Michigan

[Olive Hill]

Not all roosters are protectors. Actually, as hatchery stock goes, especially, most are not. If you happen to get a good protector, great, but not all are so don't count on it.

I've had 1-2 week old chicks outside with no supplemental heat since last friday. They're doing wonderfully. I'll play it by ear later this week when it cools back down. If they act like they need a lamp, I'll provide one. If they continue to thrive, I won't. If you pay attention to the chicks they'll be happy to tell you what's what.

 

[sarah92480]

It does help, thanks The area actually already has fence around it, I cant remember what it's called but it's the kind with the big rectangle holes about 2"x4" or maybe a bit smaller, and it's been there for so many years it is now part of the ground also. I planned to also wrap chicken wire around that, do you think that would be good or something more is needed? I am going to cover it also, since I heard a red tailed hawk yesterday so I know they're back from last year. Also where the yard sits doesn't get a whole lot of sunlight, only in the morning & evening. Hope that will not be a bad thing? I planted grass in it this weekend (was only dirt) so they will have an actual "yard" when they finally get to use it. Glad to know it's big enough, I was a little worried.

Ive heard a rooster can be good for that reason, but they can also be nasty so if he is one (I'm already calling it "he" lol) I hope he's a nice one. I've been handling them a lot because I want them to be less "wild". I got 2 straight run silver laced wyandottes, and that's why I'm not sure. Does anyone know how old you can sex them? Some of the wing feathers have started coming in different than the other one, and the comb area looks different too. I wasn't sure if that was just a deformity or a sex difference. Either way if he ends up a nasty rooster he'll be dinner anyway hehe.We'll see! I cant wait to get eggs even though I think they're super cute when they're peeps.

 

[chicken grandma]

Hi Sarah, I used chicken wire on my run but after reading posts on here about weasels that can go through one inch holes, I did not feel so confident!
Maybe if you used wire on the roof/top, sunlight would come through also. It is good they have some shade when it gets real hot.

 

[sarah92480]

Hm...I have not seen any weasels in my area, but that doesn't mean they are not around, of course. We do have lots of coyotes, hawks, opossums & raccoons though. Not to mention the neighbors stupid barn cats and her ill-behaved dogs that run around crazy all the time. (Don't get me wrong, I'm an animal lover of all kinds, but when owner don't care of their pets properly, it gets on my nerves & makes for animals I don't like much.) We have a dog who is part German Shepherd & I think he has sort of decided that he needs to watch them but he's not outside as a guard dog at night. Im still not quite sure, but I think he wants to guard because any time the cat even walks by the brooder, he gets up and tries to get between the cat & the brooder. It's pretty funny to see. Surprisingly like I mentioned before, the cat doesn't seem to care in the least about the chickens.

They will definitely have shade back there, I just hope they have some sun too. I will have to think about this fencing...I bought 50 feet of it so I really hope that will be enough for what I want to do with it.

 

[Mom 2em All]

No it was not a bobcat. It is not possible to have a bobcat. Nope, it was just a very large domesticated cat. Just ask DNR. And no, thats not a cougar either.

Welcome Melody.

Originally Posted by Olive Hill



Honesty and integrity always win in the long run.


Raz - Unfortuneatly she is probably right. Your neighbor only has to hear a chicken and she'll call again, I wouldn't put it past her from what you've told us about her. He won't be so nice the next time around. It sucks tha she could probably get away with what she is doing, but maybe she won't, and that would be the sweetest revenge.

Honesty and integrity didnt work for me. i had to give up my four hens. They werent interested in changing any laws for me..putting "Taylor backwards" on the map.


There are pros and cons of both sides. The man in Milford who spent so much money fighting in court to keep his hens? The one that was 93 or close?
He lost.
He had the time and the money to fight it, and he still lost. Maybe you get lucky and you win. Probably not.

Basically, you have to be willing to give up the birds or hide them.

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Thank you all for all for my well-wishes and your concern. It humbles me to be part of such a wonderful group of people from all over the state. I appreciate each and everyone of you, and thank you for friendship.
Im doing okay- nothing knocks me out faster than a fever, low-grade or not. So, I have spells of doing well,,and periods of being wiped out. Time is the best thing, I suppose. Each day is a little better.

I need to take pictures of the two/three week old chicks. They are growing and are adorable. And fun to watch. The babies that I have in here and under Mama Hen are doing well too...and slowly venture a little farther away from their "safe" zone to explore.

