Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Bonkerelli]

Uhhh oh my goodness what a tiny floofster!

I know! Little Serama.. named Cricket. Only 24 hours old today.

 

[Bonkerelli]

Hi,
I'm new to BYC, and moving to the Spanaway area. I've taken care of friends chickens when they've been travelling, and I'm looking forward to having some of my own. I'm wondering if anyone has recomendations for egg or dual purpose heritage breeds that do well with the wet weather in this area? The place I'm moving to has an existing coop and a good are for them to free-range outside of that, or rrun them in a tractor,

Hi there and welcome! Many first time chicken owners and basically go to breeds are Rock and Orpington breeds. Both dual purpose and good for that type of weather.

 

[Hinotori]

That it is! And thank you...I was never a hugger, but have found that I crave them these days and happily accept them from people I've just met!

In my "chickening world", I've got the strangest thing going on with my EE, Muffin. Over the last several months, she has started losing feathers on her head! First, her gorgeous fluffy beard...now, she's almost completely bald! No one else is losing feathers and I haven't witnessed her being on the receiving end of any bullying....but I don't know what it even could be.

Mites maybe?

 

[Hinotori]

Hi,
I'm new to BYC, and moving to the Spanaway area. I've taken care of friends chickens when they've been travelling, and I'm looking forward to having some of my own. I'm wondering if anyone has recomendations for egg or dual purpose heritage breeds that do well with the wet weather in this area? The place I'm moving to has an existing coop and a good are for them to free-range outside of that, or rrun them in a tractor,

Welcome!

I usually recommend Rocks but if you get other breeds with them there can be issues with the Rocks picking on them.

Anything with feathered feet picks up mud. Though I had some hatchery Brahma that would use their foot feathers to help stir up critters in puddles out in the grass so they could eat them. It was the oddest behavior from chickens and they did it all the time.

Anything with a big head crest can really free range. Silkies and Polish become hawk food. Silkies will also stand out in the rain because it wets down their heads so they can see. I don't have Polish so I don't know if that's a bad habit of theirs as well.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Funny my frizzle likes to wet her head also but mix the silkie with Polish you have the one tiny bird. I will get some individual photos she is so small and cute. I am sure silkie x polish

 

[rosemarythyme]

Anything with feathered feet picks up mud. Though I had some hatchery Brahma that would use their foot feathers to help stir up critters in puddles out in the grass so they could eat them. It was the oddest behavior from chickens and they did it all the time.

x2, feathered feet would be the main "no" in wetter climates however I do have 2 feather footed birds and haven't had any notable issues.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hard to describe my silkie x polish harder to see her.
She is black for but a spot around her neck.

 

[Hinotori]

The little black silkie/cochin I have dunks her head. I hate head dunking. They love to do it. I also have a couple silkies that prefer mud and will make it if they have to.

 

[pennyJo1960]

None of these have tried to yet

 

[Cluckatar]

I have a Salmon Favorelle with lots of fluffy muff and she LOVES getting her whole head wet. What a mess.