Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Folly's place]

Yeah. Not good at all, way too close. Guess we can party, and only bring birds requested, and keep them in our vehicles. That's my take on it right now, subject to worse news this month.
Mary

 

[Dreamzchaser]

I know this is sad. So far the ban will be lifted as scheduled per ag dept on the 8th of June unless they decide to extend it.
I was hoping to bring Pitbull to see if @troyer would remove his spirs for me. They are way towards the back and my hubby will not help. Someone needs to hold him and another remove the old ones. I keep praying it will be over soon but the fact that is now crossing to cattle, it will be no time that it might develop a string that can jump between humans. So far tgat has not been the case. Very sad for all of us and scary because if it hits us small backyard flock keepers, we will not only cull them all but wait up to 2 years to re-start a new flock.

 

[Folly's place]

We trim spurs back, and a dremel works really well for big roosters. One person to hold the bird, and a second person to handle the dremel. Cutting them with a big dog nail trimmer isn't possible, except maybe for bantam roosters.
Mary

 

[troyer]

I know this is sad. So far the ban will be lifted as scheduled per ag dept on the 8th of June unless they decide to extend it.
I was hoping to bring Pitbull to see if @troyer would remove his spirs for me. They are way towards the back and my hubby will not help. Someone needs to hold him and another remove the old ones. I keep praying it will be over soon but the fact that is now crossing to cattle, it will be no time that it might develop a string that can jump between humans. So far tgat has not been the case. Very sad for all of us and scary because if it hits us small backyard flock keepers, we will not only cull them all but wait up to 2 years to re-start a new flock.

We won't be able to come to the picnic this year, too much tornado damage rebuilding going on.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Yes Mrs Mary, I read about the Drexel but I don't want to get them down but removed. It's done with plyers and they have a new one underneath. Either work needs 2 people.

@troyer I am so sorry for that. Hope that things go smoothly with the rebuilding. My love to Mrs Edna.

 

[chickflick]

I see Ingham county is on the list of detected. That's where chicken stock is.

No, its Eaton county

 

[Chickin Fairy]

I was going to say, Delta Mills park is in Eaton County. MSU is in Ingham.

@Dreamzchaser I would try the Dremel, too. De-spuring is kind of like declawing a cat, that is bone you are removing in the spur, not just a nail. Chickens don't show pain because they are probably the lowest prey animal there is, so even tho they seem fine, it is quite a painful process.

Also, I had a quick question on the subject of prey/predator. I have this lady who is adamant we have Black Vultures here in SW Michigan, but I believe she is mis-identifying Turkey Vultures. She is blowing up our nextdoor page with her "evidence" that they are common here. I've never seen Black Vultures at my house or anywhere in Michigan, but she says they fly over her house all the time (she lives about 15 minutes away from me). My concern is her loud ramblings on our nextdoor page is going to frighten my friend, who has lost two birds to hawks this year and I can imagine her being terrified now that a Black Vulture is going to take another. Has anyone heard of any confirmed sightings of Black Vultures here in Michigan? I know they are variants, I just wanted to get insight from people who would be on the lookout as they are on the predator list for chickens.

 

[Folly's place]

I agree about the 'twist off' method of managing spurs. The bloody bone is left exposed and will heal, but it can't feel good! Once one of our roosters somehow got a spur caught on something and pulled off the spur 'nail part'. I heard him screech, and he hobbled around for a few days, until the bloody surface felt better.
Trimming the spurs back is better, IMO.
Mary

 

[fuzzi]

I was going to say, Delta Mills park is in Eaton County. MSU is in Ingham.

@Dreamzchaser I would try the Dremel, too. De-spuring is kind of like declawing a cat, that is bone you are removing in the spur, not just a nail. Chickens don't show pain because they are probably the lowest prey animal there is, so even tho they seem fine, it is quite a painful process.

Also, I had a quick question on the subject of prey/predator. I have this lady who is adamant we have Black Vultures here in SW Michigan, but I believe she is mis-identifying Turkey Vultures. She is blowing up our nextdoor page with her "evidence" that they are common here. I've never seen Black Vultures at my house or anywhere in Michigan, but she says they fly over her house all the time (she lives about 15 minutes away from me). My concern is her loud ramblings on our nextdoor page is going to frighten my friend, who has lost two birds to hawks this year and I can imagine her being terrified now that a Black Vulture is going to take another. Has anyone heard of any confirmed sightings of Black Vultures here in Michigan? I know they are variants, I just wanted to get insight from people who would be on the lookout as they are on the predator list for chickens.

Vultures eat carrion, dead animals, and probably weak or sickly small animals. It has been pointed out here on BYC that vulture feet cannot grasp prey like a raptor/hawk.

Here's more info:
https://www.cacklehatchery.com/do-vultures-kill-chickens/

 

[Chickin Fairy]

Vultures eat carrion, dead animals, and probably weak or sickly small animals. It has been pointed out here on BYC that vulture feet cannot grasp prey like a raptor/hawk.

Here's more info:
https://www.cacklehatchery.com/do-vultures-kill-chickens/

I had no idea! Thank you!