Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[bigmrg74]

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.

About the only tree around Michigan here that could possibly be an issue would be walnut. I used to work in a lumber mill and we all hated when we had to process walnut. there's an compound in it that makes the dust from it really itchy. But as long as you're putting it somewhere that's pretty well ventilated, it shouldn't be a problem. Walnut is a pretty dark wood, so you're fine as long as you're seeing a lot of lighter shades of chips, it shouldn't be walnut.

Took me a while today, and it still needs a little adjusting, but my coop now has a dutch doors on it.

 

[Candy442]

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?

We breed Chanteclers. At that age, you should be able to see the hackle and saddle feathers forming. If there are sharp thin feathers on the neck or near the tail, those of course would be boys. The Chantelcers are the most difficult birds we can figure on the sex! Good luck we usually can't tell until about six months old on ours.

 

[Opa]

Fruit flies, drain flies, and assorted flying pests can easily be trapped. Place a small amount of apple cider vinegar in a tall glass. Place a funnel on top of glass or make a aluminum foil cone.

 

[taprock]

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...


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?

My BIL also sells the drones if your ever serious about it I can give you his info. He has a high end one, what kind I don't know. He was out harassing the chickens last week. They didn't like it!


My DH works for the road commission and he brings me home wood chips from their pile. I've put out one trailer load so far this summer and after all the rain I thin I need another load. It helps keep things from turning into a mud hole in their yard

 

[1muttsfan]

Got the last of my tomatoes canned last night, worked in between changing out tractor implements and a high school volleyball game. Got them last week at the Okemos Farmer's Market, what a great place that was!! I would have liked to try Opa's oven method, but when you are short on time it is not the best time to try something new, and actually it was pretty hot here yesterday to be running the oven. The first batch canned on Monday was just barely ready, yesterday they were perfectly ripe. Applesauce to go then done canning for the year.

The Semi truck show is in town for the weekend, so another busy time - last weekend's tractor parade was a huge hit.

 

[aart]

Fruit flies, drain flies, and assorted flying pests can easily be trapped. Place a small amount of apple cider vinegar in a tall glass. Place a funnel on top of glass or make a aluminum foil cone.

I have several of these they work great.....
......and for the ones who don't go in but congregate on rim of funnel, the vacuum clear hose is handy for sucking them up.

 

[Ezs Choukies]

Fruit flies, drain flies, and assorted flying pests can easily be trapped.  Place a small amount of apple cider vinegar in a tall glass.  Place a funnel on top of glass or make a aluminum foil cone. 

I am so trying this! Thanks for the tip Opa.

 

[Candy442]

Got the last of my tomatoes canned last night, worked in between changing out tractor implements and a high school volleyball game. Got them last week at the Okemos Farmer's Market, what a great place that was!! I would have liked to try Opa's oven method, but when you are short on time it is not the best time to try something new, and actually it was pretty hot here yesterday to be running the oven. The first batch canned on Monday was just barely ready, yesterday they were perfectly ripe. Applesauce to go then done canning for the year.

The Semi truck show is in town for the weekend, so another busy time - last weekend's tractor parade was a huge hit.

You were probably 6 miles from my house if you went to the Meridian Twp farmers market (near the Meridian Mall?) in Okemos

Our tomatoes were enough to use through the season. I went with cherry tomatoes this year and glad I did. The Roma's died early and DH got a yellow variety which turned out pretty good for slices.

 

[1muttsfan]

You were probably 6 miles from my house if you went to the Meridian Twp farmers market (near the Meridian Mall?) in Okemos 

Thats the one. They had it around behind the mall, they are repaving the place it normally is

 

[Folly's place]

I also go to the Meridian farmer's market, and did a bushel of Romas last Sunday. Sticker shock hit, but it's worth it for us. I'll be there tomorrow morning too. Mary