Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[elizmartin]

Welcome! And yes this is a very good place to ask all your questions.

It's great that you're thinking ahead so you won't be caught unprepared!

If this is your first winter in Washington, are you quoting historical info. for you neighborhood? Your ID says you're in Seattle so it's a little confusing. BUT......
Please be very careful about covering your coop entirely with anything. Even in the winter they need PLENTY of ventilation. LOTS. Without plenty of ventilation humidity and ammonia will build up inside the coop and cause respiratory sicknesses. It's best to avoid drafts blowing through on the floor or directly on the birds, so it's good to put screened vents near the top, under the eaves.

If you have sturdy breeds (RIRs are one example) they are incredibly hardy and will withstand just about anything Western Wash. can throw at them if they are in a dry, well ventilated, non-drafty coop. Breeds with very large combs are generally better suited for warm climates; their combs are more susceptible to frostbite. Breeds with smaller combs are less vulnerable. Chickens' feathers provide a lot more insulation than most people realize. Think of all the birds we see flying around in the winter. They don't even have a coop and survive very well. Keeping their coop cozy warm during the night and then sending them into the fresh cold air during the day isn't doing them any favors. But, if you feel you must use a heat lamp so that YOU will sleep better at night, be ABSOLUTELY sure you get a fixture with a CERAMIC fitting that is rated for the extreme wattage of a heat lamp. MANY birds are lost each year because of fires started by improper wiring and undersized light fixtures.

Whichever route you take, have a great time watching your birds in their first snow. It's lots of fun.

I have open coops and the only lamp i use is enough to be able to see. They huddle together and mill around like any other time…they can be incredibly hot…..i would use a flat or wider footboard to roost so their feet are covered by their down otherwise they will get frostbite….. Chickens need wind and weather protection coops are nice where they can decide but if they are protected from the cold tooooo much then they will not be weather / cold hardy. I have more health problems this time of the year when the weather gets day hot & humid and nights start to plunge into very cold.

 

[CarolynF]

Fall is almost here folks. Mark your calendars!
Upcoming Poultry Shows in Western Washington

Oct 18-19 Pacific NW Poultry Assoc Show -- Vancouver Fairgrounds (technically it's Ridgefield, Wa)
Nov 15-16 Wash. Feather Fanciers Show -- Chehalis Fairgrounds
Nov 29-30 Stevenson Poultry Classic -- Stevenson Fairgrounds


For details go to each club's web page.
There are two websites that list the various shows, with links:
PoultryShowCentral.com and WashingtonFeatherFanciers.webs.com

These poultry shows are a great place to see breeds you've never seen before and to see for yourself how different a well bred bird can be from the ones we get at the feed stores. You'll also be able to meet other like-minded BYC folks and talk to the breeders. It's just plain FUN!

For those that haven't attended a poultry show before:

• These shows include both LF and bantam chickens as well as geese, ducks, turkeys, quail, etc.
• The show is FREE to visit, but do not bring dogs or other pets, it's a safety issue for the poultry.
• The poultry is "cooped in" the night before, or early morning of the first day,
• Judging is done the first day, so that's the best time to see all the animals,
• The poultry is "cooped out" fairly early the second day.
• The barns are big and drafty and cold, so dress appropriately.
• There are vendors in the building selling supplies, accessories, hatching eggs, and live poultry.

And please remember to properly Quarantine Any Birds You Bring Home!

 

[CharMac76]

Morning offerings!

First blue egg!

 

[Rainier]

Morning offerings!

First blue egg!

awe. I wanted some blue layers but so far we only have brown layers. Hope to get some next spring

 

[Rainier]

We lost our Peepers today to our turkeys. They cornered him in the chicken run and pulled all of the feathers off his neck. He had several puncture wounds all of them were on the back of his neck. I thought I got all of the chickens out of there when I locked the turkeys in there but somehow I missed him or he flew back in there. At first we thought the turkeys had found something red to eat but were busy with yard chores and didn't think about it. About 30 minutes later DH found Peepers.

The last two days they have been chasing after the BR cockerel which is why we started separating them. They were all raised together in the same brooder. They are BBW's from a hatchery and they are going to be going to freezer camp within the next couple of days.

Peepers

 

[AliceSaurus]

Sorry about Peepers!

For some reason I couldn't post photos in the Behaviors and Egg Laying group so I'll put it here: I got my first egg today (woohoo!) And am trying to get opinions on whether or not this looks like a fertilized egg with blastoderm. I am suspicious that my big buff orpington is a rooster because of its huge comb and wattles. A fertilized egg would solve the mystery once and for all.

 

[AliceSaurus]

I posted a couple months ago thinking this one might be a rooster but no one could tell and all signs pointed to pullet... but a few weeks ago "she" very suddenly developed some enormous comb and wattle action. No crowing yet, no sickle or saddle feathers, no mating observed (but I am away a lot). 21 weeks old. Not terribly friendly but so far not aggressive, and is submissive to the barred rock hen. Interestingly, this one was badly crushed at 7 weeks old and I wonder, if it is a rooster, if he was damaged in some way that keeps him from crowing. Here is the bird in question:

 

[Rainier]

Sorry about Peepers!

For some reason I couldn't post photos in the Behaviors and Egg Laying group so I'll put it here: I got my first egg today (woohoo!) And am trying to get opinions on whether or not this looks like a fertilized egg with blastoderm. I am suspicious that my big buff orpington is a rooster because of its huge comb and wattles. A fertilized egg would solve the mystery once and for all.

I think it is. I have a hard time telling with my own eggs. I cracked a store egg next to one of my eggs. The first thing I noticed was how much darker my eggs yolk was and the second one was the difference between infertile and fertilized eggs. The infertile egg is pinpoint and really bright white, while the fertilized eggs look like yours. My eggs are coming from pullets so they are very small.


Course I could be completely wrong lol

ETA
I forgot to say that the egg on the bottom is a store bought.

 

[Hinotori]

We lost our Peepers today to our turkeys. They cornered him in the chicken run and pulled all of the feathers off his neck. He had several puncture wounds all of them were on the back of his neck. I thought I got all of the chickens out of there when I locked the turkeys in there but somehow I missed him or he flew back in there. At first we thought the turkeys had found something red to eat but were busy with yard chores and didn't think about it. About 30 minutes later DH found Peepers.

The last two days they have been chasing after the BR cockerel which is why we started separating them. They were all raised together in the same brooder. They are BBW's from a hatchery and they are going to be going to freezer camp within the next couple of days.

Peepers

That sucks. I'm sorry. I hope the turkeys are tasty

 

[Hinotori]

Sorry about Peepers!

For some reason I couldn't post photos in the Behaviors and Egg Laying group so I'll put it here: I got my first egg today (woohoo!) And am trying to get opinions on whether or not this looks like a fertilized egg with blastoderm. I am suspicious that my big buff orpington is a rooster because of its huge comb and wattles. A fertilized egg would solve the mystery once and for all.

It looks fertile to me