Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[bobhoke]

Excuse me, I have been completely neglecting contributions to this thread. I have been working diligently with my birds though:

4 Bantam Cochins

(our living incubators - raise awesome nice temperamental chicks just like we want 'em
- 2 Buffs
- 2 Black

5 Black Jersey Giants

- 1 Roo
- 4 Hens

1 Easter Egger Roo

1 Wyandotte Roo (Don) (For Sale: Very laid back) (Just harvested his brother (Juan) because too many Roos and needed a good stock)

1 Maran / Easter Egger hen

2 Easter Egger Hens

9 Barnevelders (4 months old; started with 15 - Cocci kicked their butts)

- 2 White hens
- 1 Blue hen
- 4 Brown / Green Hens
- 2 Brown / Green Roos

2 Australorp hens

1 Mutt hen

= 27 HAPPY BIRDS who are freezing cold nowadays. We get about 12 eggs a day. They all lay ( - ) the Barnevelders. They are in a 12 x 16 wind free unheated 24hr illuminated shanty. I have to figure out a better floor option because Im tired of walking in their crap. It freezes immediately to the sand I put down to reflect heat - not working. Its not too cold in there though. I start worrying at - 19 F, but I'll put heater out there at -15...maybe a little sooner. Call me a softy. I'm retired and have nothing better to do. I like my birds.

We are going to go to approximately 75 birds next year, while maintaining 50 adult size birds that we'll house in the pole barn that we plan to have built in the spring (24 x 32). We'll run water and juice (lights) to it. I'll also put in a wood stove to keep the process warm. We'll harvest and sell the cockerels and hens that exceed 4 select roosters and 46 hens. All non-GMO fed pasture raised. Hopefully we can sell them to local high end restaurants and health food stores, or who ever else has interest in the area. I hope the process pays for a tractor

.

Well I think I'm caught up for now. I will post some pics of Rex (Giant (BLK) Roo) and the others later - take care and best of luck during our lovely winter up North.

 

[bigmrg74]

Apparently I had a Coyote wonder up our driveway this morning a little after the garbage truck rolled in to get the dumpster. Tracked it across the field til I lost what was going on by the edge of the field. Bunch of other tracks from birds, rabbits, deer and maybe something else besides the Coyote all kinda mixed in there. Thankfully, didn't look like he bothered to stop to look at the coop any. Going to have to keep my eye out for that flea bag varmint.

 

[gladahmae]

I'm happy if I get ANY eggs. And even happier if they aren't frozen and cracked when i find them. I have got a big bunch of slackers on my hands. Pullets from May (isa reds or browns or whatever they are called) and I think that MAYBE one or 2 are laying an egg occasionally. I'm having a terrible time with frozen water, even though I have cookie-tin heaters going in all of the coops. It's very frustrating.

I'm planning my gardens for this year as well! Anyone do succession planting? Or have a good link for info on it for our zone? I'm working out a plan for DIY low-tunnels/row covers this year for spring and fall (my biggest concern is wind) and wondering if I can talk DH into adding a few raised beds each year. Not sure if they would really be NECESSARY since our soil is decent, but I think it would help with soil temperature at being able to start things a little sooner, especially if I'm using low-tunnels/row covers.

My tomatoes produced like CRAZY last year. I think we picked 4-5 bushels. It was all canned into a basic marinara/spaghetti sauce and a few pints of salsa, but now that we are using it......it's absolutely flavorless. I am thinking it was because it cooled off so quickly in the fall that the flavor didn't set? Anyhow, if anyone has any suggestions for something I could add to it when we use it to make it TASTE like something I would appreciate it. As is stands I have 40-some quarts of sauce that I don't really want to use.

 

[Stacykins]

One a year I worm my chickens and ducks with Valbazen, 0.5 mL per bird right down the beak. Is it just me, or do animals know when something is up? They must be able to read body language. I'm not just there to feed/water/bring meat scrap treats. No, I have a purpose, hah. A normally docile rooster turned very bitey, made it quite difficult to get the dose in him, the angry boy!

None of my birds are laying at the moment, which is fine by me, they need a break to recharge. Though it means I must settle for store bought eggs. It means I don't have to bother to toss eggs for a period of time, with no eggs.

I feel worming is probably most important for the ducks. They have their beaks in every mud puddle they can find as they free range. My birds are all sleek and healthy looking, but this is one way I ensure they stay healthy.

 

[bigmrg74]

Apparently I had a Coyote wonder up our driveway this morning a little after the garbage truck rolled in to get the dumpster. Tracked it across the field til I lost what was going on by the edge of the field. Bunch of other tracks from birds, rabbits, deer and maybe something else besides the Coyote all kinda mixed in there. Thankfully, didn't look like he bothered to stop to look at the coop any. Going to have to keep my eye out for that flea bag varmint.

Saw that bugger again this morning, lurking out in our field. Luckily I had just put the girls up about 15 minutes earlier.

 

[aart]

Quote: RutRo.

 

[1muttsfan]

Glad, in really cold weather I invert a plastic flower pot lined with bubble wrap over the only waterer that tends to freeze up, it is just big enough to fit over it and comes about 3/4 down.

 

[RaZ]

@iamfivewire

This is the picture from FB that you couldn't see.

 

[1muttsfan]

What pretty little birds

 

[NovaAman]

Well dang... there were over 10k posts since the last time I logged into BYC in 2014!

Who is still here??