Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[mikeshrews01]

Hello all,
does anybody have a good run substrate recipe for michigan. I was thinking of starting with pine nuggets and cypress mulch and adding leaves and grass clippings as they are gathered? Is there something better? Any idea on a starting depth?

 

[aart]

Hello all,
does anybody have a good run substrate recipe for michigan. I was thinking of starting with pine nuggets and cypress mulch and adding leaves and grass clippings as they are gathered? Is there something better? Any idea on a starting depth?

Wood chunks are good, as long as they are not dyed...I don't use anything 'green', just dry stuff. Only needs to be a couple inches deep to help decompose the poops.

 

[RaZ]

Garage trusses arrived this afternoon.

It took nearly 2 hours to get them unloaded due to a trailer problem But we got them on the ground with no injury or damage. Next week, they go up. Going to be a heck of a chicken coop, eh?

 

[chickflick]

Do you have help getting the trusses up?

 

[SillyChicken]

Raz and his friend, ingenuity will get the trusses up!

Yeah, sorry Folly, things are just not working out. We been swamped at work and working longer due to the hurricane hitting the East coast. My company handles auto insurance claims for all the major auto insurance companies, so they brought on extra staff. I have to work this weekend, and then I flyout Monday to work in Las Vegas all week (not going to be a fun trip). If there is still a possibility to hook up the week of the 24th...but before the 28th, or after Oct 9th... we can try again if you haven't had any luck selling them. I really want them, but time is being a stinker this year for both of us.

Rax, I would have at least opened up one of the birds to see if you can see anything... discolored liver, fluids around heart/in lungs... parasites, gas...funk in the gizard.. idk... if you lost another bird, toss it in the freezer.
Do you have any construction material that could have been injested, did you use treated lumber?

the great mystery of 2018!

I had to toss out some of my sheep feed because the heat and humidity caused it to mold in the center of the container I kept the food in. Check for antifreeze or water with algae and other stuff they may have had access too.

 

[RaZ]

Do you have help getting the trusses up?

The guy who did the home inspection for me last year is a licensed builder and he said he would help. The bigger issue is getting a crane here to lift them in place. I had it lined up for Thursday but it is supposed to rain.
I'll call on Monday to see if they can lift earlier in the week.

I'm rather POed at some of the people who said that they would help and "suddenly" they are busy. I dropped my chores to go help them a couple of times this week but I can't even get a spotter to come over. I won't go on the roof or climb the scaffold if I amby myself. Just need someone to call 811 if I fall off.

I love the solitude here. But sometimes I need someone to watch in case something goes wonky.

 

[bigmrg74]

yeah, sometimes just having someone around to be there to call 911 just in case is the best insurance you can have for when you're doing work like that that's up on a ladder.

Dang, we must have had a bit of Fool's fall last week, because it sure now feels like Summer again today. Moved my coop and pen around and I sure was sweating like it was summer.

 

[aart]

Dang, we must have had a bit of Fool's fall last week, because it sure now feels like Summer again today. Moved my coop and pen around and I sure was sweating like it was summer.

It sure did...tomorrow will too..and the damn mosquitoes seem t be making up for their lack most the summer!!

 

[1muttsfan]

Well Raz at least you wouldn't hit any underground wires! Wish we were closer, we'd be happy to come over. I guess that's not much help either, though.

 

[chickflick]

You quickly learn who your true friends are when you ask for a favor of help. I was raised to help out neighbors. Our next door neighbor was getting his yard ready for daughter's wedding. Realized he needed to cut a big branch of a dead tree in order for the tent to fit. Asked if he needed help and he said no, didn't think so. But saw the rental truck there and still a lot of logs and branches where the tent was going. I just put my work gloves on and pitched in to help. Don't think people are use to people being "good neighbors" Neighbors have to look out for each other. Expect more from friends. Some friends are closer to you than your own family.