Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

Plain clean water is always a given. However I like to add Chick Saver or Hydro-Hen for the extra electrolytes and pro-biotics.

Plain water always available.
Too many electrolytes can be bad.
90% of the chicks here are hatched here, so I haven't dealt with shipping stress.

 

[chickflick]

Welcome newbies!
I rescued another wandering chicken. Posted in the community page looking for owner of said chicken in a neighborhood not far from here. It was getting late, so didn't want to wait around too long. So, it took four of us, but I snagged her. She's pretty. She has a yellow tinge to her feathers. Looks real pretty in the sun. Don't know the breed. Could be a cross. Didn't see anything that looked like her in the breed book. Sunny even laid me a egg. A pretty roundish dark brown egg.
It's going to be another beautiful day! Hope you get to enjoy it. Stay safe!

 

[aart]

Mission Accomplished...mama and her chicks are integrated!
Went pretty well.
Mama kicked some butt.
Willie was pretty cool.
There was a little drama when chicks got separated, 2 in small run with mama, 2 in large run.
Mama forgot you have to go thru coop to get to other run.
I added the mini ramp in large run and chicks found their way back in.
First day at school is *tough*!
By end of day all the hens seem to have made peace.
Chicks using creep feeder and nest to 'hide' well.
Willie is being an Ass, he's never been good with broodies and chicks.

 

[1muttsfan]

If you do provide electrolytes, as Aart says make sure there is plain water available as well. Some animals do not like the taste of the electrolytes, and will not drink well, and others may drink too much.

2 hummers this morning at my feeder, a male and a female. Usually the boys show up a few weeks early. I think the cold held them all back.

 

[Folly's place]

I do need to get the feeders out for them!
Today I planted the last redbud from our daughter's yard, seedlings from 2' to 5' tall. Love redbuds, and seedlings living here should be hardy, I hope.
Five week old chicks got outside today, briefly, and met some of the adults. Social interactions promoting humility! Tomorrow more time with everything opened, so more learning experiences...
Mary

 

[RaZ]

If you do provide electrolytes, as Aart says make sure there is plain water available as well. Some animals do not like the taste of the electrolytes, and will not drink well, and others may drink too much.

2 hummers this morning at my feeder, a male and a female. Usually the boys show up a few weeks early. I think the cold held them all back.

I always have at least one water fount with fresh water. The other fount gets electrolytes every other day IF there is a stress factor involved. I don't know if it is necessary or not. It is really more for my peace of mind..

 

[Folly's place]

Really stressed/ dehydrated and cold chicks are a challenge, and often won't recover. I tried with my recent shipped chicks, and failed the two who were in tough shape. The others did fine, fortunately!
mary

 

[aart]

Found an egg in the run last night.
Then this morning saw Mama come into the coop, roust a hen out of a nest, then walk back out. Bitch.
Folks say broodies are the best way to hatch and seeing them with the babes is SoooCute...but they can also be a PITA.

Just caught broody mama with a broken egg in a nest,
calling her chicks to come and indulge.
Seee? PITA!

 

[Folly's place]

My broody hen and her three (!) surviving chicks are now able to mingle with their flock. Not a lot of mingling going on though. She's busy making herself huge and chasing anyone who comes anywhere close. She's maintaining about a five ft. distance...
Mary

 

[bigmrg74]

Put the little ones in with the big girls friday night. So far, it seems to be going ok, just the usual first day terrified little freshman chicks running the gauntlet, but nobody really going after them all day.

Actually a shot of them friday morning still in the little coop. The other one of them in the big coop this morning isn't working.