Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

It's that 'Winter Wonderland' thing again!
Mary

It's kinda nice, knowing it won't last long

 

[uchytil]

Keeping my fingers crossed...no snow yet north of Grand Rapids (and no I don't mean the UP, lol). Looks like maybe tomorrow we'll see some. That stinks about a propane tank running dry! I swapped two house to NatGas a few years ago. I've realized a huge savings also and no more ugly tanks. Might not have any bunnies this spring. Mr. Blue has hip issues and is basically dragging himself around his 6x6 dog kennel in the barn. I left one of the does in with him and she laya over him and preens him also but I don't think they connected, nor my other doe I had in a few weeks ago. Have to look for a new buck, sigh... Hey, Steelhead fly fishing next month up north! Make some good chowdah!

 

[Folly's place]

Out here in the boonies, no natural gas line, so only propane or oil.
Mary

 

[chickflick]

We also have propane. And have auto fill. Luckily my hubby checked and we were dangerously low. Big chunk of money to fill the tank up when it gets that low.

 

[aart]

Glad to have NG. Rural but on a major roadway.

 

[Justso]

I hatched some eggs out a few years ago for my sister, the eggs came from a breeder in Wisconsin with really nice birds.

Minniechickmama in MN

 

[Newby81]

Now that the little ones are at the farm stores, I am starting to looking into a new year at the county fair. I have my two youngest daughters showing chickens (6 and 9 yrs old). Last year I had my older one show her Gold Laced Wyandotte pullet. Now the pullet is too big for showmanship, so I am looking for some county fair level show able Bantams. Is there a show coming up in Birch Run in March to look to buy some? They want to hatch eggs, so I am looking for a kind that will be broody, since I don't have the equipment to hatch eggs. I was thinking about starting a single breed flock of 1 rooster and 3 hens. Any suggestions of breeds besides Silkies and Seabrights? There seems to be a lot of them at the fair.

 

[Folly's place]

Belgian d'Uccles! Many farm stores will have them, in millie fleur and maybe porcelain. Many of them will be broody, and they handle the weather better than the Silkies too. Make sure that you get chicks with muffs, and decently feathered feet. They won't be super SQ, but it's for showmanship, so not important, as long as they look like d'Uccles.
Also, when the store person picks them out, get quieter individuals (not sick!) rather than any 'feisty' ones.
I've had them for many years, and love them!
Mary

 

[RaZ]

I have propane here. The neighboring house has gas. There is no way that the gas company would run a line to my house. It's 500' of clay, rock, and forest.
When I upgrade my electric service, the code called for a buried line. DTE took one look at the terrain and decided to go overhead.

I'm getting worried about my propane. The tank is at 35% and I've been making payments on the fill that they already did. If I run out and haven't paid the bill in full then I won't be able to get more. I heat with wood but it doesn't burn around the clock so propane is my backup heat source.

I'm living in my dream house but slowly dying one pay check at a time just trying to break even. Golden years my arse.

 

[Newby81]

Belgian d'Uccles! Many farm stores will have them, in millie fleur and maybe porcelain. Many of them will be broody, and they handle the weather better than the Silkies too. Make sure that you get chicks with muffs, and decently feathered feet. They won't be super SQ, but it's for showmanship, so not important, as long as they look like d'Uccles.
Also, when the store person picks them out, get quieter individuals (not sick!) rather than any 'feisty' ones.
I've had them for many years, and love them!
Mary

Thank you Mary. I do like the looks of them. I will have to see if they are in at TSC or FFH. They will be for both showmanship and Breed Class. Since they are there I enter them in both.