Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[pips&peeps]

I really enjoy this breed after having runners. They are very quiet, easy keepers, easy to move, etc. Just nice little birds.

Ducky Doo was our first WH, her brooder mate didn't make it past the first week and she grew up with the geese. I found her behind the back of the building out of line of sight. I have it all sectioned off so no one can go back there right now, but she snuck through the fencing. That was her downfall. If she would have been up with the geese she probably would be here with us today. The ganders are all pretty pissy right now and I would imagine would have scared off most predators.

I'll be getting my security cameras up and rolling now, so if I have to, I can track what time it is coming in.

 

[LaughingFeather]

For those of you with deer problems I was given this response by Monty on "The Easy Garden Forum".
I thought it was well thought out.
You might find this helpful.
Even if you can't afford a fence right now you might try this combined with the egg spray mixture on the first plants if they jump the wire.

Quote:

I have a huge deer problem too. Here is a trick I use to "train" them to stay away from the garden. Once you get your fence up, buy an electric fence charger. Make sure it's a good one. Run a strand of fence wire about 3-4 feet high around the outside of the main fence. From that wire, hang 4" x 4" squares of aluminum foil. Coat the foil with peanut butter and press alfalfa pellets into the peanut butter. Space these bait squares about 6' apart all around the fence. Plug in the fence charger and let the training begin. Deer aren't stupid and after taking a few zaps on the tongue or nose, they will avoid your garden.

I am going to pass that one on. I have a niece who has a nursery in Shasta. Can I quote you?

 

[LaughingFeather]

Hey, guys...I had to share this one. Hope you find it as funny as I did.

In science, I've been teaching my 6th graders about energy transfer, and we did the traditional "egg fling" experiment using my home-grown eggs. Each group had to devise a contraption to keep their egg from breaking when we threw it onto the cement. The kids did a great job. Out of 10 groups, we only had 2 broken eggs.

When we came in from egg-flinging and were working on the write-up, a kid asked me, "I know they won't, because they've been in the fridge, but if they could hatch, I bet the chicks would be really deformed." I responded that if the eggs hatched, it would be a MIRACLE, because I don't have a rooster. Took the kid a couple minutes to get what I was saying!

These aren't even city slicker kids. You don't get a whole lot more "out in the country" than Morton! Maybe we need a new course of study in science after Spring Break...

--Nikki

Nikki, I was just looking at your avatar full size. Your daughter is precious. Those boots and pink dress are so cute together and the dog food can placed just right. I can tell that this summer we are going to have to have a plant start trip to a bunch of homes. That clematis in the background is gorgeous. I want a start....

 

[pettec63]

Well since I haven't been on here in a while I guess I need to catch my old peeps up on the latest.
Still haven't had hip surgery, VA wants to do it in Aug, but, yea... no wayno!! Can't wait that long, besides, my faith in their system is dwindling!
So, I'm gonna take my private insurance and go get it done in the Tri cities. Already have a doctor lined up, just have to have the consult.
Here's whats up with the VA, I had carpal tunnel release surgery, they sent me to the VA hospital in Spokane. Which is already about 200 miles away. I get the surgery done, and guess what..... waiting for a follow up call.....no call no call! No call as to a suture removal date.... And I'm getting madder and madder as the weeks progressed. But you could have called them you say?
Uh, I have been in the system since 2002, I don't think I should have to babysit my health care providers!!

I've already done that enough over the last 2 yrs! So... I took them out myself!

I said to my husband, as a Vet tech we did better follow up on our spays and neuters!!

Anyway, because of the surgery's ect, I have had to dramatically cut back on my animals. I sold me Beltsville whites to 4312 and I am probably selling all my Muscovy's. I still have my Buckeyes, Bantam Ams, and Bantam RIR's and of course Chop chop the tom. I'm selling my reg Nubian Buck. My husband has been a saint, but, he works a ton of hours and I just can't stand to see him as tired out as he is, cause I'm having problems getting around. But, when I get this done, I should be pretty much back up to snuff! I will probably be making more shows, and fairs too!

We have been getting orders for eggs from Terry's co workers, and then I had 8 Buckeye hens go BROODY!!!

So, I tried the ole, put them in a wire cage for a few days, (didn't work) so I let them out of the coop with the rooster for a week, and they straightened up! Anyway, so now Terry's all gung ho for layn hens!!! I said REALLY!! Good luck with that! LOL!!
He's the one that got on my case for getting as many as I did! Hmmmm.....

I've got two does that will kid next month, and three more probably not till june or July, hopefully I will be back to some kind of normal movement, so I can get this place shaped up!

