Michigan

[Olive Hill]

The reason we feed mash style feed is twofold. First, a few extra dollars per bag may not be a big deal to the small-medium backyard flock for personal use, but we feed out hundreds of birds per year for the table. Most are sold off farm. We go through several hundred pounds of feed per week in the busy season. Every penny matters in our case. And that applies both to the purchase price of the feed and any waste because in either case it's a cost that has to be passed onto the consumer and that makes our business ineffective. Second, we want a feed that is as locally produced as possible and that does not contain animal by-products or preservatives. So we have feed milled to our specification using a recipe made up of grains that are widely grown in this area and have it ground and mixed at our local mill.

Now, yes, I said every penny matters even the pennies worth the birds waste. So yes, we feed mash style feed with very, VERY little waste. The trick is, like our reason for using mash, twofold. 1) Hanging feeders. 2) Those hanging feeders need to have deep basins where the birds access the feed.

We build our own feeders out of five gallon buckets and feed pans to fit our needs and they work very well. And yes, I've fed pellets and crumble in the past so have that to compare to. Our birds do not waste any more feed using the mash with these feeders than they did when using pellets or crumbles.

Now, obviously we have come to a solution out of necessity. But my point is if one wanted to save money with the small-medium backyard flock they could put the same system to work for them even if they don't need to like we do. You can feed mash style feed without a lot of waste, you just have to know how to do it. The feeder makes all the difference.

 

[maggiemmm]

Hey Wyliefarms... you should be glad you did not come North -- lost electricity for 7 hours because of the winds :-( But the wood stove is now on and it is cozy . Rained all day the ducks had a field day and all the chickens did was complain bitterly ALL DAY ! Drove me crazy I had to chase them out from under the wood hauler trailer when it was raining so hard.. to get them in their roofed , enclosed shelter. Only then did they shut up.... and the ducks just laughed! Of course THEY were in the enclosed roofed shelter !

 

[MrsChickendad]

Anyone out there want to split an order of pullorum antigen? It's about $90 plus shipping and I only need to do 100 birds right now, so the whole 1000 dose bottle is way more than I need now. Anybody? Anybody???

 

[Mom 2em All]

Huston's Happy Hens :

Quote:
What brand of pellets do you purchase?

I purchase it from the feed store near my house, Happy Pet Supplies- I will tell you the name when I go outside after the sun comes up.

I will have to read the bag. However, I really am not sure if there is a name on there. I know that it says "Layer Pellets"- because I look at the stamp so that I am certain he didnt give me crumbles- but I cant recall the name brand.

Good Morning everyone! I hope you are all enjoying your weekend! I hope that is why Opa has not posted, because he is on vacation. I worry when he doesnt post.
I drove out yesterday and got my three new muscovy hens from Caprice Acres. What a nice girl she was! Wonderful farm with soooo many ducks, geese, turkeys, guineas, chickens, goats.

My new 'scovies think I am PURE EVIL- they run as far away as they can get from me. My ducks then think they didnt see a hawk or coyote and that they must run, hurry run, as fast as you can...they have no idea why they are running. lol.

Something is going on with my computer monitor. It keeps going to a black screen while I am READING! It then says DELL...and then the page reappears. ACKKK! Its my life line! It cant break!. I have no idea what or why it is doing that.

Everyone have a great day!​

 

[GotChicken?]

Well, I learned this morning the harsh lesson about coop security; you never know how good it is until something gets in. And something got in.

I went to check on my birds this morning, something I normally do before I go to work in the morning. Several of my birds normally perch on the window sills for the cool air, and they weren't there today. I initially thought it was because it was so cold. I opened the coop door to a massacre, my babies broken bodies scattered over the coop floor - and their murderer was with them. A two foot long mink, huge, was in a corner. If I had a clear head, I would have shut the door, gone into the house, and grabbed a shotgun. I was not clear-headed; I grabbed a 2 x2 I was planning to use for a roost and went after the SOB. I managed to clobber it four times before it got passed me, scrambled up the hardware cloth gate, and escaped.

