Michigan

[Opa]

The day always looks brighter with a fuzzybutt ... bantam blue opington hatched Monday

I recently discovered that Cackle Hatchery has video of each breed they offer. Pretty handy feature for those wanting to know what a chick from a particular breed looks like

 

[1muttsfan]

Good morning Michigan, another beautiful sunny cool day today, 3 mille D'uccle chicks in the incubator this morning yay!

Teeville, I agree with opa, those were likely vultures . No other large hawks fly together in groups, especially in the spring when hawks get very territorial and would be in pairs at the most. The bald head is not always very noticable.

 

[M.sue]

So cute!!

3 mille D'uccle chicks in the incubator this morning yay!
Teeville, I agree with opa, those were likely vultures . No other large hawks fly together in groups, especially in the spring when hawks get very territorial and would be in pairs at the most.
Congrats on the new ones!! I also agree, the group we saw flying around our place a week ago were vultures. Had me worried for a bit. Seems now that I have chickens I'm scoping out the sky more often.

 

[1muttsfan]

Oops! I guess I meant MSue

So last night I was laying on the couch thinking that as it was getting toward dusk I needed to go out and close the 5 week olds into their coop, as temps were expected to drop into the upper 30's. When I glanced out the window, is see a BIg Black Bird flapping around INSIDE the big chicken run! Wow that got me off the couch fast, thinking HAWK! I ran out and a crow had somehow gotten into the big girl pen. The big girls were all sensibly inside, but some of the 8 week old Jaers and Delawares were out in the pen, all agog

and running back and forth as the crow flew around trying to get out.

After opening the pen door and shooing the crow out, I looked to see how he got in. The wire was all intact - the netting not broken or loose - door had been latched. When I went inside the coop I could see signs of crow occupation - poop on the windowsill, scratch grain container knocked over. There is a little triangle open at the top of the dividing wall between the storage area and the chicken area where I run extension cords, and it had apparently found it's way through that into the other side of the coop, removed all the eggs from the laying boxes (the wooden ones were scattered around and there were no regular ones left), then made it out the pop door.

When I was home for lunch the door to the coop was open while I fed the horses. When I came back to the coop I just closed and latched the door withough looking inside. So the nosy one got a little more than he bargained for. Guess I should build a screen door for the coop

 

[SillyChicken]

Teeville, hope the news about your DD keeps getting better.


I know vultures fly together, but I also know they don't go after live prey. They smell for rotting flesh and that is what they eat. They wouldn't be a threat to the chickens. Depending on where you are (I didn't check) there are bald eagles, red tailed hawks and broad winged hawks (<-- travel in groups when migrating). The BW hawk is brown and drab looking and swoop a lot when flying. Sometimes when something is moving fast, it's hard to judge the real size of it.

 

[swampducks]

I'm afraid my feet have been so abused that barefoot is impossible except at the beach. I think the flexibility they get in the sand feels pretty good. Not so much on the hard floors at home. And I haven't gone barefoot in the grass since I was about 5 when I stepped on a bumblebee. Cured me of running barefoot in the grass completely.

 

[RaZ]

I've got to change the blades on my lawn tractor this morning. Some how one became bent resulting in it's cutting about half as high as the other. It brings a whole new meaning to the word scalped. I've always hated changing blades since it required lying on the ground trying to get a wrench on the blade bolt with barely enough room for my hand.

Recently when replacing the tractor's front axle I was grumbling about the problem with clearance prevented me from putting a breaker bar extention on the socket wrench to free the axle bolt. I mention to Hope that it would be a lot easier if I could stand the tractor on end. She responded with "Can't you use the electric winch that you use for butchering deer?" Talk about a "doh" moment.

So changing blades today should be much easier, but ..............

I meant to ask if had the front axle repaired but I kept forgetting. Guess I have the answer now.

When I change the blades on mine, I drive it up car ramps. The other thing I did was to install some forger eye bolts to the frame. I did that for tie-down point when I trailer it, but could work for a nice safe winch attachment point.

 

[Brethren49619]

Morning all. Been a busy and long weekend, but seems to be over now. Tried to keep up with some of the posts, but SO many (as usual) probably missed a lot. So,
Good Luck
Congratulations,
So sorry to hear that
Keeping my fingers crossed, to each of you as it applies.

My eggs never hatched.

