Michigan

[wyliefarms]

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Yes it has been hot and miserable, especially up at the fair! So glad to be able to come home to air conditioning

 

[michickenwrangler]

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Great job!

Yes, by and large, we are doing very well.

 

[Opa]

The morning started exceedinly damp but now is looks as if it will be dry enough to cut and bale my yard. I didn't get around to fertilizing the lawn this year, and I'm not that unhappy that I didn't get around to it. Unbelieveable how fast it has been growing.

Congratulations to all on their fair showings. Sounds like everyone has much to be proud of.

 

[SillyChicken]

Good Morning! Welcome to the new folks!

I had to come in to work this morning... getting all the carpets cleaned in the building. Not much else to do with the rainy weather. We had a great dinner yesterday.. fresh potatoes, corn, summer squash/Zuchinie and steaks on the grill!

Question....... how long does it take for a chicken to become physically mature? I've been so disappointed with the birds I got from Ideal... all the roosters have bad legs and will have to be put in the freezer.(I had saved 2 for breeding that were ok, now are not)... some of the hens colors are wrong, one of the hens beaks are deformed...the egg colors are wrong (brown) except for 2 (creamy white) so far.... the hens seem very small for 'standard' sized birds and the eggs are tiny.... like bantam sized. When I called to complain the blew me off....... I'll never buy Faverolles from Ideal again. Guess my luck so far has left me very negative about the whole thing..... I do love the birds, their so personable. The crazybeaked girl always comes running when I come out side she's so funny... she sounds like fozzy bear... clucking "wacka wacka"

Getting excited about a rock festival I'm going with a bunch of girls at DTE on the 6th! Can't get here soon enough!

 

[Opa]

SC, I would think that as far as feathering, it should be adult plumage by 16 weeks. Egg size should be at maximum approximately 2 weeks after first eggs. Maximum body size at about 8 months to a year.

 

[gallinamama]

Good morning to all in Michigan, I have a question, I am very new at raising chickens and I have done a pretty good job at raising them from new chicks to now about 15 weeks old. Here is my question: I have been keeping the door open all the time so the chickens can have access to the run because I do not have windows yet in my coop. It has been hot so I didn't want to suffocate them. I know they are getting pretty close to laying eggs so I would like to know if you need to lock the chickens up at night so they will go into their little nests to lay eggs... I do not want to have to hunt for eggs. Am I doing this wrong already???

Do I have to reteach them to go into the coop at night? They love their run so much... I have it covered so they do not get wet, and I have perches in the run also. Another question... Do I need perches in the coop along with their nesting boxes?

I want to do this right. Please help. I have at least one rooster...in the bunch... my neighbor suspects I have 3

I started out with 9 chickens... and I do want more... but now what to do with the roosters.....

 

[A2SciTeach]

Hi gallinamama,

I've never had a chicken lay an egg at night, they always go into the coop and lay during the day. And yes to roosts along with nesting boxes, unless you want to have poopy eggs.

My chickens free range but I would imagine you will want yours to have free access to the run during the day, perhaps consider making a little "pop"door for them to go in an out of during the winter instead of having the large door open. They will go in every night to sleep, close them up tight so no nighttime predators can get them. Hope this helps

I'm off to do duck duty. It's much much easier with just 2 ducks instead of 5.

 

[Freebie]

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Great job!

Yes, by and large, we are doing very well.

Yes, Great Job!!! I know how difficult showmanship can be. Especailly showing all those large animals.
Our fair is also over. I am so very tired. My husband is mowing the lawn, as the kids that are going to the state dog show will be coming to practice tomorrow. We only have till the 14th of Aug. that is when the show is. Very excited about that. We have 15 kids from out county going this year.

My daughter got reserve high points in the dog project this year. She is very happy and very surprised. It was so close... there was only 1/2 a point between 2nd and 3rd places. So it was a very nice day for her. This is her last year in 4-H so I really hope she does as well at the state show. A high point there would be so wonderful for her.


Hi Ho Hi Ho.... it back to work I go.... tomorrow. ugh!

 

[Huston's Happy Hens]

Hey Opa aka Sam - have any of your pullets begun laying yet? I found a shell less egg this morning as well one of the wellies was running thru the yard w/a blue egg shell.....perhaps an indicator of one of the EE's dropping an egg out in the run?? - Also does anyone have suggestions for the SMELL coming from the runs? with all of the rain, it's beginnnin to smell like a real farm!

 

[briana1975]

Huston, my runs are the same. We got so much rain this weekend we have flooding and one stinky run. I just tried to look at my watermelons and musk melons in the garden and sunk past my ankels and lost my shoes in the mud.