Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Chicken Rustler]

One place we messed up today. We didn't take many pics of those who showed up. So here is what we got for pics to my knowledge. !!!

Yes Yoda was in attendance and the only one who would pose.

 

[Farmin Momma]

One place we messed up today. We didn't take many pics of those who showed up. So here is what we got for pics to my knowledge. !!!

Yes Yoda was in attendance and the only one who would pose.

I love that Yoda has not let fame get to his head and still makes time to appear for his fans. Maybe some day soon I may have the chance to be in the presents of Yoda. I am his #1 fan lol.

 

[mikeyb]

Ok mikeyb, here is this weeks 5 pics from Hawaii trip

Hanauma Bay

Me, Kelli, Al at sundown on Waikiki Beach

Turtle seen from fishing dock

Waikiki

Kelli and me snorkeling

Great pics and thank you so much.

 

[RainMom]

Hi folks,
I'm new to the list and hoping to get my first chickens this Spring. I live east of Seattle. I've been doing an extensive amount of research and finally decided I wanted to build an arched run out of cattle panels (similar, but not identical, to this: http://survivalbunker.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=critters&action=display&thread=2545), but I cannot find anywhere local that has lower guage cattle panels that go for ~$20/each. I've called KIS in Redmond, Del's in Monroe, the Grange in Issaquah, McLendon's in Bothell, and visited Home Depot. Only Del's and the Grange have them, but for $35 and $46 respectively, so one assumes they are higher guage, which I don't need, are probably harder to work with, and make this project significantly more expensive.. Anybody have a source for these types of panels? Or ideas about how to find them?
Thanks for any help,
Jill

we bought the heavier guage panels at Reber Ranch for $68 each- in 12 foot sections before we moved. It looks like there's those heavy panels for the frame, with regular 2x4 hog wire draped over the main heavy-duty wire frame panels to keep larger predators out?

BTW- We're in the Hobart area, we like Iron Horse Hay and Feed. (Maple Valley, by Lake Francis) Not many frills there, but nice family-owned place.

 

[RainMom]

Thank you! I just placed a hold on the eBook at the library. Looking forward to it. I'm number 4 on the list, and they have 9 copies, so it must be a popular book.

I think it was a bestseller. I was so involved in the medical research and treatments side of the scene I didn't have time to read a novel in years- and I used to read 400 to 500 pages a day before my son was vaccine damaged. I'm still involved in the research and treatment side of things, but after a decade, have mellowed .

I think they should make a movie out of the book. I am so sick of everyone thinking Dustin Hoffman and Temple Grandin are the spokespeople for "autism". LOL .

 

[TacomaFarms]

Quote: I give my chickens two cups, for 8 chickens every couple of days. Some give less than that but every day. You don't want to put scratch in a feeder and give it free choice because I assure you they will eat that before feed and not get the proper nutrition, and get fat. Fat chickens don't lay well.
I would put oyster shell out when they are almost ready to lay. You can put it in a small feeder or just a big dish. I use large bird cage cups that I hang on my 1/2inch Hardware cloth arount the run, kind of near the feed.
I just throw the grit on the ground, if they gout out to free range or have larger grit sand or rocky soil, they can find grit pretty easily.
I use 2 gallon bucket waterers with nipples, I love them! No dirty water. I start all my babies out on a 2 quart size pitcher with a nipple at the bottom and a wire hanger so I can hang it low for them. They get it immediately. I will post the link where I got them, you can make your own though, if you want.
I don't use the pellet bedding, I did use it under the roost, but it was just more of a hassle and one more thing to buy. I like shavings. Softer on their feet when they jump off the roost.
I love PDZ granules! Keeps the coop from smelling. Great stuff! I have also put lavender in with my shavings. Smells pretty!

If you want to talk chicken and compile a list of basics or just have questions you can PM me I will give you my cel #. But there are lots of ways to keep chickens and my way is not the only way, nor the "right" way. I had to try LOTS of different things before I figured out what works for me and my set up.

Thank you Thank you! I was doing some late night reading and might have freaked myself out just a tad. I think I'm going to go to Wilco & Coastal today and scope out all the cool stuff. Del's is where I normally go, but the familiarity is a disability I think... I walk the store a thousand times, start yappin', rush out of there because I've been in there forever, then realize halfway home I forgot a few things. Yup! lol...

