Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Farmerboy16]

Boy, was off for a few days and I am 20 pages behind! Will catch up later.

Anyways, got the Chickenstock buy and sell thread going, so fire away! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/849476/michigan-chickenstock-2014-buy-sell-trade

 

[Amy PT]

I just uploaded pictures of every one of my Araucanas to an album. The snowy weather helped me out, as they were all chilling in the coop for me to single out and get pictures of!

Coop walls are a tad dirty, that will be a spring cleaning chore!

So pretty. What does "Gypsy faced" mean?

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Quote:Originally Posted by gladahmae Are they really that dark in person? I wish that i had a camera that captured that good.......Mine are a greyish color, with a hint of green/ blue. The blue layer is a washed out blue, perhaps like the lighter one in your pic. I've never actually SEEN one a robin's egg blue! Envious!
Quote:Originally Posted by gladahmae Is this where you got that layer? Or is she one of your own projects?

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Looking for egg/ breed stuff late at night and i found this https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/823212/colloncas-huastecs-quechuas

Explains what i have observed in my tamer ee's, their original lineage were friendly and on the tame side. My first roo preferred a single mate as well. He had other hens but only one that he ran with almost all the time. Both old and new roo seem overly protective of babies, seem to enjoy them! Even if they weren't theirs. Other roos i have tried to use have been aggressive toward babies, especially those that weren't their own.........
My new roo i think is out crossed maybe with a blr wyendotte. Funny comb though, almost like a silkies? a bit of hairy leg too........?Him and his possible sister are very fully bearded and super tame. (auction, both caged only a number from each other)



My old pair that had single mate bonded


had the two daughters that i have now,




the ones that lay the greenish grey eggs even in the dead of winter; the other hens from the buttercup crossed roo i think are more ifffy on the laying in the winter. Me thinks i'm on the right track! The new roo whatever his lineage is VERY affectionate to both me and his hens, caught them standing around beard-kissing today! Then for the first time since i bought him he dared to jump on my lap like one of the girls!

So much for ee's being snubbed on "some" threads!

 

[RaZ]

I would love to try some breeding experiments for temperament and egg colour. It just isn't feasible for me to do so.
I can say that of all the chickens that I have had have been very friendly and tame. I attribute that to a lot of handling from the time they were day old chicks.
My latest venture includes salmon faverolles which are known to be very docile. Docile to the point that other chickens bully them. Not very good in a mixed flock.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

The particular strain of ee's i've been working on are not good in mixed flocks either. What makes for a good pet isn't so great for survival! Must be why the old roos were so great together; needed more of them to watch over those silly girls!! LOL


I do hope we win this battle Raz; i'm so anxious about this whole thing. My birds are set back quite a ways and almost in the woods but the fancy pants neighbors down the road cause trouble now and then............ Have to pry these birds from my cold hands....... I'll set mine back further into the woods maybe with the new coop.

It is a big part of the reason that i'm more than likely going to have to give DH's family the rescued hens, and a few of my wilder girls. I want to pare down to just a handful for this next year.............Easier to hide.

 

[eatwhatyougrow]

The particular strain of ee's i've been working on are not good in mixed flocks either.  What makes for a good pet isn't so great for survival!  Must be why the old roos were so great together; needed more of them to watch over those silly girls!! LOL


I do hope we win this battle Raz; i'm so anxious about this whole thing. My birds are set back quite a ways and almost in the woods but the fancy pants neighbors down the road cause trouble now and then............ Have to pry these birds from my cold hands....... I'll set mine back further into the woods maybe with the new coop.

It is a big part of the reason that i'm more than likely going to have to give DH's family the rescued hens, and a few of my wilder girls.  I want to pare down to just a handful for this next year.............Easier to hide.

clandestine chickens!

 

[RaZ]

I had a similar conversation with another MI BYCer. They can take my eggs when they pry them from my cold dead fingers.

It is kind of funny in some ways. Who in their right mind would fight to keep chickens when you can buy eggs and chicken at the grocery store?
The point of this fight is the loss of rights. First us chicken people and then who? The bee keepers? The wool producers? Anyone who wants to grow their own food? What's next?

I hate to come off sounding like one of those anti-government, conspiracy nuts. I am not that way. I merely want to retain the rights that I have already been granted in taking care of myself, my family and those who buy my products. I want to protect the rights of ALL citizens who want to use agriculture to make a living.

 

[RaZ]

clandestine chickens!

There is that. And when chickens are outlawed, only outlaws will have chickens.

I had chickens for a few years until a neighbor got a bug and turned me in. It had nothing to do with chickens, it was a personal issue that got out of hand. At least in their mind.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

I wanted to add for anyone who is liking the idea of super friendly birds, whether buying chicks or adults i have several tests:

First i try to make eye contact. Eye contact is the #1 necessity. A definite deal breaker if they won't.
Then i bring up my hand; if they shy away at first it's not a deal-breaker
If it's and adult i put my hand on their back and push down; see if they submit. (roos too) This one has to be done gentle and slow; sometimes i'll do it several times; if they get comfortable with it i like them.
If it's a chick i tap on the floor of their cage to see if they take my food cue

They pass then a pick up and good body squeeze hug, they pass!
I have been known to tuck a new boughten impulse auction buy under my arm and waltz out with no flapping or protest or cage, much to the chagrin of some of the other buyers who don't have the knack LOL. The new two were taken out this way. Drove home with them on my lap.