Michigan

[babigyrl22]

There were flies in my coop yesterday.

I couldn't take it so I bombed the place, scrubbed it down, left it open to dry and rebedded. I think I lost 10lbs of water and I feel really tired today. :: yawn :: The only fun part......the shop vac. I am surprised my DH let me use it without supervision. (whenever I pull out a power tool on my own my DH MUST step in to "help") The girls are happy.

Mable got released from jail last night and is now back in with the flock....on probabtion of course.

 

[chicken grandma]

Quote:
You can hang a sticky fly strip or two in the coop where the hens can't reach it! That works!
Your fly problem will disappear~

 

[chickflick]

Good Morning! It's so steamy out there! Just came back from "up north". Had a great time, except for the storm that ripped thru Sunday night. It's a bit scary in a camper! Think I'll go to Ace Hardware today. Saw a snake mister advertised. It'll be great to put in the back yard to keep it cooler. Wish I had screen doors for the coop.
Be smart and stay cool.

 

[fifelakelooper]

Good morning Michigan!

Another scorching day and so foggy you can cut it with a knife! Our neighbors don't have air conditioning and went to buy a window unit yesterday at ABC in Traverse and they were sold out. Plus...a waiting list with deposits already paid! After living and working outside as a P.E. teacher in Florida for 30 yrs....I can tolerate it better than most north Michiganders. I'm thinking that Floridians go thru this all the time with their chickens but perhaps those chickens are more conditioned for the heat than ours?? My coops are in shade and most of the run is shaded also so although they are panting and hot...seem to be holding up ok. The 4 baby chicks (a week old) are running around the run with the mama....no need for additional heat of moms body or lamps. (if anyone wants FREE red comet/mixed chicks come and get them)
We go to Traverse city today for a consultation with the heart surgeon for hubby's ablation procedure. Hope they can schedule it fairly soon but he is the only doc within 100 miles who does the procedure.

RAZ... I didn't know your P.O'D neighbor was married but glad she isn't mad about personal rejection! If there aren't any legal restrictions on having chickens----she needs an attitude adjustment. Some people are just plain unhappy and want everyone else to be too. Sad.

Dancers....keep dancing...more rain needed!

 

[babigyrl22]

Quote:
You can hang a sticky fly strip or two in the coop where the hens can't reach it! That works!
Your fly problem will disappear~

I did! I checked them this morning and there are flies on them

 

[sj3364]

Quote:
Can you move your coop into the shade? My coop is under a large tree and if I keep the window and door open in the evening, I can get it cooled out by sunset. Tonight it was 82 degrees when I closed the coop. I set a waterer next to Bobbi on the shelf where she could reach it and I set a large frozen jug of water next to her also.

I am giving lots of fresh water in the day and lots of shade. I am also restricting her movements a bit, keeping her in a 4x6 area under the tree. Bobbi would run all over the yard after us and it is just too hot to allow her to do that!

Everyone is in the shade all day. The coop gets a couple hours of sun in the late afternoon/mid-moring but by the time the sun gets to the west side of the sky it is in shade. I keep the doors and windows open all day so it is not any warmer than the outside air at bedtime. I think they are all doing well. I don't see any of them panting so that's a good sign. I think putting the ice jug in the coop with the babies was helpful. I'm also making sure I get them out early before the sun is really up and before everything starts to heat up. I put the sprinkler on mist for them during the hottest part of the day and ice packs in the waterers to keep them cool.

 

[LoveMyChicklets]

Not sure if anyone is interested but I just posted an ad in the chicks section:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=542910

 

[bethanyrae]

Is anyone from Eaton Rapids? This was posted in a Lansing area group:

Hi,
There will be a public hearing on July 25 at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, 200 S. Main Street, Eaton Rapids.
We need supporters to speak at the hearing about the benefits of backyard chickens.

The City Planning Commission is in favor of allowing backyard chickens and sent a recommendation to the City Council that the ordinances be changed to allow chickens.

We are hopeful that the Council will be supportive of our request to allow chickens but we may the only ones supportive of the change.

Brenda and Jack Stohr
http://www.meetup.com/LansingBackyardPoultry/boards/view/viewthread?thread=13826661

bethanyrae

 

[bethanyrae]

My poor chickens are so confused about my not throwing them scratch grain. I've heard not to feed them corn on hot days, as it makes them hotter. So now the Bantees follow me everywhere, giving me a guilt trip.
bethanyrae

 

[Opa]

Unless you are feeding your birds exclusively on scratch it isn't going to hurt them. I have 35 birds and I scatter one quart every day throughout the runs. Gives them something to do.