Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Cockatrice6420]

@nuklee0, so happy for you!

 

[Carolei]

New to BYC! I'm Catt and have a mixed flock of Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rock, and Gold Laced Wyandotte with a total of 7. Since we are all in the same area do I have to do many of the same winterization (sp?) techniques for the coop as other states? It hardly snows here and I could easily bring them inside the mud room if needed for a night or two of snowy weather. If so please feel free to link me to the correct thread!

What types of chickens do you enjoy owning?

Hi Catt, Welcome to BYC! I'm in Seattle too and this is my second winter with chickens. My biggest challenge last year was when the temperature dropped below freezing and my chickens' water froze. It was not fun having to go out in the freezing weather to bring fresh water multiple times a day! This year I have a plan that I hope will work. I have a water bucket with horizontal nipples and I've bought an aquarium heater that I've read works well in water buckets. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm hoping this saves me from going out in the cold at the crack of dawn with water. The other weatherizing that I do is that I've put some clear plastic panels on the side of the run where the worst of the wind hits. That keeps most of the driving rain out of the run and gives the chickens more protection from rain and wind when they are outside. I have 4 chickens who are now 18 months old -- two buff Orpingtons, a Barred Rock, and a Speckled Sussex. One of my buff Orpingtons went broody in June and I bought English Orpington eggs for her, so I now also have three 5-month-old Mottled/Spangled English Orpingtons. I had read that English Orpingtons are big, but I had no idea!! These girls are huge! Way bigger than my older birds. I'm excitedly waiting for them to start laying. Have fun with your girls! Chickens are the greatest!

 

[blumenmadchen]

New to BYC! I'm Catt and have a mixed flock of Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rock, and Gold Laced Wyandotte with a total of 7. Since we are all in the same area do I have to do many of the same winterization (sp?) techniques for the coop as other states? It hardly snows here and I could easily bring them inside the mud room if needed for a night or two of snowy weather. If so please feel free to link me to the correct thread!

What types of chickens do you enjoy owning?

I'm in North Bend, so we get the best of both worlds, lots of rain, and colder winters. This will be our first winter and from what I'm reading/learning the chickens are fine with the cold, as long as they are not wet. Hmmm, nothing is ever really dry around here from Nov to June! So we have just added some additional cover for the run and coop. We had our first snow the other day and the girls did not really seem phased

I have a BO (33 weeks and laying

) and two EEs (32 weeks and at least one is laying).

 

[lindalouly]

New to BYC! I'm Catt and have a mixed flock of Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rock, and Gold Laced Wyandotte with a total of 7. Since we are all in the same area do I have to do many of the same winterization (sp?) techniques for the coop as other states? It hardly snows here and I could easily bring them inside the mud room if needed for a night or two of snowy weather. If so please feel free to link me to the correct thread!

What types of chickens do you enjoy owning?

The only true winterizing I do is to prevent muddy areas or slick spots... I don't worry much about our temperatures... It's mainly for my safety cause I free range and don't want to fall in muddy muck.

 

[herownimage]

I have 2 buff orps, 2 silver laced wyandottes, 2 gold sexlinks, 1 RIR, 1 blue andalusian, 1 welsummer, 1 cream legbar mix hen, 1 cuckoo maran, and then a cream legbar mix roo. I plan on offering incubation services too if you have your own roo or if you want potential olive eggers in the spring let me know. I ordered my flock in April this year from a feed store in Rathdrum, ID. I also got my 2 CL mixes off craigslist.

That is a lot of different hens! I don't think I will be able to add more to the flock until next fall. I'm going to see the amounts of eggs I get and adjust from there. Thanks for the offer I really do appreciate it. I will keep you in mind in the future.

 

[herownimage]

Hi and welcome to BYC! I don't plan on winterizing my coop. I think chickens are pretty hardy.

My favorites are RIR (I think mine is a production red tho), Black Australorpe, Barred Rock. These 3 have been such consistent layers and still give me eggs daily while the others have gone on winter break. My newest chickens are Silkies... and I'm still learning about them but love their friendly and puppy-like dispositions.

I have heard that phrase before "production red". What does that mean? Is there a difference between RIRs?
It sounds like you have a lovely flock!

 

[herownimage]

Welcome- it doesn't snow too often in some parts of WA, but does in others. Our weather challenge is more on the lines of lots of rain. I have Australorp, Welsummer, Wyandotte, and Easter Egger hens.

That is true. Keeping the coop and run dry seems like the main points for our winters. Thanks for the advice. Do you find that your Wyandotte's lay well? Mine are still awkward teenagers and look like feathered dinosaurs.

 

[herownimage]

A few of my Silkie eggs have pips!

Yes! Please share pictures!

 

[herownimage]

Hi Catt, Welcome to BYC! I'm in Seattle too and this is my second winter with chickens. My biggest challenge last year was when the temperature dropped below freezing and my chickens' water froze. It was not fun having to go out in the freezing weather to bring fresh water multiple times a day! This year I have a plan that I hope will work. I have a water bucket with horizontal nipples and I've bought an aquarium heater that I've read works well in water buckets. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm hoping this saves me from going out in the cold at the crack of dawn with water. The other weatherizing that I do is that I've put some clear plastic panels on the side of the run where the worst of the wind hits. That keeps most of the driving rain out of the run and gives the chickens more protection from rain and wind when they are outside. I have 4 chickens who are now 18 months old -- two buff Orpingtons, a Barred Rock, and a Speckled Sussex. One of my buff Orpingtons went broody in June and I bought English Orpington eggs for her, so I now also have three 5-month-old Mottled/Spangled English Orpingtons. I had read that English Orpingtons are big, but I had no idea!! These girls are huge! Way bigger than my older birds. I'm excitedly waiting for them to start laying. Have fun with your girls! Chickens are the greatest!

Thanks for the advice! I will have to keep a good eye on the water as it gets colder. Now you have me curious to get a few more.... possibly English Orpingtons! Hopefully they also lay big eggs? I will try to keep an eye out for future egg posts!

 

[herownimage]

I'm in North Bend, so we get the best of both worlds, lots of rain, and colder winters. This will be our first winter and from what I'm reading/learning the chickens are fine with the cold, as long as they are not wet. Hmmm, nothing is ever really dry around here from Nov to June! So we have just added some additional cover for the run and coop. We had our first snow the other day and the girls did not really seem phased

I have a BO (33 weeks and laying

) and two EEs (32 weeks and at least one is laying).

I heard on the news that your area got some snow! Brrrrr! Thanks for the advice! I will take some extra measures to keep the coop dry.