Michigan

[Living the Simple Life]

Hi everybody!
I am another newbie. We are going to be getting chicks hopefully this week. Just starting out. We just found out through the loooooong thread about the Michigan RTFA that we can have them even though we are in town! Yippee! We are working on getting a chicken tractor (or two) built and I think a permanent coop and run. We are also going to do what needs done for the GAAMP. I pm'ed the lady who offered a copy of her 12 page chicken notebook in that thread, but I haven't heard back from her yet. Anyone else have something similar they would like to share? We want to set things up right from the get-go. We have already had rabbits for 4H that we have sold, so I think technically we can already qualify as a farm, just need to do the GAAMP stuff to make it official. We have 7 kids at home, so we will hopefully be doing some chickens for 4H. I think we are starting with some Black Copper Marans and some Ameracaunas. Then we'll go from there. We live on the Lenawee/Monroe county line, down near Cabelas. This place needs a warning: "Huge time suck, proceed at your own risk!" LOL

Please let me know if you hear from her. I would love a copy of her notebook also. I pm'd her quite a while ago and unfortunately never heard anything

.

and Welcome!!

 

[M.sue]

Over in Washington, chickielady also gave me a the advice of the permithrin 2 instead of the permithrin 1. Supposed to be less harsh.

Did not know there was a 1 & 2 type formula. I used it when I gave my coop a through cleaning this fall. I'll have to check which one I have. Told the guy at TSC what I wanted it for & he suggested it along with others on here so I bought it.

 

[dascountry]

Quote:

Both

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Nova - It's say give more tums. When my one girl layed the folded egg shell the white came out of her first. Kinda gross, but I also couldn't feel and egg because it was folded up so small.


Yup, big old mud bog. The chickens get around ok but even the dog sinks in.

Welcome to the three new folks, who I can't remember names.

And I think there were three.

To tired to type write or think right, yah that's wrong! Nite

We have a fairly moist yard (lots of underground springs, etc.) plus where MDOT illegally dumps the highway water which mostly runs in the neighbor's yard. We aren't too squishy.....except where the dog INSISTS on playing.....black muck up to his elbows...and he is all smiles....

 

[RaZ]

It'd be nice if you can save them but they are nigh to impossible to transplant. I'm pretty sure the pink must be native, too as they grow in the woods here and I don't think anyone would have thought to plant any on purpose in a swamp.

I

Is this what you are talking about? Cypripedium acaule
There are 6 natives in Michigan, pink, yellow, red and reddish-brown or purple. They like wetlands but are often found in wooded areas.
If you do find some and move them, don't tell anyone. They are on the "threatened" list.

 

[chickflick]

Well, another bath for the two banties. Sure hard to get rid of those fowl mites. I think this is their fourth bath. Put on ivermectin last week, but still there are lots of mites. Especially hard to get them out of the Polish's crest. These things are teeny tiny babies, so maybe a couple of more baths and get them all gone. Krisrose did go to TSC and get some pyrmethrin and we're gonna try that. Fuzzy, you said 2 parts prymethrin to 1 part water, right?? One drop on banties. Krisrose was concerned that it was too strong for the banties. Put some bag balm on their poor lil heads to soothe and hopefully smother them darn things. Getting tired of bathing and cleaning their coop. Lots of work, but those poor chix are so miserable. The other banty is a favorelle. Use to be one of Krisrose's house chickens. When Lacy died, I got Sophie. She's now an outdoor chicken and loving it. So, Krisrose is over here making sure I'm taking care of "her" chix.

Nova, hope you get rid of the leg mites easier than these blasted fowl mites.

 

[Juise]

DH had a bad case of pink eye, no idea were it came from but I think he has managed to give it to me ( steels my pillow after I get out of bed) he has med and I could call and get some(maybe) but as mine is just starting up I remember when my kids were younger, the Dr. had us use boric acid crystals in warm water, an one else use this . May try it befor I call the Dr. office. Hate paying all that $$ for a simple, cheap cure

Snowflake, I have had very good luck using chamomile tea bags, and so have the two people to which I have in the past recommended it. One of them had already been to the doctor and taking medication, but was frustrated with how slowly it was working. He used the tea for a day and it cleared immediately. This was my father-in-law, and he afterward declared that he would never be going to the doctor for pink eye again.

