Michigan

[SillyChicken]

The feral hogs problem in Michigan hasn't reached the proportions that it has in some states like Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Texas, but it could. Hunting can help with, but not solve the problem. So regulation is needed, but the DNR policy as written is flawed. While the only one that the DNR has taken action against to date were game farm operators the law will impact small farm operations. If I had the land necessary I would be raising Mangalista, Ossabow, and Mulefoot hogs. They are considered heritage breeds yet can not be brought to Michigan. The law should address how the hogs are raised not how long their hair is or what color they are.

Rant Start:

This is EXACTLY my problem with the law as well Opa, not that they are going after Russian boar and specific farms, but they lumped in a bunch of the heritage hogs (by description alone). Now, they claim they aren't including the other heritage pigs, but by description of the animals in the laws alone... wooly or hairy coat, small pointed ears etc... they open up the possibalites of some yahoo idiot official or a ****** off neighbor, or corporate pig farms to get some greedy idea, to confuse your Mangalitsa (wooly pig), mule foot or even Tamworth as an illegal pig. Your pigs will not only be destroyed, but you'll be arrested as a felon ... only for the Yahoo to say......... oops, gee sorry wrong little piggy.... or for the a hole neighbor that many people here have, to get some sick personal satisfaction out of it... lets face it... if the law is too vague, this kind of stuff will happen.

Sorry, I know having ferel hogs is a problem and I will shoot one if I see it... I also feel the law was not thought out properly....... or thought out too well....

Rant End.

 

[7961]

Other than Storey's book on chickens are there any other books I should have? None that I have read so far have blown me away with their information.

I am currently reading, "The Mating and Breeding of Poultry" by Harry M. Lamon and Rob R. Slocum. It is a plethera of info and it was originally published in 1920 I think. The repritnt price is pretty reasonable. A beautiful morning. Got a few more large white wyandotte eggs. Are people gearing up for the Spring Fowl Fest show in Alma and week from this Saturday.

 

[Scifisarah]

I have a background working at a humane society and it sort of reminds me of the whole "pit bull" thing where if a dog looks at all like a pit it is labelled as such. Most people are ignorant about a wide variety of things, including differences in dog and pig breeds it seems.

Rant Start:

This is EXACTLY my problem with the law as well Opa, not that they are going after Russian boar and specific farms, but they lumped in a bunch of the heritage hogs (by description alone). Now, they claim they aren't including the other heritage pigs, but by description of the animals in the laws alone... wooly or hairy coat, small pointed ears etc... they open up the possibalites of some yahoo idiot official or a ****** off neighbor, or corporate pig farms to get some greedy idea, to confuse your Mangalitsa (wooly pig), mule foot or even Tamworth as an illegal pig. Your pigs will not only be destroyed, but you'll be arrested as a felon ... only for the Yahoo to say......... oops, gee sorry wrong little piggy.... or for the a hole neighbor that many people here have, to get some sick personal satisfaction out of it... lets face it... if the law is too vague, this kind of stuff will happen.

Sorry, I know having ferel hogs is a problem and I will shoot one if I see it... I also feel the law was not thought out properly....... or thought out too well....

Rant End.

 

[SillyChicken]

I have a background working at a humane society and it sort of reminds me of the whole "pit bull" thing where if a dog looks at all like a pit it is labelled as such. Most people are ignorant about a wide variety of things, including differences in dog and pig breeds it seems.

your right, many of the laws say "any pitbull like dog".......... which could include any number of breeds... Then the problems start because you get someone making a judgement call on something they know NOTHING about dogs or pigs.... then we have problems! All I'm saying!

 

[Olive Hill]

Funny thing is, the part that's got people all riled up is the part meant to help educate DNR officers carrying out enforcement.

I'd also like to point out since people seem insistent on spreading the whole "anti-heritage pig" thing, the outrage over "Heritage Pigs" is manufactured to begin with. The definitions provided are so vague they also apply to CAFO hybrids. Yep, the pink pigs in the big barns. They have erect ears and curly tails; only one need be present for the pig to be determined illegal.

 

[Opa]

I am opposed to any law that is vague and left to interpretation. To often tragedy ensues.

 

[SillyChicken]

Opa, so sorry about your dog... those are the decisions I hate to make more than any... we'll have to do that fairly soon with two of our dogs too.

