Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Manningjw]

I have free ranging birds here in suburban Lacey and we have raccoons and coyotes... So far the dogs have been good enough for protection but can't wait to get them all safe guarded with a good fortress.

The biggest problem I have had here in Shoreline, WA is raccoons. About 2 years ago I had a problem with a single raccoon who learned where the chickens sleep and kept coming back. It started with 1 bird, then he or she came back every night to try to get more and they are wicked smart.

Every time I thought I had made the chicken fortress strong enough he found the weakest point and exploited it. He climbed up 8 feet and ripped open a ventilation area that had been secured with chicken wire, I caught him when he was half way into the coop at around 5 am. I did lose a Black Ameraucana to a raccoon this last year but for some reason that raccoon never came back, I am guessing it found the bird already outside and didn't correlate it to the coop like the other one did.

 

[Manningjw]

I always have Jack out when my birds are out of their pens.
Jack is flock guardian, it is his job and he knows it. He sleeps in the barn with the brooders and baby chicks...he knows and the chickens know he knows.
He is so good at his job by 3 yrs of age, that I watched him actually watch the sky!!!
When he barks, all the chickens disapear !
COOL>>>flock guardians are so awesome !!



This is Jack's house, the hatchery, and he loves his house......

and he loves his babies.

Very cute dog! What breed is Jack? My girl loves her chickens too but she loves the chicken poop more! I have to keep them in a different area of the yard for this reason. I trust my dog around the chickens completely, I think my chickens are more likely to hurt her than the other way around.

 

[pennyJo1960]

This is my chicken guardian her name is Zephyfear-ah or Fear for short, that is her bed in the barn she looks across to the chickens in their own secured yard.

 

[Chickielady]

These are nice for kibble.


They come with the gamma lids.

That is the kind of lid I bought at Home Depot, it screws onto any 5 gallon bucket, and has the easy screw on lid with the big x in the middle.

 

[Chickielady]

Welcome!
Phoenix, huh? I lived they're when I was 18.
Congrats on the property and to chickens!

you lived in Phenix and moved to NorID ?
WOW
Culture AND Clime shock!!

 

[Chickielady]

The biggest problem I have had here in Shoreline, WA is raccoons. About 2 years ago I had a problem with a single raccoon who learned where the chickens sleep and kept coming back. It started with 1 bird, then he or she came back every night to try to get more and they are wicked smart.

Every time I thought I had made the chicken fortress strong enough he found the weakest point and exploited it. He climbed up 8 feet and ripped open a ventilation area that had been secured with chicken wire, I caught him when he was half way into the coop at around 5 am. I did lose a Black Ameraucana to a raccoon this last year but for some reason that raccoon never came back, I am guessing it found the bird already outside and didn't correlate it to the coop like the other one did.

wow...did you shoot it when you caught it at 5 am ?

 

[Hinotori]

I love the gamma lids. And as I said, Mom can actually use them with her hands. I'd bought some of them for her 5 gallon buckets. I have a bunch on my own 5 gallon and 2.5 gallon buckets I use for food storage.

So far locally I've found that Winco has the best prices on the lids. Well at least the Winco here in the Graham/South Hill area carries them. They also carry the little oxygen absorbers for long term storage. I have a jar of those I'm still going through. Keep the little things good by putting them in a canning jar and sucking the air out with my foodsaver.

I got the big kibble bins in the picture because of how they stack and the opening angles. Space is a premium for me and they work very well sitting on top of the catbox.

 

[Chickielady]

Very cute dog! What breed is Jack? My girl loves her chickens too but she loves the chicken poop more! I have to keep them in a different area of the yard for this reason. I trust my dog around the chickens completely, I think my chickens are more likely to hurt her than the other way around.

she is so cute...almost looks scared ! Maybe that is just the 'toy' look to her.
Jack is about 100-110 # and he is a Kuvazs and/mixed Ovtcharka or Pyranees.
The people I got him from said Pyranees and Kuvazs, I believe them, Jack is obstinent, and still to this day (he is 4 now) thinks the world is a big game, and if he does not want to sit, he won't and you cannot make him.
He bites strangers, he will rip up a stranger or burgler...he will kill wildlife, even coyotes racoons and bear.
I'd pick Jack over a Cougar.
Jack hates people, too.
He is a livestock guardian dog, and there lies his loyalty.
He is terrified to be in our house, or the vet's office, or anywhere that has slick floors...he loves his mini barn, that is his house, where tubs of baby chicks are raised.
Jack is out all day if I have birds free ranging.
If it is super bad weather, the dog and the birds, and restricted to their runs.
Jack would love to live his entire life in the barn with goats, lambs, chickens, and even his own cats.
He does not like any other cats, though.
Good dog!
A big stinky flock guardian dog.
Jack and the Sticker Pig, he still managed to scare it off, but it was/is the only critter Jack will not kill....hopefully he learned to leave them alone ! Some dogs never learn, they want revenge over & over !




Such a cute little guy...and now he is a big heavy duty stinky dog....I have to shave him with clippers 2-3X a year as his top coat continually grows, the undercoat sheds and gets felted & is the devil to cut out....so he gets clipped like a sheep.

 

[Chickielady]

I love the gamma lids. And as I said, Mom can actually use them with her hands. I'd bought some of them for her 5 gallon buckets. I have a bunch on my own 5 gallon and 2.5 gallon buckets I use for food storage.

So far locally I've found that Winco has the best prices on the lids. Well at least the Winco here in the Graham/South Hill area carries them. They also carry the little oxygen absorbers for long term storage. I have a jar of those I'm still going through. Keep the little things good by putting them in a canning jar and sucking the air out with my foodsaver.

I got the big kibble bins in the picture because of how they stack and the opening angles. Space is a premium for me and they work very well sitting on top of the catbox.

Hey!
Did I hear right that you guys are moving ????
First Katey, now you ????

 

[torrelee]

Jack looks like a great flock guardian! My golden retriever used to pull guard duty, but I had to put him down at the ripe old age of 14. We got a Catahoula puppy who is about 18 weeks now. She chased a bear out of the yard so far, and should be helpful after she matures a little bit!I usually hang out outside when I free range, but I'm 22 weeks preggo and was working in the house trying to get things ready for little monster when the coyote did his drive by murdering this time

I always have Jack out when my birds are out of their pens. Jack is flock guardian, it is his job and he knows it. He sleeps in the barn with the brooders and baby chicks...he knows and the chickens know he knows. He is so good at his job by 3 yrs of age, that I watched him actually watch the sky!!! When he barks, all the chickens disapear ! COOL>>>flock guardians are so awesome !! This is Jack's house, the hatchery, and he loves his house...... and he loves his babies.