Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[KMHunter]

Have any of you ever tried Kirkland brand chocolate chips? Oh.Man. I can't stop eating them. I've already gained weight in the last 3 days since I bought them. NEED SELF CONTROL!!! LOL

What's self control? I have never heard of that.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
Yeah I think things are going well, I don't have but 1/2" of ash in there, if that. I'm just thinking ahead

And yes, I'm fixing to get myself a nice metal bucket and will most definitely leave it on the back patio to cool before spreading it anywhere. Thanks so much, I think the chookies will love it! (THeir dust bath got filled with water from the sideways rain and I need to empty it in the garden anyway. Putting the ash in there will be perfect!)

 

[KMHunter]

Then I would suggest never, EVER get a silkie! They will have your heart in an instant!

 

[KMHunter]

One more question: I want to make a final switch in chicken feed to Purina Layena. I think that so many people have good experiences with it that I'd rather switch to something readily available and reliable. I have 4 more 40lb bags left of the NatureWise layer pellets and before this I was using Scratch & Peck. Does anyone see a problem with frequent switching of feed types? If so, I would rather keep using NatureWise for a few more months and then make a switch, since weve had so many small issues crop up lately. I don't want to be hurting my chickens overall health by switching feed. Thoughts?

I would use up what you have then buy what you want.

I just put out the last of my feed. I had three going because of the different ages and what not. I am switching to Flock Raiser and giving them Oyster shell free choice. I can even add oster shell to the feed.
Monroe Farm and feed is having a sale this Friday and Saturday. 10% off store wide. So I am going to stock up on feed, scratch and oyster shell.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Can I put the ash from my wood stove in the compost bin? Is there any benefit to doing so? Or should i just sprinkle the ash through the garden without composting it?  We've been burning for 5 days straight and still don't need to clean out the ashes, but I'm thinking ahead....LOL

Ash in compost will shift the pH up to a point where it's too basic for decomposing organisms to live, so no; my sister stacks hers out on the fence-line to slack over the winter, and sometimes adds it to the vegetable garden (disclaimer: I live in a cold air trap and have had frost all twelve months of the year, so do not grow veg here); Dad added ash to the manure pile back when we were milking a cow, but that involves the whole "milking a cow" complication!

 

[Nikki99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikki99

X's 3. Lookin good!

Everyone please meet the newest RDC Gang. It's members are 9 RIR's 3 Black Star Roo's 3 Black Star pullets. We hatched 15 out of 18 eggs. I got 5 eggs from 7 RIR pullets today.

Congrats!! Awe, they are adorable!

 

[Imp]

Quote: Hey eenie welcome back to warm sunny Washington.

Quote:
Yeah I think things are going well, I don't have but 1/2" of ash in there, if that. I'm just thinking ahead

And yes, I'm fixing to get myself a nice metal bucket and will most definitely leave it on the back patio to cool before spreading it anywhere. Thanks so much, I think the chookies will love it! (THeir dust bath got filled with water from the sideways rain and I need to empty it in the garden anyway. Putting the ash in there will be perfect!)
Jess make sure your patio is fireproof. A few years ago I put my metal bucket of cold ashes out on the brick patio. The next morning the resin patio chair next to it was melted. Lol. A good reminder to not take shortcuts and leave them on the wooden deck.
Also about kindling, I have never cut kindling, every year when I prune the water sprouts off the apple trees, I save them. More than enough to fill my needs for kindling. I can also share with people who have smokers.

Russ

 

[KMHunter]

Can I put the ash from my wood stove in the compost bin? Is there any benefit to doing so? Or should i just sprinkle the ash through the garden without composting it? We've been burning for 5 days straight and still don't need to clean out the ashes, but I'm thinking ahead....LOL

Keep some of it for dust baths for your chooks! Thaty's good stuff!. It is fantastic for external parasites. Just add some to the areas that your birds dust bathe in.

 

[Nikki99]

Guardian angels come in all shapes and sizes, this devastating story proves it.

http://cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/retired-k9-shot-repeatedly-breakin-3251.shtml?wap=0

 

[Stumpfarmer]

One more question: I want to make a final switch in chicken feed to Purina Layena. I think that so many people have good experiences with it that I'd rather switch to something readily available and reliable. I have 4 more 40lb bags left of the NatureWise layer pellets and before this I was using Scratch

I would use up what you have then buy what you want.
I just put out the last of my feed. I had three going because of the different ages and what not. I am switching to Flock Raiser and giving them Oyster shell free choice. I can even add oster shell to the feed.
Monroe Farm and feed is having a sale this Friday and Saturday. 10% off store wide. So I am going to stock up on feed, scratch and oyster shell.

Yeah, no sense buying feed you waste, the stuff isn't free.

I was really disappointed with Scratch n'Peck, so much of it got thrown out of the feeders. It didn't help that I'm apparently allergic to something that's in it (probably Rye, but it could be that they use unlabelled ground sunflower seed?) and since it's very dusty I couldn't be around it while we were feeding it (in the hall bathroom brooder last winter!).

My family has an agreement about organic materials and practice: we use what works best, with least waste and environmental impact, and don't assume that organic as a label is unquestionadly virtuous. There's ways in which organic certification for animal products has shifted the power to big, new operations with a lot of vertical integration- as much because there's less demand for farm practice documentation when you haven't been working the same place for generations as anything- and away from using human-food-stream waste (produce house trimmings, cidermill pulp, brewery waste, et'c and so on) which I think is the future sustainable/environmentally conscientious base for commercial milk, meat, and egg production.