 

[teeville5]

Man, what a day. Sure not used to 80 degree weather in March. I didn't think much about it when I went out on my route today until I started to get a bit dehydrated. Lesson learned early. Everyone remember your water!
Since my day ran long, I had a feeling no one had let the chickens out. No one was answering the phone and I didn't tell anyone to do it when they got home so I just knew they didn't. I was right so the chickens didn't get a lot of outdoor time today.

Mom2- I'm glad you went to your regular doctor today as well. When will they know the results of the test they did?

M.sue- I believe you had the new chicks. Lil' Blue is so pretty. Also, are you foreshadowing a Petey or was that the luck of the name draw?

Hello to anyone new.

 

[sarah92480]

I can't believe I forgot, Mom2, I saw all your posts also about your surgery aftermath and hope all goes well with you there. I don't know what type of surgery you had but those bruises looked awful and I hope you are recovering well! Nice to meet you by the way

 

[Juise]

Hello all, I finally read up, but I am too tired to reply right now, so I'm just going to say -

Mom - Glad you went to see your doctor, and that got a little more comprehensive response than that of your surgeon.

Nice to have the pain meds in case you need them, I hope you continue to feel better every day.

Teeville - So sorry about your kitty.

Raz - Good luck with your inspection.

Sarah - I had never seen a weasel either, my husband and I were discussing whether or not we thought we had them in the area when we were building our coop and run, too. The very next morning I walked out to find that one of my cats left one on the front step. "Yes, you have weasels, you silly humans! If you want one so bad, here you go!"

Well, Friday night, when we were supposed to leave, I was only almost done with the tractor for the new chicks, and hadn't even begun to pack. My husband helped me finish it up Saturday, then I lured him in by telling him there needed to be a screw through the roost, and shut it. Now all is well.

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Just kidding, against my better judgment I did let him out. *sigh* Anyway, it is not as "done" as I wanted it to be, you can see I didn't get to paint the inside of the bottom boards there, on the very bottom on the outside, and some of the plywood could really do with another coat, but oh well. I don't think the chickens care. We headed out Saturday night and returned late Sunday night with 2 Leghorns, 2 Araucanas, 1 EE, and 1.. uh.. mutt. They did not have the birds they were suppose to reserve for me, which is kind of frustrating, but I am over it. I never heard back, to my knowledge, on picking up or transporting chicks, so I hope I didn't miss something.

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Realizing I needed something to give them traction on the ramp, I glued tongue depressors up it.

Also I attacked it with a door hinge, teehee.

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I filled the coop area with sand after we moved it into place. There are also wheels on the coop end that I didn't have on when I took the pictures. I wheel the entire thing into the barn at night, boy was that a process! The plan was to put a large hatch for my access on the end opposite the coop, but due to time constraints I didn't get that done yet. Holy cow, do I need to. I had to lift it up for my 4 y/o to crawl in and stuff all the chicks into the coop so I could wheel it in tonight, lol.

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[Hillbilly Hen]

Im home.
My surgeon did not impress me, so I went and saw my regular doctor after him.

Mom 2 I am glad you went to your regular Dr. Get some rest and make/let your kids take care of things for a while

Mom2emAll, I'm glad you saw a doctor and I completely understand you dismay with the surgeon. I would like to find a doctor that does medicine instead of practice. When I build a house for someone they expect me to know how to build it, not to "practice" building it.

Not much to see but someone asked so here are two day old FGs. 6 in the litter (unless one is hiding in all the fur mama pulled). Both mama and dad are sand colored. Pretty large already. BTW, they make great pets...

sweet babies

Ah, the mitten crew! I'm Melody Nye and we have a farm in Yale, Mi www.melofarms.com. We have a small flock of egg layers and I opted for the Light Brahma as I wanted a heritage breed. We sell eggs and our heritage, pastured Berkshire at Detroit Eastern Market on Saturdays.

Welcome! Check out the link in Opa's, RaZ's or my siggy for info on the upcoming chickenstock.

I want to see pictures of these stunning chickens. HH already has me drooling over hers...I might as well drool over yours too.

I can put some eggs in the incubator for chickenstock if you want. I will have photos of the NH's soon as I can [at a snails pace]

Hello to everybody else. Back from a 5 day nasty, nasty downswing which made me want to go out to the woods and...I can't say. I feel better but like I have an emotional hangover or something.

Juise, great job on the coop

 

[Juise]

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Here is the mutt, any ideas? The only thing I know is that she is part silkie. I am not sure how old any of them are, actually, I am guessing around 7 weeks? Anyway "she" has the most comb development, but the lady there seemed quite sure she was a girl. She may be a bit older than the rest, too, I am not sure at all.

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In their new home...

For being very nearly free, I think the tractor could have come out worse. XP​