Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[OverEggstended]

No chickies for me until May it seems. Everyone is sold out of both Hammies and Campines until then.

 

[ochochicas]

Hellooooo washington peeps!

I've browsed the forum for years, but only recently decided to make an account and become active in the community, so popping in to say hello, along with a serious question:

I know how important it is to have a backup plan with unwanted chickens, and I am wondering at what point I need to start making mine, and if you have suggestions for local options.

Story: I am not allowed to have roosters, but have 24 pure Araucana hatching eggs en route. Figuring in damages, infertile eggs and the lethality of the tufted gene, I do not expect more than 6 to survive. Here's to hoping all six will be female, however you and I know that's not the reality of Mother Nature. At what point should I start searching for homes (counting eggs before they're hatched ring a bell?) and where do I head first?

Note: Araucanas purportedly cannot be sexed, therefore I won't know who needs rehoming until I hear that first "crow".

Thanks so much BYCers!

You are right. The Araucans are very hard to sex. Some of the boys will get reddish combs early on, but some won't. i bought two pullets that were so aggressive that I was sure they were cockerels. Luckily they were both pullets. Their combs are tiny and a bit red now, but nothing like my Ameraucanas. They still look like babies although they are now both laying eggs 5 days a week. Very difficult to determine gender.

You can advertise your boys on craigslist or the Facebook pages in Washington. I have rehomed a couple of cockerels this way. The Araucanas also tend to be very heavy for their size, so they might make a good meat bird if you want to sell them as such. There is a feed store in Enumclaw that takes in roosters for processing when the time comes (if that is what you decide to do with them). You drop them off on Friday evening and the guy picks them up on Saturday morning.

Good luck with your hatch being all girls!!!

 

[Clearly]

You are right.  The Araucans are very hard to sex.  Some of the boys will get reddish combs early on, but some won't.  i bought two pullets that were so aggressive that I was sure they were cockerels.  Luckily they were both pullets.  Their combs are tiny and a bit red now, but nothing like my Ameraucanas.  They still look like babies although they are now both laying eggs 5 days a week.  Very difficult to determine gender.

You can advertise your boys on craigslist or the Facebook pages in Washington.  I have rehomed a couple of cockerels this way.  The Araucanas also tend to be very heavy for their size, so they might make a good meat bird if you want to sell them as such.  There is a feed store in Enumclaw that takes in roosters for processing when the time comes (if that is what you decide to do with them).  You drop them off on Friday evening and the guy picks them up on Saturday morning.

Good luck with your hatch being all girls!!!

Thanks for the response and info. The statistical probability of 6 chicks being all girls is 1.5%, so I'm very realistic about the situation. That doesn't mean I don't hate the idea of those beautiful boys becoming fryers, but I get it. So it's really good to know about the feed store in enumclaw. What facebook pages should I belong to? Also, glad to know you've rid yourself of cockerels, so I know it won't be an impossible task (or one I would have to take upon myself with an axe, which I know I could not do with a healthy bird).

Would love to hear other ideas; online groups, local groups, etc, that I can join. Also, are there county groups of people who like.... Meet up? Do tours of coops? Bond over the common love of our flocks? Maybe that's ridiculous.... Lol, but if there is one, I want in!

 

[Espresso]

Thanks for the response and info. The statistical probability of 6 chicks being all girls is 1.5%, so I'm very realistic about the situation. That doesn't mean I don't hate the idea of those beautiful boys becoming fryers, but I get it. So it's really good to know about the feed store in enumclaw. What facebook pages should I belong to? Also, glad to know you've rid yourself of cockerels, so I know it won't be an impossible task (or one I would have to take upon myself with an axe, which I know I could not do with a healthy bird).

Would love to hear other ideas; online groups, local groups, etc, that I can join. Also, are there county groups of people who like.... Meet up? Do tours of coops? Bond over the common love of our flocks? Maybe that's ridiculous.... Lol, but if there is one, I want in!

Doesn't sound silly. We are bonding here. I'm all the way in Tacoma and I'm a duck lady... But I love that idea.

 

[Ashley Stroud]

Thanks for the response and info. The statistical probability of 6 chicks being all girls is 1.5%, so I'm very realistic about the situation. That doesn't mean I don't hate the idea of those beautiful boys becoming fryers, but I get it. So it's really good to know about the feed store in enumclaw. What facebook pages should I belong to? Also, glad to know you've rid yourself of cockerels, so I know it won't be an impossible task (or one I would have to take upon myself with an axe, which I know I could not do with a healthy bird).

Would love to hear other ideas; online groups, local groups, etc, that I can join. Also, are there county groups of people who like.... Meet up? Do tours of coops? Bond over the common love of our flocks? Maybe that's ridiculous.... Lol, but if there is one, I want in!

Hello and welcome!
I've had great luck rehoming cockerals with the Western WA Poultry fb site. Lots of great info and discussions there. Also depending on where you're located, check out Oregon Poultry Swap on fb. I've also rehomed some roos on CL.

Can't wait to follow your hatching adventures!

 

[ochochicas]

Today we took a quick trip to Coastal in Auburn. They hardly have any chicks at all. Not that I would buy any, but if you're looking you might have to wait or try a different store.

They are having a sale on some of their feeds and other items. Great clearance deals on last year's items.

 

[OverEggstended]

I want a few Cayuga females. Know anyone duck lady Espresso? Lol

 

[OverEggstended]

Started on the coop today. Went and got materials and prepainted. It is still all in "kit form", but I will try and take some pics in morn so you can see what I started with. Over half of it is salvaged goods!

 

[MrsSalo]

Hello from Rainier. I started with geese and I am ready for chicks. Can any of you tell how and where you get your chicks? I am really looking for a mix to include Marans, Jersey, Orpingtons...primarily color eggs layers.

I've looked at Meyer and Sand Hill...

Thanks~

 

[OverEggstended]

What... No easter eggers (americanas). Kinda depends, how many will you be getting and do you have any particular needs or plan to pureed to standard or anything?