Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Lutefisk]

Has anyone here ever made their own ACV before?  I was reading a blog earlier today with three different methods and was wondering what the best method for me might be.  I've got nothing but time and a curious mind so would like to make my own.  Can't be that different from brewing wine, could it?  Or I suppose it could.  Different method, different product, different purpose.  Never mind.  Nothing like making wine.

i haven't made ACV but I have made lots of Kombucha, which as far as I can tell is vinegar. The SCOBYs look the same too. If you want to make Kombucha you can buy a kit or just get a bottle of the live stuff, make some sugar sweetened strong black or green tea (per gallon, I use 1 cup sugar and 5-6 tea bags), let it cool and then add the bottle of store Kombucha. Both tea and Kombucha should be the same temp to avoid shocking the critters. Same process as ACV except you use tea instead of juice.

 

[CarolynF]

Pretty soon you are going to be tearing out the run and letting them have the whole yard. Chicken Math Girl Friend.

Hubby has told me he really doesn't want to take my chickens to CA for the month I am gone. I finally agreed to let them stay, watched. He then broke down and said maybe I could get chicks in CA because there is no problem bringing them out of CA. (I really gave him a guilt trip about you getting chicks, Even Carolyn has new chicks) So I may be bringing some new babies home. I was thinking of getting some Silkies. Does anyone know of a good breeder down in the Bay Area/Sacramento area? I saw one in Lincoln, Country Ranch? Any input on what to look for and any advice on the silkies. Pro's, Cons? I will get some regular size chickens also but those silkies just look so cute...

I had to laugh, today we went to see Hubbies Mom in the nursing home in Bonny Lake. I was telling her how last night I was sitting in my easy chair watching TV with a cat wrapped around my neck on the back on the chair and a RIR hen in my lap. All 3 of us eating cheese-its. I am definitely not a city girl.

Nah... I only get to keep 2 of the 4, and I'll remove one of my original 3 so I'll only have a total of 4. I'm really hoping that at least 2 of the 3 Ameraucanas are pullets because I'd love to give one to my DiL. She's such a super person, and I owe her a gift for her last birthday! You're really going to have your hands full if you buy chicks in CA! Hey.... will your cat mother baby chicks??
When are you leaving?

 

[CarolynF]

Yeah, I know. Hilarious.

Let's all make fun of the woman with no impulse control.

J/K. I understand we're all pretty much in the same boat! As far as the Cochins, I'm guessing you're referring to that brilliant red Cochin rooster that shone like a fiery sun yesterday? Gorgeous. I can't wait to see what colors I get. Too bad I won't be keeping them although I'm afraid this may be another myth I'm telling myself.

Yesterday after I posted this photo on Facebook, my DD who is away at college at WSU commented "Mom! No more!", as if I'm a sick hoarder of some kind who required intervention. I had to reassure her I would not be keeping these chicks. They just need to feather out and go off to happy new homes. No problem.

And yes, after I saw the BLRW I thought "oh what harm in just picking up a couple of eggs"?

I might need help after all.

SadieSue... I wish the sun had been out when I was there, I would have loved to have seen him! Timing is everything.

I can just hear your daughter... with my daughter's VOICE. I think they believe we mothers are feeble minded! At least that's how it sounds at that age.

Enjoy!

 

[CarolynF]

Well chicky #4 is doing super today, full of pep and looking super comfy with her 3 adopted "sisters". Yippee! As much sleeping as she did when I got her home yesterday had me a bit worried.

Now I have to go out and work in the trailer. Yesterday I found mildew on the carpet on both sides of the bed! Dang! That's going to be a real pain since it's carpet instead of a smooth surface. I hope vinegar and DE will do the trick because it won't handle being bleached. The padding underneath is what I'd really like to get access to but I don't think I can lift a section of the carpet and get it back down again afterward. Have any of you done this sort of thing?

Then we have to find out why this happened. We keep dehumidifiers in there all the time, haven't seen any leaks, and we run a heater if the temp gets too cold. Dang! Dang! Dang!

Wish me luck!

 

[ChickAudie]

Demon passed on today
Threw the tears and pain I am searching for a good breeder that isn't over priced. Trying to keep my mind off of him and on better things. I would spend time with my chickens but it just reminds me that he's not here to watch over them.

I hope you get to feeling better soon, there's no stopping the time we're allowed to have. I just try and be grateful for every moment.

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I love this idea, you said you have buried him at your mom's? That sounds like a good place for him to rest.


OK! Tear jerker! Love it!

DH and I went to visit CowGirlGrace. I went for 6 eggs, came home with 10. He was no darn help at all in restraining me. If I hadn't stopped myself I could have come home with as many as I wanted. Thank goodness for my amazing self control.

I took them down to the VF Silkie Coop and gave them to Priscilla and Lucille. Lucille, our lavender Silkie, apparently is a magician because no sooner had I offered her 5 eggs but they had disappeared, although I suspect she hid them under her flattened, fluffy body.

Priscilla looked at them quizzically for a few minutes. One, then two eggs went underneath her while three others sat exposed. By the time I left though she fluffed up and over the remaining three. Just then Pearlie June came bopping into the coop and began to complain loudly that the other two girls had eggs and she did not. She just got done being broody a couple of weeks ago. I didn't know she was going to be ticked off about it. I swear I wasn't playing favorites. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

I have some cute video I took with the iPhone but I don't really know how to load it here. I'll have to look at that.
In the meantime - here's what we started with. 4 wheaten Ameraucana eggs, 2 BLRW, and 4 cochins. I've never wanted any little cochins before but Cowgirlgrace's were just adorable.