I immediately checked for possible survivors, and there were two. Zuuhl, my Polish bantam who had been brooding in one of the nest boxes, and Squeaker, my OEGB roo, who escaped by flying into he solar light net array I had hooked into the underside of the roof. I put Squeaker into the broody coop with the Silkies and 4 of my 5 9 week olds. I brought Zuuhl into the house. Her eggs are due to hatch in the next few days, and so far she's still setting on them, but I'm getting my incubator ready just in case.

All in all, I lost 7 roosters and 12 hens (all of which were in lay or due to be in the next month). I was and still am furious and numb. I didn't start crying until I found Goomba, the Polish's 10 week old pullet chick, who had been spending the nights sleeping next to her mother in the nest box. That's when I lost it, and then again when I said goodbye to all of them as I buried them. Yes, I'm one of those who considers my chooks as pets first, they all had names and distinct personalities, and even with this horrible loss I don't regret loving them for one millisecond.

How'd it get in?

Background first: Over the last 3 months, I lost 3 birds to free ranging. The only time I found a body was the first attack, a bantam Ameracauna roo. All I found was a headless body and signs of weasel attack (should have considered looking higher in the family tree). I bought a trap and set it up where I found the body, but after 2 weeks all I caught was the same baby possum twice. Several times the bait was taken or the trap was set off without sign of the perpetrator, but I (unfortunately) chalked that up to a coon. My mistake in hindsight; the trap was too small. Three weeks after the roo was killed, a hen disappeared without a trace. Last week, another hen disappeared. And finally, after 12 weeks of searching, the mink found a breach in my defenses. A small gap between two large rocks buried at the base of the coop. It managed to dig out the dirt, squeeze under, get into a pallet construct wall, and waltz in. There was no hole there yesterday, it was done last night.

And my Dad just mentioned to me now that he noticed that almost all but one of the squirrels we had hanging around have vanished, and that the wild bird population has dropped significantly. This thing must have been killing like crazy around here.

So even with my window open a smidge I heard nothing, but the dog knew something had happened. When I woke up she was desperate to go outside, and several minutes later I found out why. That's what hurts the most: While I slept a hundred feet away, my birds were being slaughtered. I even woke up at midnight to use the bathroom, and never heard a sound.

I just wish my birds hadn't had to die such a horrible death so I could find out where the weak point was at. But now I know, and today I'll be getting more hardware cloth, cement pavers, and a big trap baited with some its victims (they'll get their vengeance in the afterlife). After I get done today, my birds should truly be safe within those walls. Remember, it took 3 months for the mink to find a way in; if it hadn't discovered the gap I wouldn't be writing this.

I would like some advice. I have 11 eggs in the 'frigde that were laid the last three days. They are fertile. Is it too late in the year to try to incubate and hatch them out? It will be December by the time the resulting little ones would be ready to go outside.

Addendum: The chickens that are left are still very nervous. Even though they werent't involved in the attack, I'm sure they heard exactly what happened. I also feel bad for poor Squeaker. He keeps running around the yard trying to find his "family", crowing like crazy in hopes of a response.

 

[michickenwrangler]

How awful

I lost a hen last week in a similar situation. I had cleaned out the coop and wanted it to air out in the sunlight and forgot to shut the human door.

I don't know how late is "too late" but you could always try. You may have to brood longer once they hatch.

I thought mink ate fish, guess I'm wrong. I'll have to put them on my potential list now.

 

[keyt1969]

Quote:
I agree on getting every penny's worth. I am on disability/SSI and that's the only income we get! We have chickens and ducks because it's pretty much all I can do because I am not supposed to work anymore. I wanted something to do and something to cheer me up and our ducks and chickens do that for me! So, cost is a HUGE factor for us. Our ducks and chickens almost never waste what they are given. But, to put this to the test, I bought pellets for the ducks. I've been putting their feed in a big round, kinda deep bowl and they don't spill at all! They take a small bite, take a drink, repeat.

I want to try the bucket thing for the feed. I got some really nice (CHEAP) waterers at the grainery that work beautifully. The ducks and chickens were spilling the nicer ones we had.

I can't believe I'm up this early. Aric is usually the one that gets up to let everyone out, but I woke up with terrible pain so I got up. My little calls are acting like they don't know me anymore. I worried about them all night because it got pretty darned cold. We went to CricketYangs yesterday, then went grocery shopping. I was SO pleased when we got home and everyone had put themselves to bed!! First time they were ALL where they belonged woohoo!!!

