Michigan

[kimmie6067]

I have a question, I live in the woods and we have nothing but oak trees, do I want my hens eating acorns?

Kimmie

 

[Olive Hill]

I officially talk more than Olive on this thread. Of course, Olive, you "SAY" a lot more than I do...

Well, our busy season is about to get into full swing, I'll end up going MIA until about October, so it won't be long and you'll just have more posts than me in general. I'm afraid I can't help you with the SAYING things part. LOL!

 

[Olive Hill]

Where did you learn your survival skills?! The best way to share heat is skin to skin.

 

[ladyfeather]

http://blogs.usda.gov/2011/12/12/clarifying-the-department-of-labor’s-child-labor-proposal/

^Clarification on the laws. It does not affect 4 H, children working on family farms (they can do whatever an adult deems necessary and assist neighbors). They apply strictly to employer/employee relationships. People are freaking out as a way to attack the current political powers and blowing it out of proportion. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the tip Juise. I didn't want to overcook it. I'll have to finish it after dinner tonight and we tie up the evening chores.

Glad to see the sun and I wish the wind would quit.

 

[Olive Hill]

http://blogs.usda.gov/2011/12/12/clarifying-the-department-of-labor’s-child-labor-proposal/

^Clarification on the laws. It does not affect 4 H, children working on family farms (they can do whatever an adult deems necessary and assist neighbors). They apply strictly to employer/employee relationships. People are freaking out as a way to attack the current political powers and blowing it out of proportion. Hope this helps.

Yes and no. You're correct that it does not apply to children working on their family's farm that should not be confused with "family farms" in general. It will absolutely, positively in every sense of the word have a very grave impact on family farms in general and the agricultural community as a whole. There is some over-reacting out there on this one, but it's (surprisingly) contained. Probably because there is little need for hyperbole, the law is obnoxious enough on its own to warrant just about every ounce of ridicule it's receiving.

 

[Juise]

Quote:

Do we have to close them in? Or can they just go to their roost themselves? I will have a 8 X 19 foot run on my coop. Can we leave them out in their tractor?

Kimmie

I close them in to keep them safe from nighttime predators. Our run is covered in hardware cloth, and we have a hardware cloth apron that goes all the way around the run and coop, so the run is really just as secure as their coop is and I don't need to shut the coop except in Winter. It depends on how much risk you are willing to accept, and everyone makes different choices there.

Edited to add: I don't think your chickens will eat the acorns. My kids hoard and drop acorns everywhere they go and I have never seen the chickens try to eat them. There also seems to be a lot of discrepancy as to whether or not acorns are good or bad for chickens.

 

[Nigellas]

I spent my summers from age 12-15 working in a horse racing barn, cleaning out stalls and the horses, walking and even sometimes driving the horses. It was the most perfect job for a horse loving girl. Would have been a huge bummer if I wasn't able to do it because of a law for my safety...

 

[NovaAman]

It does mean, that if I were a 13 yr old again, I can not go and work on a farm during the summer any more in any form except to pick produce. I am not saying that picking produce is not a good job for kids... BUT I am saying, that the whole thing is a load of crappy political interference in another aspect of our lives.


Ellie... Little Blue died sometime today while I was at work. I warned Jace that it would more than likely happen, since he was so excited about the blue guy. He wanted to know why, and I explained that to him also. SO he was a little bummed, and asked if we could go and get another. LOL. Well, the one that is wavering between a black and a blue, is leaning more towards a blue-ish. Not as blue as the little Guy was, but definetly not black like the two that Leila hatched out. Those are thriving as well as the ones I got from Heather in Allegan, and the dottes that are in with them.

 

[ladyfeather]

All the ridicule I've been reading says that it is an end to children working for their families, the 4 H program/FFA, and the arm of commercial agribusiness crushing anyone who assists their fellow farmers in the community. I've yet to read a level headed article on the subject and what I did get a chance to read included statements like "that fake American Obama", "attack on real Americans", "Obummer", etc. I guess I'm missing the nuances between a family farm and the family farm because I don't see how it could stop me from working on, say, my Uncle's farm as a 10 year old as part of my chores or family obligation.

 

[NovaAman]

Oh, and as for putting my chickens away... They do it themselves also. I just go out at 9 or so and check in and close up, tell the ducks to go to home, and lock them up. I always look in the coops to make sure there are no visitors. LOL. It didn't take long.

I think I may have to get Fia a saddle. She's a little bare. Poor girl. LOL. Mean thing she is. LOL. One of the younguns was going for Skeeter... She is like a pound, and them young cockerels are surely coming into their teenage years... Well anyway, there is poor Skeeter running for all its worth, squawking her little head off, away from Roopert, and out of no where comes Fia. If chickens could drop kick, this would describe EXACTLY what she did to Roopert. LOL. It was hilarious. Did I mention that Fia is a BIG GIRL? Yeah. She stands taller than any other chicken I have, including Mr. Fluffers. And Mr. Fluffers loves him some Fia. LOL. No one messes with Fia. She'll knock them silly if they try.