Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Hinotori]

Hi all - new coop owner here. We're in Seattle. Getting ready to get the rest of the stuff we need (feeder / waterer mostly), and then it's on to getting some birds. We'll be looking for 6-8 birds, eventually for eggs. Not sure yet where to get them (I'm not sure we want to deal with chicks).

Welcome! I'm not sure how many hens you can have in Seattle. There are pros and cons to chicks or pullets

 

[Manningjw]

Hi all - new coop owner here. We're in Seattle. Getting ready to get the rest of the stuff we need (feeder / waterer mostly), and then it's on to getting some birds. We'll be looking for 6-8 birds, eventually for eggs. Not sure yet where to get them (I'm not sure we want to deal with chicks).

Welcome!

I am near by in Shoreline, WA. There definitely are pros and cons to chicks vs adults. I am particular to day old chicks or really really knowing who you get your hens from because of the prevalence of poultry diseases that exist. Since you are in Seattle and cannot have a rooster/will not be breeding that kind of thing wont matter quite as much but for me it is the most important thing.

For feeders/waters - the most efficient and cheapest method I have found are DIY feeders and watering systems - both using Lowes 5 gallon buckets with nipples for waters and with 3" PVC elbows(3 inch internal diameter to 3 in outside diameter) for the feeders. Hands down my favorite methods for clean water and not wasting food!

 

[Chickielady]

I'm thinking of just concentrating on my silkies for now and not dealing with ameraucana. Mom was all "Noooo! I like the big blue eggs! Silkie eggs are so small."

My Am pullets just starting to lay, gave me a tiny sky blue fart egg, and it was a double yolker !
Never have I seen such a small double yolker !
Each yolk about the size of a small marble !

 

[Chickielady]

A termite walks into the bar and says, "Is the bar tender here?"

 

[Chickielady]

Love it! Haven't spent enough time by the fire this summer. Only been camping once this year... What's up with that?
Oh! Oh! Sold my last 5 chicks this afternoon. Bitter sweet, I wish I could have grown a few out myself, they were all neat little chickies. Some day!

Which ones did you sell ?

 

[Chickielady]

Urgh. Nice having hubby home but he always wants to go go go.

Funny after Einstein is gone and I stay home, when he gets home I want to go go go !

 

[Chickielady]

Finally was able to upload two pictures. I really hope our splash chick stays a 'she'. My oldest has named her Kai. It's his first day of kindergarten tomorrow. Where does the time go?

The size they are you should be able to tell sex.is it a pea comb ?
Look for 3 rows of peas= a male, and emerging hackle on the saddle & neck cape will look like porcupine quills just coming out.

 

[Chickielady]

My "Drama Queen" broody is no longer allowed to brood. She broke and ate half her eggs again. She has to be forced off the nest every single morning. And she's so rough with the eggs that the air cells were all detached. Drama Queen is just too much drama.
My good broody, Little Mamma, is broody again. So she gets some fresh eggs of her own. Her last batch of chicks are 14 weeks old now.

I never force my broodies off their eggs.
just sayin'...it can irritate them til they break.

 

[Chickielady]

I just put them in a wire cage, elevated off the ground for a few days if they don't snap out of it on their own. Works for even the most determined broodies.

I just went through this with (get this folks !) a Bielefelder hen !
So after 3 days off fighting her to get off the eggs in the coop...in the cage she went.
This is a small rabbit cage suspended about 5 feet off the ground, and it can swing & move, with food & water in it...she sayed in the cage for about 3 days and then had had enough !
Works every time !
The wind under her skirt cools her...and the swinging cage (every time she moves or the wind blows) keeps her alert and gets them out of broodiness quickly.
Alot easier & more human than dunking in cold water !

 

[Chickielady]

Finally finished this thing up.



A rabbit tractor made almost entirely from scrap wood. Even the roof shingles were left overs from the previous owners of the property. Not perfect, but it will do the job.

Cool ! Can you put a trailer hitch on it so you can tote it around by a lawn tractor or dolly ?