Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[1muttsfan]

What a damp, rainy day we are having - 48 and clammy out. Good day for indoors stuff, so I have chili in the crockpot, rice pudding on the stove, squash in the oven, and load 2 of 3 in the washing machine. Even though the rain has been falling steadily, the chickens have been out almost all day, in open part of the pen or under the covered area, scratching around in the hay I tossed in this morning.

I think I have lost my mind. Had the opportunity to buy some Cream Legbar hatching eggs - so I did. What on earth was I thinking! They should be able to go into the bantam coop when old enought, but still...

 

[RaZ]

Damp and rainy here, but it is 67 degrees.
After FF yesterday, I cut up a bunch of seasoned wood for kindling and short burns, thinking that it was going to be cool enough for a fire. I'd rather have the windows open...so they are.

Even though it is mild outside, my BLA hasn't wanted to leave the coop since she went into heavy moult. She has also been mopey since the duck flew south. I was hoping to find a bantam pullet or two at FF to keep her company, but all were being sold as trios. I simply don't want to chance having a crower yet. There was a pair of Mandarin ducks that I considered, but the seller wasn't around to ask questions of. Besides, I don't know anything about them other than they are beautiful birds.

It's too wet to do much outside and the football game is on, so I'm fairly bored. <yawn>

 

[Stacykins]

Dismal here too. I wish it would let up for at least a little while, so I could take the dogs on a walk. The one with the most energy (a foxhound I am watching for my Dad) hates getting even the tiniest bit wet, yet has cabin fever in the worst way because she is such a high energy dog! So she is driving both me and the other dogs batty, hah!

 

[NovaAman]

What a day! The temps are unbelievable, but, when the rain stops for a term and the sun comes out, even with wind, it is nice!

There is a place in Zeeland, address is 200 N. Franklin that has a butt load of skids. Some are in very nice shape. Not the cheap wood either, but the heavy woods. You just drive back into the fenced area, and load up what you want. So, I did today. I got enough skids to put a floor in the summer coop. Albiet, it is not perfect as the skids are odd ball sizes, but with the skids, a few peices of left over wood that I never threw away, I have a floor. I was worried about something digging under all the time, but nothing ever has. The moles however are starting to tunnel in the area, so that makes it much easier for a raccoon or a fox to dig if they wanted. Well, anyway, Solid floor now. Now I need some straw to cover it after I give it nice coat of permethrin powder for any critters that might be in between the wood. The skids I picked out do not have the typical gaps in the skids. The wood that makes that skid platform are tight up against each other. SO, I bet you know what I am thinking now don't you... NEW COOP! LOL Bad Nova! LOL. Hey, I need somewhere for those darn garage chickens to go!

Anyway. While I was doing that, I noticed the nasty thing we all hate to find in poop. Worms. Yup. So, off too TSC tomorrow for some more horse dewormer. I am pretty certain I know which chicken it is. This is the first time I have actually seen worms ever, and I am always cleaning poop off the jump up ledge... a ledge half way up between the ground and the roosts... well anyway.. I think its my black faverolle, the one I was saying has been looking a little rough... Well, she isn't laying right now, so...

I am sore now after moving those skids and putting the floor down, and I am contemplating going back for more... Some one needs to stop me...

 

[ladyrsanti]

Very warm and windy, off and on showers, low dark clouds and this:

 

[theron]

Finally able to relax. I have been at Fowl Fest the past three days showing seramas, a bantam cochin, a silkie hen, a modern game hen, two runner ducks, two sebastopol geese, and two buff dewlap toulouse. Here are the ratings we got:
- Best Variety for our one Serama rooster
- Reserve Champion for our frizzled Serama pullet on table top judging
- Best Silkied Serama for table top judging
- Best Frizzled Serama for table top judging
- Reserve Variety for our one Sebastopol gander
- Best Variety for our bantam Cochin hen

I was pretty impressed with how many seramas there were. It was the first time I have ever done the table top judging and I was happy with some of the birds and dissapointed in some of the others. I got to see many BYC members including kimmie, glambka, rbahmer, and scifisarah. It was so cold the first day that I didn't take off my sweatshirt, so if anybody was looking for my red footprint shirt, sorry I missed you. I had a sore throat this whole weekend and still don't have a voice. I definitely enjoyed it and hope to attend the spring fowl fest in Alma. I post some pictures as soon as I can upload them to my computer.

 

[Anish]

Finally able to relax. I have been at Fowl Fest the past three days showing seramas, a bantam cochin, a silkie hen, a modern game hen, two runner ducks, two sebastopol geese, and two buff dewlap toulouse. Here are the ratings we got:
- Best Variety for our one Serama rooster
- Reserve Champion for our frizzled Serama pullet on table top judging
- Best Silkied Serama for table top judging
- Best Frizzled Serama for table top judging
- Reserve Variety for our one Sebastopol gander
- Best Variety for our bantam Cochin hen

I was pretty impressed with how many seramas there were. It was the first time I have ever done the table top judging and I was happy with some of the birds and dissapointed in some of the others. I got to see many BYC members including kimmie, glambka, rbahmer, and scifisarah. It was so cold the first day that I didn't take off my sweatshirt, so if anybody was looking for my red footprint shirt, sorry I missed you. I had a sore throat this whole weekend and still don't have a voice. I definitely enjoyed it and hope to attend the spring fowl fest in Alma. I post some pictures as soon as I can upload them to my computer.

Ugh . I really wish I could have made it. I'm going to try for Alma though . Please do post your pictures, I would love to get an idea of what it was like.

 

[RaZ]

- Best Variety for our one Serama rooster
- Reserve Champion for our frizzled Serama pullet on table top judging
- Best Silkied Serama for table top judging
- Best Frizzled Serama for table top judging
- Reserve Variety for our one Sebastopol gander
- Best Variety for our bantam Cochin hen

It was so cold the first day that I didn't take off my sweatshirt, so if anybody was looking for my red footprint shirt, sorry I missed you.

Congratulations.

I did see you there, but you were talking with some people so I did not interrupt. But by the time I came back I didn't see you.
I was wearing your green footprint shirt but it was under my jacket so no one saw me either.

 

[ladyrsanti]

It was so cold the first day that I didn't take off my sweatshirt, so if anybody was looking for my red footprint shirt, sorry I missed you. I had a sore throat this whole weekend and still don't have a voice. I definitely enjoyed it and hope to attend the spring fowl fest in Alma. I post some pictures as soon as I can upload them to my computer.

Ah, maybe that's why I missed you. You were the only one I knew to look for because you specified ahead of time what you would be wearing. But I didn't see you. Next time. Good job though!

 

[gladahmae]

An egg!!! We finally got an egg!!!

Of course, it wasn't us that found it. BIL came over to peek at the chicks and went out and checked the nest boxes since his girls have been laying for about 3 weeks and lo and behold an egg! Time to put the oyster shell out now! And I'll pick up a bag of layer tomorrow as well after I get the oldest off to school. Picked up a timer for the coop lights to give them a few extra hours a day for a bit to see if we can get them to start laying/lay somewhat regularly and then taper the extra light down a bit. I don't need to get 6-10 eggs/day all winter!