Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Folly's place]

Glad you're okay! It's only a car, and may have saved your life...
Mary

 

[Sally PB]

I'm glad traffic was light and I'm ok, but I can't say as much for our poor car

Glad you're ok! That must have been terrifying!

 

[Sally PB]

I just checked the rain gauge (a bucket), and it looks like we got around an inch of rain! Cool and even downright chilly today and tomorrow, then it warms up again. That ought to make everything grow! Including the weeds, of course...

 

[1muttsfan]

Oh my goodness Silly! So glad you are OK.

 

[Sally PB]

Update on the gypsy moth caterpillars. I talked with an arborist, and it's too late to do anything but a broad spectrum insecticide. Not going to do that. The time to do something targeted to the caterpillars was about 5-6 weeks ago. That's the bad news.

The good news is that our area is not a badly hit as farther north. (Ok, not good news for those folks.) Trees have the reserves to releaf if they have to. These pests can kill a tree if they have bad infestations in successive years. So next May, I need to check out what the gypsy moth forecast is and take action then.

 

[Frankiegirl]

Hi guys,
I updated one of my runs for the egg layers this spring. I used to cover in wire fence and plastic over the winter, but that was a pain. So I took that all off and put up the clearish panels. They work great! I added a rat wall inside to put deeper bedding in (dirt floor) and buried two layers of fence on the outside. the first layer is buried, but the chickens kept digging in the loose dirt, so I laid a second layer on top to stop them. That worked great too.

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I got pretty lucky on Friday - headed into Detroit, I did some 3 lane highway surfing and a little wall climbing... hit the opposite divider head on. Yeah me! I'm glad traffic was light and I'm ok, but I can't say as much for our poor car!

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We had too many eggs, so when I left for CA for the week of training, DH didn't collect any eggs. Soooo, I just left them with the 5 broody hens that were laying on them. Once a few chicks hatched I cleaned out all but the ones closest to hatching and left those with the hens. I have about 8 chicks being shared with those hens. They are so funny to watch clucking and showing the chicks what to eat etc. Yesterday they started bringing them outside.

For starters…I am so glad you are okay. People getting back on the roads are like the first highways drivers after the winter. You may be paying attention, but that doesnt mean all the other distracted drivers are. Thank goodness.

Secondly…I LOVE the clear panels!! How are they fastened. That is was I imagined using in place of tarps next winter as a wind/snow break in the run. Any additional detail would be great.

Baby chicks are the BEST

 

[Frankiegirl]

I just checked the rain gauge (a bucket), and it looks like we got around an inch of rain! Cool and even downright chilly today and tomorrow, then it warms up again. That ought to make everything grow! Including the weeds, of course...

Weeds are green…thats a bonus at my house this year

 

[Sally PB]

Weeds are usually the first "crop" I "harvest" out of the garden. I love lamb's quarter. Purslane and amaranth are good too.

I've been taking a bucketful to the chickens whenever I pull weeds. I'll be taking several out soon!

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Hi everyone! Busy Monday. Spent morning getting to the courthouse. Only one at a time. Anyways, after that came home and Hub was cutting the grass. I stopped him and gave him a list of places I saw that were hiring on the road I took and sent him out. I finished the grass. He leaves un-mowed spots and I do not like it at least in the front of the house.

@aart I did not wanted to run the chance and went through the ordeal. Exhausting for sure but all is clean and no, it was just mud and not eggs of any animals. All has been brushed to the bone,

The eggs shells I usually super crush or pulverize and mix with the feed. The knuckleheads are not eating anything in the past 3 days. No dry grow feed, layer feed, grits, OS, nor wet food. They are just pecking the crap out of the yard. They do had some scrambled eggs that Hub gave him while I was out in town this afternoon. I really needed to talk to my pastor's wife to help me sort some things out. She told me that I knew what to do and how it works and I am not alone in anything even if it feels like I am. I loved the way she put it. We are both teachers and she told me that when I give a test, I never leave the room but just stay quiet. So, I guess I am going through some tests in life and God has not forsaken me. He is just letting me pass the trials and tribulation and if He sees me too confused, He will help me as always. I have been blessed beyond explanation and in an undeserving way. Just to think back how difficult I was having it in Florida and followed His prompts to drive north, ending in Michigan, finding purpose teaching, finding a good size piece of land and have chickens. WOW! How amazing could have been? I humanly would have preferred in the middle of nowhere but I am ok where He allowed me to be. And to have internet and find this amazing group of people that are so loving and helpful. All Michiganders and better than Floridians. I think the hot sun constantly have burned their neurons in their brains,

Thank you so much for all of your undeserved love, attention and help. Deep in the bottom of my tiny heart, is a lot of love for all of you.

 

[Sally PB]

@Dreamzchaser, thanks for being a part of this thread. I love your optimism and "find a way" spirit.