Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

My back patio is an ice rink, 2 story north side of walkout, no gutters.
But most the path to the coop is down to grass due to diligent shoveling,
good chunk of run is clear too.
Chooks have been digging holes with glee!

Was lovelery evening.

 

[Sally PB]

Even so, the small step crone shuffle is the MO for mobility.

I call it the "old lady duck walk."

 

[Frankiegirl]

So I couldn’t help myself...needed a quick chick fix....I only looked and didn’t touch at TSC tonight. They are so stinking cute!

my yard will be all mud by Saturday. I moved here in December and missed all of the bad weather which was awesome to move furniture! The snow made the yard look beautiful....until it melts and you quickly remember there is no landscaping or grass in yet!

spring is going to be MESSY!!! And I drive a white car....yuk

 

[Sally PB]

And I drive a white car....yuk

The only color that makes sense where I live is sandy brown, as that's what it will be, no matter what color the paint is. We call my car Guiness because it's Black and Tan.

 

[Swiss]

My mud spots are pretty dry considering the thaw. I'm worried about the thick ice that covers my paths to the garage and coop. Even with the mild temps and sunny days, the ice is still pretty thick and uneven. It is difficult to walk on.
My driveway is even worse. Ice melt runs down the slope, pools , and freezes over.

I use sand for those...got a shaker bottle to help distribute ahead of walking on it.
Can last a few days before reapplication is needed.
Even so, the small step crone shuffle is the MO for mobility.

This thought just popped into my head: Have y'all ever considered something like the picture below that go on over your shoes/boots and give extra traction?

 

[aart]

Have y'all ever considered something like the picture below that go on over your shoes/boots and give extra traction?

Yep.
Would be fun to clean the muck out of those.
Not good for chicken choring IMO.

 

[Folly's place]

I love mine, however it's necessary to either buy the ones with a strap over the foot, or add one at home with cord. Otherwise they will come off outside.
Yes, messy, but staying upright is my first priority!
Mary

 

[Swiss]

Yep.
Would be fun to clean the muck out of those.
Not good for chicken choring IMO.

That's true... crampons/microspikes are what originally popped in my head, but I thought the huge spikes would be dangerous with chickens and other animals underfoot.
There are other (less mess attracting, I assume) options, too, but I don't know them all as I literally just did a quick google search to see if what popped in my head even existed!

 

[Sally PB]

My husband got me something similar. It is great for walking on the packed snow/ice. I don't wear them into the chicken run, as yeah, they'd be full of yuck. My "chicken shoes" are just for the chicken run/coop.

I'm gonna have to save a couple of our big parmesan cheese containers to make sand shakers like what @aart described. This year I've been using ashes from the woodstove. It works, but it's messy.

 

[aart]

I'm gonna have to save a couple of our big parmesan cheese containers to make sand shakers like what @aart described.

I used these containers, someone gave them to me, they had bulk herbs in a co-op.
Holes are just under 1/4", where as the parmesan cans holes are almost 1/2" and don't work as well.