Eggtopsy showed that small temp spike in first week and a blown light bulb in the second week took whatever was developing. Disappointed, but not giving up.

It was nice to have all the kids together again, it's been so long. Friday was DS 21st birthday, Saturday was Dad's internment, and Sunday Mother's Day. Monday my DD (24 yo) returned to Virginia and Tuesday DS returned to Camp Pendleton. He is a US Marine crew chief on Hueys. My 15 yo had a great time catching up with them.

Picked up my DS from the airport in TC on Wednesday, and my DD from the GR airport on Thursday.

On the way back found a small feed and seed that still had chicks. Yeah, bought a dozen. 4 each of BO, BA, and EE. Cute little chuckle heads.


Now at least I KNOW that I will have my own fresh eggs by this fall. And I knew that they grew fast, but GEEEEEZZZZ, didn't really expect how fast.
This one Mom said looked like an owl. It's name is Hooter, and it has become our favorite thus far.


Mom and DS are having a ball watching "chick TV." They all seem to be doing well. One is a little small though, even though it seems healthy enough. Tried putting a little sugar in the water. What is the proper ratio of sugar in the water? Our "local" feed store doesn't really have any supplies, so looks like I will need to mail order or use things around the house already on hand. Also had to warn them not to become too attached since it is likely that all of them won't survive. I hear this all the time, but don't really know what is a normal loss to expect with baby chicks?

A couple of you have again offered to share your eggs with me. I might just take some of you up on that, once things calm down again. I'm also thinking about Chickenstock. Will have to see though. It really is a far trip for me.

 

[Mzkynd]

Well, I am not in jail...

After for sitting for 2 hours and listening to assault, drunk driving, shop lifting and drug dealing cases, the judge finally called me up. He read the file, looked up and said, "This is about a chicken?". After the laughter died down, we proceeded.

I was able to ask the ordinance officer how many chickens he saw and he admitted that he didn't see any. But he did have pictures taken by the neighbor that he gave to the judge. Judge Hammer then let me see the photos. They could have been taken anywhere. Just saying...

YAY!! Not being in jail is good and sounds like you got a reasonable judge

Thunder, lightning, quite a way to start the morning, but it appears that the storm will be short lived and sunshine is still on tap for today. It is going to be a good day. I have had people ask how can you always be in a good mood. I think they suspect brain damage. However, one word can explain it..............choice. Lots of days far well short of spectacular but how you decide to let it affect you dictates how your day will go.

Grab yourself a cup of coffee and let's still awhile before we go out to face our day. Think about our friends who are facing adversity or the helplessness of having a loved one it. Say a short prayer that they find the strength and understanding to face their day. Maybe we should also say a prayer for our friends who only hatch cockerels.

Love this post!!!! wonderful outlook you have

What?



ok, I jest..... but that is how I came up with my name.... darn silly chickens!

Ok so what kind of "work" is involved with having chickens?

opening and closing pop doors
feeding and watering everyday
keeping them parasite free inside and out
cleaning coops roosts - daily to weekly
building bigger or more coops (cause the first will never be big enough)
finding someone you trust to care for them if you go on a rare vaca!
watching for predators
shooting predators (in your Sunday best)
dealing with bad neighbors (same as predators, only you can't shoot them)
providing the right env for the coop (ventilation etc)
providing shelter/protection
collecting and eating or selling eggs - everyday
loving
chasing
hatching
brooding
bators (whole nuther list!)
chicks
healing
eating
culling
dying
treats!
roosters........good and bad
saddles
feathers
poop
fun (not to be confused with poop)
BYC
silly chickens! (not me, the chickens)

just about sums it up

Do we have swaps in michigan? i have lotsa babies and some adults i need to get rid of.

1 sebright hen ~ 10 bucks
1 BQ Buff silkie rooster ~ 20 bucks
1 bantam WC chocolate polish rooster ~ 10 bucks
5 bantam WC black 1 month old polish chicks unsexed ~ 5 ea.
1 pair of bantam blue cochins 1 1/2 months old ~ 20 bucks
1 bantam blue cochin cockeral 1 1/2 months old ~ 5 bucks
3 bantam black mottled cochin cokerals 1 1/2 months old ~ 5 ea.
1 pair of bantam phoenix 2 1/2 months old ~ 20 bucks the rooster is silver with gold leakage and the hen is silver with yellow feet but they are darkening a little.

