Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[1TurkenLover]

Hi Cloudseeker!
Do you use anything in your chicken yard to absorb the "stickiness"?? I am fearful for that coming mess!! In Utah, we had lots of worries with weather extremes and winds....here, it's just a new set of challenges to overcome!! The home we moved into had a chicken coop and greenhouse built together, it's pretty decent sized should they choose to hang out inside. I don't feel safe free ranging here with all the critters around (we've seen several raccoons, opossum and coyotes)....but we have fenced the yard in, and then we have a separate garden area fenced again for the run.

Hogg Fill " wood Shavings " it's chunky enough not to get trampled down quickly, our chicken Like it to scratch n hunt in. when it's Not raining they use it as Dirt baths. Cheep, pun intended. $15 for two buckets overfull. your need a good truck to haul it home.

 

[Hinotori]

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I'm looking at getting some for mulch around my trees and bushes this year. We're supposed to get the birds moved to new pens and I may put it in there as well. It's nice stuff.

 

[Cloudseeker]

Do you use anything in your chicken yard to absorb the "stickiness"?? I am fearful for that coming mess!!

I don't do much - shovel the worst areas aside and wait for it to either dry or freeze. Their roost/nesting area is dry - I use Gem Flakes pine shavings that I get at the co-op for around $7. As the mud dries they love to scratch through it! I'm the only one in the chicken yard that seems to mind it! I would love to be able to get a couple of truckloads of wood shavings, but can't afford that right now!

 

[DeltaBluezTess]

It's been reported elsewhere that this seller very possibly has an MG outbreak. I can't confirm it personally, but everyone should be VERY CAUTIOUS and be certain to examine any birds from this seller very closely, as well as the REST OF THE FLOCK, too.

Even though Diane and Carol sold him healthy birds, they could easily have gotten sick if/when he exposed them to other sick birds.

And remember to ALWAYS quarantine newly acquired birds regardless of where they come from!!!

From what I gathered the birds in questions were sold about 3 weeks or so ago and they got sick recently ?? at the new owners place. I don't have the exact details. He got my birds a week? after that sale and they and Carol's birds have been in quarantine and not where he had the other birds. . I just had a vet check my flock before he got them as well.. I told him to keep everyone in quarantine to make sure what if there is an issue it can be resolved. No one knows at this point what/how the flock got sick .....

 

[DeltaBluezTess]

I don't do much - shovel the worst areas aside and wait for it to either dry or freeze. Their roost/nesting area is dry - I use Gem Flakes pine shavings that I get at the co-op for around $7. As the mud dries they love to scratch through it! I'm the only one in the chicken yard that seems to mind it! I would love to be able to get a couple of truckloads of wood shavings, but can't afford that right now!

I get wood chips or hog's fuel (ground up wood in large chunks)....it keeps the place not muddy and chickens seem to do well on it. I put it in about 3-4 inches high. After a couple of years, it breaks down into nice dirt.

 

[CarolynF]

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Thanks for the extra information. Like everyone I really want to know the outcome when the facts are all together. Unfortunate things happen and it's best to take care of it as quickly as possible. And to teach newcomers the importance of quarantine.

 

[Dwkuska]

Since this is a Washingtonian thread I would like to ask all of you for your support in opposition of I 594. I 594 while seems like a great idea by requiring universal back round checks is so poorly worded it would be a detriment to the safety of the public. I 594 labels any "transfer" of a firearm except to minor you are supervising would require a back round check or be in violation of the law. That means if your husband/wife owns any kind of gun and you use it or are in possession of it you are committing a crime. This Bill is not really intended to get universal back round checks as most responsible gun owners are already on board with that. This bill would in effect create a registry of ALL gun owners, make such things as firearm safety classes all but impossible, and create undue hardship on the residents of Washington. Had this bill simply asked for private gun sales to have back round checks this bill would not even see opposition, but it is so broadly written it is dangerous indeed. Please write to your congress and senate and tell them you oppose I 594.

 

[CarolynF]

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What size flock do you have or plan to have?
I few ideas that might help you -- Consider an electric fence, I understand they are very successful. If not, add an apron about 2' feet wide to the perimeter of your pen to keep dogs, coyotes, etc from digging into the pen. It needs to be something stronger than chicken wire, so like 2" x 4" wire. Use half-inch welded hardware cloth on the bottom 2-3' of the fence to keep racoons from sticking their hands into the pen. Consider making it an extra layer over the top of 2" x 4" wire, or something a coyote can't chew thru. Try to improve the drainage as much as possible.

Check the thread here on BYC for other ideas on constructing coops and pens, there are a lot of good ideas. Good Luck!

 

[CarolynF]

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Watch Craigs List for "arborists" wood chips, i.e. the stuff they chip/shred when they cut down trees. DIL put down about 6" of it and it seems to be doing well. If you use just a thin layer they'll just scratch it into the mud and you'll be right back where you started. They'll bring it free by the truckload. Wet, muddy ground harbors the kind of pests you don't want so it's best to keep things as dry as you can.

 

[Cloudseeker]

That's a good idea - I just posted a wanted ad on CL for wood chips!