Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Totalcolour]

Quote:

Here is the progression of the eggs she layed this week. The darker one on top is from yesterday morning, the ones under are from previous days. She's only been laying for a week so far and I know its my Cuckoo Marans.

Wow, that is quite a progression! Nice looking eggs.

 

[motherochickens]

Wow, that is quite a progression! Nice looking eggs.

Thanks, it's exciting to watch. I can't wait for the rest to start laying.

 

[chickiemomy]

Quote: Luckily, the pen the Ameraucana rooster was in was at the far end of the feeding/watering loop, so I never went from that pen to another one; also, I don't go into pens to feed or clean, nor compost chicken litter in the barrel with the sow bug and worm colonies I feed as chicken treats. What's worrying with Gape Worm is that the intermediate phases are earthworms and slugs, and slugs especially travel across the yard. And I can't find out if garter snakes are vulnerable to that parasite; I've already had to reestablish the population after the winter Dad unintentionally burned out the hibernation den which was under a blackberry-infested pile of scrap lumber. I don't like using even Iron phosphate slug baits in summer, and the gartersnakes are my slug-eating friends.

I'd heard of gape worm - what a nightmare - but wasn't aware it was in this area, nor about slugs & worms being intermediate hosts. I haven't been using the iron phosphate anywhere the chicks are either, altho it's not supposed to be lethal to them - it looks too much like feed pellets, and can't see where it would be beneficial to their diet. The chicks seem to keep the smaller slugs/eggs eaten.

I battle snakes feasting on my tadpoles & tree frogs around my ponds -its quite a buffet for them, sigh - but do like that they eat slugs - nature - what can you do... Seems reptiles might not be so susceptible as they are different species?? -- but then again, don't they think birds evolved from reptiles? hmmm.

 

[Duck Drover]

I have six blue/black Silkie chicks for sale at $5 each (or $25 if you want all six). I live in Covington but I will be in Seattle on Saturday. These are nice purebred chicks but the toe spacing on the fourth and fifth toes are close together so I separated them from the ones I am keeping (which may be too many since I am hatching more). I also have some Silkie cross chicks (one is supposed to be a purebred Silkie but it looks like a cross to me, even though it has Silkie feathers. I have the three listed for $5 total on Craigslist but they are free to anyone here.

I am considering selling a trio of my Easter Eggers to keep my rooster from breeding with my Silkies. The pullets should be laying soon. The rooster is black and white and the two hens I would put with him are mostly white with splashes of color (not sure if they would be considered splash or not). The trio would be $45, $15 each for pullets and $10 for the rooster. The rooster came from Del's and was labeled Ameracauna while the pullets came from Coastal and they were labeled Araucana so I am sure they are unrelated as they came from two different hatcheries. I would like to hatch chicks from them but I don't want Silkie crosses and my flock free ranges together. I separated some Silkies into a breeding pen but the better solution would be to sell my Easter Egger rooster and only hatch Silkie eggs.

Does anybody in Seattle or in the general area know of chicks for sale? I am looking for silkies & Easter eggers

 

[Duck Drover]

I should have read all the posts before replying. My trio would not be an option and the only way I will sell hens is to relocate the rooster. The Silkies are a straight run since they can not be sexed until they lay or crow. If you want Silkie hens, you will probably need to buy adults that are already laying.

I live in the city so I really can't have roosters

 

[chickiemomy]

on the predator issue --

lets talk coyotes... 5 months ago, I lost one GSL to a coyote near the house & have since restricted free-range for the flock. (that GSL was so not-predator wary- I 'knew' she'd be the first one to be taken...) do like the seemingly common sense nature of my buckeyes, and also appreciate my australorp first-alert alarm system-especially helpful for eagle & hawk sightings.

I've heard - & wonder if any of you have verification of -- that donkeys make good guard animals as they hate - will kill or drive off coyotes.

my german shepherd just passed - he was great - tolerated the chickens (even the ones who jumped on & off him on their way from here to there!) hung out in their run - but he thought his duty was to be as close to me as possible 24/7 -- not raised as a livestock guardian.

anyway considering the next animal & thinking donkey - perhaps mini-donkeys - and having them on the defensive side of where coyotes enter the yard.

chickens, the gateway livestock...

dogs, donkeys, llamas -- any of you have experiences &/or strong preferences?