Keyt, hope you're better soon, and congrats on the new addition!


DH got the job! So we'll be sneaking a week vacation in before he starts it.


I've finally got two hens gone broody, in the same nest box (lol) I marked all the eggs, and I'm going to give them a few days for it to sink in, then moving them to their own cages. I have a rooster that was injured when he was younger loose in the back yard, so I put a hen out with him so he's much happier and she seems to like him. She's building a nest on top of my straw bails..... I'll cage her as soon as she decides to brood cause I need the straw!

hope everyone has a good day

 

[Elliemae 77]

Opa. So sorry about your dog.

Silly.....yay! He got the job. So happy for you guys

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

So I know i haven't been posting here much. I haven't been doing well but March 21 my first grandchild was born. His name is Carson and he was 7lbs 12 oz, 22 inches!!


My son Chance, his long time girlfriend Lauren and Carson the day he was born


Carson dressed out to go home


My son looking a bit sleepy the first night Carson is home =)

Just wanted to share =)

Beautiful family!

Quote:

My old dog is still sleeping and it is almost impossible to tell if she is breathing or not. It has been rather sad to watch her diminish this past year. She sometimes has difficulty jumping up onto the couch and when that happens she gives me one of those "hey can I get some help here" looks. Occasionally she will have a brief burst of energy that reminds me of how she was for so many years but it is usually just a brief glimpse. Most of her time is spent sleeping. She is 16 years old and I had decided that as long as she isn't in any type of distress I wouldn't take any type of proactive steps and pray that she just go quietly. However, last night Hope discovered a large abscess has developed on the upper jaw gum line. So I guess today some decisions will have to be made.

My golden mix was almost 17 when her health went quickly down hill... She had a large mass on her chest that she licked open. It was stinky but we just couldn't let her go. Then she slept all day and would get up 4-5 times a night to go outside. My mother found her unable to get up on morning and breathing really rough. We prayed she would go swiftly, but she just hung on. My brother and I took her to the vet ( she was born the same year as him and he seemed to be her favorite) We pet her and told her she could go and we would be alright. It was one of the hardest days of my life... RIP Crystal. I would do it all over again!


Quote:

Good morning everyone! I am trying to keep from peeking under my two broodies to see if more eggs hatched during night until it warms up a little. It is so much easier when you can see all the action in an incubator. Need some sort of glass-bottomed nest box. Here's Hermia with her one chick and she is still sitting on 4 eggs. Buffy has 4 chicks now and two eggs left. I hope they all hatch RIRJen so you have a silkie or two for me!

GREAT IDEA!!!!!

Quote:

your right, many of the laws say "any pitbull like dog".......... which could include any number of breeds... Then the problems start because you get someone making a judgement call on something they know NOTHING about dogs or pigs.... then we have problems! All I'm saying!

They go through phases... unfortunately right now the pit has the bad rap. They went through rotts, dobes, dalmations... I am a groomer... you wanna know who bites the most? Small breeds!! Shih tzus, terriers, chi's...

 

[RaZ]

Ok, DH is bugging me to ask something. We have a blue kiddie pool near our pole barn that is filled with water and decaying leaves and has duckweed and watercress floating in it. Every morning when the chickens are let out, they all flock to this pool and drink from it before doing anything else. They have water in the coop with them so they are not suffering from lack of water, but this is what they do first thing. They drink from it all day long so we refill it if it gets low, but DH wants to know if anyone knows why they are so attracted to the pool and its water. A simple 'because they want to' from me isn't cutting it with him. So, is there some possible nutrient from the stuff in it they need? Are they possibly just having some mosquito larvae soup to start their day?

Duckweed (Lemna minor) is pretty nutritious. Many people are growing it for fodder for their animals.
Duckweed is also used in bio-remediation as it sequesters a lot of chemicals. Perhaps your chickens are getting dome micro-nutrients from the plants. I kind of doubt that they actually get many mosquito larvae as they drink.

FWIW my dogs like to drink from my pond even when fresh water is right there. I think they like the trace minerals and salt in the water.

Speaking of dogs, my 12 YO Samoyed, Majick, is nearing "those" days. He has a hard time getting around and fell up the porch step. Some days are worse than others for him.