Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[ValerieJ]

The older chicks spent the night in the new run. I had time to build the door, but just screwed it into place temporarily because I didn't have time to hang it on the hinges.

The last two eggs hatched last night, so I got nine chicks from nine eggs.

Awesome hatch!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Cannot take any Cockerel or pullets, may have to wait till pups are gone.
Wonderful hatch! Need see if my boys are making contact.

 

[Smokerbill]

I gave them some crumbles to eat this morning, and they've found them. I dipped several beaks in the water but haven't seen them drink on their own yet, but they will eventually.

They all look pretty much the same, so I don't know if the RIR cockerel fathered any of them. One looks a little darker on its head.

 

[ValerieJ]

I gave them some crumbles to eat this morning, and they've found them. I dipped several beaks in the water but haven't seen them drink on their own yet, but they will eventually.

They all look pretty much the same, so I don't know if the RIR cockerel fathered any of them. One looks a little darker on its head.

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So cute.

 

[Smokerbill]

So cute.

Yep, until they get big enough to start making a dust storm. But they'll be outside in the run long before that. I'll try to get the outdoor brooder set up this week in the new run. All sides will be blocked off to make it windproof with heat lamp in it along with a light on a timer.

The older chicks survived their first night in the new run, even found the food and water I left for them. Got the wagon-brooder all cleaned up, dumped the last of a bag of feed into the big chickens' feeder, filled up their waterer. No more chickening/working for me today. I need a break.

 

[TeePants]

It’s been wet!

Been busy away from the forums as for Christmas the wife let me go pick up a 2003 VW Eurovan Weekender. I’ve been working on restoring the cosmetics whilst emptying my pockets at the mechanic, but looking forward to doing some adventuring this summer.

Our four EE/silkie girls are so much bigger now. So far the deep litter method is working great and the run is pretty dry - there’s only one point where there’s any moisture accumulated in the litter and I’ve found if I mix it back into the rest of the run floor it dries up quick. Given how ridiculous the rain has been, I’d say this was a success.

The coop stays dry of course, and my only real complaint with it is that the girls still aren’t interested in going to bed on their own at night and that when they do they all dogpile into one nest box instead of sleeping on the roosts, so I’m having to scoop and clean that box way more frequently than the rest of the coop and run or it gets nasty.

I don’t think it’s a mite issue. Their skin on their faces, feet, etc looks good, they’re in good feather and have decent heft to them and they’re growing like weeds; plus the coop is practically brand new as we only finished it in October.

I take out half the bedding in the coop and mix it into the run and add fresh bedding to the coop every week. I use revitalime in the run and coop, and I add a little bit of nesting herbs to the coop as it smells nice to me and the girls like to pick at them.

I live in hope that one day they’ll use their roosts, hopefully before they start laying this spring! I’d like to swap the wood chips out for actual nest pads but I can’t if they’re just going to sleep and toilet all over them.

I guess I can’t upload a video but I’ll she to take a photo of them when I go out to clean the parrot cages today! I’m sure they’ll be wondering what on earth I am doing, and the parrots are likely to make a racket.

 

[Hinotori]

It’s been wet!

Been busy away from the forums as for Christmas the wife let me go pick up a 2003 VW Eurovan Weekender. I’ve been working on restoring the cosmetics whilst emptying my pockets at the mechanic, but looking forward to doing some adventuring this summer.

Our four EE/silkie girls are so much bigger now. So far the deep litter method is working great and the run is pretty dry - there’s only one point where there’s any moisture accumulated in the litter and I’ve found if I mix it back into the rest of the run floor it dries up quick. Given how ridiculous the rain has been, I’d say this was a success.

The coop stays dry of course, and my only real complaint with it is that the girls still aren’t interested in going to bed on their own at night and that when they do they all dogpile into one nest box instead of sleeping on the roosts, so I’m having to scoop and clean that box way more frequently than the rest of the coop and run or it gets nasty.

I don’t think it’s a mite issue. Their skin on their faces, feet, etc looks good, they’re in good feather and have decent heft to them and they’re growing like weeds; plus the coop is practically brand new as we only finished it in October.

I take out half the bedding in the coop and mix it into the run and add fresh bedding to the coop every week. I use revitalime in the run and coop, and I add a little bit of nesting herbs to the coop as it smells nice to me and the girls like to pick at them.

I live in hope that one day they’ll use their roosts, hopefully before they start laying this spring! I’d like to swap the wood chips out for actual nest pads but I can’t if they’re just going to sleep and toilet all over them.

I guess I can’t upload a video but I’ll she to take a photo of them when I go out to clean the parrot cages today! I’m sure they’ll be wondering what on earth I am doing, and the parrots are likely to make a racket.

Most of my silkies sleep in piles. Only a few have roosted. It's a breed thing.

If offered a raised platform instead of a roost they tend to like those. Even some of my easter eggers liked a platform. I put one on part of the roost

 

[ValerieJ]

I add a little bit of nesting herbs to the coop as it smells nice to me and the girls like to pick at them.

I love nesting herbs!!! Keeps the whole coop smelling great.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Ya none of mine roosted had then a long time.
Block off the nest box or give them a wood box 2 ft high let them land in that or wash nest boxes all the time.

 

[Hinotori]

I have a mostly blind, elderly silkie who won't even try to get into the silkie house anymore. Steps are too high when you can barely see. I upturned a couple rubber water bowls in the pen and she's been sleeping on them. I need to dig out one of the really big ones and fill it with shavings and put it by the house door. Maybe she would sleep in it.

She prefers the treadle feeder for her food because she recognizes it and knows where exactly the food is without trying to see it.