Anyway, I had CT surgery on 3/8 and it was on my left hand, which right now is my cane hand, so it's been a longer recovery then usual, typing isn't too bad, but I can't txt or type too long.
Anyway, thats all there is, I know I've been gone a long while, I don't see alot of my old peeps on here?

to all the new peeps, this can be a really fun thread! Congrats to all the wonderful egg dyers! Very nice! Great ideas!
I hope everyone has a wonderful and Blessed weekend!

 

[RainMom]

Hey- no way to ever catch up on this thread, and can't comment on everything, but so sorry for the loss do your welsh harlequin.

I've actually considered getting ducks for slug control, and almost got a coupleof indian runners. I'd like a quiet(ish) pair of ducks.

ZGoat Lady- woo-hoo- first blue egg- I need a viewing session with this blue egg- seems it should be given a revered place and a blessing said over it!

I made wet mash last night- because we ran out of medicated chick started and the little guys could not eat the pellets. We moved them outside into the small chicken tractor DH and I made last year- the beginning of our chickens. DH PERSONALLY gave every last one of the 16 lessons on how to walk up and down the ramp to get from warm bed to hearty food. The cats are pretty convinced this is a new entertainment center for them- and have been watching them for hours.

So now, this we've just got the silkies to get out of our house. I'm tempted to put the silkies in with the 4 week old large fowl chicks- anyone want to weigh in on that idea? Do ya think if they are raised together when they are almost the same size they would adjust?

DH's vacation was cancelled for next week, so no traveling to San Juans to watch Orcas. I'm doing a very slow burn here. My DS, such an unselfish young man, asked for nothing more than others to bring donations to save the whales for his birthday. We agreed that in exchange for his generosity, we'd go on Spring break to see the local Orcas. Grumpy mama here.

 

[LaughingFeather]

As a western Washingtonian I've discovered sand works really well in our chicken run. It is easy to rake the poo out, drains all our rain well and provides good dirt for my hens to bath in. It is much cleaner than all other products I've tried. It is masonry sand which is finer than play sand. I thought play sand too coarse for my hens feet and also to rough to encourage bathing.
I've also found a red light in our coop has become the predator proof I needed to discourage deer from stripping the foliage off our young fruit trees and keep them out of our garden. We have two windows on both sides of our coop the red light acts as predator to the actual predator-raccoon, coyote, deer. I've seen small red electric or battery opporated light/reflectors which are attached to each corner of an area and meant to intimidate predators. My coop red light works really well, so much so that we did not need to put in a fence around the garden or orchard, or add the lights i mentioned. We do have a fenced area for the chickens however.

Very interesting. I use one on my coop also. Will have to put the trail camera out to see if it works.

 

[hallerlake]

Perhaps I was being a tad grouchy old man last night. Yes, I know this forum touches on a lot of topics and I myself have posted political leaning comments.
If I offended, I apologize.

We all have those days.

 

[LaughingFeather]

Mikey.... this forum has always had a bit of an edge to it, you know that, this is a social forum it's not all about chickens..... and yes the political stuff is subject to interpretation, but, come on now? I know you have spoke about supposed "off topic" issues....

It is kinda funny!

As my name implies I take every opportunity to giggle. This one did make me giggle and I didn't see any political reference to it other than our dear congress and no one by name. Some of this is fine with me. Although I do have to agree that if I really wanted a bunch of these, I mean a bunch, I would just open my own mail. I have about 1,000 of these I have not read in my own email box thanks to a dear cousin who forwards everything..... sigh...

 

[DeesHens]

Wow! Those are great pics of your flock. Enjoyed them very much. Such character and all.

~Dee~

My girls and I are enjoying the beautiful spring day

Blanche


Coco


Blanche is always curious about the camera..



I'm sure Blanche was checking out the camera in this picture, that's her comb in the lower right


Skye, Rosie, Buffy, Leila is in the background


Leila always looks suspicious to me..


Coco again

 

[LaughingFeather]

I was so upset from my trip to California and what happened when I came home with our "guest handyman" and my chicks. Anyway, it was an awful trip home.

From the Bay Area you have to take the 505 cutoff from 80 to get to 5. As you enter 5 from 505 there is a long sweeping curve onto 5. Next time you go by there, notice the nice stainless steel BBQ by the side of the road and about 50 purses decorating the freeway. A big wind hit us there, snapped the ropes holding the BBQ down and broke the legs of the BBQ off. Over the side it went with my lifetime collection of purses stuffed under it. My old big pressure cooker, and I will find out in the future as I miss it,...... over the side. My purses wound up in the traffic so they where a complete loss. What he did save I have been quietly tossing because they are so scarred up and torn. The BBQ was broken to pieces and here and there.... Now this is under 50 miles from home.... we still had over 700 to go. My fingers where crossed. I was surprised by my emotions about it. It is what it is, except and go on. Now I have an excuse to go out junking and find some new purses!