Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[RainMom]

Ok, so sadly Chance did not make it. I had to separate Chance and Sushi last night because Sushi was pecking at Chance a lot. But when I got up this morning Chance would not open either of her eyes and they were both "goopy", then about a half hour later she was having what appeared to be a seizure. I had to put her out of her pain.
Made a trip back to Bothell Feed Center to get Sushi a friend (they told me if Chance died, to come back and they would give me a friend for Sushi.) and came back with four friends. Our kids have been wanting chickens to call their own again so I got a variety for them to pick form. Sushi is a Barred Rock, and now I also have a Buff Orpington, a Delaware, a Brown Leg Horn and a Road Island Red. Each kid has picked theirs and I am awaiting names from the kids.

As far as the house that we put on offer on, well they counter offered. We already though our offer was way to much for the amount of work that needed to be done so we decided to back off

. I really, REALLY wanted that house so badly that (I waited until DH fell asleep) I cried about not getting it. If I had let DH see me cry about it he would have pushed up the offer until we got it but we would not have been able to afford it. That is how he is with me, if I really want some thing he goes blind to logical thinking and makes what ever I want happen.
But good news, I found another house already. I am waiting to hear back from my agent when we can go look at it. This house only has 3 bed rooms so we will have to build 3 more onto it. But this one has a shop for DH (the other one didn't) and there are horse and goat stalls, a HUGE chicken coop, a green house, garden and many other out buildings for me. Best thing is the price is lower than the last one! We'll see how this goes.

Well, I had a few things quoted, but my computer is not wanting to coroperate and I can't remember what they were.

.

But Hi to everyone. I can't to see ya'll at the Monroe show!!!!

I can soooo relate on the house drama. I stalked this place for 9 months, and was sure we had it- being covered by someone getting it at the foreclosure auction, and went away to speak at a conference. The day I flew in, I got a e-mail saying my house was sold to csomeone else! OMG! It was sold out form under us by a crooked realtor. Then I had to buy it back from the investor for a lot more $. He was a creep and could be brought on charges of collusion I am sure. It was such a roller coaster!

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

i wish today when i drove past dels farm supply i would have stopped and bought me some chicks. I don't like there service but i went right past to see my mom. I could have got some EE's there i bet.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

If it were me I would put DE(food grade) down and cover it with sand and mix DE in with the sand too. That should be ok. If it has been empty for three years, there should be very little parasite problems. But those are everywhere in the environment anyway. I would put chicken wire down as an apron around the outside and up the sides a little ways with sand and pavers on top of that. I don't think you have to do much on the inside unless you want to stop the chickens from digging around the edges.  

Where can I find food grade DE? Would it be better to use playground sand or pea gravel inside the pen? I am also going to put chicken fabric around our trampoline and convert it into a trampoline/tractor for my chickens to forage in the yard.

Thanks!

I don't know if one is close to you but Coastal Farm and Ranch is 25-30 for a 50# bag of food grade DE

Ok, so I'm feeling a little better about these guys getting along :0)

I've been monitoring a few supervised visits from the baby chicks to the older chicks. So far so good!! Boy these guys from TPT are bullies, lol! They've got the bigger chicks on the roost trying to get away from them lol!

Here's the gals altogether!

That is because they are from my #1 n #3 hens, so that attitude can get passed on.

 

[ChickAudie]

Nice!

 

[bikerchicky]

I get it from Del's or the Issaquah Grange. I don't know what's near you. Maybe someone down south can pipe in here with places to get DE? I get mine for $30 for a 50lb bag. Last a long time! I think you could go with either the sand or pea gravel. I have sand in part of mine and am going to put it in the rest here soon. It is a mud pit right now and needs some help.

Thanks for the tips. I will check at Skagit Farmers Supply to see what they have/recommend. I've putt a feeler out for wire fence to put down as the base layer for inside the coop. I plan to get some pavers to put around the outside as a walkway and to help deter diggers from getting in.

Thanks again.

 

[Farmin Momma]

Hey Farmin Mama, sorry to ear about baby Chance, but glad there are so many new chicks to keep you busy. We're about to go through those emotions of buying a house in the next few months. I already know that it's going to be a ride. All I can say is that the right one will come along and it will be well worth the wait!

Thank you, I am hoping that this house is the one for us. It has everything we want and in a good location! I wish you good luck on your hunt as well and hope it goes as smoothly as possible for you.

Quote: That is horrible. I am sorry you had to go through that. I am glad you got the house you wanted, but sounds like someone needed a good beat down after what they pulled on you.

i wish today when i drove past dels farm supply i would have stopped and bought me some chicks. I don't like there service but i went right past to see my mom. I could have got some EE's there i bet.

I just looked at their list and yes they do have EE's.

 

[ChickAudie]

Well thanks! I was always taught to hope for the best and expect the worst. Keeps me happy, because things always turn out better than they could have gone.

RainMom, sheesh! That sounds terrible :0( bad karma for those people smh.

Sweetlilbaby, you'll just have to call your Mama in for a special visit....and maybe she could pick a little fuzzy sumfin up on the way back



ETA- I'm a terrible speller on my phone...

 

[KMHunter]

Quote: Be careful about people telling you that garden DE is ok for chickens. It's not. If they don't have food grade call another place.
I haven't put chicken wire inside the run as a base because the chickens like to scratch and dig, but I did put an apron around the outside and about 1-1.5 ft up the sides so that predators can't reach through.

 

[bikerchicky]

Be careful about people telling you that garden DE is ok for chickens. It's not. If they don't have food grade call another place.
I haven't put chicken wire inside the run as a base because the chickens like to scratch and dig, but I did put an apron around the outside and about 1-1.5 ft up the sides so that predators can't reach through.

Thanks for the DE clarification.

I have to take about 2" of dirt out to deal with weeds and other things, so I figured I would put wire at the bottom of this, then dirt, then sand or gravel on top of that. There is currently plywood all the way around, expect on the doors. This prevented the pygmy goats from climbing the fence. I plan to take the boards out on the house side of the pen so I can see my girls inside. We will put tubular framing up for a tarp for the roof. The tarp is big enough to go down the sides a ways. I also have to dig out some dirt so the doors can open in. If I don't do that then we can't get into the pen once the tarp is in place.

I'm so glad I asked about these things. I wasn't too worried about the dog/goat pen having "free loaders" that could harm my chickens. After 3 years I figured they would be either harmless or dead.

 

[ChickAudie]

Ok, I laughed I cried. Too, funny right now because my oldest currently wants to be a sashquash hunter....oh, dear...