Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Dreamzchaser]

Another score from work today. All of that load was supposed to go into a landfill.

Crap! Reminds me that I need to go to Muskegon to get potting soil to finish one of my front bed by my window.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Wow, Randy! What a haul! Can't believe they throw that stuff away!!
Leaving for another camping adventure.
I forgot to mention that while in Manistee, I was honored to meet Dreamchaser. Had a nice short visit with her. Nice to meet you, Dream, and put a face to your name.

@chickflick thank you for meeting with me. It was nice to meet you and your family. You guys are so wonderful. I was super deligthed. My offer still stands.

 

[Sally PB]

Oh, so much excitement tonight!

I put up the partition in the run. I thought I'd see if the littles might like to come outside, and figured 7:30ish might be a good time. I was willing to stay for quite awhile. I thought they'd want to go back in when it got darker.

I opened the pop door. About 1 minute later, Stormy poked her head out. I knew she'd be first. Eventually, they all came out, got on the ground, walked around. As if on cue, they decided to take dust baths in the dirt. Dang, I should have brought their dust bath in and put it in their half of the run.

I watched them for about 15 minutes. Well, something to sit on would have been nice. And I could bring in their dust bath. They were all very occupied, and the adults had shown a bit of interest, but just looked.

I left through my "people entrance" to get the stuff, closing the fence behind me and was barely around the corner of the coop when I heard "Ba-BAWK! Ba-BAWK!" I ran back.

BLEEEP! They had gotten through an area that I thought was secure, but wasn't, by pushing between the fence and the coop. (Not my people entrance in the fence.) All three were loose in the adult's run. BLEEEP!!!

And the adults had run for their lives to the other end of the run.

I got the littles back through the same way they came out. They tried to come through again (Stormy leading the way), but I held the fence in place. After a minute, Stormy figured out she could jump up on the ramp and go into the coop through the pop door. The other two followed. I shut the pop door. Thus ended their first outing.

Yeah, it could have gone a whole lot differently and had a bad ending. But I won't forget the sight of the adults running away, Ba-Bawking.

Tomorrow, I'll attach the fence more securely to the coop. And bring in their dust bath and something to sit on.

 

[aart]

Thus ended their first outing.

Sounds like a great first outing!
I too have seen adults run from chicks, it is hilarious!

 

[RaZ]

They are throwing away dirt and mulch??!??

They were going to put it in the trash compactor but they couldn't get it in. The damaged bags were wet and very heavy.

 

[RaZ]

why?? what was wrong with it?? glad you were able to take it, otherwise you would think they could donate to a school, or church, or something

Each bag had a tear. Sometimes small, sometimes gaping. Rather than tape it up and reduce the price, the corporate donks want it written off and scrapped.

 

[Huntmaster]

Each bag had a tear. Sometimes small, sometimes gaping. Rather than tape it up and reduce the price, the corporate donks want it written off and scrapped.

All the better for you

 

[Frankiegirl]

And the adults had run for their lives to the other end of the run.

My bigs did the same thing!!! They were screaming for 3 hours! So upset that their run was being infiltrated w littles! My littles also got out of their area, but could get back in easily so I let it go and they were fine. Little dust ups and occasional peck to know who’s boss but it actually went quite smoothly.
After a week of being separated at night in the coop, the littles jumped up on the other side of the roost bars….and as the famous saying goes “the rest was history”

 

[Frankiegirl]

Question for the group regarding a neighborhood cat.

how do you make a place for a cat to be comfortable but not invite the masked Maurader raccoons?

I would love to have an independent outdoor cat and see a few roaming the property at night on the cameras. There is no room in my life right now for a dog or house cat, but I’d love the idea of a barn cat patrolling at night.

any thoughts?

 

[Folly's place]

Our barn cat had a nice insulated bed in the hay stack in our barn, which he used sometimes. And we fed meals, never left food out! He got a measured amount of a quality diet once daily, cleaned up in a short time, and had a water dish all year, heated in winter.
Also up to date on vaccines, microchipped, and neutered.
Outdoor cats are at risk for so many disasters, it's great if one can be careful and lucky enough to live to a good old age.
Also don't forget about parasite control! Heartworm, fleas, ticks, tapeworms, all that.
Mary