Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[itsren]

Oh my gosh! I just went out to check on the girls. Latte is a big girl now!!!! She is in the big girl's coop, on a roost bar right next to her archenemy, the Drama Queen! This is the first time she has ever dared to set foot in that coop when the big girls were in there.

The Latte vs. Drama drama might FINALLY be coming to an end!

 

[itsren]

Quote:
Yes! Thank you. I just showed it to DH. I have never seen anything like that before. That looks like a pretty easy install, too.

 

[CarolynF]

Well today I pretty much finished the coop and enclosure for the chicks. It's been an interesting exercise. I carved out an area that is the run for my hens. The big dog house is now sitting under an apple tree and I made fences that have 2 layers that are 6-8 inches apart so nobody from either side of the fence is going to poking their head where it doesn't belong. The overhead protection against hawk attackes was the biggest challenge. I can't cover an area that has an apple tree growing in it, but worrying about a hawk cruising in and nabbing a couple of little chicks isn't on my agenda either. So I used the bird netting I already had and tied it to branches and fences with string as best I could. It looks messy but covers most of the area, high enough that DH and I won't be decapitating ourselves if we're careful. The bit of open air that remained has a few CDs hung from the tree to (hopefully) scare any hawks away. I sure hope it works!

The chicks were out there until 7:30 but they didn't go inside their coop except to eat. Earlier I put their food inside their coop hoping they'd get acquainted with their new home. It was funny because for several hours they refused to go in even to eat. When they got really hungry I put some of their wet chick feed on my finger and lured one of the hungry little buggers inside. They were hungry enough they finally hopped in and chowed down. It was pretty funny! Later they went in and out like it was no big deal. But they didn't understand that they were supposed to go in there at dusk. I guess I'll have to put them in there myself until they get the idea, right? And will I have to teach them to use the perch that's in there, too? Although they hop onto the perch that's in the indoor pen, and they nap there, they spend the night on the floor in a huddle.

How do others teach these basics to their hand-raised chicks? Or do they figure it out on their own?

Is anyone putting 5-week old chicks outside yet without any heat???

Any younger than 5-weeks?

Thanks!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Well today I pretty much finished the coop and enclosure for the chicks. It's been an interesting exercise. I carved out an area that is the run for my hens. The big dog house is now sitting under an apple tree and I made fences that have 2 layers that are 6-8 inches apart so nobody from either side of the fence is going to poking their head where it doesn't belong. The overhead protection against hawk attackes was the biggest challenge. I can't cover an area that has an apple tree growing in it, but worrying about a hawk cruising in and nabbing a couple of little chicks isn't on my agenda either. So I used the bird netting I already had and tied it to branches and fences with string as best I could. It looks messy but covers most of the area, high enough that DH and I won't be decapitating ourselves if we're careful. The bit of open air that remained has a few CDs hung from the tree to (hopefully) scare any hawks away. I sure hope it works!

The chicks were out there until 7:30 but they didn't go inside their coop except to eat. Earlier I put their food inside their coop hoping they'd get acquainted with their new home. It was funny because for several hours they refused to go in even to eat. When they got really hungry I put some of their wet chick feed on my finger and lured one of the hungry little buggers inside. They were hungry enough they finally hopped in and chowed down. It was pretty funny! Later they went in and out like it was no big deal. But they didn't understand that they were supposed to go in there at dusk. I guess I'll have to put them in there myself until they get the idea, right? And will I have to teach them to use the perch that's in there, too? Although they hop onto the perch that's in the indoor pen, and they nap there, they spend the night on the floor in a huddle.

How do others teach these basics to their hand-raised chicks? Or do they figure it out on their own?

Is anyone putting 5-week old chicks outside yet without any heat???

Any younger than 5-weeks?

Thanks!

Carolyn- this works!! http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/coop-training-chickens.html

and my mama hen left her babies when the youngest was 5weeks old to the day and ths was 2 weeks ago already. She's fine! They'll huddle for warmth and do just fine.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Oh my gosh!  I just went out to check on the girls.  Latte is a big girl now!!!!  She is in the big girl's coop, on a roost bar right next to her archenemy, the Drama Queen!  This is the first time she has ever dared to set foot in that coop when the big girls were in there.

