Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Amy PT]

Thier names are Brain and Jenna, if I am placing their farm correctly, they are wonderful people, you can tell them Suzanne and Todd told you who they were, we have a long lovely history together

We worked really hard on the coop this weekend painting the inside, making a space for the babies, once they are weaned off the heat lamp, getting nest boxes situated and re organizing everything.

Yup, that's where our Penny the rooster went to live!
Sounds like a lot of productivity over the weekend. Good job! Can't wait to see photos.

 

[Amy PT]

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Ooh! I like this.

 

[Scifisarah]

You are able to use a crossbow, now, legally. Would that be easier?

It's going to be interesting this gun season out at the family's.
We had trespassers out back on what was then vacant property last year, they kept claiming the old owner gave permission............Now there is a new owner. We warned him, because he hunts too. Across the street is state land, which is rented out by the week but there are always those who don't understand you have to pay now, and only one at a time...................And down the way, my friend's property is fringing on more state, and the public access has been blocked by the new neighbor, who's property t's up with it. I don't know the rate the state/ county charge to hunt that land, but i know i'd be p.o'd if i payed and some guy blocked the road!

I'm always a little nervous for DH, especially that first day! Too many trespassers, bullets going all directions because people don't know where each other are.........

Hmm, I always though how nice it would be to have state land along your property as not to worry about people coming and building more houses, but now you have me thinking! I guess the only solution is to get enough land to not worry about people building along the edge of it.

Crossbow would be a great solution if you aren't able to use a regular bow. I love that I can use it to hunt in archery and gun season. They also make cranks that you put on the string and just wind it up instead of having to manually pull. The one for my crossbow is $130 though, so I just make my husband cock it for me or else my back really starts killing me after the 5th time of pulling back the string. It isn't that I am not strong enough, I am just too short to have the length to pull it without having to pull the ropes from the loading sled up above my shoulders where I have no strength left.

Hating this colder weather already. I didn't play with my three silkies at all yesterday and they are so attention starved this morning. I swear one of the hens was doing the rooster dance for me, but I am quite sure it is a hen even though she hasn't started laying yet.

 

[Scifisarah]

Sarah, there is a grain elevator here in Cedar Springs, you can call them and see what they have.

Trefoil, I know you aren't Sarah, but I couldn't find her original post with the question in it

But thanks for the heads up, I will start buying them in 100# bags, I am all for saving a few bucks

Thanks - I will give them a call right now!

Phooey, only 50 lb bags there but they cost about the same as the Farm & Family store. The one in Sparta is a little cheaper and has 100 pounders but not sure it pays to drive further to save a few bucks - no pun intended.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

I wanted to make a cute apron for hanging with the chickens, too. Up TOP pocket, with a button on the thing so i don't crush the eggs! lol. Maybe a liner so if they poop or step in something wet i don't get it on my clothes.........

I tend to lean on stuff so anything at waist level is toast. You'd think after the first time

..........

 

[Scifisarah]

I wanted to make a cute apron for hanging with the chickens, too. Up TOP pocket, with a button on the thing so i don't crush the eggs! lol. Maybe a liner so if they poop or step in something wet i don't get it on my clothes.........

I tend to lean on stuff so anything at waist level is toast. You'd think after the first time

..........

I like that idea. There are stylist aprons that have vinyl material instead of regular cloth. I imagine you could buy that type of fabric to make your own? That would be for quick chicken poo cleanups.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sassyapron...r=date_desc&view_type=gallery&ref=shop_search
http://www.etsy.com/listing/8963854...ry&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=3&ga_search_type=all

 

[fuzzybutt love]

There's vinyl at the cloth store, too, if i'm not mistaken? I didn't think of using that! I was eying the last feed sack the pellets came in. The inside was a pretty beige weave, and i saved it because i just know i can make something out of it!

 

[mrshaggie810]

Hello everyone!!!! Sorry I've been MIA! I've been SUPER busy...just wanted to update on me...our duck coop is done except for the run and the roof, and we have the duck in a mini-coop for right now until the run is done on the big house...yes...you read that right...duck, not ducks...our duck hen died Saturday...I feel like a piece of crap because I was so busy on Saturday I didn't get to check the weather and had no idea it was supposed to get so cold...I didn't lock them up, because they've had plenty of shelter on the nights where it only get's down to 40 or so but I think the cold temp did her in , so now we just have one lonely drake. I am trying to find him a few hens right now...so if you know ANYONE who has female medium to heavy weight ducks for sale other than muscovies I would be VERY interested...I'm wanting to get a 1-3 ASAP. Here's some pics of the ducks, mini-coop, and large coop. I helped with a lot of it, and the mini-coop I designed and built most of by myself...I know it's no big deal for some, but it's a huge deal for me. In other news, coaching JV cheerleading, and my kids having soccer, dance, cub scouts and homeschool co-op that I teach 2 classes at is keeping me VERY busy!!!

 

[swampducks]

Heck I guess you could call me one of those gunslinging women too.

I haven't deer hunted in a few years (I like sleeping in) but a couple weeks ago I took out a porcupine that wasn't acting quite right. I got a squirrel once when I lived in Virginia. He was tasty. I'm toying with the idea of deer hunting again next month. I have never tried bow hunting. Maybe I should have DH teach me how to use his crossbow. I've never been able to shoot anything attacking my birds simply because we don't seem to be in the yard at the same time. It's very frustrating so mostly I'm not letting them free range any more. Unfortunalty, that just keeps my feed bill high year round.

It is good to hear of other gunslinging women - I think all my friends and family think I am crazy for deer hunting but then I am near Grand Rapids and not the UP where it is probably more common place. Do you hunt, or just shoot critters intent on having your chickens for dinner? I haven't had to use my crossbow on anything going for my chickens yet but we keep them pretty contained and our collie is a pretty good varmint repellent.

 

[mrshaggie810]

There's vinyl at the cloth store, too, if i'm not mistaken? I didn't think of using that! I was eying the last feed sack the pellets came in. The inside was a pretty beige weave, and i saved it because i just know i can make something out of it!

Ooh! Love the idea of the feed sack! I love upcycling materials!!! I make custom aprons. I know that JoAnn's sells PUL (polyurethane laminate) material...it's actually a cloth diaper fabric...but it would work great to make a waterproof apron with as well...and then obviously they sell the vinyl as well...the PUL is nice though because it comes in prints, is soft, flexible and light weight, and washes well (you can wash hot but have to dry low.) love the idea of a chicken apron!