Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Dreamzchaser]

Oh, and out of 10 hens, only getting 4 or 5 eggs. Two new pullets, baby mama finishing with her molt, Sophia is eggless and Blanch is miserably molting. Today got 5 early. I guess they didn't wanted me to go out in the windy cold more than once,lol

Blanch looks like a mined field survivor,lol

 

[1muttsfan]

Sorry to hear life has become bumpy for you, Dreamz. It's been a tough holiday season here too, hopefully a little time away will help improve your spirits. Animals are great therapy!

 

[chickflick]

Don't remember that last time I got an egg. It's been a few weeks. One hen died Thanksgiving night. One hen, that I rescued over a year ago quit laying. She laid an egg almost every day. A day off here and there. One day I saw she had a prolapse. Fixed itself but since then no eggs. Everyone molted, so not holding my breath. Had to buy eggs. They sure look sorry on the plate. Pale yellow yolks. Just not the same...
Had wind gusts up to 50mph. Feel like temps was 15. Freaking cold. Kept the chickens in their tarp wrapped run for the day. Calm today. Might actually see the sun.

 

[troyer]

Don't remember that last time I got an egg. It's been a few weeks. One hen died Thanksgiving night. One hen, that I rescued over a year ago quit laying. She laid an egg almost every day. A day off here and there. One day I saw she had a prolapse. Fixed itself but since then no eggs. Everyone molted, so not holding my breath. Had to buy eggs. They sure look sorry on the plate. Pale yellow yolks. Just not the same...
Had wind gusts up to 50mph. Feel like temps was 15. Freaking cold. Kept the chickens in their tarp wrapped run for the day. Calm today. Might actually see the sun.

The wind with the damp temperatures is difficult.

Are your hens older hens?
I wish I could get my Mothers' recipe for layer feed, we usually had 48-50 hens as layers and she consistently got 47-48 eggs a day with almost no inconsistencies. Disclaimer: She was working with new layers on a yearly basis though and she gave them supplemental lighting in the morning starting at 5-5:50 am until daylight. The lighting was simply a kerosene lantern hung from the ceiling to be three feet off the floor right above the feeder. The feeder was about ten inches off the floor and the six foot long metal type, where the hens were able to feed from both sides. Additionally they got one gallon of wet warm mash of the same feed on a daily basis.

My dad made the feed on the farm, he bought certain of the mineral ingredients and mixed it all in when he ground the grains together as a mix.

Several of us children as we got married took some of the hens as second year layers using the same feed she was using and as second and third year layers with five hens we consistently got 32 eggs a week. I still marvel at how she did it knowing that it's pretty difficult to keep the egg laying consistent.
Another thing is that she kept them in good feather condition while they produced so heavily. Both my parents considered it important to keep the animals healthy and feeling good in order to produce. Essentially they felt that a happy and healthy body would naturally keep producing at close to maximum production just simply because it could.
The longer I live the wiser my parents are.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Sorry to hear life has become bumpy for you, Dreamz. It's been a tough holiday season here too, hopefully a little time away will help improve your spirits. Animals are great therapy!

They are but will need to leave them behind with hopes that they get taken care of. I most fear of Pitbull because I am not sure to leave him in his area or switch him with Lovechild

 

[Sally PB]

They are but will need to leave them behind with hopes that they get taken care of.

Fingers crossed you have a good bird sitter!

We all need time away, that's for sure. My time away is when DH goes on vaca by himself. Sometimes I just wanna be by myself, with the chickens and the garden.

 

[troyer]

They are but will need to leave them behind with hopes that they get taken care of. I most fear of Pitbull because I am not sure to leave him in his area or switch him with Lovechild

Leave Pitbull in his area, Lovechild will be more protective of the rest of the hens.

 

[chickflick]

Most of my hens are rescues, so really don't know their ages.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Fingers crossed you have a good bird sitter!

We all need time away, that's for sure. My time away is when DH goes on vaca by himself. Sometimes I just wanna be by myself, with the chickens and the garden.

Leaving hub behind. Hope he does good for them all. And that he realizes that I am serious about finalizing this. Many years and the changes are for the worse. If I have to loose it all, then I will. A shelter will be fine

 

[Sally PB]

Leaving hub behind. Hope he does good for them all.

Me too!