Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[robyn8]

Thanks for the info on bantams with the full size rooster. I'll just wait and see I guess!

 

[1muttsfan]

A couple of my eggs froze today. The shells cracked. Is it ok to hard boil them right away and still eat them?

Yes. You could also keep them in the fridge a few days. The quality of the white will be degraded though, once frozen, but they are still wholesome.

 

[dyorto]

Yes.  You could also keep them in the fridge a few days.  The quality of the white will be degraded though, once frozen, but they are still wholesome.

Thank you!

 

[A2Kzoo2]

It is 7 degrees outside and 20 degrees in my main coop. My momma still isn't bringing her 10.5 week old chicks on the roosts at night, they sleep cuddled up in one of the nest boxes. One good thing about it is if there are any eggs in the box she chooses, they aren't frozen by the time I get home. I do try to collect what they laid so far before leaving for work and have my husband collect before he leaves a couple hours later, but that was 3 from my collection and 3 from his collection and there were 5 more when I got home. 11 is a huge number for this time of year (I have 12 hens plus momma, 4 chicks, and 2 roos). No frozen eggs yet. I definitely don't like chicken chores at 7 degrees, though.

 

[RaZ]

Remember how a couple of months ago everyone was complaining about the heat and humidity?

 

[Folly's place]

Next week, the 21st, is the winter solstice! Burn that Yule log! Longer days ahead! Mary

 

[A2Kzoo2]

It was just about a month ago that we had 70 degree highs (then a week or 2 later we had our first snow)

 

[zndzant]

So when I went out to water this afternoon, I noticed that two of the tips on my roo's comb are white. I'm assuming it's frostbite, temps haven't been higher than 18 during the day for 3 days. The coop is tight, but the water freezes solid over night. Can that be cold enough to frostbite even if I don't have high humidity? The coop is 8ft long with the eaves open(covered with hardware cloth) and there are vents in the gable. Could it be that he's getting drafts on the roost from the eave venting? Here are pics showing the setup. Should I put up some cardboard over the rafters to block any draft but still allow the ventilation? And will he be OK without any treatment? So far he's a fairly good young cockerel. Doesn't attack, respects my space when I'm in the coop, finds treats for the girls, but I absolutely cannot get my hands on him. Have never been able to, and don't want to jeopardize our working relationship and destroy his trust by handling him if he'll get over it without treatment.


Heres the roost boards Theres another one that butts up against it. You can see the eave venting space in the front. It is the same in the back. Are they too close to the vents?
Close up of the vents:

 

[aart]

So when I went out to water this afternoon, I noticed that two of the tips on my roo's comb are white. I'm assuming it's frostbite, temps haven't been higher than 18 during the day for 3 days. The coop is tight, but the water freezes solid over night. Can that be cold enough to frostbite even if I don't have high humidity? The coop is 8ft long with the eaves open(covered with hardware cloth) and there are vents in the gable. Could it be that he's getting drafts on the roost from the eave venting? Here are pics showing the setup. Should I put up some cardboard over the rafters to block any draft but still allow the ventilation? And will he be OK without any treatment? So far he's a fairly good young cockerel. Doesn't attack, respects my space when I'm in the coop, finds treats for the girls, but I absolutely cannot get my hands on him. Have never been able to, and don't want to jeopardize our working relationship and destroy his trust by handling him if he'll get over it without treatment.

Yes, Yes, and Yes.

I'd use cardboard about 18" high tacked right onto the rafter bottom to direct the air up higher.
Do you have gable vents? Good place for moist air to escape....in thru the eaves, out thru the gables.

Mild frostbite, even severe frostbite, doesn't need any treatment unless infection is present...
....IMO messing with compromised tissue is asking for trouble and could actually introduce infection.

 

[1muttsfan]

Remember how a couple of months ago everyone was complaining about the heat and humidity?

Not me.

So is there some ceremony for this solstice? I seem to remember something about running around nekkid on the solstice. But maybe that's just for the summer one.

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