I got my poultry nipples on Thursday. YAY! So I'm going to pick up some 2 gallon buckets and fix em up good. Thanks for the idea. I was stuck on 5 gal buckets and I was dreading having to carry those full of water. :-( I asked about the pellets b/c I saw them in the Wilco ad. lol... I've been using pine shavings, but I saw those and thought they might absorb better, the shavings I have haven't been staying very dry, even after just one day. I'm assuming they carry the PDZ at the farm stores, so I will def pick that up too. I don't want my girls to live in a stink pot! I've been trying to get creative with a feeder, I'm not really in the market to spend $30 on a feeder, plus they look like they'll just break after a few years or so. Of course quality of craftsmanship has seriously declined in the last 20 years, but that's another rant entirely!

Lunch at Spiffy's-$15, Gas for the drive-$35, Getting to meet a bunch of BYC'ers-Priceless

Thanks for the meet up today, I had a great time meeting CR's DW & DD, mikeyb, Sarahkatie, Nikki99 & DH, and Cloverleaf Farm. Had a great tour of CR's place and got to meet the famous Fudge and Silkiebator. Looking forward to meeting more of ya at the Monroe and PNPA shows.

Quote: Thank you! So... should my chicks be on medicated feed!?!? The breeder guy I got them from sold me non-medicated, but he did give me Amprolium and told me 1/2 dose for the first week.... I'm so newbie, you could tell me to feed em tootsie rolls and I would. I haven't been giving them scratch, and they have a tractor run so I haven't been giving them grit either, until two days ago. I wasn't giving them the oyster shells b/c they haven't started laying, but I caved to that too. I just want some pretty eggs darnit!

That's terrible that you're allergic to lavender! At least you're not allergic to eggs like me.

Good call on the fly trap, I haven't had any flies yet, due to winter, but I'm sure summer will cultivate them like mad. Has anyone tried the plastic bag, water, & penny trick? It seems to work great. We hung em up in the old horse barn my daughter used to ride at. Literally a plastic zip loc bag with a penny in it, fill with water (halfway give or take), then hang it. We hung ours in the doorways.

I'm always open to tips & tricks, this is foreign to me, well except being the mama hen to all my girls.

OK so I am WAAAAY behind I been on the run most of the day.
THANK YOU SO MUCH to (in no particular order but ladies first) Nikki99, Sarahkatie. Cloverleaf Farm, Mr. Nikki99, Mikey, and turtlepowertrav. For the wonderful meet up. WE now hold a couple BYC records.

1) biggest ever (to date) south end meet up.
2) First ever south end meet up.
3) Largest display of PINK, guns (on somebody's shirt

) and maybe largest display of pink guns

too.
4) Largest group to tour CR's coops and survive.
Thanks all who came I had a great time.

I'm glad everyone survived! It sounds like you all had a great time. I can't wait to join in!

Quote: I was making a list of things I needed, I wrote down 16' cattle panel for $19.49. It was either Wilco or Coastal, because those are the only two places I looked at, but my brain didn't think to write it down.

And to whoever started talkin about pie, I read it before I went to bed and then dreamed about pie. So thanks... lol! Now I have to find pie today.

 

[TacomaFarms]

I should be breaking these posts up so I can break out of the brooder faster! lol...

 

[mikeyb]

we talked about recue chickens at the meet up yesterday. Lo and behold a friend in Fla sent me this;

http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/hen-picked-chickens-are-service-animals

 

[FirewifeJess]

Travis - those are great pics from Hawaii! SO jealous Especially love the turtle and the feral chickens. When we were in Kauaii about 15 years ago we joked like crazy the whole time that the chicken is their state bird...they were everywhere!!

 

[FirewifeJess]

OK EVERYONE, LAST NOTICE FOR IKEA BEFORE I'M OFF THE COMPUTER FOR THE MORNING.

WE ARE MEETING INSIDE IKEA AT THE RESTAURANT (NOT THE CONCESSIONS STAND NEAR THE CASH REGISTERS) AT 10:30AM. MY DH HAS A COLD BUT IF HIS MEDS KICK IN HE'LL BE WITH ME ALONG WITH OUR 3 KIDS.

I WILL HAVE MY CHICKEN PURSE SITTING ON A TABLE NEARBY AND WILL TRY MY BEST TO HAVE ENOUGH TABLES, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING! HERE'S WHO I HAVE SO FAR AND ANYONE ELSE IS WELCOME!!

WALADY944
TACOMAFARMS??
SARAHKATIE AND SON
CAROLYNF
LAUGHINGFEATHER
IMP
RAINWOLF
CHICKAUDIE + FAMILY

And me of course. If anyone needs anything or would like to see if we're still there, my phone number for texting (best) or calling is 7zero6.six2seven.6zero8three and my name is Jessica (clearly). LOL ​