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New in my Life Raising Chickens


joessportster

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I see so now you Live in Ionia, in other words, LivIonia.

@Audio Flynn

 

But seriously, there are wild mink in Ionia?  I’m surprised they’re anywhere in Michigan other than closets.

 

EDIT: 4/26/18 a 11:48

 

I see that wild mink are common in Michigan, and throughout North America.  It makes sense, but I never thought about it.

 

FYI, we had a pet chinchilla.  I looked it up.  It takes 300 chinchillas to make a coat.  Not surprising, since their hands are so small.

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On 4/26/2018 at 7:50 AM, DizRotus said:

I see so now you Live in Ionia, in other words, Livionia.  

@Audio Flynn

 

But seriously, there are wild mink in Ionia?  I’m surprised they’re anywhere in Michigan other than closets.

 

EDIT: 4/26/18 a 11:48

 

I see that wild mink are common in Michigan, and throughout North America.  It makes sense, but I never thought about it.

 

FYI, we had a pet chinchilla.  I looked it up.  It takes 300 chinchillas to make a coat.  Not surprising, since their hands are so small.

In five years I have been within six feet of a mink. Tiny scary murderous beasts!

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13 hours ago, Audio Flynn said:

In five years I have been within six feet of a mink. Tiny scary murderous beasts!

Now thats funny......................So how old b-4 I get eggs ?  Cleaned out the coop Saturday for first time had to drill holes to drain the water otherwise pretty painless except trying to keep the birds out while the floor dried.

 

also now when we wake in the am all the birds have figured out how to get through the eaves  at the roof, all 11 are happily pecking at the ground when we get up. Should I wire that area to keep them in ?  Thoughts ?

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56 minutes ago, joessportster said:

also now when we wake in the am all the birds have figured out how to get through the eaves  at the roof, all 11 are happily pecking at the ground when we get up. Should I wire that area to keep them in ?  Thoughts ?

I would think so, if they can get out other things can get in, or get them when they are out.

We use to have ours out sometimes during the day when were home but they would get into the house way before dark, I just had to remember to go close the cage door.

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12 hours ago, joessportster said:

Now thats funny......................So how old b-4 I get eggs ?  Cleaned out the coop Saturday for first time had to drill holes to drain the water otherwise pretty painless except trying to keep the birds out while the floor dried.

 

also now when we wake in the am all the birds have figured out how to get through the eaves  at the roof, all 11 are happily pecking at the ground when we get up. Should I wire that area to keep them in ?  Thoughts ?

4-5 months

 

I have some of mine open but only 3 inch slots. Good idea though.

 

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6 hours ago, joessportster said:

Ok How old / big before I can let these chickens roam the property for a few hours a day ? they can get more natural protein (bugs) and vegetation outside the pin. 

 

Once they're feathered out, it's up to you and your discretion based on where they're allowed to roam and your predators, any spaces that maybe you don't them getting into where a larger bird wouldn't be able to fit, etc. For me, I typically wait a bit long so that winged predators don't try to carry them off.

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16 minutes ago, Thaddeus Smith said:

 

Once they're feathered out, it's up to you and your discretion based on where they're allowed to roam and your predators, any spaces that maybe you don't them getting into where a larger bird wouldn't be able to fit, etc. For me, I typically wait a bit long so that winged predators don't try to carry them off.

That is about my main concern,(winged predators) they are about 1/2 grown and fully feathered. I was thinking about a couple hours before dark as a trial and see if they go back to the coop.  I also have to worry about a stray dog that has come by 2 times now and ran the fence stirring them up. we keep a watch but can not obviously stand there all day and catch his A$$.

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6 minutes ago, joessportster said:

That is about my main concern,(winged predators) they are about 1/2 grown and fully feathered. I was thinking about a couple hours before dark as a trial and see if they go back to the coop.  I also have to worry about a stray dog that has come by 2 times now and ran the fence stirring them up. we keep a watch but can not obviously stand there all day and catch his A$$.

 

You should be fine with supervised grazing, but I wouldn't leave them out and unattended just yet.

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And a predator isn't always a foreign/malicious threat. We have a new livestock guard dog puppy that's a few months old and likes to play with the slower birds (ducks, chicks, etc) so we have to be pretty diligent about not having them all out at the same time unmonitored. Came home tonight from an impromptu trip into town and my 6 year old spotted him eating one of her chicks 😕 ..Classic case of me thinking the wife had put everyone up and she thinking that I had.

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