Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[trueblue8364]

I miss the U.P.

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

Welcome! It's fun to have a mixed flock; so many breeds, so little space! Mary

I need to have my space limited! I set out to have a small flock of 6 egg-layers, but then I saw a couple more cute chicks who promised to lay interesting-colored eggs ... and then a couple more ... and now I have 11 chickens and 12 guineas. But we live on 80 acres and have a very large main coop and a modest secondary coop, so I can't say we're out of ROOM for chickens. It's just not a very good idea to have more chickens, because how many eggs can we really hope to eat/give away?!

 

[1muttsfan]

Oh but - Logic doesn't work when you're dealing with chicken math

 

[Lelanae]

Hello! My nieces go to U of Michigan and my grandparents were from Lansing. I am from South Eastern PA but we spend at least a week by the lake, south of Luddington each year. I was hoping for some coro sussex chicks or a pullet to bring home, lol! Where in Michigan are all you guys from? It is a big state! Any Coronation sussex breeders here?

 

[Outdoorlover]

Good morning!
Welcome to BYC, marcigray!
I'd post an ad on Craigslist, if I had roos to re home

 

[RaZ]

Howdy folks,
I'm still looking for a house and property for me and my chickens. I haven't heard anything on the one I placed a back-up bid for, so I guess I'm not getting it. I really liked the area.

Let me know if you notice anything for sale in your area. I'm offering a finder's fee if you can help. Meanwhile I'll keep stalking the area between Jackson and Lansing, west of US-127.

PS Muskegeon / Zeeland area is do-able too.
RaZ

 

[JackieandChicks]

Zeeland is pretty built up and property at a premium. I see homes sell in a few days. If you PM me your price range maybe I can keep my eyes open.

 

[bobhoke]

Hey Ganders,

Does anyone see a significant difference in egg production when one places the nesting boxes in a dark area or not?

I'm thinking about constructing nesting boxes so all my nests face north and are three to four inches off the ground in my coop.

I'd also like to have a separate brooder nesting area since stray hens like to plop in on my broody hens and just conveniently lay to add to their pile, thus mixing the egg hatching dates up entirely. I really don't get chicken logic, but I won't succumb to the incubator.

Take it easy.

 

[Folly's place]

My nest boxes are about two feet off the floor (maybe a little higher) which gives the birds more actual floor space in the coop. I use a big dog airline crate for broodies, or a separate area in the coop, for the same reason. This year I tried a cheap incubator, with very mixed results, and returned it to the store for it's faulty thermostat. Mary

 

[1muttsfan]

I built an outside nest box on my small coop (2-holer) and love it. My Welsummer hen, who always picked a corner of the coop to lay in, is now using the nest boxes regularly. Going to do the same with my big coop. Entry holes are about 6" above top of the litter, and the lid flips up outside.