Eastern Washington

[DaveOmak]

What hatchery do you go thru?

Just Fowling Around in Brewster...

 

[Raech]

Our newest member of the family! Meet Shelby, an olde english bulldogge at 10 weeks. Already proven herself to be a "great" garden helper, by laying in the dead grass we raked up.

 

[Amberjem]

Its getting really annoying to hear people ask me every day if I have had my flock tested yet. The funny thing is, a gal at work has her chickens a few houses down from the affected flock she had no choice but to get hers tested, then it has taken them several days to get the results. But if her birds are affected they supposedly wont live more than 3 days, so by the time she gets the results from the test her birds are either fine or dead already. (They are fine by the way). But it is kind of silly, in my opinion anyways.

My girls are all in an enclosed coop/run that currently has a tarp over the run area for the winter so migrating birds wouldn't even be able to drop infected poop in. They are not allowed to free range. But if for some crazy reason my girls get infected and start showing respiratory problems or dying, I still wouldn't involve the government, I would simply dispose of my own flock, disinfect the coop, and start again. As much as I love my girls, I am perfectly capable of using an axe, I don't need someone coming on my property and gassing my birds out.

Sorry I just had to vent after hearing ignorance all week. Each person has to decide if they want their flock tested, but as far as I am concerned, as long as your flock is completely contained and not free range, you may as well take your chances and wait and see. If my girls were free range and hanging out with all the neighbor chickens and wildlife I may feel a little differently, and be a little more worried.

Aside from that craziness, I am hoping I can get one of my girls to go broody and stay broody on some eggs this spring, does anyone have any tips for first time mothers to get them to stay on the eggs? One of my girls was broody all night on some eggs and by this morning she was out and about and over the idea of sitting on eggs. Maybe I should wait a month or more to try?

I thought it was voluntary testing?? thought I had read about the outbreak in in port angelese that they were going round checking other flocks and asking to test nothing was mentioned about involuntary testing .. I had wondered if possible bulling tactics or pressure was being done to general public in the affected area's to be tested...

 

[WashingtonWino]

I'm going nuts, my chicks hatch/ship date from chickensforbackyards.Com (aka Cackle Hatchery, I'm almost positive) is Monday. Can anyone who has ordered from Cackle in MO tell me if I should expect the chicks in WA NEXT day (Tuesday) or two days (Wednesday)? It was almost easier when I was months out, the closer the ship day gets the more I keep thinking about it! Aagh! Is it this agonizing every time?! Maybe I need a dose of my own medicine, a nice glass of Syrah..... phew!

 

[DaveOmak]

What's going on with the quarantine ???? I called the Dep't. of Ag. to find out how the AI can be transmitted..... The Riverside Quarantine is less than 5 miles from me... I was concerned about UPS, USPS and Fed EX driving into my place and bringing it with them.... I got a recording..... ***..... A very infectious disease and they can't answer the phone.....
Does anyone know if car tires, personnel etc. can carry the disease and drop it off on your property.... How about if I go to North 40 and buy feed.... Can I pick it up there and bring it home....
North 40 has Layena on sale now.... every chicken owner may be in the store looking at chicken feed to purchase......

 

[pips&peeps]

Dave,

To my knowledge all cases of AI in Washington have been contracted by people who let wild waterfowl comingle with their flocks.

If you want to be extra careful, go buy your feed and spray your feet with oxine or some other disinfectant when you get back into your vehicle. Also do not buy anything that would need to be delivered to your house by UPS or Fed EX if you are concerned.

I talked to a guy at USDA the other day and they do not believe that song birds will carry this, it is not an impossibility, but they don't foresee it happening.

Keep your chickens cooped up and possibly get a foot bath to step in before you enter/exit their coop.

 

[DaveOmak]

Our legislatures wrote a bunch of stupid laws regarding this outbreak... then repealed them, probably after they read them.... Sound familiar... See Okanogan and read the last page where the laws were repealed... We have elected idiots, I swear...

http://agr.wa.gov/LawsRules/Rulemaking/AH/HPAI.aspx

 

[janiebug53]

I can't get a whole lot of info on the latest report in Oroville,other than it was somewhere on the northside and I live on the oppisite side of town but it still concerns me because I don't want my birds to get sick. we did buy feed last week at North 40 in Omak. We don't use the same shoes to tend the flock as we use to go other places. we have our birds in covered runs because hawks and eagles were circling overhead a lot last spring, also the cute little bantums like to fly up into trees. This hasn't been the best weather lately to bring them out to romp in the yard so maybe thats a good thing. it's still scarey though.

 

[KrystalRose]

I am looking for some fertilized eggs for my hens to sit on. I would prefer Orpington, Easter Egger (Araucanas/Ameraucanas), Welsummer, or Black Copper Maran. I don't mind if the eggs are crosses between the above breeds. And I would be willing to consider other breeds if you have something different. I would be willing to pay for these or trade for my fertile eggs if you also want some more genetic diversity.

I am looking to get more of these varieties and I need another rooster or two to raise that isn't related to my girls. I would also be willing to buy chicks that are a couple days old or less as I have a hen that is due to hatch eggs soon that I can put them with if they are young enough.

If you want to trade or buy from me I have Buff Orpington, Delaware, Easter Egger, Barred Rock, and Black Australorp hens covered by a Cuckoo Maran Rooster. The offspring should be all or mostly barred like dad and produce darker brown or olive colored eggs. My girls are all on organic feed.

The picture is of my rooster Romeo, a very good natured protective rooster that is good to the girls.

 

[jennabug]

Quote: Hi KrystalRose

I have a White Silkie Roo with my hens right now. My hens are: one Maran, one Black Australop. I've been considering giving away my Roo because I'm in the city (West Richland) and my no-crow rooster collar is not very effective. Anyway, if you're interested in fertile eggs from the Silkie/Australorp I should have a couple by this weekend. My Maran is brooding chicks right now from that the Silkie. 5 of 5 hatched, and are showing a lot of Silkie traits: feathered feet, extra toes, black skin. Let me know if you're interested in any of these (eggs, Roo, chicks). Would either be free or trade.

I don't have a picture of the Australorp handy, sorry.

Jenna