When I did it, I needed only to do it 3 times or so over the period of one day and it was gone. There is only one thing I have seen rid a person of pink eye faster, and unless you've got some breastmilk handy, I would try the tea.

If you want to give it a try, first be sure that chamomile is the only ingredient in your tea, I should not wish to place peppermint on my eye! Make yourself a cup of chamomile tea, remove the tea bag, and gently squeeze some of the excess water from it. Hold it on your eye for 10 minutes or so, and repeat the process every few hours or so. The way I had learned to do this was with the tea bag as hot as you can stand it, but I have since read that many people use it after has cooled. Personally, I found that the heat was in itself a relief. You can, of course, also drink the tea.

 

[Bianca67]

That's kinda scary Bianca. Hope everything turns out to be OK. What all did you order from Meyer? I am hoping to order from them as well. When did you place your order and how long did you have to wait? Make sure you post some pics when the chicks arrive!

I placed my order for a 3/12 hatch date back on Dec. 1st. Got an e-mail that they have been shipped and should arrive tomorrow or the next day, yeah! I ordered 4 EE's, 2 WEL's, 2 DOM's, and 2 GLW's. Can hardly wait for them to arrive, brooder is all set and ready for them.

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Maybe I can help you with the processing of the meaties? I really need to learn how to process my own roosters. I don't want to, but I really need to. Again, Welcome!

For those that are interested in processing your own birds, the Michigan 4-H Poultry Palooza may be of interest. My family attended last year and it was rather fascinating. For the Market Broiler competition, birds are judged live and then processed and judged dressed out. A guy from Ada, Michigan was there with his Whiz Bang Chicken Plucker mounted on a trailer to process the birds. He was unable to use the plucker because the gfci's installed at the fairgrounds kept popping so he processed the birds by hand (a couple of the 4-H'ers did their own birds). He had his kill cones, dip tank set up over a burner, and processing table. He was super informative (and talkative which DH loved!) and answered all of our questions. My DD (age 7) really wanted to help pluck the birds ~ I just didn't want to ride home for an hour with her smelling like scalded chicken

so I said no (mean mom).

The 2012 Chicken Palooza is being held on April 28 at the Gratiot County Fairgrounds. Not sure if it will be the same processor, but should be a similar set-up. http://expeng.anr.msu.edu/uploads/files/79/2012 Poultry Palooza Catalog.pdf

I really wanted to see the plucker in action because I am convinced I could build one from an old washing machine. The processor is a stay-at-home-dad and will come right to your house to do your chickens. He has a minimum fee that he charges to cover his costs/gas, I can't remember specifically what it was but when I did the math on the per chicken cost, it was super reasonable. He was also willing to do multiple people's birds at one location (like have a central location and people bring their birds). Just a thought. I am sure that I will remember his name in the middle of the night (stuff just keeps bouncing around in my head until the answer pops out...usually at 2am). Otherwise the state 4-H office would have his contact information.

 

[snowflake]

Snowflake, I have had very good luck using chamomile tea bags, and so have the two people to which I have in the past recommended it. One of them had already been to the doctor and taking medication, but was frustrated with how slowly it was working. He used the tea for a day and it cleared immediately. This was my father-in-law, and he afterward declared that he would never be going to the doctor for pink eye again.

When I did it, I needed only to do it 3 times or so over the period of one day and it was gone. There is only one thing I have seen rid a person of pink eye faster, and unless you've got some breastmilk handy, I would try the tea.

If you want to give it a try, first be sure that chamomile is the only ingredient in your tea, I should not wish to place peppermint on my eye! Make yourself a cup of chamomile tea, remove the tea bag, and gently squeeze some of the excess water from it. Hold it on your eye for 10 minutes or so, and repeat the process every few hours or so. The way I had learned to do this was with the tea bag as hot as you can stand it, but I have since read that many people use it after has cooled. Personally, I found that the heat was in itself a relief. You can, of course, also drink the tea.

thanks Juise, think I have some in the cupboard, will try it right now,,,,,,no breast milk here, been 28yrs. since our youngest was born.