I'm going to re-home these when they're big enough. I mean it.
Oh and thanks to all of you who've been posting all your cute chicks pics lately. You all are a bad influence.

WOW! Gorgeous lookin' eggs!

Quote: Yeah, I know. Hilarious.

Let's all make fun of the woman with no impulse control.

J/K. I understand we're all pretty much in the same boat! As far as the Cochins, I'm guessing you're referring to that brilliant red Cochin rooster that shone like a fiery sun yesterday? Gorgeous. I can't wait to see what colors I get. Too bad I won't be keeping them although I'm afraid this may be another myth I'm telling myself.

Yesterday after I posted this photo on Facebook, my DD who is away at college at WSU commented "Mom! No more!", as if I'm a sick hoarder of some kind who required intervention. I had to reassure her I would not be keeping these chicks. They just need to feather out and go off to happy new homes. No problem.

And yes, after I saw the BLRW I thought "oh what harm in just picking up a couple of eggs"?

I might need help after all.

Hey, my sister is at WSU right now! This is her last year, she's taking criminal justice, I think....?

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Poodles are VERY smart dogs (and big), but I have to add, they can be too smart and have too much of an attitude. They remind me of Chow's sometimes, they get that look.

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I love it when the guys can be all mushy to some babies, makes me just want to love on my DH when he's sweet to the chicks, LOL!!!

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SOOOO glad to hear someone talk about Kombucha! I can't keep up with things very well, so I don't have any right now, but Kombucha is like the best filter you can get for your body, it is AMAZING at absorbing toxinis. Thanks Lutefisk!

Well chicky #4 is doing super today, full of pep and looking super comfy with her 3 adopted "sisters". Yippee! As much sleeping as she did when I got her home yesterday had me a bit worried.

Now I have to go out and work in the trailer. Yesterday I found mildew on the carpet on both sides of the bed! Dang! That's going to be a real pain since it's carpet instead of a smooth surface. I hope vinegar and DE will do the trick because it won't handle being bleached. The padding underneath is what I'd really like to get access to but I don't think I can lift a section of the carpet and get it back down again afterward. Have any of you done this sort of thing?

Then we have to find out why this happened. We keep dehumidifiers in there all the time, haven't seen any leaks, and we run a heater if the temp gets too cold. Dang! Dang! Dang!

Wish me luck!

Glad your babies are doing good! As far as the carpet, It's not hard to lift it up from the corners, I would say it depends on how far "in the middle" the wet spots are. Make sure you have a putty knife to slide it back down under your trim.

I took the babies outside for some worm hunting....THEY LOVED IT! lol!

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

one of my chicks almost died. I got home my husband had it on a paper towel on the counter saying it was dead. It was freezing cold but let out one little gasp for air. Used a hairdryer on low setting to warm it up as quick as i could. It's now in a cardboard box with a light on it. I came home to it on the counter at like 9 this morning? now it's able to stand on it's own but doesn't have much balance. I hope it makes it considering when i got home from my appointment it was barely able to breath.

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

Thank all of you for the emotional support with dealing with demon. I currently am finding things to keep my mind busy, and well having issues staying home because of it.
Demon is at rest at my moms, she lives out in the country nice quiet. It was his favorite place to be seems only right his grave be there. wednesday I'm going to go put a large rock on his exact grave site and paint it. I need to make it clearly marked because where a dog i had as a teen was buried my dad tilled up the ground and ended up having to move the bones and make a new grave. He forgot there was a dog there, tore the rosebush up that was there and made a garden.
This time Large rock with RIP Demon on it so my dad wont forget.

 

[chickenmomma16]

I thought I would step in here and say ALL of you are a bad influence.

I usually just quietly lurk and try to keep up on the happenings in the chicken world but lately whats up with all these chick pictures? I am truly suffering here. I now want chicks SO BAD. Rainwolf and her mom actually started this by giving me a dozen hatching eggs when all I wanted was one of her cockerels... Those chicks were so cute! I need more chickens like I need another hole in my head. DH thinks I'm totally chicken crazy (ok..maybe that is true). I told him yesterday I *REALLY* want to start breeding LF silver Ameraucanas (thanks to Hinotori showing me her pullet ) and I was showing him all the pictures of them and sharing the new chick pictures everyone has and he just looked at me and said "I don't know, I thought when I agreed to getting chickens you said only 10. Now what are we at? 20 birds? 3 of them being full grown TURKEYS!?"

I feel like a bad addict. Now I'm brainstorming how to smuggle more birds in and pull off breeding AMs. I ran across someones sig. the other day can't remember whos but it said "Chickens smickens... they are just the gateway bird" DH didn't think that was funny but I think I will just stick with turkeys and chickens, but elaborate on the chickens.

Alright, I'm going back to lurking and admiring everyones chick pictures and wishing I had some to share.

 

[ChickAudie]

Here's the babies on their field trip! Look at Opal, she's all giving me the stink eye.




Princess Caribou strikes a pose, such a Madonna....




Itsren! TPT! Here are those little fluffy butts!




Oh! And we changed the footing on the Pollo Chateau, it now has a bad-a*& carriage with some heavy duty wheels! DF wants to put a remote control drive shaft on it, I told him a trailer hitch would be just fine!

 

[ChickAudie]

Oooops! Sorry ChickenMomma16, I guess I didn't help there....