Michigan

[chicken grandma]

OK that is the first and last time I try to do something nice for my chicks. They're like vipers! I give them a chick treat log and end up with one chick with a bleeding throat (who I assume I should keep separated). What a bunch of jerks!

Medicated chick feed and water is the best for the first 6 weeks. Solves a lot of problems.

 

[EeyoreD]

Clearly! Geez! I pulled the little log out but they still go after her throat, I assume it's because it's bleeding. Poor thing. She keeps cheeping for her friends who obviously aren't really her friends!

 

[Stacykins]

Clearly! Geez! I pulled the little log out but they still go after her throat, I assume it's because it's bleeding. Poor thing. She keeps cheeping for her friends who obviously aren't really her friends!

It might be a good idea to protect that bleeding area with something. Spray it with blue kote or bandage it. Why? Other chicks and chickens are attracted to blood and wounds like little vampires. Perhaps it is the color or something, but they won't stop pecking at it.

 

[EeyoreD]

Ah ok so if I can put a little gauze or something over it then maybe I can let her back in with her jerky friends. Right now she's in her own bin and not really liking it. Do I need to put anything like bactine or anything on it?




Quote:
And this is TOTALLY the best description.

Thanks.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Got to go and sit for my grand daughter. Have a good day, all.

For some reason I can see your grand daughter saying "Sit Grandma. Sit!"

DH got the job! So we'll be sneaking a week vacation in before he starts it.

Congrats!

I am currently reading, "The Mating and Breeding of Poultry" by Harry M. Lamon and Rob R. Slocum. It is a plethera of info and it was originally published in 1920 I think. The repritnt price is pretty reasonable. A beautiful morning. Got a few more large white wyandotte eggs. Are people gearing up for the Spring Fowl Fest show in Alma and week from this Saturday.

Sounds interesting.

 

[vjwilmoth]

Hi everyone! I am new to the site and chickens in general. I am from Michigan though. My mom has kept chickens for years. She's had as little as 10 and as many as 140+! I used to get my eggs from her and last fall she culled her whole aging flock and is starting new this spring with just 10 chicks. My husband and I(mostly me, haha) decided we would delve into this crazy world of chickens. We are turning my old childhood playhouse into a coop since we have 3 boys and they really don't play with stuff like that.

So we started out wanting 6-7 hens and that darn chicken math I've read about here got me. We have 14 right now! My husband asks me how many we had planned on and I just bat my eyes and say it was never a solid number. Lol at this point we have 3 age groups. Things are going just great with them and we are hoping to get them outside in the coop very soon. Like maybe this weekend.

We have:

4 week olds:
1 Isa Brown (the hen in charge since day one)
1 Black Australorp
2 Silver Laced Wyandottes
2 Aracaunas
1 Porcelain D'Uccle (I'm pretty sure anyway)

3 weeks olds:
3 Aracaunas (a fateful trip to the farm store to get dog food is to blame)

3 day olds:
1 Rhode Island Red
1 Black Australorp (a mistaken purchase by my mom, what's one more right?) :/
2 Porcelain D'Uccles (again I'm assuming since they look identical to our older one)

So the crazy thing first of all is getting such young chicks in the mix but even crazier is that I decided to put Waffles(the D'Uccle) in with the new babies since she is SO sweet. The new babies are in a separate corral. I expected mayhem really but Waffles has taken the babies in as HERS! I'm not kidding. She fluffs out and let's them sleep in her wings, on her back, etc. they all snuggle up to her and sit all over her. She calls to them when she isn't with them(we let her hang with her original age chicks still too) and is very upset when she's not with them. When we put her back she checks on each one. Isn't that a little odd for a one month old chick to act this way? I have no experience so I don't know. Waffles loves cuddling up in your sweatshirt and hitching rides on our shoulders. She just a lover.

I'll post pics later when I'm in the house. I'm painting the coop now while all the babies are outside.

Anyway. Thanks for being here!

 

[Bianca67]

WELCOME!!!

Hi everyone! I am new to the site and chickens in general. I am from Michigan though.

 

[1muttsfan]

Welocme VJ. Sounds like your little waffles is going to make a great broody hen.

 

[NovaAman]

Yeah no kidding! Welcome VJ.

Working on the summer coop...


Thats Aiden... My little menace. LOL. Anyway, behind the wall on the top, there are roosting areas. I have the 4ft rabbit fence on the bottom, but I am also going to double it with another round of the fencing, but upside down so the smaller holes are also at the top. I need to do my least favorite thing... Make doors. UGH! LOL. So, all in all, the ground/floor space is 11x8 plus the 4x5 section that runs under the other coop. I am considering getting a few strong men to help me move that around to the other side though, and have it open into the summer area... OR, taking it down and putting it on a different frame, lower to the ground and making it a silkie/cripple coop... I don't know. Just may build a run off the front of it, leave it where its and make a 5x12 run. Wood comes in 12ft sections at lowes... I like to work with in the lengths available at lowes. I think I could even get up to 16 ft... BUT that would be a lot of roof...12 foot will work.
Well anyway, Will need paint... What ya'll think? Think I will need more ventilation? HAHAHAHA. In the winter I will either plastic it like last year, Or, purchase some wood panels and make the walls solid for a few months... Off and on... LOL. We will see. The plastic worked very well last year. I also have a hanger in for a heat lamp if it becomes a necessity.

Gotta go back to work.

 

[EeyoreD]

Welcome VJ!

Nova, Aiden is adorable! He has great taste in hats and the ultimate facial expression!

And apropos of nothing, a friend of mine just sent me this link. Sounds awesome, figured I'd pass it along: http://www.beantownbaker.com/2012/01/cheesey-mushroom-pull-apart-bread.html