Oregon

[Totalcolour]

Quote: OR4-hmom, I'm going to be passing through Grants Pass on the way to stay with Sister in Jacksonville for Thanksgiving. I'll wave as we go by

 

[OR4-hmom]

Imagine me waving back. I do the same thing while traveling through Nor Cal.

 

[Karenmyrrh]

Mine slowed down a lot last year -- first winter, so no official molt. They are slowing down this year, too ... and the older birds have been molting. I have some younger birds in my flock ... I have zero clue who lays what egg. TBH, I don't even know how many birds I have! My laying rate is maybe 20% -30% at the moment ... and dropping. We are on a hillside with great light (SE exposure), and I do believe that helps a LOT. My coop is greenhouse plastic, so they get all the daylight nature has to offer. I don't add extra.

I'm pretty surprised were still getting so many eggs. And through a combination of the excitement of new chickens and excited toddlers we watched each girl lay and with 6 different breeds we know whose egg is who's. so I can tell its just the marans and the EE not laying. Is that weird that just some stop laying? They're all the same age.

Your girls must be very happy with all that natural light!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I'm pretty surprised were still getting so many eggs. And through a combination of the excitement of new chickens and excited toddlers we watched each girl lay and with 6 different breeds we know whose egg is who's. so I can tell its just the marans and the EE not laying. Is that weird that just some stop laying? They're all the same age.

Your girls must be very happy with all that natural light!

I can only tell which breed lays which egg based on colors. I'm still getting a few green/blues and white, and a few of the darker eggs that have to be from the Marans I got this spring ... otherwise it is various shades of brown, and that's not terribly helpful. I've considered putting cameras in the nesting boxes, but I'm either too broke or too lazy for that.

Maybe I should hire an army of toddlers as egg spotters.

About the light ... I had never really thought about it before, but when "hours of daylight" became a factor in laying rates, I started to notice how there is a shadow in the valley below us during both sunrise and sunset ... and how the light either shines directly on our hillside or reflects back from the atmosphere and/or hillside opposite. I have no clue if it really makes a big difference ...

I do like having natural light *inside* the coop.

 

[Iwonderwhy]

I have a total of 9 young Pullets. Several are molting at this time. I would consider it a mild molt as they don't look as severe as some I have seen here on this website. We have been getting approximately 2 eggs a day for the last couple of weeks or so. I think we are doing pretty good here.....

 

[BGMatt]

Just conducting a census in the northwest, do you (or anyone you know) raise Langshans in either bantam or large fowl? If so please let me know what variety either here in thread or via PM. Trying to get an idea how many are out here.

 

[IridescentPals]

Chickens seem to be very adaptable to the various housing options : )
This is a photo of our little red barn that houses our chickens & goats that I took first thing one recent morning. The goats sleep in the right end and can come and go as they please. They start grazing at first light most mornings and greet me on my way to the barn at 7 a.m. If we didn't have a timer come on at 5 a.m. the hens would be in nearly total darkness until we arrived to open the big stall doors. We have raccoons, coyotes, skunks, weasels, and opossums in the neighborhood so we lock the barn securely at night.
When opened the doors have an inner "screen" of poultry netting and a lower license plate covered entrance - Our solution to keeping the goats out during the day and it is easy to wipe clean.

 

[clbarley]

I love oregon but as we have entered rainy season, I hate it. How do you all deal with the rain?

 

[Zanna]

I love oregon but as we have entered rainy season, I hate it. How do you all deal with the rain?

Pull on the raincoat, rainpants and muck boots I grew up in Vancouver, BC, moved to Oregon when i was 19. The rain here is minimal in comparison..............

 

[IridescentPals]

I love oregon but as we have entered rainy season, I hate it. How do you all deal with the rain?

I was "transplanted" in 1991 from sunny southern California and it took some adapting! I focus on outdoor projects in the summer and turn my attention to indoor projects in the fall/winter months. Photography also helps me. It takes some effort to look for the beauty in the shades of gray. Today is a good example. It is cold, gray, and still outside, but there are surprises in the moss and bare branches. I take my camera nearly everywhere I go and really look at my surroundings. Indoors I turn on a few more lights. Maybe some music? I noticed a big difference in my mood and energy when I started taking vitamin D3 supplements in fall and winter months. I also get more work done on our family tree during the winter months : )