Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RaZ]

This colder weather can get over itself. Had a couple of days where it took treats to convince the girls to come out of the coop for a bit,

Mine have been out every day. They are waiting by the door and rush out no matter the weather. They might stop for a brief drink of water but usually head straight for the porch. They hang out all day under there. They like the bird seeds that get dropped from the feeders above. Going out in a few minutes to lock up the coop for the night. Negative digits forecast for tonight.

 

[bigmrg74]

I agree that sooner is better than later for getting the vaccine, and anywhere that's sooner is good.
I added shavings to the coop today, as it's too cold to bother to actually clean it out. Deeper bedding is fine.
Maybe not as chilly later next week? That would be good!
Idiot horses had a 'moment' yesterday, and pretzeled one of the gates near the barn. Thankfully, it happened late afternoon, and we saw it, and nobody escaped. We had an extra gate from another area, and it's now set up there. No injuries, no horses in the road, all okay. A very close call though.
Mary

Yeah, we had one of our idiot boarders go over her panel gates at about the end of December. They had brought over their own round pen panel gates, because they wanted her to have her own separate turnout. Really wasn't big enough for her to really blow off some steam if she needed too, and she needs to do it pretty regularly. Anyways the garbage truck comes in to collect the trash from the dumpster. She's out pitching a fit. They roll around and go by her panel gates and all of a sudden i hear what sounds like something hitting the panels as she's hidden from view by the garbage truck. He keeps on going and then I see that she's out. I'm guessing that she must have landed half on a panel gate section and then somehow managed to climb right on over it to get out. Managed not to cut or visibly injure herself, but it took all of us there a while to finally get her cornered in the barn and under control. Totally mangled one panel, could have probably saved the second panel if you knew what your doing to straighten it up, along with the entrance gate as well. At least that horse left the farm in January and we don't have to deal with her need to be a space cadet.

 

[1muttsfan]

Lucky the pipe bent and did not break at a weld, and that she was not punctured.

 

[chickflick]

A few sunny days under our belt. Cold didn't seem so bad with the warmth of the sun. Today, more snow. Hens are doing great. Able to go out and enjoy scratching in the leaves. I had to close the rabbits in their hutch since the chickens decided that's where they want to lay their eggs. Poor bunnies couldn't go in their hutch. So close them up for a few hours so the hens will lay in the coop.

Have a good day everyone.

 

[RaZ]

Walked out to refill the woodpecker feeders and came back in with a case of snow blindness. Brilliant sunny day reflecting off the skiff of snow that fell overnight. Foolishly, I didn't put on sunglasses for the 2 minute task.

 

[Sally PB]

Ouch, RaZ!

We didn't get sunshine today, though it got bright-ish.

Seems the chickens don't like to see snow falling. Even just lightly. They barely came outside today at all. Yesterday it was about as warm, and they were outside plenty. Silly birds. Maybe there is a little bit more breeze today?

 

[RaZ]

The sun has disappeared behind a grey sky that has appeared within the last hour.
I came back home from plowing the neighbor's drive to find the chickens involved in a raucous game of mouse football. Even the ducks were in on the game. Poor mouse never had a chance.

 

[Sally PB]

Chickens v mouse... I'm rooting for the chickens every time!

 

[1muttsfan]

Socked in all day, snowing and windy, probably have about 8" so far and more to come. It has been that light, fluffy stuff that you get when it is really cold, and it is beautiful.

So I hear that some tourists visiting in town decided to walk to Mackinac Island today - 3 1/2 miles across the ice to the closest point. Which when the ice was checked by some locals 2d ago still had some major cracks. Also, the treeline marking the trail has not been put out (being that the ice is still unsafe), and there is a big ground blizzard going on. They got lost and called for help, but planes are grounded, and it is not safe to go looking for them out on the ice (and they did not know where they were). So eventually, and only through the grace of whatever deity was eyeballing them, they made it to the Island. They are incredibly fortunate that they did not join the many other foolish and unprepared - and unlucky - that have been lost to the icy Lake.

 

[Sally PB]

Wow. Just wow.

Of course now someone probably has to go rescue them from the Island and bring them back.