The Latte vs. Drama drama might FINALLY be coming to an end!  e

That is because she has started laying, she gets big girl respect now. Haha

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Broke another egg today- not taking it out of the nest, not dropping it- gently washing it! It was one of Agnetha the BLRWs- hers are really noticible, either very dark, almost mahogany colored, or with very dark freckles. This one was freckled, and the fifth egg in six days. I've been making sure that pen gets as much calcium as they will eat, oyster shell, mineral pills in their rice, all the dyed egg shells from Easter's devilled eggs and yet the shells are often thin. Her eggs tend to have "meat" in them, too.

Any thoughts?

 

[RainMom]

A hard day for this old man.
The maple I planted for my Birdie May was the object of my attention the last few days. Some of the limbs are low and when I cut the grass it was very difficult to avoid a whack in the face from them but this year it was impossible. So I removed the sod from around the tree (15' x 8') area so I could lay some fabric down and cover with mulch. (shredded bark stuff) Grrrrrr, the guy that cut the fabric cut it only 6' wide instead of the 8'. He had the order of cuts to be made. Lazy no good, badwords, badwords. Anyway I used another piece I had also purchased (3' wide) to finish (it was cut crooked) but I didn't want a seam. Grrrrrr
So now I have to go back and tell them and purchase another piece of fabric to replace the 3' piece.
A yard and 1/2 of mulch was not enough, need to get another load, more shoveling, ugh. But, it was good exercise.

7 eggs from 8 hens. Alright, and the girls are look fine.

Sara; that's good news your doggie is doing ok. Did you ever find out how he/her hurt its self?
I can smell the fresh brewed coffee calling me. Later peeps.

I'm so jealous you can still drink coffee at night Mikey! Ever since I got the autoimmune disorder I can't drink coffee at night anymore. I used to love to drink coffee with Baileys, or coffee with hot chocolate, or coffeee with Kahlua (sp?). Now I can't even eat dark chocolate in the evenings without causing iinsomnia. Drat! I'm settling for a cup of Chai-spiced Rooibos tea. Good, but not quite like spiffed up coffee!

Sara- sorry your pup got hurt- sounds like she's on the mend now. (I remember once our yellow lab sliced herself terribly on sheet metal when we were out in the country at a friend's house. It was a shallow cut, thankfully, but literally was like she had been scalped- took the skin and fur off her side- about 8 inches. We happened to have super glue in the truck , and beleive it or not- we glued her back together. Works like a charm- so long as there's no muscle involved?)

I'm trying to get things done and have been spending time with my son on Spring break. DH's vacation got cancelled, so instead of heading to the coast in the camper, I'm the entertainment source- ha!

 

[RainMom]

Just popping in, I'm all caught up like usual but simply have nothing to say lately. Chicks are growing fast and the 12 day olds are already off heat for two 2 hour sessions per day. The outside chicks are enormous at 7-9 weeks old and have been roosting alone without Lucy for over a week. Some pics, sorry I look like garbage, I started working out hardcore and haven't showered after my workout today yet. John had a stomach flu Wednesday and Isaac got it yesterday, but we've been otherwise healthy and had a wonderful Easter Sunday worshipping the King!

Sweet William fell asleep late this afternoon during a snack while momma read history to the big kids:

This is Cathy....Chatty Cathy. She stands amidst the dead looking sleeping bodies of her exhausted chickie flock mates, bored to death, peeping as loudly as she can and stomping their faces to wake them up:

Resulting in her boredom getting the best of me too:


If anyone needs me, I'm around, just quiet lately

funny picture of William- all tuckered out. Great family picture!

 

[SandBsmom]

Hello fellow Washingtonians. I know this should go on the B/S/T thread but I prefer to work locally. I have a blue or lavender (I was told blue but it is really light) pure ameraucna 3 week old chick that needs a new home. I got this little one at the Feather Fanciers show and since then my broody hatched out 4 grey chicks. That is just too much grey in my flock so this little one needs a home. I am located between Woodinville and Monroe. Please PM me if you are interested.

These pictures are terrible. It was bed time and little grey was desperate to get back with the other chicks. The color looks off too. It's grey is a very light, pretty grey.

 

[walady944]

Hello fellow Washingtonians. I know this should go on the B/S/T thread but I prefer to work locally. I have a blue or lavender (I was told blue but it is really light) pure ameraucna 3 week old chick that needs a new home. I got this little one at the Feather Fanciers show and since then my broody hatched out 4 grey chicks. That is just too much grey in my flock so this little one needs a home. I am located between Woodinville and Monroe. Please PM me if you are interested.

These pictures are terrible. It was bed time and little grey was desperate to get back with the other chicks. The color looks off too. It's grey is a very light, pretty grey.

is it

Any idea if pullet ?