Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[TerrorBird]

So very cute!

It is a CRIME to be that cute!

 

[VelvettFog]

Quote:
Then I need to be arrested !!!

 

[VelvettFog]

Man is it windy here today!!!

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I gots the Silkie pen done for the most part yesterday. Enough so that I moved all the Silkies into last night.

Busy day for me today. Drivers meeting at work this morn. Maybe rehoming Pig Pen. Alex has an Invitational track meet, grocery shopping and more work on pen.

And it looks like I will getting those 3 Blue Silkies KMHunter was offering. Now I will be set for several years with enough bloodline diversity for my small breeding program.

 

[HoneysuckleHills]

HELLO!!! I think I FINALLY found the right forum! Thanks for the invite HoneysuckleHills. I'm not available on Tuesday nights, and usually Friday nights and/or weekends work best. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone and learning about Chickens!

YAY! You found your way here!
You guys are gonna love my friend newhenmama - she's got a heart of gold!
I'll let her tell you about her cool set-up, chicks and coop.
Newhenmama - I know you have a bunch of questions - ask away!

 

[Hinotori]

Dang the wind. I'm not clam digging in wind and rain. Did that once. Took me days to thaw and I didnt get much. I've been coughing to much lately to risk that

 

[HoneysuckleHills]

Yup...quardraddict equations.

learnt it at school!

Toni & Daffy knows it.

Dave and Linda: thanks for the many, many laughs!
RonB - you are pretty funny, too. Must be the white eggs.
Dave, I know you are on the dry side but Linda and Ron - you guys coming to the meet-up?

 

[3arthm0ther]

DANG!!! I know you were looking forward to dumping that thing! Sorry!!
But I'm really glad that you're healing properly!
Just bake some more bread to take you mind off it.



OK.... Gotta make a correction here before it proliferates..... sorry Dave.....
The spelling it AUSTRALORP because it's a combination of Australia + Orpington. The Aussies took the orpingtons and created their own version.
A black Australorp has a beautiful green sheen on it's black feathers and when the light hits those feathers it's incredible.
My Black Sex Link (BSL) looks like a small Australorp. The actual ones are kinda big. Don't let people make you think they always have red in their feathers, it totally depends on what breeds were used in the mating. It drove me bonkers until I talked to some people that regularly use Black Australorps!

Sex Links tend to be smaller but still lay large eggs. They're more "efficient" meaning they eat less food and still produce very well.

There is a great thread on BYC that goes into great detail about what constitutes a Sex Link and what birds can be mated to successfully create sex links. The charts are good as an overview. I find it fascinating. The thread is titled Sex- linked Information


How many eggs per week to you want? Two really good layers will only give you about 12 per week. I have 3 hens (BSL, EE, and Barnevelder) and can't even average 12. I started with the EE and BSL and quickly found out I needed more. I think it's much easier to start with 4 than have to go through the hassle of adding new ones to the flock.... like Dave said. He's OH SO RIGHT! For me, it's no more work to have 4 than to have 2... seriously. I clean the coop and pen every day and I'm done in less than 10 min. I use a 5-gallon bucket fitted with water nipples so cleaning and filling is infrequent. And my feeder hold enough feed for at least 5 days. It's a lot less work than dogs or cats!

Chicks are really cute, but IMHO starting with a pullets that are about 10 - 16 weeks old would be my favoritie way to start.

Well im wanting to sell the extra eggs to help recoup some costs so more is better. so since i want 4 a good combo would be an EE, orpington, SL, and australorp?? now youve made me all nervous about the australorps size! maybe 2 SL just different colors??

whats your coop like? i dont have a big area to build/buy one. and idk if it would be easier/worth it to build over buy. i read someone saying never used cedar shavings because they are toxic, why are so many coops made from cedar then?

 

[3arthm0ther]

I am amazed at how many people don't know that eggs come in more than just brown or white.

its probably because most people think eggs just come from the store but also because there arent very many "foods" that are naturally blue

 

[3arthm0ther]

I will really try to remember this, we needed it tonight. They were soothed by a lot of singing and stories but this would have been very helpful. I need to pick up a big container of epsom salt...for me too

At least I used a Gluten Free cake mix. Not thrilled with Betty Crocker as I know they use a TON of GMO stuff, but I'm thankful I didn't have to put in a ton of work to make the cakes today. I need to get myself a really good gluten free baking cookbook, for stuff people actually make all the time like birthday cakes and cookies and muffins and stuff. I'm sick of mixes. The frosting was loaded with food coloring and I know I shouldn't have stuffed the kids with that junk but when a little boy asks for red frosting...well, you know the drill.

ive been buying the $39 health book packs that have been advertised 3 or so times on my healthfood websites, the last one was paleo. i think it has a GF baking book. ill see if it does and send you the file