Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Slinglings]

Quote: People who say build big are asssuming you will love chickens. If you've never done chickens before, there's a chance you won't like them. In which case, I'd build small. Why invest a lot in something you may not enjoy? You can always build bigger later. The first small coop can be used for brooding, or isolation, or a flock within the flock. It won't go to waste.
or you can get a 2nd small coop when your first is too small.

 

[SplendidsChicke]

Those are such cutie patooties!
I'd like to suggest putting marbles in the tray of that red waterer. You've probably notice by now that those little cuties fall down where ever they are when they fall asleep. Sometimes they drop their face right into the water and drown. The marbles help prevent the drowning. Once other person I know just lost a chick that way. If you don't have marbles, large glass "beads" or something smooth like that, you can use rocks but they're harder to clean.


p.s. A nipple waterer is even better and you can move it to their coop later.

Thanks you for the suggestion! My Mom has had fryer chicks die that way, so she bought a super shallow waterer. This is the same one just new. Its less than half an inch deep, and doesn't even come half way up beaks on the bantams. I've never seen the nipple waterers. For the adult chickens my Mom has always used a 5 gallon bucket that you tip over into a tray (giant version of my little one). Is there a reason for their popularity? Any way more chick pictures!! They are so much fun.


I told my husband that his company needs some new spokes chicks.



So cute and fuzzy.



They like pecking the buttons... But don't weigh enough to do anything!

 

[BGMatt]

People who say build big are asssuming you will love chickens. If you've never done chickens before, there's a chance you won't like them. In which case, I'd build small. Why invest a lot in something you may not enjoy? You can always build bigger later. The first small coop can be used for brooding, or isolation, or a flock within the flock. It won't go to waste.

Actually it was more based on that even if you don't expand, the more space they have the easier to maintain, and the healthier and less crowded the birds, so there is literally no downside. Due to many misinformed people, and flat out wrong information I often find that newcomers build too small of a coop and then are disappointed or end up with unhealthy stock and therefore have to spend more money to make their birds and themselves happier/healthier.

I'd also add the following tips:

The more airflow the better. Some of the setups I see the newcomer or typical backyarder have terrify me from that perspective. This goes hand in hand with tip #2

The drier you can make it the better. Dry coops are even more important than clean coops, moisture is what allows harmful bacteria to grow. This would also include the moisture from condensation in coops without adequate air flow.

Ignore anyone that recommends insulated or heated coops, this is Washington, it doesn't get cold enough (maybe if you're way up in the cascades) to worry about that. Birds come with wonderful natural insulation.

 

[Chickielady]

Hi again guys !!

I gotta go get back to work painting...we have to return the scaffold tomorrow and still have the dormer to do....scarey high up !

have 11 Skovie duckles in lock down, and have (so far) 3 broodies in 2 different coops that I intend to give eggs to rather than incubate any more.
Garden is doing excellent !
I will try & get back ASAP & post photos...but everything is doing excellent !

Bye guys !

 

[ChaeBird]

They like pecking the buttons... But don't weigh enough to do anything!

OMG!!!! This is the cutest thing ever!

 

[SplendidsChicke]

Actually it was more based on that even if you don't expand, the more space they have the easier to maintain, and the healthier and less crowded the birds, so there is literally no downside. Due to many misinformed people, and flat out wrong information I often find that newcomers build too small of a coop and then are disappointed or end up with unhealthy stock and therefore have to spend more money to make their birds and themselves happier/healthier.

I'd also add the following tips:

The more airflow the better. Some of the setups I see the newcomer or typical backyarder have terrify me from that perspective. This goes hand in hand with tip #2

The drier you can make it the better. Dry coops are even more important than clean coops, moisture is what allows harmful bacteria to grow. This would also include the moisture from condensation in coops without adequate air flow.

Ignore anyone that recommends insulated or heated coops, this is Washington, it doesn't get cold enough (maybe if you're way up in the cascades) to worry about that. Birds come with wonderful natural insulation.

We are in the midst of building our coop. We are making much larger than necessary as well as building it in such a way that if we want to expand we can. BGMatt is very wise in suggesting lots of air flow, as well as no insulation. My parents built there's with insulation, which the rats think makes a lovely home. I have the advantage of seeing the mistakes my parents have made over the years, air flow was one of them in the beginning and was easily fixed with a saw and wire.

 

[Duck Drover]

59 posts in 36hrs. I remember not long ago(like a week) when you could have 59 posts in an HOUR. But I know where they are hiding

I don't know what happened but it is disappointing that there would be that much conflict between people on a forum where the intent is for people to share ideas with each other. I know my initial impression was that some people were rude and arrogant but that is not reason to miss out on all the positive benefits from being a forum member.

 

[Duck Drover]

Coffeekittie

I have recently considered getting a pair of Pilgrim geese but then someone suggested I get Oregon Mini geese instead. Have you had other geese to compare the Pilgrims with as far as loudness and temperament? I want a quiet gentle goose breed that can run with my bantam ducks. Because the Australian Spotted duck is rare and endangered, I don't want to add other duck breeds or keep the ducks penned to keep them from crossbreeding so I thought having geese would allow me to have some variety and protection. The bantam ducks used to run off the crows but now they ignore them. I am thinking geese are more protective and might be able to chase off the crows more diligently.

 

[hallerlake]

Quote: People who say build big are asssuming you will love chickens. If you've never done chickens before, there's a chance you won't like them. In which case, I'd build small. Why invest a lot in something you may not enjoy? You can always build bigger later. The first small coop can be used for brooding, or isolation, or a flock within the flock. It won't go to waste.
or you can get a 2nd small coop when your first is too small.
That works, too!

 

[coffeekittie]

Coffeekittie

I have recently considered getting a pair of Pilgrim geese but then someone suggested I get Oregon Mini geese instead. Have you had other geese to compare the Pilgrims with as far as loudness and temperament? I want a quiet gentle goose breed that can run with my bantam ducks. Because the Australian Spotted duck is rare and endangered, I don't want to add other duck breeds or keep the ducks penned to keep them from crossbreeding so I thought having geese would allow me to have some variety and protection. The bantam ducks used to run off the crows but now they ignore them. I am thinking geese are more protective and might be able to chase off the crows more diligently.

Hi DD,

The Pilgrims I have are generally very quiet, and calm. They are a little skittish around people, and not aggressive. They dominated the ducks/ducklings when they were together, but not aggressively, allowing the ducks to eat first generally, and not harrassing them much. I separated them only to keep the geese in grass, as the ducks are much messier! They are large geese, it's true. The people I purchased them from had them running with ducks, so perhaps it's just that they grew up with them...but the other 2 geese I have in there, I believe Toulouse, were also calm with the ducks. I suspect it has something to do with the bloodlines you get, and the environment.

I forgot to address your predator concerns, sorry! That's the one time other than when breeding when the geese get loud. They are very alert, but I don't know about crows specifically.