Washingtonians - Page 8010  

I spent the late afternoon and evening working in the backyard. I swear there must be something living under the Silver Lace vine and maybe in the greenhouse. I kept hoping that I was just imaging things. But Miss Gabby and the nasty little pups, must have been hearing the same thing.  Gabby spent most of time staring under the bushes, and into the greenhouse.  So far I haven't seen any evidence of dropping from rodents. But I have had opossums on the property. I also caught a small raccoon on my front porch.

That was a little scary! I had stepped out to pet on of the cats, and was reaching for the animal, when I realized that it wasn't a cat.  All I could do was chase it off of porch. DH wouldn't let me shoot the 22 on the front porch. 

So I am thinking about baiting in the greenhouse, and I may try the plastic shoe box idea. 

I also tried the mouse trap on my island bar chairs. The boys set the traps off three times today. After the third time I caught one of the nasty little puppies with a mouse trap in his chops, right as he was going through the dog door. I still haven't found the other trap that they set off. I think I am going to have some fun with this trap thing. I might even set up the game cam, so I can catch them in the act. They know enough to not jump up when I am in the room. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by JNB 
Do you know the Latin name of that plant? I'm wondering if it's the same thing as the Azolla species of water ferns (I believe that it and similar floating plants are often confused, and I've heard them all called "duckweed" by different people). Anyway, I grow some of the Azolla genus plants (not sure the species name), in water basins next to the chicken coop (with a scoop of compost and a few minnows) and use it to feed to the chickens. I got the idea from this article: http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/magazines/global/small-animals-in-focus/azolla-livestock-feed. Mine definitely do enjoy eating it (it's often the first thing they'll go for if given choices). Right now the only obstacle I seem to have is growing enough of it to meet the demand! I've also tried eating it myself--it has a sort of pleasant, nutty taste.

One caveat I would add is that because of it's rampant growth habit, Azolla can be a REALLY invasive pest if it gets loose into waterways, so depending on your location be careful about that. I have an acquaintance who operates a water garden nursery, and considers it a most noxious weed. Ironically enough, my original plants I got from him, after he succeeded at irradicating it from his property...

We were talking about Lemna minor L, (lesser duckweed).  There are other species grouped in the "duckweed" family of Lemnaceae. I fed my hens some water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.) and they chowed through in no time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imp 
I no longer have many needs for compost.  Yard is too shady, so no garden. I converted over to fruit trees and shrubs. And Waste Management says no waste in recycling. I also have something very fiberous growing in the compost. So when the compost bin rots it's gone, mostly. Some newsprint goes into the compost pile, but I try to limit it. Right now it's more of a place to dump yard waste.

Imp

Your fruit trees would benefit from a top dressing of compost.  

Is your compost bin open at the bottom? You might have tree roots moving up from below. (That's what it sounds like.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FirewifeJess 

If you want, you can join a Meetup group that Teresa just started here: http://www.meetup.com/South-Sound-Backyard-Chickens-Meetup/

Then you'll know where we will be (I think it's the Auburn Coastal Farm Supply on August 19th in the afternoon, first one! It's a great feed store too!

Thank you! 

My name is Trish.  It's good to have an alter ego though.  Teresa has 49 chickens, Trish only has 11.  The neighbors haven't met Teresa yet

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisaheath1 

My chicks loved it outside today.  And I thought it was very cute that they let me know it was time to go inside. The sun was going down and they all stood in a little line by the door of the run and chirped their little hearts out, lol.  It was like they were saying "mommy, mommy, we are supposed to be inside, take us back inside, we want to be in our brooder" , haha.  So of course, I scooped them up and took them inside to their brooder.  

 

The neighbors asked what I was building today, lol.  I was hauling lumber in my mustang with the top down. <--- that HAS to be mustang abuse, lol.  So I told him I was building a castle for my chicks :) and he asked if he could bring his kids over to see them this week.  I said sure :)

The Mustang is the best visual. I picture men crying a little tear on Meridian, as you go by, applying lip gloss. 

