Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[bigmrg74]

I love it!!
If I may ask another couple of questions....my chicks are4 weeks old yesterday and what I have read says they should be kept at 75 degrees. This weekend has been glorious and they have spent the better part of it a make shift pen outdoors. but will remain inside until the interim coop arrives. I am building a house but everything was put on hold so their coop at “the ranch” will come in the fall when I move in.
Question1 - is it okay that I take supplemental heating out of their brooder and is it okay to turn the light off at night when we go to bed? The house is about 75 degrees give or take.
Question 2 - I’m thinking about ordering a prebuilt coop from the local farm store to have a place for them until i move. I will make sure the coop is “fortified” against critters and I could use it at the new house in case of injury or a rooster ends up in my flock that I can’t bear to part with!
Question 3- I have 5 chicks and i am almost certain at least 2 of them are Roos! May i send something photos when it is clearer and get some guidance from you all?

My chicks honestly saved my sanity through this covid crisis. I was planning chicks, but not quite so soon. Shelter in place pushed up the plan...and i am thrilled but a less prepared than I’d like. Thanks in advance for your enthusiasm and fresh outlook on life. This is a great thread and awesome site.
Cheers to the sunshine

They're inside your house right?? as long as they're feathered out, they should be ok. Just keep an eye on them. If they're all piled up on top of each other, then they're probably cold.

 

[Frankiegirl]

Thanks so much for all of the insight!! It is all great stuff. I can’t wait to be able to give back some knowledge when I actually have some to give.

 

[ChickenMathLady]

Hi Michigan! I'm a new member from SE Michigan and looking for places you trust for getting chicks. My closest big box stores are Family Farm & Home in Romeo and TSC in New Haven but I'd be interested in local hatcheries too. Learning a lot on here before I get my chicks but since Warren only allows 3 hens, I want to be really careful about where we get ours so that hopefully I'll end up with 3 hens.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Both stores will have chicks, intermittently, of assorted breeds, and they are definitely an option.
I'm raising chicks right now, two different batches from Cackle hatchery, several breeds, all vaccinated against Marek's disease, and will be selling some soon.
The chicks that hatched April 8th include white Chanteclers, and Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, all pullets. The batch that hatched May 6th include Buckeyes, Speckled Sussex, and French Marans. These chicks still have a heat lamp, and while they are supposed to be pullets, it's a bit soon to be certain.
I live near Perry, but drive to Novi often for work.
Let me know if you are interested.
Anyway, we love to have you join us!
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

The AC now works! Our through the wall unit that declined to work yesterday is now fixed. A mouse nest in the fan assembly now removed, at least with no dead mice present.
The fifth or sixth appliance repair company I called finally had somebody who worked on window/ wall units!!! So we didn't have to order, wait for, and install a new one. At least this time!
On the other hand, the critter living and wrecking the soffet and in our attic will be worked on next week...
One out of two ain't bad, right?!
Mary

 

[aart]

The AC now works! Our through the wall unit that declined to work yesterday is now fixed. A mouse nest in the fan assembly now removed, at least with no dead mice present.

Hopefully your nice cool air doesn't smell like mouse pee.

 

[Folly's place]

Thanks, @aart ! I disinfected what i could, and it doesn't, fortunately!
A few years ago we had a dead SMELLY mouse in the unit, which was pretty bad, until it was removed and cleaned up.
Now we finally have 1/4" hardware cloth in addition to the wire mesh that came with the unit.
Mary

 

[aart]

Had mice in my snowmobile air intake, stunk for a long time even after cleaning out.

Had red squirrels get into the AC unit cardboard box storage in shed.
Was kind of funny, ready to get it out to install and heard scratching, figuring mice cut open the front of box and 4-5 red squirrel babies came flying out. I squealed and ran, they squealed and ran. Woulda been a great funniest home video.
For some reason they didn't seem to have peed in the unit, so no stink.
They did chew the hell out of the plastic fan, but it was easy to replace.

 

[Frankiegirl]

Hopefully your nice cool air doesn't smell like mouse pee.

That happened to a classic convertible I stored in my garage the year my pup passed away!! They destroyed the whole interior of the car...I thought a skunk died in the car...nope whole colony of mice!!

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi KC, welcome to BYC and the Michigan thread. Ask away is you have questions.

Mary has nice birds, and you will be sure of getting pullets

Most of the pre-built coops sold in farm supply stores are lightweight cheap units that are not particularly well predator proofed, and definitely will not hold as many adult birds as listed. It might work ok for temporary day housing of young birds.

If you are looking for something permanent, consider getting a storage shed and modifying it to give you a more secure coupe. There are many threads dedicated to predator proofing. My feeling is the more the better, as there will always be predators that are interested in your birds.