Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Chickielady]

I have found that the black rubber bucket’s work really well to keep the water from freezing as long as you put it where the sun can get to it. Even the shallow rubber balls work the this way too.

Seen a post that ping pong balls work well to keep water from freezing............guess the birds peck them ?

 

[Chickielady]

I think an ostrich snuck into the chicken coop!
View attachment 1274005

wow ! what laid it ???

 

[Hinotori]

I looked up videos on chickens with Merrick‘s. But it seems like hers is more of an injury. I don’t know. Maybe I just hope it’s just an injury. I’ll let you know what the vet says.

It doesn't sound like Mereks. Not sure what it is, but recovery from Mereks isn't common.

 

[Chickielady]

Is anybody else’s girls molting again? All of those who were going to molt did it this fall but with the change in weather I have a whole bunch that are molting again. So far all of them were girls who did it in the fall. My leghorn is not molting as much as she did in the fall; she is a hard molter, but her whole neck and tail feathers. I feel terrible for them.

Had a broody Barnevelder Oct through December finally I isolated her & she laid an egg & hatched it.....a pullet chick, and I have been worried lately as the chick is getting a bit large to fit under a wing ! And just then I let them out of the coop, and the hen is near bald from moulting !!!
Crazy !

 

[Chickielady]

I looked up videos on chickens with Merrick‘s. But it seems like hers is more of an injury. I don’t know. Maybe I just hope it’s just an injury. I’ll let you know what the vet says.

Hope it isn't Marek's !
Was she ever vaccinated ?
Is the rest of your birds vaccinated ?

 

[Chickielady]

Got my Muscovy ducks today. Many thanks to the Wa State thread for putting me in touch with the right people. Now they get to spend a week in Duck jail to get used to the place but a beautiful pond awaits!View attachment 1277838

I love 'Skovie hens....not so fond of the Drakes, but I love the hens !

 

[TominWa]

So glad that I could help Tom! I can't wait to see pictures of them once they are paroled and out in the "big world"! LOL

I can't believe I waited this long to add ducks. What well mannered, polite, additions. I'm not saying my Buff Orpingtons aren't classy, they are. But these Muscovy Ducks are ....well, I am going to equate the lady ducks with ladies in white gloves in a tea room. The are only a year old, yet wise. The Drake is so fatherly toward the two girls and they are all over him for comfort. Strange new place. They tried to break out when the chickens went nite nite wanting to be with them next door. I have a feeling these two separate houses are going to turn into one. I put out a lawn chair and sat with them and was immediately covered with chickens. They never do that. They are so curious about the ducks and want to go see them. Just beautiful birds. I admit, I am ignorant about ducks. Or was....been reading quite a bit this last week and had a chance to talk to the local "Duck Ladies". And for those of you reading this thinking about adding ducks, it is night and day from chickens as to the type of duck for what your specific purpose is. Talk to the Duck Ladies first. I have found out, they are more than willing to help. I almost picked up some from the feed store, we all know the drill. Would have been a bigggggg mistake.

 

[Chickielady]

In about 1 week I am busting open a bottle of Marek's vaccine to deal with all the chicks I just hatched and the ones in lockdown now.

I have seen a few people have it go through their flocks, maiming a few a week, and then they died, and the stumbimg and death went on & one for weeks untill all of their birds were gone..it was horrific. Day after day a new bird would suddenly develop symptoms..........horror, and by the time the bird is stumbling, the entire flock has been exposed and one by one they go down. It is prolonged agony. It is awful !

 

[Chickielady]

I can't believe I waited this long to add ducks. What well mannered, polite, additions. I'm not saying my Buff Orpingtons aren't classy, they are. But these Muscovy Ducks are ....well, I am going to equate the lady ducks with ladies in white gloves in a tea room. The are only a year old, yet wise. The Drake is so fatherly toward the two girls and they are all over him for comfort. Strange new place. They tried to break out when the chickens went nite nite wanting to be with them next door. I have a feeling these two separate houses are going to turn into one. I put out a lawn chair and sat with them and was immediately covered with chickens. They never do that. They are so curious about the ducks and want to go see them. Just beautiful birds. I admit, I am ignorant about ducks. Or was....been reading quite a bit this last week and had a chance to talk to the local "Duck Ladies". And for those of you reading this thinking about adding ducks, it is night and day from chickens as to the type of duck for what your specific purpose is. Talk to the Duck Ladies first. I have found out, they are more than willing to help. I almost picked up some from the feed store, we all know the drill. Would have been a bigggggg mistake.

Watch the 'Skovie Drakes.
Remember:
There is 2 kinds of ducks in the world, one is the Mallard type, and they pair off and mate & raise yound.
The second is the muscovy type, and these duck types horde females and build a flock of females (if they can) like an Elk bull tries to build a harem................in the process, Muscovie-type drakes will be extremely aggressive ! And they can maime the hens, so be alert for that. I always kept my Muscovie hens with "Mallard-type breed drakes, so they were not so maimed.
I have had friends insist their Muskovy drakes are just angels..........but they are loud, agrssive and intimadating in breeding season.

 

[TominWa]

Watch the 'Skovie Drakes.
Remember:
There is 2 kinds of ducks in the world, one is the Mallard type, and they pair off and mate & raise yound.
The second is the muscovy type, and these duck types horde females and build a flock of females (if they can) like an Elk bull tries to build a harem................in the process, Muscovie-type drakes will be extremely aggressive ! And they can maime the hens, so be alert for that. I always kept my Muscovie hens with "Mallard-type breed drakes, so they were not so maimed.
I have had friends insist their Muskovy drakes are just angels..........but they are loud, agrssive and intimadating in breeding season.

I have a lot to learn. I started with two females, it may be like chickens and need a bigger hen ratio. Will adjust and do what is good for them.