Michigan

[Hillbilly Hen]

Not a nice thing but last year I watched a red squirrel drag a dove up to her nest kicking and screaming. On a good note I watched a whitetail doe wean her fawn in my field yesterday. HH we have black, grey, red, and fox squirrels here - bet you have the same. Did you head over to the Burley Park flea market today? We got some nice stuff after the haggle!

John, we have the same squirrels here too. I just don't see the fox squirrels very often. We did not go anywhere. Stayed home and sold some of my chickens. DH worked on planing lumber for Nella brooder boxes.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Kimmie, here is a better pic with the pop door. you can also see it on the inside just under the bag of shavings in the first pic you re posted. The door is in hinges and I latch it closed.

 

[swampducks]

Had a nice surprise thunder bumper last night which brought a bit more rain which was great, especially as it happened after dark, after I closed up the coops and leaves today mostly sunny, once the clouds pull out. High is supposed to be 77 now much nicer than yesterday's steamy one of 87.

Yesterday, in that nasty heat DH moved a few more stumps out of my new vegetable garden across the driveway, till his tractor blew out a radiator hose. Today we'll run into Alpena so he can get a new hose, I can stop at Home Depot and get my new weed whacker. I really need to edge some areas like the electric fence line, my gardens, etc. Seems ducks chickens and guineas can't be bothered and I'm not really wanting to get goats or geese.

I did smoke that hunk of salmon and should have taken it off the smoker 15 minutes sooner, but it was still tasty if a bit drier than I like. Then we headed to my good friend and neighbor next door for my yearly birthday party she has for me, inviting all her family in the area. She and her DH (who passed in April) adopted me into their family shortly after we moved here, which is really nice since my family lives in MA, and most of DH's is downstate.

Tonight DH will take me out to dinner at a little place in Ossineke called Baba Ruski's. Just a country style family restaurant, opened a couple years ago with great breakfasts, great fish on Fridays and by the looks of the 20 oz steak the gentlemen next to our table had the last time I was there, really great steaks. I'm having one of those tonight, even if it is Polish night.

Time to walk the pups, Y'all behave and don't sneak any Uggos into my truck please?

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Happy Birthday Swampducks!!

 

[Nigellas]

Sorry about this huge, blurry picture - It's really hard to photograph free-range chicks, lol. Anyway... These kids are the same age (both boys) - Do I need to be concerned that the one on the bottom is way less developed feather-wise than all the other chicks? He's 3 1/2 weeks and still mostly fuzz.

 

[vjwilmoth]

Today starts a 3 day in a row streak of working 11p-7a...

I only have a few more weeks of "really" working nights and then I'll just work a few nights a month, enough to pay off a credit card that will be DONE in September! After that I'll be completely done at the end of August in preparation of our new lives as full time homeschoolers!

We will actually begin HS this summer though as we usually do.

*insert evil laughing smiley here* My plan is working....soon there will be Uggos in ALL backyards...

Haha


Yes, but can you suggest a ground cover to use? That is where I am stuck. I have ivy around the tree. But I need something softer looking. And I found everything I wanted to buy at Steppables.com but the mouse ear stuff was 97 dollars a flat- pssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh thats not happening..
We have creeping phlox as ground cover but we just planted it so it's not really covering much at all yet. Are you looking for something to put under/around trees? Liriope muscari is pretty, so are Japanese iris.


I stayed out on Saturday night until 3 AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My hubby and I thought we were in our twenties or something- went to breakfast after the bar with my cousins...and seriously, Seriously. I am WAYYYYYYYYYYYY too old to be up for 22 hours. scary.

I have realized that I am far too old to be up for 20+ hours as well working this insane 11-7 shift with kids. I might FEEL 17 and only be 34 but my body feels like it's traded places with my nursing home residents after pulling stints like that!

Oh, you are my bestest buddy and I have two Uggos for you- a black one and a white one-so that we can be partners...me, you, Silly Chicken..we are gonna take over the world with our Uggo group...
I am going to sneak through Chickenstock putting Uggos in vehicles just so everyone can join the revolution..

Can I help? I like being in the thick of it like that.

Yesterday's dinner with Hope's family was nice. The food turned out excellent as was to be expected and the only downside was the two daughter in laws tried to out lazy each other. Neither made any attempt to help with the cleanup afterwards and I feel that is just wrong. On a positive note, Hope went and got her step father from the care facility and the change in the man is remarkable. I haven't seen him look better in a long time. He was more conversant and seems quite happy. I think the interaction with people has been the primary reason for the improvement.

I was looking at the weather forecast for the next few days and it seems that we are in store for quite a change in our temperatures. Today it's supposed to reach 80 then the rest of the week they are calling for highs in the 60s. At least it is supposed to be sunny. Sounds like it should be a week to try and get some fishing in.

I soon as I can get some more coffee down I need to check on the eggs in the incubator. I put 29 eggs into lockdown and they should start doing something today.

I'm glad the food turned out so well. But what a bummer about the daughter in laws. I find that younger generations tend to be more inconsiderate as a whole. I really hope I'm raising my boys "old school" enough that they won't be labeled that way. I have always had people bring my kids home after a sleep over/play date and remarked at how incredibly well behaved they are. They will even take all 3 boys at a time! They are holy terrors to each other sometimes but I guess it's a brother thing AND the fact that they are so close in age at 8 1/2, 10 1/2, 12. My dad's mom had 8 children and he said she always told them she would rather they be terrors at home than in public. It is said by everyone who knew her that she was the kindest soul and so sweet but her kids minded her and knew how to act. I hope I embody her spirit.