 

[Duck Drover]

I got Call duck eggs to hatch under two broody Silkie hens and when I marked them in my calendar I realized they are due to hatch while I am at choir camp with my daughter. That means my husband will need to deal with the hatch and even I have not hatched ducks using chickens before so there could be problems with humidity or the hens not staying on the nest for the full period (26 days). Then I don't know if these hens will be good mothers because this is the first time I have given them eggs to hatch. I am testing one of my Silkie hens with a chick I hatched in the incubator after she sat on golf balls that I replaced with ping pong balls (my hens went nuts for the ping pong balls and they are only 8 for $1 at the Dollar Tree). I am thinking I might need to put the eggs in a hatching incubator and give the hens some chicks to raise instead, which I can do before I leave. I actually have lavendar Orpington eggs I set and then realized they are due the day we leave so I am hoping they hatch a day early with the warm temperatures we are having possibly keeeping my Little Giant on the warm side of the range. I will have to give my husband a crash course in incubation and brooding before I leave.

They are under broodies, so I can't do much on temps. I blame the blue hen. She plucked herself good and keeps those eggs tight against her.

 

[Hinotori]

Quote:
LMAO! Yes, I agree it was to warm. I was hauling stuff outside last night. I prefer the lower 70s for highs.

 

[Hinotori]

Quote: Luckily, the pen the Ameraucana rooster was in was at the far end of the feeding/watering loop, so I never went from that pen to another one; also, I don't go into pens to feed or clean, nor compost chicken litter in the barrel with the sow bug and worm colonies I feed as chicken treats. What's worrying with Gape Worm is that the intermediate phases are earthworms and slugs, and slugs especially travel across the yard. And I can't find out if garter snakes are vulnerable to that parasite; I've already had to reestablish the population after the winter Dad unintentionally burned out the hibernation den which was under a blackberry-infested pile of scrap lumber. I don't like using even Iron phosphate slug baits in summer, and the gartersnakes are my slug-eating friends.

Dang. I'm very sorry about your rooster. That sucks and I'd be more than a bit irritated.

I'd knew that the earthworms were hosts, but didn't know that slugs were. I didn't really see any garter snakes here last year, but this year there has been a lot of young ones. I'm careful with them and move them if I have to so I can keep them safe. There is one living around the pots at the back of the house. It comes out and suns on the steps and slithers away when we open the door.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

I'm also a little angry today that I was sold an animal which was almost certainly known to have a parasite which could ruin the whole place for poultry.

I would be angry too - this is another example for why we unfortunately need to isolate new birds from the main flock, yes?


actually, I'd be spitting mad - not just angry. Hope you are able to keep the parasite from spreading.

Luckily, the pen the Ameraucana rooster was in was at the far end of the feeding/watering loop, so I never went from that pen to another one; also, I don't go into pens to feed or clean, nor compost chicken litter in the barrel with the sow bug and worm colonies I feed as chicken treats. What's worrying with Gape Worm is that the intermediate phases are earthworms and slugs, and slugs especially travel across the yard. And I can't find out if garter snakes are vulnerable to that parasite; I've already had to reestablish the population after the winter Dad unintentionally burned out the hibernation den which was under a blackberry-infested pile of scrap lumber. I don't like using even Iron phosphate slug baits in summer, and the gartersnakes are my slug-eating friends.

I'd heard of gape worm - what a nightmare - but wasn't aware it was in this area, nor about slugs & worms being intermediate hosts. I haven't been using the iron phosphate anywhere the chicks are either, altho it's not supposed to be lethal to them - it looks too much like feed pellets, and can't see where it would be beneficial to their diet.  The chicks seem to keep the smaller slugs/eggs eaten.

I battle snakes feasting on my tadpoles & tree frogs around my ponds -its quite a buffet for them, sigh - but do like that they eat slugs - nature - what can you do...  Seems reptiles might not be so susceptible as they are different species?? -- but then again, don't they think birds evolved from reptiles? hmmm.

Snakes are susceptable to a lot of avian diseases, although they are not anywhere near related; has more to do with sharing habitat and being small.

My month of not-good chicken luck may be continuing: no pips under Miss Cheery, even though she's been sitting like a rock.