Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[snowflake]

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.

So glad you were not hurt. what happened?

Glad you posted this, I didn't know they gypsy's had come down here, My brother in White Cloud has been battelleing them for a couple yrs they are so thick you can hardly leave the house with out getting bombarded, poo all over . He has sleeves on his trees and goes out every day a couple times to remove all he can collect. His trees are almost bare. I saw some odd looking things, on a tree today when I was cutting grass. sprinkled them with sevens. think I will go out and scrape them off and burn them..

 

[Sally PB]

It sounds like it's sprinkling, but it caterpillar poo falling. When it's dry, it's little black bits the size of a pin head. When it rains, they soak up water, expand about 10x, and become green-brown slimy $#!+ all over. It stains the driveway with red-brown-green blotches, and gets tracked everywhere on your shoes.

I swept off the driveway, but it was peppered again in an hour.

I think their "furry" spines have caused me to itch something fierce too! I didn't see one on the arm of a chair and put my arm near it. Then my arm started itching/burning in that spot. I doubt birds eat them (the chickens don't), so they might not have any natural pests.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Are you guys talking about a caterpillar looking with hairs all over? Got those everywhere. Wonder if the girls are eating those? Are the safe for them? They hang out by my kitchen and there are about 3 big oak trees there. Awkward that did not think much about that and the coop and run will be treeless.

 

[Sally PB]

I doubt the chickens eat them. I think the "furriness" is a deterent.

 

[Frankiegirl]

Oh my word…I read up on the moths. @Sally PB & @snowflake…we are not far from each other and I have nothing of a sort that you have. They sound awful…hope you get it taken care of. What a mess.

Good luck with all of that. Heading to bed. Fingers crossed that the littles get to spend another day with the bigs tomorrow. It was just too cold to let them out there today. At least too cold for me to feel comfortable.

Have a nice evening.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Happy chilly morning, everyone!
It is chilly down here today. It is 53. Woke up at 520 and went to get girls out at 6am and as they went out to eat and run, I went to clean the poop board. Found 2 soft shell eggs one on the floor, who it was from Rachel because she sleeps in the edge of the roost. It fell down and it was all smashed in her nightly poop. Garbage bin with it.


Then on the poop board there was another soft shell egg from Monica, because she sleeps right next to Rachel. Another garbage bin item.

Some of their poop is kind of runny, like too much liquid as you can see in the back.


Anyways, come out and Princess Phoebe is laying on top of the kiddy pool that I had upside down. Had to take a snap out of that one.

Rachel spent since 743am until 10am laying on the nest over the ceramic egg but there is no egg.

They all go in each of the boxes and lay for a bit and then come out and jump into the next. Like Goldilocks trying everything,
Any advise? Should I be doing something different or is it just until they adjust? I know they have all kinds of feed available, grit and OS with water inside the coop and outside they have water and wet feed. All the feed now is mixed because they eat out of whatever.

 

[aart]

Like Goldilocks trying everything

So true!!
Even my older birds will 'shop' for the nest they want.
Very common for new layers to do this.

Any advise?

Loosey poops....are you feeding any watery treats, like fruit and/or veg?

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Loosey poops....are you feeding any watery treats, like fruit and/or veg?

No in few days. It has been pretty cool so nothing frozen. They have like 3 buckets with water outside and one inside. Dry food, grits and OS inside and wet feed mixed with egg shells powderized. Some looks like just pee. nothing on it, or just plain water. Those are the big ones. The little seabrights poop not hard but not runny the size of an egg, lol

Should I change the nests to be more enclosed and darker for more privacy? Rachel can just lay there and everyone comes and goes and she completely ignores.

 

[1muttsfan]

That is normal behavior for young birds just coming into lay. They know they want to be there, but not quite what for. They will figure it out in a few weeks' time.

 

[Sally PB]

Rachel can just lay there and everyone comes and goes and she completely ignores

Or, your girl might be like my Lark: what @aart calls a "lounger." I swear, she has a good book in there to read.