAMP changes. Details in the link.

Michigan Small Farm Council has a Facebook page. Check it out if you do FB. I would avoid the FB chicken groups; lots of bad advice freely given. IMO. But there are always posts about poultry that are available.

Enjoy your day.

 

[Wynette]

we seem to have a bob cat and her kits, residing in the swamp behind the barn. saw her first a week ago with 4 kits, just playing around in the front yard by the barn. then again yesterday, she was a lone and stalking some rabbits that were out. First time was about 8:30 AM , yesterday was about 6:15 ,,,, This AM when DH and I came back from our walk, the back yard (were the chickens free range, about 1/2 acre fenced in no one was insight. and it was unusually quiet(about 10:30AM) I went down to check and other then they were hiding in and under the coop all seemed, fine. BUT about 10 min latter they were still hiding. I went out and tossed some BOSS around and hung out to change water in all the water's then they finally came out an acted normal. could have been a low flying hawk, or a visit from momma bob cat. they seemed more scared then normal. no one seems to be missing?? will have to keep a close watch

Seriously? For sure, a bobcat? I had NO idea they were in the LP...WOWZERS...

Absolutely nothing to do wth chicken but....you may have seen on the news about the pit in U.S. 31 and the detour up here. My BIL decided to take out his drone for a spin. It's a pretty impressive hole at this point. Hopefully I did it right so you can see it.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10207567640098350

Okay, that was super, super neat. Thanks for sharing the video! What type of drone does he have? Been thinking about looking into one for DH for Christmas...

How many people have insulation in their coops & what did you use? We are 80% finished with the exterior and now I need to start planning the interior. We are thinking 1" blue foam board between the tin & the plywood walls. I hope it wont be as cold as last winter, but prepare for the worst & hope for the best.

NO insulation on my farm in any of my coops, and the birds do just fine. I don't add tarping, either.

My 6 year old hen is still laying, not as much but still going.

The skunk is in the trap!

And I have a broody Serema. And even better news for today, it's not raining!

I also have a 6-year old hen that lays on a rare occasion. I think she's given me maybe 10 eggs this spring/summer. She's one of a very few that I really became attached to, so it will be hard to let her go.

I've had my first "repeat customer" on eggs today. A fellow I work with came up to me asking if I had anymore eggs. I have almost 5 dozen sitting here, so yea I have some, lol.

I sell my extra eating eggs at work, too. It began to get out of hand, and so I decided to let folks who were more serious about it get into my "regular weekly dozen" list. It works great, and they all that certain times of the year I can't provide them with eggs. But when the laying is good? They always pay in advance and it's just so nice to bring them to work knowing they are already sold. There is a farmer's market 2 blocks from my work, but folks like my eggs better...they are much more colorful, with chocolate brown Marans eggs, EE eggs, olive eggers...they all make for a very pretty egg carton.

I plan on freezing the buggy ones for the chickens in the middle of winter. Gonna get that all done tomorrow. Must mark the bags not to get them mixed up with the good ones....

EXCELLENT! Thanks for the idea! I freeze watermelon sections for when it's super hot out, never thought to freeze the buggy veggies for them!

True story. My local Cooper's hawk entered through the pop door at ground level. Helped himself to the young chicks in the coop. Then he was either too full or too sated to find his way back out the way he came in. When I went to the garage later, he was sitting on the window sill. I had to open the big door so he could get out. He has rarely come back since.

I kind of miss seeing him.

Just saw that he came back...wonder if he left for so long from being traumatized being stuck in the garage? Interesting. I hear tell they're exceptionally intelligent.

http://thehomesteadsurvival.com/diy-cinder-block-heater-to-keep-the-chickens-water-from-freezing/

This could be a good idea, if not for a water heater, it could just help provide some heat. Some one sent this to me on face book... but it actually came from someone on BYC.

I have several and they work great, down to about 5 degrees. After that, the water stays open RIGHT around the feed hole, but freeze on up in the waterer so they're pretty useless, basically.

Candy and Bret can do NPIP testing

Most excellent to know!

I believe all birds are tested prior to any show regardless. So if you were not trying to certify your entire flock, you can take them to shows and those particular birds will be tested before you take them in to the show pens.

No, birds are not tested at shows if you have your NPIP certification number. When you send in your registration, there is a place to put down your NPIP number, and the show secretary will check to be sure you're current (...or they're supposed to...)