Oh and Kim, guess who was REALLY loud this morning when I let everyone out....it wasn't Sadie!! lol

Well, hopefully the pain goes away tonight. My daughter and I are returning to my hometown (Okemos...3 miles from MSU) for a girl's night with some of the ladies that I lived by. Poor Aric, he's always going on about living with so many girls (me, mine and his daughters 3 weeks apart in age, 3 female dogs, 4 female ducks and a whole bunch of female chickens LOL) so at least two of us will give him a break haha

Hope everyone has a great day!!

 

[Huston's Happy Hens]

GotChicken? :

Well, I learned this morning the harsh lesson about coop security; you never know how good it is until something gets in. And something got in.

I went to check on my birds this morning, something I normally do before I go to work in the morning. Several of my birds normally perch on the window sills for the cool air, and they weren't there today. I initially thought it was because it was so cold. I opened the coop door to a massacre, my babies broken bodies scattered over the coop floor - and their murderer was with them. A two foot long mink, huge, was in a corner. If I had a clear head, I would have shut the door, gone into the house, and grabbed a shotgun. I was not clear-headed; I grabbed a 2 x2 I was planning to use for a roost and went after the SOB. I managed to clobber it four times before it got passed me, scrambled up the hardware cloth gate, and escaped.

I immediately checked for possible survivors, and there were two. Zuuhl, my Polish bantam who had been brooding in one of the nest boxes, and Squeaker, my OEGB roo, who escaped by flying into he solar light net array I had hooked into the underside of the roof. I put Squeaker into the broody coop with the Silkies and 4 of my 5 9 week olds. I brought Zuuhl into the house. Her eggs are due to hatch in the next few days, and so far she's still setting on them, but I'm getting my incubator ready just in case.

All in all, I lost 7 roosters and 12 hens (all of which were in lay or due to be in the next month). I was and still am furious and numb. I didn't start crying until I found Goomba, the Polish's 10 week old pullet chick, who had been spending the nights sleeping next to her mother in the nest box. That's when I lost it, and then again when I said goodbye to all of them as I buried them. Yes, I'm one of those who considers my chooks as pets first, they all had names and distinct personalities, and even with this horrible loss I don't regret loving them for one millisecond.

How'd it get in?

Background first: Over the last 3 months, I lost 3 birds to free ranging. The only time I found a body was the first attack, a bantam Ameracauna roo. All I found was a headless body and signs of weasel attack (should have considered looking higher in the family tree). I bought a trap and set it up where I found the body, but after 2 weeks all I caught was the same baby possum twice. Several times the bait was taken or the trap was set off without sign of the perpetrator, but I (unfortunately) chalked that up to a coon. My mistake in hindsight; the trap was too small. Three weeks after the roo was killed, a hen disappeared without a trace. Last week, another hen disappeared. And finally, after 12 weeks of searching, the mink found a breach in my defenses. A small gap between two large rocks buried at the base of the coop. It managed to dig out the dirt, squeeze under, get into a pallet construct wall, and waltz in. There was no hole there yesterday, it was done last night.

And my Dad just mentioned to me now that he noticed that almost all but one of the squirrels we had hanging around have vanished, and that the wild bird population has dropped significantly. This thing must have been killing like crazy around here.

So even with my window open a smidge I heard nothing, but the dog knew something had happened. When I woke up she was desperate to go outside, and several minutes later I found out why. That's what hurts the most: While I slept a hundred feet away, my birds were being slaughtered. I even woke up at midnight to use the bathroom, and never heard a sound.

I just wish my birds hadn't had to die such a horrible death so I could find out where the weak point was at. But now I know, and today I'll be getting more hardware cloth, cement pavers, and a big trap baited with some its victims (they'll get their vengeance in the afterlife). After I get done today, my birds should truly be safe within those walls. Remember, it took 3 months for the mink to find a way in; if it hadn't discovered the gap I wouldn't be writing this.

I would like some advice. I have 11 eggs in the 'frigde that were laid the last three days. They are fertile. Is it too late in the year to try to incubate and hatch them out? It will be December by the time the resulting little ones would be ready to go outside.

