Michigan

[Huston's Happy Hens]

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Thanks for the insight. The adoptive mother has laid two eggs this week and is giving us the impression she wouldn't mind being back w/the main flock. Perhaps we'll move her back in and give the babes a bit more time!
I've already mowed the leaves in the yard, Steve's gone to pu some dirt and I'm hoping to have some transplants done before the game (MSU) starts at noon!
Sam, Rose and Krista: We're getting between 25-36 eggs per day since most of the new girls have begun laying. I really think our issue of low production is due to the age of some of the hens.

 

[KrisRose]

Huston's Happy Hens :

Quote:
Thanks for the insight. The adoptive mother has laid two eggs this week and is giving us the impression she wouldn't mind being back w/the main flock. Perhaps we'll move her back in and give the babes a bit more time!
I've already mowed the leaves in the yard, Steve's gone to pu some dirt and I'm hoping to have some transplants done before the game (MSU) starts at noon!
Sam, Rose and Krista: We're getting between 25-36 eggs per day since most of the new girls have begun laying. I really think our issue of low production is due to the age of some of the hens.

Woot!! Glad to see you are getting eggs and can sleep at night!!​

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Opa, sorry for your loss.

Yesterday we put over 300 miles on the van to go see the doctor in Jackson. At least we got good news... I do not have to have surgery!!

As long as my MG symptoms don't get worse [ie. difficulty swallowing or breathing] I should do fine without the surgery.
On another note... My FIL took care of the dogs and chickens for us yesterday and for the first time in a very long time I got 9 eggs. I asked my FIL if he squeezed the chickens. He said he threw some scratch out for them and they were so happy that they tried to follow him home thru the woods.

 

[Olive Hill]

HBH -- I'm so happy for you about the good news. Here's hoping the symptoms stay mild enough to not warrant surgery. And that's funny about your FIL. Send him my way, would you? Mine are young and they're still being slackers!

 

[Riverdale]

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Weather reports for where? Not here. Please say not here.

My mom was saying even the lower part of the lower pen. is supposed to expect the white fluffy stuff by mid-November this year. I hope she's wrong. Very, very wrong.

A few friends and some family who live up there were complaining on facebook. So from them, the East Jordan/Boyne City/Charlevoix area. One mentioned Petoskey too.
It doesn't surprise me that it's falling as at least a little bit of it has shown up in October before, but it usually doesn't stick until mid November. I'm going to be up there for a haunted house thing my family puts on and I think I will be packing some thermals for under my costume.

My family is from (and a lt still live) in the Boyne City area.
My sis lives about ½ between M32 and Deer Lake
She did not say anything about snow when I talked to her a couple days ago..

It was 28* here near Alma the other night. I am NOT ready for it....

 

[Mom 2em All]

HBH FANTASTIC NEWS! I will continue to keep you in my prayers!

Sam!! Are the hawks migrating? I have seen more this past week than I saw all year- perhaps it is because the leaves on the trees are gone, but I am definitely seeing more now. Sorry for the loss of your hens.

I had a good scare last night!!! Keeping in the Halloween mood, I will tell you all about it.
The dog next store barked for hours non-stop- he always does, so I didnt think anything of him doing that last night. However, when letting my dogs out, my pit bull also wouldnt stop barking- even when corrected, which is very unusual for him. I went out there, and he instantly acted like he did something wrong. The rotten ducks who refuse to leave the pond, even at night, were standing in a tight circle in the middle of the yard.
I grabbed a flashlight and a step stool and started shining the light in my neighbors tree, hanging on the top of the fence, trying to peek over to the ground to see what was over there- my husband exclaims, "RIGHT THERE GET DOWN!" ummm, noo- I cant see what he sees. "WHERE?" And he says, "Get DOWN!" and pulls me off the step stool. NOT EVEN TWELVE INCHES FROM WHERE I HAD MY FACE was a oppossum!!
He was clung to the fence top in fear- couldnt go into the neighbors yard, couldnt come into my yard because of my dog..heh heh..bad move, coming into my yard, dude...

 

[keyt1969]

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WOOHOO congrats HBH!!! I'm so happy for you!!!

 

[chickflick]

HBH, I'm so happy that you don't have to have surgery! I'll keep you in my prayers!
Nancy, I'm so glad you're getting eggs! What are you doing with them all?? Hope you have lots of egg eating customers!
Sorry to hear about your hens, Sam. I've seen lots of hawks, but the crows and bluejays have been keeping them at bay. Watched the crows chasing away a hawk the other day. It was a sight seeing them soar and dip in the sky! I keep plenty of peanuts for the bluejays to keep them close.
Sure was a wonderful morning... too bad it didn't last long. I got to take the dogs for a long walk this morning, tho. So relaxing to listen to the birds and seeing all the colored leaves, even tho most were on the ground. Have a good day, all!

 

[Opa]

The hawk migration is in full swing. I usually see the most hawks the 3rd week of October. Unfortunately free ranging chickens are like an all you can eat buffet table at road side dinner. I now have all of my birds under cover but that didn't prevent a Cooper's Hawk from sitting on one of my coops just to irritate me.

 

[Water Pixie]

Good day to all! This is my first year to have chickens and I still have a lot of MI winter coop questions but first I will tell you about my coop. I have a 24ft by 24ft pole barn that was here before my husband and I got the place and it needs a lot of work. With the help of our family we divided a part off of this that is about 8ft by 24ft. The 8ft by 24ft space in divided in to two parts. The smaller part is about 8ft by 8ft. As it is right now all the walls are metal except the wall separating the 8ft by 8ft from the rest of the chicken coop, this wall is chicken wire. The ceiling is just wire fencing or open right now. There is a pop door in each of the two areas, one is on the south side and one is on the west side, I always close these at night. There is a small window openable on the south side as well.

Thinks I am going to do.
1.Fix the big front door of the barn.
2.Finish the eves of the barn.
3.Put a large tarp over the back door if I do not have time to make a door of the barn.
4.Put a “new” door nob on the side door of the barn.
5.Build more and redo the perches.
6.Fill the gaps around the bottom of the of the coop with broken bricks, rocks, and such with dirt on top of all that.
7.Put more wood shavings in.

Now for the questions?

1.Should I put particle board up on the ceiling to keep some more of the warm in?
2.I know that this is a very large area for 37 birds. Will they stay warm?
3.What else should I do to keep it nice in there?

I have been doing a lot of reading would like to here everyones input.

Dawn