Michigan

[RIRJen]

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I want to band them to keep track of age, laying and genetics. My original flock is unbanded, the 6 I added in this spring are green-banded and the pullets that are currently residing in my basement

are going to be blue banded and red banded. I like to know who the sire is of the chicks and an idea of who the dam's are.

Must be the rabbit breeder in me needing some sort of a pedigree

 

[dianaross77]

It makes perfect sense to me, especially for people who have a whole bunch of the same breed and color. It would be hard to keep track if you can't tell them apart. I just put colored zip ties on my isa chicks. I can tell them apart easily right now but was afraid that it won't be so easy once they are feathered.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

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Yesterday DH and I drove to Muskegon to celebrate 24 years and first we saw some Robins and then the redwinged blackbirds and then we saw a Bald Eagle!! I also noticed theat the pussy willows are starting to bud out on our road

 

[dianaross77]

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CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Good for you! And yes please, I would love some spring! I was looking forward to our warm up this week until I realized it was going to rain. I was looking forward to taking the chickens and bunny out for some fresh air.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

At least the rain will help the snow to melt, have to look at the positive or I will cry.

On another note... All y'all with broody hens, please, please have your hens talk to my hens. I keep hoping I will have a broody and so far nothing. This morning I went into the coop and a BO was in the nest box and she literally screamed at me. I thought "oh goody, I have a broody!" Nope, later I went out and she was no longer there.

Yesterday I also got 18 eggs from 19 hens too!

 

[CricketYang]

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I'd bet it would work great. They use soy based ink instead of the lead they used in olden days. I use it in my gardens all the time.

Yeah, I wasn't worried about it being toxic...just that they'd be dumb enough to gorge themselves on it!

I decided what the heck and put some in yesterday and they didn't seem to notice a difference. I did put hay down on top of it too. It's not teeny-tiny paper...just like 2" strips. I have an unlimited supply and thought I'd see how it worked.
I have soooo many plans this summer for my birds! I'm going to put up a new double-coop! And hopefully, with the addition of my new rabbit barn, will be looking for some really nice silkies at chickenstock!

I'd love to find some show quality Bearded blue-splash silkies...I'd be looking for about 6-12 hens and a Roo. (or young pullets and a cockerel)

There's someone in Rives Junction who posts on CL with her silkies and they look fantastic...I might contact her but wanted to see if anyone on here had some nice ones too.

Speaking of Silkies...since they don't fly do you have to supply perches for them in the coop or just have something for them to go into? Just curious...never had a banty breed before!

@Jen - the lady in Rives Junction's name is Vickie, she's very nice. I got all my silkies and cochins from her, very nice quality birds. Idk about show quality just bc I've never looked into those sort of things. She has some marans coming in a few weeks and I'm pretty excited about that! Also she is very decently priced and definitely didn't overcharge me.

 

[theron]

I have a ?. How can I get my birds NPIP tested here in MI? Thanks

 

[dianaross77]

Theron, I'm pretty sure I read that the people at Destiny Farms in Brighton were doing it now. It looked expensive, though. I'll see if I can find it for you.

Here it is http://www.destinyfarmgardens.com/BIRDS.html

It's on the right side of the page under the new hatch section.

 

[Mish]

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I would be interested in options too. Checked the website and its a bit more than I can justify spending.

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Sorry you won't be there... I might be. Does anyone know someone going who sells ducklings? There is a family in my daughter's 4-H Poultry project looking for a couple ducklings this spring. They aren't really sure what breed - maybe runners, maybe Cayuga, maybe East Indies. They're also hoping for females, so maybe they will have to go through a hatchery and split an order with someone local. I have Welsh Harlequins which would make it easy

, they just want to be different and challenge my abilities I suppose.

 

[wishtofish]

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I want to band them to keep track of age, laying and genetics. My original flock is unbanded, the 6 I added in this spring are green-banded and the pullets that are currently residing in my basement

are going to be blue banded and red banded. I like to know who the sire is of the chicks and an idea of who the dam's are.

Must be the rabbit breeder in me needing some sort of a pedigree

RIRJen, Thanks for the info. I never realy thought about it. I have purchased all of my chicks and I don't have a rooster for breeding. My first flock of hens were 8 Red Stars, 2 Black Stars, an Amerauca & an unknown from the closeout last season at Tractor Supply....... This year I have 4 White Leghorns & 8 Barred Rocks. So I don't have really any reason to band them. I guess that if I purchased more Reds this year, I'd would have to have a way to tell them apart. Because I've purchased different breeds each year , I don't see a reason to band them. I have my pullets in the basement also.