Addendum: The chickens that are left are still very nervous. Even though they werent't involved in the attack, I'm sure they heard exactly what happened. I also feel bad for poor Squeaker. He keeps running around the yard trying to find his "family", crowing like crazy in hopes of a response.

So so sorry for your loss. Think we'll get wirecloth on our windows instead of screens. Thanks for sharing and making us all more alert to the possibilities!​

 

[keyt1969]

GotChicken? :

Well, I learned this morning the harsh lesson about coop security; you never know how good it is until something gets in. And something got in.

I went to check on my birds this morning, something I normally do before I go to work in the morning. Several of my birds normally perch on the window sills for the cool air, and they weren't there today. I initially thought it was because it was so cold. I opened the coop door to a massacre, my babies broken bodies scattered over the coop floor - and their murderer was with them. A two foot long mink, huge, was in a corner. If I had a clear head, I would have shut the door, gone into the house, and grabbed a shotgun. I was not clear-headed; I grabbed a 2 x2 I was planning to use for a roost and went after the SOB. I managed to clobber it four times before it got passed me, scrambled up the hardware cloth gate, and escaped.

I immediately checked for possible survivors, and there were two. Zuuhl, my Polish bantam who had been brooding in one of the nest boxes, and Squeaker, my OEGB roo, who escaped by flying into he solar light net array I had hooked into the underside of the roof. I put Squeaker into the broody coop with the Silkies and 4 of my 5 9 week olds. I brought Zuuhl into the house. Her eggs are due to hatch in the next few days, and so far she's still setting on them, but I'm getting my incubator ready just in case.

All in all, I lost 7 roosters and 12 hens (all of which were in lay or due to be in the next month). I was and still am furious and numb. I didn't start crying until I found Goomba, the Polish's 10 week old pullet chick, who had been spending the nights sleeping next to her mother in the nest box. That's when I lost it, and then again when I said goodbye to all of them as I buried them. Yes, I'm one of those who considers my chooks as pets first, they all had names and distinct personalities, and even with this horrible loss I don't regret loving them for one millisecond.

How'd it get in?

Background first: Over the last 3 months, I lost 3 birds to free ranging. The only time I found a body was the first attack, a bantam Ameracauna roo. All I found was a headless body and signs of weasel attack (should have considered looking higher in the family tree). I bought a trap and set it up where I found the body, but after 2 weeks all I caught was the same baby possum twice. Several times the bait was taken or the trap was set off without sign of the perpetrator, but I (unfortunately) chalked that up to a coon. My mistake in hindsight; the trap was too small. Three weeks after the roo was killed, a hen disappeared without a trace. Last week, another hen disappeared. And finally, after 12 weeks of searching, the mink found a breach in my defenses. A small gap between two large rocks buried at the base of the coop. It managed to dig out the dirt, squeeze under, get into a pallet construct wall, and waltz in. There was no hole there yesterday, it was done last night.

And my Dad just mentioned to me now that he noticed that almost all but one of the squirrels we had hanging around have vanished, and that the wild bird population has dropped significantly. This thing must have been killing like crazy around here.

So even with my window open a smidge I heard nothing, but the dog knew something had happened. When I woke up she was desperate to go outside, and several minutes later I found out why. That's what hurts the most: While I slept a hundred feet away, my birds were being slaughtered. I even woke up at midnight to use the bathroom, and never heard a sound.

I just wish my birds hadn't had to die such a horrible death so I could find out where the weak point was at. But now I know, and today I'll be getting more hardware cloth, cement pavers, and a big trap baited with some its victims (they'll get their vengeance in the afterlife). After I get done today, my birds should truly be safe within those walls. Remember, it took 3 months for the mink to find a way in; if it hadn't discovered the gap I wouldn't be writing this.

I would like some advice. I have 11 eggs in the 'frigde that were laid the last three days. They are fertile. Is it too late in the year to try to incubate and hatch them out? It will be December by the time the resulting little ones would be ready to go outside.

Addendum: The chickens that are left are still very nervous. Even though they werent't involved in the attack, I'm sure they heard exactly what happened. I also feel bad for poor Squeaker. He keeps running around the yard trying to find his "family", crowing like crazy in hopes of a response.

OMG, this totally breaks my heart!!

I am SO sorry for your loss!!