I also have hatching eggs in partridge/grey partridge showgirls and silkies, mottled cochins, bbs cochins, wc cuckoo and black polish and soon lav and lav split silkies.

Email me if your interested! at [email protected]


Eyes Shielded!! Eyes Shielded!! Scrolling past this post..

LOL, I totally have hobbit feet too. My husband hates them.

-------------------------


Yesterday we went to a nearby park that has a big river/ponds - There were at least 6 dumped domestic bids there - One of them (A toulouse goose, I think? The one in the middle) was super sad - (s)he kept following me around and was getting chased off by the Canadian geese there. If I didn't have my dog I'm pretty sure I could have easily caught it. There wee a few domestic ducks and another goose for sure - The one in the front here - is it a Toulouse too? It's coloring is different...) Even the duck in the back of this shot was a domestic... Ugh, the dumping.




Ugh about the dumping is right What a sweet looking girl though

ok, DON'T laugh.........my first attempt at making an apron for a chicken............sad, sad chicken apron....

yes, those are sad little sewn pocket lines too......... lol. I'll adjust to fit since I have no idea if it'll work yet. Good use for some old blue jeans though.




Nice, I love the addition of pockets, oh the fashionisto ideas that are running thru my head right now, with dreams of "Best Dressed Flock" dancing thru my head

Good Morning everyone!

OH! Forgot to tell everyone..I put nine porcelain d'uccle eggs in the incubator this morning. They are to go under my broody. However, I am keeping them in the incubator until close to hatch, then I will switch eggs with her.
Perhaps today the eggs I ordered for my Frizzle broody will be here. I will add hers to my incubator- and same thing, I will swap them out close to hatch. I couldnt find uggo eggs, lol. SO, she is getting frizzled bantam Polish eggs.
My husband was NOT impressed with me at all- getting more eggs. Good thing I am his partner and not his child, or else he may have grounded me or something.

I am grounded from the shelter and craigslist right now

The day always looks brighter with a fuzzybutt ... bantam blue opington hatched Monday

I recently discovered that Cackle Hatchery has video of each breed they offer. Pretty handy feature for those wanting to know what a chick from a particular breed looks like

aw what a cutie!!

and on the shoe debate I am strictly a boot girl. My toes look like hands( as in my big toe is not really my big toe kinda toes) and nothing else is comfy, tennis shoes always end up cramping my toes, no matter the size/fit I try, all my pretty stacked heels, wedgies etc sit in the back of my closet, to be worn VERY VERY RARE occasion that I actually get all dolled up. But
boots ah I love my boots, work boots, cowgirl boots, muck boots, combat boots. :=)

How is everyone? things here are pretty good, watching my girls take a dirt bath thru the window as I sit in my workout pants ( on the off chance that a workout might actually occur

all wrapped up in knitting podcasts while I plug away and try to finish what seems like a gazillion washclothes! So glad for the sun, finally got my laundry all caught up, nothing beats sun-dried sheets , in related news I slept like a baby last night.

It has been a while since I have been around and there were pages , i read mostly, but just wanted to say I hope everyone's ailing family members, sick chickies are all doing better.

Edited for color coding

 

[chicken grandma]

Bretheren,

What beautiful kids! I am just amazed at all the great familes on this Michigan Thread!
Thanks to your marine son for serving our country.

I am so sorry about your loss of your father. In my opinion, that is the hardest thing in life to endure, loss of a loved one. I am glad your mom has 'chick t.v.' to ease her pain.
Chickens are very good therapy.

As far as loss of chicks? You could lose all of them at once to a predator. Dogs could get some - especially watch your favorite chicken because if a hawk or dog is going to grab a chick - it always turns out to be the favorite chick.

You cannot prevent a chicken from getting egg bound or having an injury usually, but good clean housing that is well ventilated, clean food and water and some heat from a heat lamp as appropriate is a good way to keep chickens healthy.

Here is one of the main things you can do for your chickens health. Change your shoes when you go out to the coop. Don't wear your street shoes that you wear to chickenstock or the feed store back to your coop area.Since chickens eat from the ground you don't want parasites or bacteria that are on your shoes soles to get into your soil. (see Coccidia) Also avoid handling someones chickens and then coming home and heading out to your coop. Some respiratory disease can live on your hair for 2 days (See MG/MS).

Most chickens survive. But we worry over them every day!