Look what I did last night.  A little birdie named Deborah told me to.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/691055/bin-12-splash-cochin-bantam-eggs-show-stock

FYI  many people who are allergic to chicken eggs can eat duck eggs with no problem. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imp 
I no longer have many needs for compost.  Yard is too shady, so no garden. I converted over to fruit trees and shrubs. And Waste Management says no waste in recycling. I also have something very fiberous growing in the compost. So when the compost bin rots it's gone, mostly. Some newsprint goes into the compost pile, but I try to limit it. Right now it's more of a place to dump yard waste.

Imp

Your fruit trees would benefit from a top dressing of compost.  

Is your compost bin open at the bottom? You might have tree roots moving up from below. (That's what it sounds like.)

Oh yeah, it's definately roots of some sort. There is nothing growing close to it that has roots that thick & tough, and they are not in the ground around the compost. I've been wondering if it is mycelium, since nothing green is popping up. I'm talking tough like loofah sponge tough. lol! A few years ago I dug it out and it only took a couple months for it to be retaken over. 

Russ- Maybe I should name it "Audrey II"

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsren 

 

You would have kept with a dirt floor?  What do you have now?

 

I like my dirt floor... easy, peasy to scoop.

Yea, I wish my coops had dirt floors.  Now I have vinyl over plywood.  I use a deep-litter method, but in Yakima it is so dry that I never get a compost going, not even a slow one :(  So I'd rather have the dirt floor to help with the deep litter composting idea.

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsren 

 

Right now I have the same wood chips as those in the coop.  Will they stick to an egg?

 

I have straw, but didn't put it in for fear Drama would eat it and get an impacted crop again.

I've not tried wood shavings in my nesting boxes.  I've had great luck with straw (nobody eats it) and not so much luck with shredded paper.

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsren 

 

I certainly hope they lay later than 18.5 weeks.  I *really* don't want mine to start laying when I'm at Yellowstone.  The last thing I want to do is to come home and find out they started laying and eating their eggs while I was on vacation.  A family member will only be checking on them once a day - late in the evening.

 

So far, my RIR is the only one who is starting to get red.  My EE and Light Brahma are both still pretty pink in the face.

Yellowstone is my favorite place in the world.

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsren 

 

Is the not feeding calcium thing for small chicks?  Or is it for older birds, too?  I sprinkled oyster shell on the floor of the run when mine were about 14 weeks old.  There's grit on the run, too.  It seems they pick and choose grit.

Providing grit and/or oyster shell free choice will be no problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JNB 

OK I thought id share this and see if anyone here is or has done this.. I have been reading older threads here on BYC... came across this post and info.. in the feeding forum I peeked my interest for further research:) So i hijacked it and thought Id post here to see what folks think of it :)

 

Do you know the Latin name of that plant? I'm wondering if it's the same thing as the Azolla species of water ferns (I believe that it and similar floating plants are often confused, and I've heard them all called "duckweed" by different people). Anyway, I grow some of the Azolla genus plants (not sure the species name), in water basins next to the chicken coop (with a scoop of compost and a few minnows) and use it to feed to the chickens. I got the idea from this article: http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/magazines/global/small-animals-in-focus/azolla-livestock-feed. Mine definitely do enjoy eating it (it's often the first thing they'll go for if given choices). Right now the only obstacle I seem to have is growing enough of it to meet the demand! I've also tried eating it myself--it has a sort of pleasant, nutty taste.

One caveat I would add is that because of it's rampant growth habit, Azolla can be a REALLY invasive pest if it gets loose into waterways, so depending on your location be careful about that. I have an acquaintance who operates a water garden nursery, and considers it a most noxious weed. Ironically enough, my original plants I got from him, after he succeeded at irradicating it from his property...

You need to ask Rainwolf about duckweed -- she'll know.

Guess what I finally found?!!!  A miniature weathervane for my coop. 
 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00380K08G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=AGDPRO53CEC7G

I'm going to spend my birthday money that my mom sent me to buy it.  Too bad it won't ship via Prime.  Now I'm going to have to wait until we get back from Yellowstone to order it.  Bummer.  It would have been cute to have on the coop for the twin's b-day party the week we get home.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chubby Chicken 

Look what I did last night.  A little birdie named Deborah told me to.

 

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/691055/bin-12-splash-cochin-bantam-eggs-show-stock

That's funny!