Makes me more alert too! I know we have nasty critters around here but I haven't seen any of them. I want to believe my gang is totally safe, but I will be going out to the big coop to be absolutely sure!!!

I hope you're able to get everything fixed so this doesn't happen again!

This is how much of a city girl..and how clueless I am.....I didn't know we had mink in MI

 

[wyliefarms]

GotChicken? :

Well, I learned this morning the harsh lesson about coop security; you never know how good it is until something gets in. And something got in.

I went to check on my birds this morning, something I normally do before I go to work in the morning. Several of my birds normally perch on the window sills for the cool air, and they weren't there today. I initially thought it was because it was so cold. I opened the coop door to a massacre, my babies broken bodies scattered over the coop floor - and their murderer was with them. A two foot long mink, huge, was in a corner. If I had a clear head, I would have shut the door, gone into the house, and grabbed a shotgun. I was not clear-headed; I grabbed a 2 x2 I was planning to use for a roost and went after the SOB. I managed to clobber it four times before it got passed me, scrambled up the hardware cloth gate, and escaped.

I immediately checked for possible survivors, and there were two. Zuuhl, my Polish bantam who had been brooding in one of the nest boxes, and Squeaker, my OEGB roo, who escaped by flying into he solar light net array I had hooked into the underside of the roof. I put Squeaker into the broody coop with the Silkies and 4 of my 5 9 week olds. I brought Zuuhl into the house. Her eggs are due to hatch in the next few days, and so far she's still setting on them, but I'm getting my incubator ready just in case.

All in all, I lost 7 roosters and 12 hens (all of which were in lay or due to be in the next month). I was and still am furious and numb. I didn't start crying until I found Goomba, the Polish's 10 week old pullet chick, who had been spending the nights sleeping next to her mother in the nest box. That's when I lost it, and then again when I said goodbye to all of them as I buried them. Yes, I'm one of those who considers my chooks as pets first, they all had names and distinct personalities, and even with this horrible loss I don't regret loving them for one millisecond.

How'd it get in?

Background first: Over the last 3 months, I lost 3 birds to free ranging. The only time I found a body was the first attack, a bantam Ameracauna roo. All I found was a headless body and signs of weasel attack (should have considered looking higher in the family tree). I bought a trap and set it up where I found the body, but after 2 weeks all I caught was the same baby possum twice. Several times the bait was taken or the trap was set off without sign of the perpetrator, but I (unfortunately) chalked that up to a coon. My mistake in hindsight; the trap was too small. Three weeks after the roo was killed, a hen disappeared without a trace. Last week, another hen disappeared. And finally, after 12 weeks of searching, the mink found a breach in my defenses. A small gap between two large rocks buried at the base of the coop. It managed to dig out the dirt, squeeze under, get into a pallet construct wall, and waltz in. There was no hole there yesterday, it was done last night.

And my Dad just mentioned to me now that he noticed that almost all but one of the squirrels we had hanging around have vanished, and that the wild bird population has dropped significantly. This thing must have been killing like crazy around here.

So even with my window open a smidge I heard nothing, but the dog knew something had happened. When I woke up she was desperate to go outside, and several minutes later I found out why. That's what hurts the most: While I slept a hundred feet away, my birds were being slaughtered. I even woke up at midnight to use the bathroom, and never heard a sound.

I just wish my birds hadn't had to die such a horrible death so I could find out where the weak point was at. But now I know, and today I'll be getting more hardware cloth, cement pavers, and a big trap baited with some its victims (they'll get their vengeance in the afterlife). After I get done today, my birds should truly be safe within those walls. Remember, it took 3 months for the mink to find a way in; if it hadn't discovered the gap I wouldn't be writing this.

I would like some advice. I have 11 eggs in the 'frigde that were laid the last three days. They are fertile. Is it too late in the year to try to incubate and hatch them out? It will be December by the time the resulting little ones would be ready to go outside.

Addendum: The chickens that are left are still very nervous. Even though they werent't involved in the attack, I'm sure they heard exactly what happened. I also feel bad for poor Squeaker. He keeps running around the yard trying to find his "family", crowing like crazy in hopes of a response.

We had that happen in June. 20 killed and one survivor. The pullet just started to lay this past week. Sorry for your loss.​