Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[chickflick]

Sorry. The first is the hardest. But, if you have chickens you have to get use to it. She may have been egg bound. Probably why she was in her nest. I usually leave them alone if they are in the nest box at night. Usually means they are not feeling well. I have one now that is in her nest and will not last too much longer. She's hasn't been well for a while now. Old age, maybe. Sad, but that's the circle of life.

 

[Folly's place]

My oldest hens have been ten years when they died, but that's unusual. Most hens (and roosters) are gone well before that age, of many different problems.
So sorry for your loss.
Mary

 

[SillyChicken]

I've been too damn busy lately. A lot of stalls out in the barn to help out our neighbor who's doing chores and stalls for mom while she recovers from her surgery. At this point, it's pretty much me being out there helping to keep Mom from being out there and making sure that she doesn't do more than what she should be doing. I kinda think her surgeon would have a fit about her going through the stalls and dusting out the cobwebs with a broom. Gotta keep an eye on her.

And like 2 weeks ago I threw my back out. Got out of the car and it kinda felt like it wanted to go then, got to work and was being kinda careful with it. One of my other coworkers had an opening right after I was done so I opted to snag that. felt great during the session. It was right after the session when I moved to get up off the table is when my back all seized up and I was all but down for the count. Took me a while to get over that. Worst part about that is that it kept me from finishing up my idea for a sunroom area for my girls, basically my smaller coop all rewrapped in plastic to be bit of a greenhouse, with maybe the kiddie pool in it with sand for dustbathing. Still haven't been able to find time with decent weather to get that done.

But in other good news, we had our Amish roof contractor guy stop in this week and today he had a bunch of the materials he needs for the roof dropped off at our place. With a little luck, he might be able to get started on the barn roof sometime between Christmas and New Years. If not then, most likely in January then. Will be glad to have that taken care of.

Are you talking of wrapping the run or coop in plasitc? for the run, this is ok as long as you have a few vent holes, but I wouldn't recommend you do it with the coop as it will trap moisture. Moisture and the cold will lead to frost bite. Birds will lose combs, whattles, toes and feet this way. You will still need to have ventilation to prevent moisture.

 

[robyn8]

Well I think I succeed in breaking my broody! We didn't end up putting her on a wire bottom. I kept her in a cage in the coop so she wouldn't sit on anyone eggs and put her out in the run a couple times a day. This morning I put her in the run and she never tried to go back to a nest. Thanks for the good advice! I was picturing the process being much harder because my neighbor had a poor broody she didn't want to let sit. That poor chicken tried literally for months to set and my neighbor just kept taking away her eggs and not really trying in earnest to break her. So glad my girl gave up quickly!

 

[bigmrg74]

Are you talking of wrapping the run or coop in plasitc? for the run, this is ok as long as you have a few vent holes, but I wouldn't recommend you do it with the coop as it will trap moisture. Moisture and the cold will lead to frost bite. Birds will lose combs, whattles, toes and feet this way. You will still need to have ventilation to prevent moisture.

I'm talking about my spare coop, and don't worry, it would have ventilation. I just kinda want it as an extra space out of the weather for the girls to hang out in. I couldn't get my girls out today, would like them to have the excuse to go outside even if its just to another coop.

 

[Folly's place]

My birds have no interest in playing in the snow! They are in the coop and covered run combination, until there's bare ground somewhere, or they get too stir crazy.
Yesterday our nearest neighbor had a weasel/ mink at their back window, looking at the bird feeder! I'm not eager to let my birds outside right now...
Mary

 

[aart]

Yesterday our nearest neighbor had a weasel/ mink at their back window, looking at the bird feeder!

YIKES!!

 

[dyorto]

My girls have no interest in snow either. They just peek out the pop door. I’m glad the coop is decent sized

 

[Candy442]

@bigmrg74 But in other good news, we had our Amish roof contractor guy stop in this week and today he had a bunch of the materials he needs for the roof dropped off at our place. With a little luck, he might be able to get started on the barn roof sometime between Christmas and New Years. If not then, most likely in January then. Will be glad to have that taken care of.[/QUOTE]

I would be interested in a referral if he travels up my way "Williamston area"? let me know as I have been looking for amish barn rehabbers....

hope the back and mom get better soon!

 

[trailrider330]

My chickens don't seem to have any interest in going out into the snow this year either. They did last year, so I'm not sure what's changed. With them not going outside, I sure am having a lot more to clean out from the poop boards. And, now that the cold weather has hit, and they are choosing not to free range, I'm also going through a lot more feed.

I opened up all their pens and let them intermingle in the aisle today while I reconfigured their pens to keep life interesting for them by adding some additional things they could jump up on and roost from. I also created some simple "boredom busters" out of milk cartons filled with corn mash and scattering some mealworms around.

Started getting eggs from some of this years chicks just this week. Prior to that I hadn't gotten a single egg in almost three weeks. Time for those girls (and my older ones) to earn some of their keep!