Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[NovaAman]

As for water-ers om the winter, I put a shop lamp, like a small brooder lamp with a 100 watt bulb right over top of the water-er on the side that has the dispenser hole. This way, though the water may freeze partly, where the water comes out and most of the surrounding area stays constantly thawed. I discovered it worked great this way when I had the chicks hatch in the coops in January. I placed a black light bulb and a red light bulb, both 75 watts on the side where Skeeter was brooding. It kept those water-ers thawed. SO, I moved one to the big chickens side and sure enough, it kept it thawed just enough to keep water constant. I will do it again this year. I kept recycling old milk jugs to bring fresh water out every other day or so. Last year, I only had the one water-er in the coop, the water-er in the garage never froze really. AND the birds were constantly heading for the garage on the really bitter days.

 

[NovaAman]

. And our tomato plants? There all as big as bushes and we have only picked one ripe tomato off of them. We have tons that are green still, but that's it.

I have one tomato plant that is growing very strong stalks and branches. Not a single tomato. I don't get it. Several flowers keep blooming on it, but not one single fruit... Its a beef steak plant.

 

[SankofaGypsy]

Hey all - I've been spending most of my summertime outside instead of on the computer... Thought I'd pop in and see what was going on. My girls are wavering on the point of lay - they're 18 weeks old today and combs are turning bright red, some of them are starting to squat... c'mon ladies! give me some eggs!

I also still have one rooster looking for a home, if anyone happens to need an interesting looking character, here's his current craigslist ad:

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/grd/3217481793.html

in other exciting and vaguely chicken related news, I took my chicken purse to a Gaelic Storm concert right after they released their new album, Chicken Boxer. They all signed my purse and I've gone all geeky fan girl.

 

[hickchick55]

So, I have a wintertime question. What do you all use for waterers, so you aren't hauling buckets out to the coops multiple times a day? (Aside from the hanging electric waterers from TSC, since I'd probably still have to fill that up 2x a day for the number of birds we may have this winter.) I got some of those nipple waterers, but then realized that attaching them to a smaller pipe, fed by a larger bucket or whatever would just feeze even faster since the pipe would be more susceptible to temp. swings.

My DH made a box out of the metal that you would use for ductwork and wired a lightbulb inside. I put a large plastic waterer on it year round, as it keeps water off the floor, but just plug it in when it gets cold. It's just enough heat to keep the water thawed, but not too hot to melt the plastic.

 

[tdhenson86]

I know I might just be insane, but I'm actually considering setting some eggs in the next few days to a week. I have some eggs that I can set myself, but my cabinet incubator holds several hundred. I'd like to get more eggs if I'm going to start it back up. Does anyone in Michigan have pure-bred hatching eggs for sale? I'm interested most in Dominiques, Buff Orpingtons, Lavender Silkies, Lavender Cochin Bantams, or Dark Campbell Ducks. PM me if you have any. Thanks!

 

[1muttsfan]

 

[Juise]

Does anyone know if you can take off the bottom leaves and plant the stem of a pepper plant, as you can tomato plants to make them more stable and hardy? I was thinking about trying it out on one when I moved mine outside, but didn't end up doing it. I figured the info was probably out there already without my experimenting, but never got 'round to figuring it out.

SankofaGypsy - The very first time I saw your name, I first misread it as Stank of a Gypsy... and I haven't been able to shake it since, it's what I always read your name as. While I do in fact find this amusing, I was wondering if you could explain your name to me, so maybe I will stop reading it that way.

 

[tdhenson86]

Does anyone know if you can take off the bottom leaves and plant the stem of a pepper plant, as you can tomato plants to make them more stable and hardy? I was thinking about trying it out on one when I moved mine outside, but didn't end up doing it. I figured the info was probably out there already without my experimenting, but never got 'round to figuring it out.

SankofaGypsy - The very first time I saw your name, I first misread it as Stank of a Gypsy... and I haven't been able to shake it since, it's what I always read your name as. While I do in fact find this amusing, I was wondering if you could explain your name to me, so maybe I will stop reading it that way.

I've tried doing that in the past without any luck. I'm not 100% sure if it is possible, but ours ended up wilting really quickly even with regular water spritzing... Good luck if you try!!!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

So, I have a wintertime question. What do you all use for waterers, so you aren't hauling buckets out to the coops multiple times a day?

how many birds exactly are you talking about? I wonder if you could make a homemade waterer out of a 5 gallon pail? That would hold more........ I have heard that the plastic plant mats that you can buy for indoor winter seed starting are supposed to be great as well.Those are made to get wet without worry. Or you could make your own heated base with a cookie tin and some heated "hose tape"(The stuff made to be wrapped around trailer water pipes in the winter). I don't think it would keep the nipples from freezing though. ........Whatever you end up doing, the waterer should ideally be set up on a pedestal of bricks or something similar, to keep winter bedding from getting kicked into the water. Also being in the coop if possible helps to not freeze as fast. I have also wondered about aquarium heaters, but those are pricey......

 

[taprock]

I know I might just be insane, but I'm actually considering setting some eggs in the next few days to a week.

Not just you, I just had my name added to a list for this fall. What am I thinking!!!