Thanks! Where would I register for showing? I just want to show a couple of my birds.

There will be a form to fill out in advance, usually they cut off entries 2-3 weeks prior to the show. There is a show coming up in October in Indiana which I've not been to, but have been told it's a nice one.


I've been missing catching up with fellow Michiganders - super busy with late summer/early fall projects on the farm. Was wondering on something - my town has an empty lot where they dump tree shreddings/chippings when they clear trees around utility lines or after storms...they just dump them in a big pile & you can help yourself to them. Been wondering about using those in my runs. Does anyone use anything similar? My hesitation stems from the fact that I don't know what type of trees they come from. My thinking is that if I spread them out, they'd dry pretty quickly in the run (assuming I do it during a "no rain" spell) so perhaps any tree that they shouldn't have access to - those trimmings would be dry enough that it wouldn't matter? Thoughts here?

 

[aart]

I've been missing catching up with fellow Michiganders - super busy with late summer/early fall projects on the farm. Was wondering on something - my town has an empty lot where they dump tree shreddings/chippings when they clear trees around utility lines or after storms...they just dump them in a big pile & you can help yourself to them. Been wondering about using those in my runs. Does anyone use anything similar? My hesitation stems from the fact that I don't know what type of trees they come from. My thinking is that if I spread them out, they'd dry pretty quickly in the run (assuming I do it during a "no rain" spell) so perhaps any tree that they shouldn't have access to - those trimmings would be dry enough that it wouldn't matter? Thoughts here?

I'd go for it....been thinking of doing the same, the thought of 'shoveling' them holds me off, it's a bear of a job.
I don't think there's any tree where the wood chips would harm chickens.
Thinking about mixing some dried out leaves and grass clipping with the chips.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

Thanks @Wynette

 

[Ezs Choukies]

I wouldn't hesitate. I would look for debris or things people get inadvertently mixed in while spreading it before your birds have access. I used wood chips in one of our runs during a wet spell when part of the run wasn't covered and it worked very well. The flock also seemed to enjoy digging through the chips.

 

[gladahmae]

I've seen Bobcats while deer hunting south of Cadillac, so they're definitely in the LP.

 

[OldMissionChick]

So I have to vent for a minute. I live in a rural area of Northern Michigan which happens to be in an association. There is NOTHING in our deed restrictions or by laws preventing me from keeping "livestock". There is a sentence in the handbook that says no livestock but only a sentence with no backing. This handbook has been around for years and obviously written by someone who interpreted something they thought to be true. So I made the decision there was nothing preventing me so got a few birds (8 chickens & 7 ducks) 6 months ago. Today way I told by my friends & fellow board members that a couple people (old (literally) former board members and part of "the good 'ole boys club" still sour they didnt get their way at the Annual Meeting and promptly quit the board) are I guess peeved that I am not following the "rules". So they were educated on the RTF, boy they didnt like that! Their response was well if she wants a couple birds I want a steer. Just because there might of been a "law" 25 years ago and has since changed doesnt mean you can still use the original "law". Mind you they live on the other end of the association and my immediate neighbors dont care we have our birds. Why cant some people mind their business?

 

[snowflake]

. Just because there might of been a "law" 25 years ago and has since changed doesnt mean you can still use the original "law". Mind you they live on the other end of the association and my immediate neighbors dont care we have our birds. Why cant some people mind their business?

because they are board and making trouble gives them great pleasure,


very sure they were bob cats. don't see them often, but she was out there long enough for us to get a good look.,,, sorry I didn't think to get a picture.

been digging up plants for our garden club plant sale, ,got tomatoes canned and sauce, canned, cut the grass, still need to do the paths out back, have several plants I want to move but I need some black dirt . I keep adding good dirt and sand to try to offset the clay....now to prune some bushes and maybe do some house cleaning. it gets pretty dirty in here when I am working outside or canning. need to clean coops tomorrow, try to get the poop boards cleaned off and sprayed once a week. and if it doesn't rain I will rake out the runs. I don't put up the winter covers till later in Oct.

Thanks for keeping us updated Raz. going to read that now.

 

[OldMissionChick]

because they are board and making trouble gives them great pleasure,

The thing is the ones with the "proble" are no longer on the board, I am. My fellow board members and our immediate neighbors think its great. Theres no problem, other than ignorance. Sorry I just had to vent.