UPDATE FOR NOVA!!!!!
The girls are snuggled in their new pen, happy as can be. Everyone is laying now and my DD thinks that is the most amazing thing EVER

The first batch of Duck eggs is on it's way to Consumers Energy..... on a motorcycle

hope they ride well or DH is gonna have a saddlebag full of yuck!!
I have been trying to get the pictures from my phone on to a post... not happening.... Maybe I need to email them to myself first. I will try that so NOVA can see where not her girls are

Have a good day all, I'm off to hang on the line and bake..... lots of baking!!!!

I can't wait until my chickens are laying eggs! Congrats! I have baking to do today too!

Good morning, Michigan folks.
We left town for a few days. Our first weekend with a chick sitter went well, and our 3 chicks looked gigantic when we returned. They are 5 weeks old now, and I'm anxious to get them out of the house.
The coop construction is well underway. I've been reading up on runs, and I'm looking for insight on the floor. We're planning to put hardware cloth on all sides and the bottom (we have a lot of impossible roots in the yard, and won't be able to dig a trench to bury). I'm wondering if there are any MI climate-specifics I may not have considered. So... which do you do: sand or composting goods for the run floor? Or is there another option I should consider? We're looking for a material that would be the most comfortable for them, and the best for smell control for us and the neighbors.
Thanks in advance!

I'm not helpful on your run question. We don't have one. I was going to make one and all the options were making my head spin so I decided to just fence in a 50'x60' area of our yard and let them "free range". They are odd chicks though. We open the pop door and they all fly straight to our massive variegated willow bush that is about 10'x12'. Silly...

Oh stacykins I'm so sorry about your little goat.

Opa, glad to hear that Hope's step father is doing well! That's fantastic news!

Well after catching 2 coons in 2 days the trap was empty this morning. Which makes me kind of glad. I know it needs to be done and I'll continue doing it but I have to say that going out and dealing with that business is not my ideal way to start the day.

But my flock is safe so far, electric fence gets completed today, too.

I'm sorry you have to deal with those coons. I honestly don't know if I could do it. I am definitely one of those people who projects human emotion on animals and I would probably be a sobbing basketcase the rest of the day after killing something. I wish I could though! My mom goes hunting and has no problem killing things. I can't even listen to her hunting stories because it makes me want to cry.

Stacy - I'm so sorry about your baby goat.

 

[SillyChicken]

Eeyore- hit a coon anywhere in the bulbous area of the skull. The X as suggested earlier, or between the ear and eye on the side, in the ear, even in the back of the head where it connects to the spine is effective. I believe your second shot was good, when shot in the head the animal will have some amazing death throws because their muscles have become short circuited. Looks unnerving, but they aren't feeling anything and they are basically dead. Lead hollow points are good cause they will mushroom out (when they'll do the most effective damage). I'm glad your killing vs releasing to become someone else's problem.

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I love the heat, but I was having a tough go with it and didn't get done with all I wanted too. We did get the garden all planted so that was a relief and I went for a nice bike ride Monday. We didn't get any rain.

VJ- I have one lone roo millie, that would love to come home to your girls!! Let me know if you're interested (free)! He's a brave bird, always first to investigate and check things out! He's very handsome with awesome leg feathers!! Looks like he's about the same age as your girls. I will be taking him and the other bantams to chickenstock so let me know if you'll be there and your interested, I'll save him for you.

Nigellas - yes, if you find someone who wants your fav chicks you have my blessing to do what you want with the 2 hens.

I'm going to start dismantling the old outhouse this week. Hopefully I can get it rebuilt by the time chicken stock rolls around.

Mom- You could put down 2x2 paving blocks or flag stone, with a 3 or 4" space between them, and fill with something like scented thyme and pea gravel. Smells great to step on, and with the cheap blocks or stone for filler, wouldn't cost as much to make look nice and it's easy to maintain. I have the thyme, woolly thyme and a few others, and they smell great!


Opa- I also notice my DN's wife will not get off her fat entitled behind to help out with holiday meals. She has no qualms about telling us about how entitled she is either.

 

[kimmie6067]

Mom, Yes, but can you suggest a ground cover to use? That is where I am stuck. I have ivy around the tree. But I need something softer looking. And I found everything I wanted to buy at Steppables.com but the mouse ear stuff was 97 dollars a flat- pssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh thats not happening

How about creeping sedum it comes in all colors and it flowers.

Kimmie

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Sorry about this huge, blurry picture - It's really hard to photograph free-range chicks, lol. Anyway... These kids are the same age (both boys) - Do I need to be concerned that the one on the bottom is way less developed feather-wise than all the other chicks? He's 3 1/2 weeks and still mostly fuzz.

Are they the same breed? I wouldn't worry about it too much at this point. It may just be a late bloomer.

 

[kimmie6067]

I have a question, I am getting four EE tomorrow can I put them in with my two week old chicks after a few days? These guys seem a little rough and I don't want them to hurt the little ones but I really don't want to put up another brooder. I guess I should have thought of that, I didn't know my girls were going to grow so big in two weeks and be all over the place.

Kimmie