Michigan

[Bluemoon420]

I watched her steal one of the RIR eggs too. Ruby laid her egg, went off outside boasting of her abilities, and in slinks Mrs. Fluffy. I watched her look at the egg, and the golfballs. Then she calmly climbs in the nest and plunks herself down on Ruby's egg. She sat there for about 3 hours, then went on her way. I kept checking thinking great she's going to lay an egg!

Nope, she just wanted to sit on Ruby's egg for awhile.

Bluemoon

 

[Opa]

I considered going to Krisrose's to get some of those "free" wood shavings but decided that I would need to "borrow" several bags to justify the gas expense. Coop is cleaned and now I on patrol trying to fiqure out which of my birds is the egg eater. I may have to increase the distance the eggs travel to prevent the birds from trying to pull them back. Lost one egg today and yesterday while I could find evidence of two I think the number was much higher.

I can't believe the number of wild turkeys I'm seeing in my yard. For several years I have feed the wild turkeys all winter. I have a broadcasting dispenser mounted on the bottom of a large garbage can. I had legs on it based on the maximum height I could pour a 100 lb sack of corn into. A timer would allow it to dispense corn twice daily and 100 lbs would last about 3 wks. I couldn't understand why I suddenly found it empty in 4 or 5 days until I discovered that the turkeys could reach the spinner cup. They would stand under the thing and just keep peck corn out until they had eathen their fill. I swear they were lined up to eat. Due to the DNR ban on deer feeding I no longer have the operating and fiqured that I wouldn't see many turkeys. While they don't come as close to the house as they once did they still show up daily. Today there was well over 100 in the yard.

 

[Bluemoon420]

Quote:
So that's where all our wild turkey went...

Bluemoon

 

[wyliefarms]

Hello!

My husband's cousin has some bantam roos and a hen to get rid of. They hatched mid- July. They were the extra eggs from the Miracle of Life exhibit at the Fowlerville Fair. And all but one were roos!

Here's what we have:

1 leghorn rooster- large fowl
1 black cochin (bantam)
1 Japenssee something bantam (white, flippytail, short legs)
2 red bantams
2 seabrights?? (white w/black specks, long legs, long tails)
1 white cochin hen (bantam) THIS IS THE ONLY HEN

Stacey emailed me the photos....but I don't know how to get them on to this site. So if you are interested pm me your email and I will send it to you.

Vicki- these might be perfect for your 4-Her's!

Sarah

 

[ChikeeMomma]

Afternoon all! I was just wondering -- does anybody let their chickens free range during the winter?

I usually don't let mine out of the coop and into the run unless it's a warmer winter day. Just wondering what others do. Thanks!

 

[Bluemoon420]

I do. We don't have a run, we converted an existing building back over for chickens. It had been used for many types of animals over the past 50 years. I open the door, and they have the choice to go out or not. The past few days they all have gone out. Sometimes if it's a little cold only a few will go out. Sometimes they won't go out at all. We have electricity to the building, so if it gets really cold at night a small heater will come on. It doesn't heat the building a lot, but makes it so nothing freezes, and frost bite is minimized.

Bluemoon

 

[KrisRose]

Quote:
I'm constantly telling folks about all of the wonderfully helpful people on this site.

LOL Only 5 bags of shavings so better hurry and git here before there gone

!!

 

[LauraSBale]

I all so let mine free range in the winter

A Friend of mine and i went to IN yesterday and picked up my new Border Collie puppy, she so cute, but throw up on Mary twice on the way home it was 2 1/2 hour one way.

 

[ChikeeMomma]

Quote:
Thanks! That's good to know. They free range all the time before the snow flies. I don't usually bother to let them out on the bitter windy days because they don't even venture out of the coop. I think tomorrow I'll let them free range. I think it's supposed be nice into next week. So I might as well take advantage!

 

[Opa]

I hate sounding like a broken record, but if you are thinking about coming to Chickenstock please sign up. I'm trying to put together some things and the more I can prove how great our event will be, the better the chances of success with things like maybe having a supplier come with chicken items for sale thereby saving you shipping costs.