Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[CarolynF]

Hello Fellow Staties!

Our first year with chickens, we are loving it. I love that there is a spot for us "locals" to talk.

Are you or have you already prepared for the wet winter? We have been trying to figure out what we should do as not only are we new to chickens but have only been here in WA 3 winters.

Any pointers for a Southwestern Washingtonian?

Hello and Welcome to the group! What breeds are you raising?

Keep their area as dry as possible. Don't bother with heat lamps.

 

[nbd3um1]

Hello and Welcome to the group! What breeds are you raising?

Keep their area as dry as possible. Don't bother with heat lamps.

Carolyn - We have 4 RIR and 1 Ameraucana {who has yet to lay at 28 weeks;disappointed}

Welcome!

Make sure your birds have a nice dry, draft free place to hang out if they want. Other than that, mine go out in the rain as long as it isn't pouring. They got extra hay during the ice storm we had. They love alfalfa leaves and the stems help with walking. The first time it snows each year, they all freak. "OMG! The white stuff! It burns!" Then they get over it and don't care.

Hinotori - Thanks, glad to hear that at least some are okay with getting wet.


I guess as far as the rain goes as long as they can get inside if they want to be dry then they are good. We are looking at putting some sand down this coming week so we do not need to move the heavy coop around this winter. We have come across many design flaws.

Have you guys seen a drop in eggs yet? We have a light on a timer and still getting the same amount of eggs each day. Would we have seen a change by now if they where going to start protesting because of the days getting darker earlier by now?

 

[nbd3um1]

Quote: HA, I would love to hibernate. The weather sure is trying its hardest to convince me into staying inside and in a warm blanket all winter and spring.

 

[Hinotori]

I don't have any spring hatched pullets this year and most my birds are molting right now so I'm not getting many eggs. The first year they are laying they do the best going into winter.

 

Hello and Welcome to the group!  What breeds are you raising?

Keep their area as dry as possible.  Don't bother with heat lamps. 

Carolyn - We have 4 RIR and 1 Ameraucana {who has yet to lay at 28 weeks;disappointed}   
 
 

 

Welcome!

Make sure your birds have a nice dry, draft free place to hang out if they want. Other than that, mine go out in the rain as long as it isn't pouring. They got extra hay during the ice storm we had. They love alfalfa leaves and the stems help with walking. The first time it snows each year, they all freak. "OMG! The white stuff! It burns!" Then they get over it and don't care. 

Hinotori - Thanks, glad to hear that at least some are okay with getting wet.


I guess as far as the rain goes as long as they can get inside if they want to be dry then they are good.  We are looking at putting some sand down this coming week so we do not need to move the heavy coop around this winter.  We have come across many design flaws.

Have you guys seen a drop in eggs yet?  We have a light on a timer and still getting the same amount of eggs each day.  Would we have seen a change by now if they where going to start protesting because of the days getting darker earlier by now?

 

[DeltaBluezTess]

Yes I have gone from 18-20 eggs to about 5 eggs a day....sigh.....the last week of heavy rain, cold weather and wind has taken a toll. I will be moving some layers in the barn to get at least 5-8 a day and the rest have the winter off.

 

[Hinotori]

A couple of my girls have been all huddled up lately. That's what happens when you drop over half of your feathers at once. The new feathers are coming in good, though.

I have one pullet that should start laying here in the next month or so, then three more that will start a month after her. There are four little girls who will start in spring probably.

The silkies are always reliable layers for me as long as they aren't broody. So I almost always have at least a few small eggs.

 

[hallerlake]

I've listed some of my birds on Craigslist. http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/grd/4107242228.html

 

[Totalcolour]

I am distraught. For the past few months, my chicks have been dying. Just one, here, and one there. I had 17, now I have eight. There isn't a sign of illness, no predators. They will all be fine one day, and one dead in the morning. Just far enough apart in time that just as I think we are over whatever it is, we lose another one.

At first I thought it was just death from not being hardy. I prefer to lose those that aren't strong, but this is just too much. I'm afraid to get anymore until we figure out what this is. We had a necropsy done one time (at considerable cost), and nothing bad showed up. I'm baffled.

I'm actually thinking that they might be getting crushed. They all go to the same feeder the Muscovies use (even thought they have their own feeder) and the Muscovies are pretty big. I just can't think of anything else.

 

[DeltaBluezTess]

I've listed some of my birds on Craigslist. http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/grd/4107242228.html

None are SQ, but pet type? I have Silver and looking to expand my flock but want SQ birds. I got my quad from Cathy x and LOVE them.

 

[CarolynF]

I am distraught. For the past few months, my chicks have been dying. Just one, here, and one there. I had 17, now I have eight. There isn't a sign of illness, no predators. They will all be fine one day, and one dead in the morning. Just far enough apart in time that just as I think we are over whatever it is, we lose another one.

At first I thought it was just death from not being hardy. I prefer to lose those that aren't strong, but this is just too much. I'm afraid to get anymore until we figure out what this is. We had a necropsy done one time (at considerable cost), and nothing bad showed up. I'm baffled.

I'm actually thinking that they might be getting crushed. They all go to the same feeder the Muscovies use (even thought they have their own feeder) and the Muscovies are pretty big. I just can't think of anything else.

Other than a good story I hate mysteries! So Sorry to hear about your losses. If the ducks are crushing them would you see signs like a broken neck? How old are they?
If you separate them from the ducks until they are older maybe it would help. Just throwing out thoughts obviously.