Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Folly's place]

Aart, hope you wore a N95 dust mask when you dusted those birds. I didn't once, and it was a bad experience, with months of an asthma flair-up, meds, etc. Ugh! I never had a bird freeze, even when my first d'Uccles roosted in the barn rafters. A roof and wind protection will be fine, if you select breeds that do well in the north. Predators are the big risk, and my coop is now Ft' Knox for chickens. Mary

 

[gladahmae]

Hello ganders. How many chickens freeze to death in the lower peninsula? 

Chickens rarely freeze to death when housed properly. They need a well ventilated, draft free coop and food and water. I have wintered birds for 2 years in simple a frames that are tarped on 3 sides. Heating coops is a bad idea because if you lose power your birds lose their heat source (they build up a nice layer of down feathers this time of year), and you also risk a heat lamp falling and starting a fire.

 

[bigmrg74]

Getting the coop all prepped for winter here. Took the quad and pulled my tractor around to behind the garage to park it for the winter. Just need to get some more straw bales to put around it and so I can tack on the chicken wire apron as well. Mom and girlfriend thought it might be safer for them if I had the straw bales ready to set on the apron before I go and tack it on. Pretty sure I want to get that done before Thursday when that big wind storm is supposed to hit. Might even bring the first snowfall of the season here in Clinton.

 

[Stacykins]

Hello ganders. How many chickens freeze to death in the lower peninsula?

None freeze in the colder Upper Peninsula, either. No supplemental heat here, they've got their feathers.

 

[Maah]

The worst our chickens suffered from in the winter was some frostbite to tips of their combs & feet. This was a few years ago when we had a large stretch of -25 degrees. It was our Brahma rooster that got the frostbite on his feet. He was a big boy & would roost at night right next to the cracked open window in the coop. His feet got infected & he passed from the infection about a week or so later. Only a couple of the girls got a little frostbite on their combs that year.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

I'm worried about my ducks as this is my first year over wintering ducks.But I'm doing as much as I can think of to keep them safe. I will have 2 small banks of heat lamps going. And as the snow piles up.(And here in little lake it does) I'll bank around their little shed. I plan to pick up some heated dog bowls in Ternary and make heated watering stations.

 

[Maah]

My neighbor had ducks for quite a few years. They have a large pond on their property that was the duck's home. He put a "bubbler" in the pond to keep a spot where the water was constantly moving & wouldn't freeze over easily. The ducks loved going for their daily icy swims.

 

[SillyChicken]

I don't provide heat in my coops. I had an "almost" fire twice, so I don't use a heat lamp ever.

You can help protect their feet by providing wide roosts, like a 2x4 with the 4" side up. And, if your birds are penned, keep the area dry if you can, free of any snow or standing water.

2 yrs ago one of my roos also lost one foot, and the toes on the other foot, to frost bite. He is still doing well and my favorite roo. His name is Uggo.

Everything after the pink areas are dead appendages.



Uggo when his stump was heeling. I taped half a tennis ball, padded the inside, and taped to his leg. Worked great, but took lots of effort to keep clean and change the dressing a lot.

 

[Stacykins]

I'm worried about my ducks as this is my first year over wintering ducks.But I'm doing as much as I can think of to keep them safe. I will have 2 small banks of heat lamps going. And as the snow piles up.(And here in little lake it does) I'll bank around their little shed. I plan to pick up some heated dog bowls in Ternary and make heated watering stations.

My ducks can use a dry, draft free coop full of bedding. But they choose not to most of the UP winter. I'll bring them water as the sun rises after a snowfall during the night, and find a bunch of little snow covered ducks sleeping in the run. The chickens don't bully them out of the coop. They lay their eggs in the coop, so they clearly know how to go into the coop. None of my ducks have ever suffered a cold injury.

I bring them water twice a day, using rubber water pans. I just use a rubber mallet to knock out the old ice block, fill with water, and they're good to go. They know to drink then, and their splashing often keeps the water open for quite a few hours.

 

[Opa]

Another Veterans Day has just about came to a close and sadly those who served during World War II are becoming fewer in number. I once had ten uncles who along with my father answered our country's call. Their service inspired me to enlist when I was old enough and the six years I gave seem small when compared to their sacrifices.

Now only two uncles who served during the Korean Conflict are all that remain and just as sad is the fact that I don't know any veterans from either of those historic periods for our country.

It's been 47 years since I was discharged from the Army and in spite of years I still feel proud of that period of my life. I feel an even greater sense of pride in that my sons also served and consider that experience as valuable.