Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[lilfarmmomma]

Did someone forget to tell the weather gods it's spring?

We've got 2 to 3 inches snow on the ground and it's still coming down in BIG FAT FLAKES here! (very pretty, but hey- is is spring or not?)

My forsithia bush had just popped open yesterday, before it began snowing:


That is beautiful!! It snowed a little here yesterday too, but didn't stick. Then we got torrential hail that made my deck look like it was covered in snow. Today, it is bitter cold, but sunny. Hopefully it will thaw soon, so that I can get my dog kennel/temporary run moved down to the coop, then the girls can go outside if it is niceish out.

 

[BGMatt]

Depends entirely on the individual dog. Boxers weren't a hunting breed so possibly less prey drive? We had a boxer growing up that would lay down and let the chicks crawl all over her.

As far as the quarantine issue being discussed, I think it's something people fret about too much. So many ways for illness to find its way to our flock, as long as the new bird appears healthy I usually don't bother with it. Of course we also live in a time where people medicate their sick chickens instead if culling then immediately, or at the least isolate them and see if they recover on their own. All that attitude does (the medicating and vaccinating) is make the genetic stock weaker.

 

[fikeyismybaby]

Yesterday It was shining brightly outside But it was super windy and cold outside.

 

[fikeyismybaby]

Depends entirely on the individual dog. Boxers weren't a hunting breed so possibly less prey drive? We had a boxer growing up that would lay down and let the chicks crawl all over her.

As far as the quarantine issue being discussed, I think it's something people fret about too much. So many ways for illness to find its way to our flock, as long as the new bird appears healthy I usually don't bother with it. Of course we also live in a time where people medicate their sick chickens instead if culling then immediately, or at the least isolate them and see if they recover on their own. All that attitude does (the medicating and vaccinating) is make the genetic stock weaker.

Thanks!

 

[pips&peeps]

I have these available now:





And I have a blue and white similar to the red and white.

 

[Greg Richardson]

I'd like to give some thoughts on this subject...................
Quote: It's where you are, with what you have, using your common sense.

There are so many "rules" out there that if it was possible to do a search to where it began I think it would surprise a lot of people.



You made a great point when you said..................



Quote:

Stress is the #1 problem imo of what brings out sickness in an otherwise healthy bird.

When I use to raise Discus which were very $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ fish there was all kinds of rules there also.

I found out over the years it was more about stress then it was about anything else to keep them healthy.

Just like the 4ft rule per bird that is quoted over & over.
If your coop is the kind that is off the ground even in snow most chickens will go under the coop.
Only time they are all in there is to sleep.

Rules are good guides.
Common sense is even better!

If it makes one feel good to keep them 50 feet or 100 feet away from each other than that is good.
One should do what makes one feel good about the care they are giving.

But this idea that gets around forums for all kinds of animals certain rules are a must do doesn't fly with me.

Common sense does.

 

[Slinglings]

technically should[/COLOR].  I don't have a farm with multiple buildings, I don't have multiple secure pens and runs.  I don't have what it takes to do it "right", but I still want to add new birds from time to time.  I need to find the middle ground...  where is it?

Carolyn, I think that is the point. Some people say that you want to stress them out to bring out any hidden illness that they might be carriers for but aren't showing symptoms of.

I had four hens and added four more in November. All four were from the same farm. What I did : I caged them in the garage for as long as I could stand to see them torture each other. One in particular was tearing up the other three. After 3 weeks I attempted to put the four new ones in an enclosed run outside, but the crazy one continued to torture the other three. So I put her back in the garage and left the other three in the enclosed run. This lasted a few days. Then i put the new ones to bed with the old ones, the next morning I introduced the crazy one to my old four, I just let her out in the yard, that confused the old four because they had never really spent time with her... Everyone was confused enough that there wasn't much fighting.

For a few nights I had to put two of the new hens to bed, they didn't go in the coop at night, or possibly Leila wasn't letting them in.

Before I started all this i had wormer and cocci med on hand and first aid stuff for injuries, which I did need to use, but only during the time they were in the garage. Once they were out of the garage there were no major injuries.

 

[lilfarmmomma]

Yesterday It was shining brightly outside But it was super windy and cold outside.

Yes, it did that here too for a bit. I am in Spanaway, out toward Graham/Eatonville. I think we had a little of literally everything yesterday and a brilliant rainbow during one of the breaks. It was pretty neat, though I needed to be outside working. Oh well.

 

[fikeyismybaby]

Yes, it did that here too for a bit. I am in Spanaway, out toward Graham/Eatonville. I think we had a little of literally everything yesterday and a brilliant rainbow during one of the breaks. It was pretty neat, though I needed to be outside working. Oh well.

Yeah I live in Parkland!

 

[CarolynF]

Did someone forget to tell the weather gods it's spring?

We've got 2 to 3 inches snow on the ground and it's still coming down in BIG FAT FLAKES here! (very pretty, but hey- is is spring or not?)

My forsithia bush had just popped open yesterday, before it began snowing:

WoW!! We got a little bit of hail yesterday, but nothing like this! Impressive!