Washingtonians - Page 7679  

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Originally Posted by pips&peeps 

WADDL - Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab

 

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts_waddl/

Well, I am going to Enumclaw today. Would they charge me? The chick seller said she was NPIP.

All the forms needed and prices are on the link.

NPIP does not mean disease free, it means the flock was tested for pullorum and possibly avian influenza. (not all test for AI)

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Originally Posted by FirewifeJess 

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Originally Posted by 4cats3kids1hubby2many 

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Originally Posted by itsren 

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Originally Posted by Chickielady 

Very small pea gravel, and/or crushed oyster shell.

Straw will rot & gets wet and hardheavy to remove.

 

Where do you get crushed oyster shell?  Isn't that supposed to be good for the eggs, too, if they eat it?

Any feed store has it. Put it in a bowl - in the run. This way you can "monitor" how much that they are eating and can make sure they always have it available. Noit only do I do oyster shells, but I bake my egg shells and then crush them up and give them to the birdies.

Right now my girls have access to 18% starter/grower feed, water, and grit. And they free-range most of the day in the half acre backyard. When do I need to start providing oyster shell and/or egg shells? I had heard it's good to put it out with the first egg.

So most people will say to give layer and free choice oyster shell to them as soon as you see the first egg. Dr. Bruce, the vet that was mentioned on here, says that anytime after 15-16 weeks is ok. That the calcium will come from their bones if they don't have enough in their bodies, so it is good to build it up a little before they start to lay. If you have breeds that don't lay until later you can start at 18 weeks. If you have any production hens they can have layer at 14 weeks, because they usually lay around 16 weeks.

This is just the info I got, thought I would share.

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Originally Posted by itsren 

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Originally Posted by hallerlake 

Dad died last night.

 

I'm so sorry! 

Me too! My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

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Originally Posted by itsren 

Question... the girls have been in the coop most of this week.  I put one roost bar 18-20" above the floor going one way and another roost 3" off the floor going the opposite way (like the top of a "T") for Drama, my Light Brahma.  I hoped Drama would roost there.  The coop is small, so I really didn't think it would be a problem because she could sit on her roost and look up at the other two.

 

The new set-up is very similar to how the brooder was set up.  Drama would sleep on her lower roost, while the other two slept up above.

 

A couple of days ago, when she was sitting on my lap, I noticed she reeked to high heaven.  Last night I sat out and watched them go to sleep before their auto door shut.  Turns out, Rhodie and Caunnie sit on the top roost and Drama sits right beneath them on the floor - right in the poop zone.    No wonder my lap bird reeks!

 

Any suggestions on what I can do?  I want to hold my girl, but, wowza, I don't want to smell that!

 

And... can chickens be washed?  If so, how?
 

Some take longer to figure out the roosting thing. You may have to figure out how to rig a piece of like outdoor fabric or a piece of wood to make a cover so she doesn't get pooped on at night until she figures it out. They usually all like to roost at the same height, and together with their broodmates, so she probably won't use the shorter roost. Maybe you could lower the higher one for her and put her up on it after the other girls get on it. I have noticed that the bigger breeds sometimes take longer.

And yes you can give them a bath. I have many times when one gets very stinky! Just use a mild pet shampoo. Then make sure you blow dry after. Get her close to comepletely dry or comepletely dry before putting her back outside. (this will also depend on how warm it is outside)

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Originally Posted by Judges4 

Woke up to two dead chocolate Orp chicks. One was buried in the straw with a broken neck. One looked like it was sleeping. The other was peeping in loneliness.

 

They were JUST FINE last night at 10pm, and there was no power outage and no sign that anything got into the brooder.

 

This week is just killing me!

Oh NO! Sorry to hear that. I hope you are able to figure it out!

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Originally Posted by Chicken Rustler 

Myself I would prefer to get a pup rather than an "older dog" (and I don't think you mean much older). Now keep in mind I AM NOT NOR DO I CLAIM TO BE A TRAINER. However those who have seen my animals may say otherwise. If you get the older dog you risk inheriting bad behavior. I feel it easier to teach what is acceptable and what is not. Rather than to stop old /bad habits.

I agree.  My husband said "no" to possibly adopting my friend's brown lab when she started having trouble with him.  We decided to help by giving her the kennel instead.  The dog was only 6 months.  My husband figured some of the bad behaviors (like jumping on everyone who walked in the door) would be difficult to break since we have small children in the house, who would not know how, or physically be able to keep a 6 month old brown lab from jumping on them.  By 6 months, a lab puppy may still be a puppy - but they are very large.

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Originally Posted by Zgoatlady 

 He needs a good

Oh yeah he definitely has his tail between his legs this morning. Idiot. grrrrrr. CR-it's peer pressure. At 43 years old, he thinks he can still keep up with the youngun's.

On a lighter note, I am pretty sure that one of my barred rocks is laying!! I noticed her comb and wattle got redder about 5 days ago. 2 days ago she was hiding in a box on my porch next to the peachicks.....and it sounded like she was trying to sing a song. I left her alone and checked later but there wasn't anything there. Yesterday I found a brown egg in my nesting box-a perfect shape, but noticeably smaller than the browns that my black stars lay. I never did find her "first" egg......if this was her first egg, I am amazed!!! She is about 20 weeks old, is from a breeder, and they have been on Purina Layer for over a month. I also have oyster shell out there but it hardly gets touched. (They do like crushed egg shells better than oyster shells, I think. Those disappear quick.)

So excited to have a new layer!!

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Originally Posted by hallerlake 

Dad died last night.

I am so sorry.  I know he hadn't been well, but he must have been missing your Mom terribly.  What a tough time you've gone through this past year...

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Originally Posted by Judges4 

Woke up to two dead chocolate Orp chicks. One was buried in the straw with a broken neck. One looked like it was sleeping. The other was peeping in loneliness.

 

They were JUST FINE last night at 10pm, and there was no power outage and no sign that anything got into the brooder.

 

This week is just killing me!

Oh no!!!  I am SO sorry to hear about the chicks!  Definitely not the best week for you.  I wonder what the problem could have been?  Really sorry - I was looking forward to watching your chicks grow along with you...