Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[wcbpolish]

Have you checked the yolks?
Where there's a will, theres a way!

He's not with the ladies right now. I want to be sure of good hatches for the early spring, so I'm using roosters that I have more confidence in. I'll try him in May, probably. Out of all my polish roosters, he has the best crest, which is why I really want him in the breeding pen at some point.

Mine managed to do the deed!

Thanks for the encouragement.

Speaking of "doing the deed" I candled some eggs...
African Goose eggs: 6 out of 8 had healthy embryos - the other two I could not see well enough to tell if they were fertile. YAY!!!
Duck eggs: 3 out of 38 were fertile. BOOO! I have 6 males and 14 females in a big run with a pond. Not sure what is going on. Putting more eggs in soon. Hoping fertility picks up

 

[aart]

They have a good process for acclimating the cats.

I love this process, makes a lot of sense.
Thinks your changes are good ones.

"Ameracaunas"...OK EEs.

I call 'em "AmerauKindas"..or at our mill "ArauKindas".

 

[rachelsflock]

It was a long day of testing at the hospital but things look pretty good. I've lost 30 pounds according to their records. My scale tells me closer to 40.

That, I believe, is how scales work in the medical industry.

 

[robyn8]

Picked up my barns cats from Huron Valley today. Orange tom with a head the size of a softball. Tolerated me getting close but needs some more socializing. The light grey tom didn't mind a head rub and back scratch but he was very weak when found but is getting stronger/healthier every day. I forgot their names but it is written on the paperwork that I left in the car.
The people at Huron Valley Animal Shelter are wonderful. Not only were the barn cat adoption free, they sent me home with 2 carriers and a kennel that is twice the size of the one I brought with me. Heck, it is big enough for me to sleep in. I will take them back when I go down again in a couple of weeks. The crates, not the cats.

They have a good process for acclimating the cats. The cats stay in the kennel for 3 weeks in the barn where they will be living so that they get used to the sights, sounds and smells. I'm going to modify it a bit. The BCs will stay in the house with me and the dogs for 1 week, then in the chicken coop for a week or 2. I should have the new coop built for the third week if it ever warms up. I think that both cats will warm up to me in short order.

I was at TSC a few days ago and they had "Ameracaunas"...OK EEs. I passed, but if they have any after I'm done traveling in a couple weeks, I just might get a few for the blue eggs. Still want some pheasant and peafowl.

It was a long day of testing at the hospital but things look pretty good. I've lost 30 pounds according to their records. My scale tells me closer to 40. Other results will come from the lab in a few days. So happy to be home.

I assume you have to have a litter box in their dog kennel but once they are set free is the expectation that you will still have to provide a litter box? I want to get some as well but I don't want to clean more litter boxes (we already an inside cat).

 

[RaZ]

Thanks for the encouragement.

Speaking of "doing the deed" I candled some eggs...
African Goose eggs: 6 out of 8 had healthy embryos - the other two I could not see well enough to tell if they were fertile. YAY!!!
Duck eggs: 3 out of 38 were fertile. BOOO! I have 6 males and 14 females in a big run with a pond. Not sure what is going on. Putting more eggs in soon. Hoping fertility picks up

With this group, it is not "encouragement"...it is "enabling".

I wonder if that 6::14 ratio is the issue. Too much competition among the males??? Just a guess.

 

[RaZ]

I assume you have to have a litter box in their dog kennel but once they are set free is the expectation that you will still have to provide a litter box? I want to get some as well but I don't want to clean more litter boxes (we already an inside cat).

Yes. A litter box is in each kennel. Cleaned daily for the adjustment period. Food and water are replaced each day at near the same time to help get the BCs used to me.

After they are let out of the cage, I plan to keep them restricted to the coop for another week. Only one litter box then. After that, they will have nearly 7 acres of of litter box. I can manage scooping poop for a month. A few more kitty crayons to add to the dog-do and chicken poop is no big deal. Just part of the animal husbandry of keeping livestock and pets. Good luck.

 

[SillyChicken]

Our barn cats get a big litter box in their shelter area during winter. So if they feel the need for digging, they can use it. Last couple years we put them in our basement for the winter... now we are having a hard time getting them to go outside to do their jobs.

Huron was pretty good. I took one of our barn cats and her lone kitten, up there for re-homing. We didn't need 3 girls running around. They didn't make you feel bad for doing it like some shelters do.

Ain't that the truth about the scales... I always ask them when the last time their scale was calibrated. It can be a bit deflating.

I hope all is well with you Raz.

I processed 4 of my rams last night (I'm selling my Jacobs sheep herd). And while we were working on them, I hear this faint noise... and I look at my friend and said.... is that a lamb? I didn't breed the girls because I didn't want more sheep to deal with. But long story short, the last ram lamb born last year was too small to put in with the other rams. So he stayed with the girls a bit longer till he got sold. Well, he had some fun apparently. At least this ewe was sold yesterday and I let the new owner know she's getting a bonus! Now I don't have any idea if or when any of the girls could lamb. UGH!!!

 

[RaZ]

I think it's a good idea to have a litter box for the barn cats in any case. If they were ill and the vet needed a stool sample, it would be easy to get.

I was in such a hurry to leave the city yesterday that I forgot the paperwork that came with the adoption. I can't remember the names of these guys.

ETA: I left a voice mail asking for the names and records. E-mail with all the details arrived in less than an hour. Bender and Mariner are settling in.

 

[aart]

the last ram lamb born last year was too small to put in with the other rams. So he stayed with the girls a bit longer till he got sold. Well, he had some fun apparently.

Ha!! I'm getting lamb meat tomorrow from such a situation.

 

[bigmrg74]

I think it's a good idea to have a litter box for the barn cats in any case. If they were ill and the vet needed a stool sample, it would be easy to get.

I was in such a hurry to leave the city yesterday that I forgot the paperwork that came with the adoption. I can't remember the names of these guys.

ETA: I left a voice mail asking for the names and records. E-mail with all the details arrived in less than an hour. Bender and Mariner are settling in.

Odds are that you'll come up with your own names for them anyways. Odds are you give them names like Dumbkoft and Garden City.

Almost got another barn cat for the farm today. there's been a cat hanging around the apartment building lately and it was loving up on Amy today when she got home. she was kinda tempted to bring it over to the farm, but there's some girls in another apartment that have been wanting a cat and they're taking it in for meow.