Michigan

[ChicwannaB]

after 1.5" downpour you get POULTRY DRENCH:

 

[NovaAman]

Hi, I am from Holland, and new to chickens. Its amazing thou, how quick I have come to enjoy these little ladies!
Has anyone a protected winter run?

 

[babigyrl22]

Quote:
Howdy Nova!

Glad you decided to peek in.

 

[babigyrl22]

I installed a bug zapper in the run this afternoon. One with one of those mosquitopullercakey things. It's supposed to cover 1acre. I hope there is a bug masacre tonight. Mwaahahahahahaha....

This weekend I got ate up!! Benedryl creme is my friend.

 

[KrisRose]

Quote:
Welcome to MI thread!!
I tarpped my run last year and loved it. Chickens were out all winter. Put leaves down as insulation and they had a blast digging around in them.
I want to add more support since certain areas trapped snow and had to be cleaned out. A whole lot of fun when snow melted then froze, got a good workout removing that ice off the tarp.

 

[ChicwannaB]

Quote:
Ive been thinking of some ideas. Just going to build a simple frame work and cover it like a greenhouse with visqueen (sp?) so they can walk out their little chicken door and have both a little sand to bathe in and some grass to feed on, it won't be huge tho.

I have the Chantecler breed too which is extreme cold tolerant so we'll see who fares the best.

BTW I ended with a total of 1.57 " of rain and it may not be over with yet. NovaAman

 

[Stacykins]

Oh goodness, I am so worried about my dog Ally. She isn't really mine, but my parents dog. They let me 'borrow' her for a few weeks 'cause I am desperately missing dog love. Well she and I were just on an evening walk and all of the sudden she started yelping, favoring a front leg. Carrying a 30lb dog all the way back home is tiring. She seems in less pain the past hour, but is limping. She got a baby aspirin, so hopefully that helps. Looks like she'll get acquainted with the local vet on Monday. There isn't a visible wound, thorn, rock, etc. and she is licking higher up on her leg around the doggy 'ankle'. I wonder if she sprained it? Poor girl

 

[ChicwannaB]

Quote:
Welcome to MI thread!!
I tarpped my run last year and loved it. Chickens were out all winter. Put leaves down as insulation and they had a blast digging around in them.
I want to add more support since certain areas trapped snow and had to be cleaned out. A whole lot of fun when snow melted then froze, got a good workout removing that ice off the tarp.

hey that sounds like a great idea. are there any trees whose leaves are toxic or dangerous to chickens, does anyone know?? I have alot of locusts and a few maples. also One birch and 1 cinnamon birch (river birch). Plus cherry, plum and apple trees and the currants.

 

[NovaAman]

The only thing I worry about is when the snow melt, sometime my yard has puddles... Maybe I will frame the bottom of the run with some ties that will keep the melt out of the area. And I do mean puddles. I am planning to use the highest part of the yard to do it though. I just want my girls to be happy. LOL. I don't any problems getting leaves. We have so many trees here that I can make a pile of leave hip high and about 15 ft diameter! So, I will be set giving them a nice layer of leaves, and then some!

 

[RaZ]

Quote:
I hate bug zappers. They kill more beneficial insects than the pests that bother you.