Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[cooliechick]

The last two weeks have been the pits. The only thing good that has happened is I was able to set an incubator close to full with Partridge Penedesenca, Cream Legbar, and a few Olive Egger eggs. I candled them tonight (10 days of incubating) and most are developing. Hope all goes well for the next 12 or so days.

I will not make it to the Monroe show unless I can convince myself it is okay to go. My hubby was out cutting a tree down on March 1st and the trunk of the tree traveled sideways and got him from the waist up. He was lucky as it broke his neck at the C1/C2 joint. He is able to move his hands and feet, and is up moving, but, he is still in Harbor View Hospital in the rehab dept. I feel like I should stay home and not spend any extra money at this point in time. Maybe I'll change my mind in the morning.

So.... everyone else, please have a good time and report back here so I feel sorrier for myself. ha ha ha ha.... Do have fun. I'll be thinking of being there.

 

[QuiltinGramma]

JennysHens....I stick your live traps out for the cats anyways. A neutered feral cat is better than one that is not. And maybe, once caught and neutered it will decide to stay clear of your yard for good lest something else "bad" happen to it.

 

[Frenchcuffs13]

The Scarecrow motion activated water sprayer has been a blessing for me! It keeps deer, etc off my beloved plants without hurting the animals and kept the neighbors loose dog from sh*tting on my front lawn.. Live traps did nothing for us as far as coons and cats. You can adjust sensitivity level and it only gives a quick spritz so you're not wasting a bunch of water.
Deer off, cat away, scented products worked for 2 minutes. You have to keep applying and forget it if it rains. Plus it's expensive.

A one time cost of $50 for 3 plus years of uninterrupted protection..... You do have to unhook it if it freezes below 29 though. I got mine from Do your own pest control. Quick and the cheapest.
Maybe it will work for others too.?

 

[ochochicas]

Sorry to hear about your husband, Coolie. I hope he has a quick recovery. Maybe you can go to the show just for a break but not spend any money??? It sounds like you've had a stressful week and could use some time to relax.

There are groups out there that specialize in trapping feral cats. If you contact one of them, they can help you set up the traps or even do it for you. I found that they will go in and eat but know not to step on the plate that closes the door. (How do they know that?!?!?!) If you put a sheet or pillowcase on the bottom of the trap so they don't know where the plate is, they will step on it and be trapped. You should also over the trap with a towel or tarp or something. They will go in easier if it is covered and dark inside.

 

[JennysHens]

Yes, I've considered contacting WeSnip, the local trap/fix/release group here in Whatcom, my only fear is if any of them are "technically" a neighbor's pet. Don't know how that would go down in the keeping friendly department and the legality here in WA, though I'm honestly inclined to say that if you're letting your cat roam uncontrolled then man up and face the consequences! In FL, leash laws applied to dogs AND cats so if I trapped your cat then you had to pay to get it back from the shelter, shouldn't have been outside!

I'm used to people doing that with cats but what surprised me the most moving out here is how many people just let their dogs outside and don't care. My neighbor across the street lets his dog roam all over the place and he pees in my front garden all the time, the next door neighbor lets his dog roam and his 2 cats, down the street the neighbor just lets her chihuahua out and it chases my dog on walks... that part baffles me! I've never seen people just let their dogs roam quite like this and it seems to just be an accepted thing out here. If the chih nips my pup's ankles again I'm probably going to call him in because otherwise it's going to get punted hahahah

 

[ochochicas]

Yes, I've considered contacting WeSnip, the local trap/fix/release group here in Whatcom, my only fear is if any of them are "technically" a neighbor's pet. Don't know how that would go down in the keeping friendly department and the legality here in WA, though I'm honestly inclined to say that if you're letting your cat roam uncontrolled then man up and face the consequences! In FL, leash laws applied to dogs AND cats so if I trapped your cat then you had to pay to get it back from the shelter, shouldn't have been outside!

I'm used to people doing that with cats but what surprised me the most moving out here is how many people just let their dogs outside and don't care. My neighbor across the street lets his dog roam all over the place and he pees in my front garden all the time, the next door neighbor lets his dog roam and his 2 cats, down the street the neighbor just lets her chihuahua out and it chases my dog on walks... that part baffles me! I've never seen people just let their dogs roam quite like this and it seems to just be an accepted thing out here. If the chih nips my pup's ankles again I'm probably going to call him in because otherwise it's going to get punted hahahah

You can definitely tell a feral from a pet cat. They act totally differently inside the trap. And I agree, if the cat is roaming and not neutered and belongs to one of the neighbors, too bad! It should have been neutered long ago anyway.


I just got back from the show in Monroe. They had some very nice birds there. I was hoping to see more of the rare and unusual breeds, but aside from the Cubalayas and a couple of others, it was mostly the birds that are trendy now and some of the heritage breeds. Gorgeous birds though. I think we might get some Brahmas now.

 

[MisfitMarie]

Forgot to mention that runner beans are yummy! When young, they are like green beans. Then they can be stripped like French cut beans, and finally, when mature... they are very pretty dry shelling beans! They make wonderful soup all winter!


I get mine from Baker Creek (rareseeds.com) but Territorial and Adaptive seeds both carry a few varieties as well and are local.

I went ahead and picked beans, for the most part. I am planting ONE grape plant on the property near the coop, because having some fresh grapes sound absolutely fabulous.

I picked a bean variety called "scarlet runner". Are those good? They look good, with little red blooms... I want to plant them all around the coop.

I also bought some "Hyacinth Bean" seeds to try... they looked interesting.

And those kiwis. Gosh, I might have to find a place for some of those, too!

I guess I'm just going to have to build another coop to plant all these seeds alongside of... That means I'm going to have to get more chickens. That means I'm going to have to hatch more eggs.

Gosh, what a terrible situation!

 

[CoopDeDoo]

You can definitely tell a feral from a pet cat. They act totally differently inside the trap. And I agree, if the cat is roaming and not neutered and belongs to one of the neighbors, too bad! It should have been neutered long ago anyway.


I just got back from the show in Monroe. They had some very nice birds there. I was hoping to see more of the rare and unusual breeds, but aside from the Cubalayas and a couple of others, it was mostly the birds that are trendy now and some of the heritage breeds. Gorgeous birds though. I think we might get some Brahmas now.

We went to the show for quick peek as well. I want to know who the LF Brahamas and Cochins belong to!

Sad to see that CL couldn't make it and was hoping that ElizM would have shown some of her Favs (hint-hint )

 

[Chickielady]

I live in an area with a ton of feral tomcats. I've had them come into my yard over the fence and never once look at the chickens. I have had a hawk issue this year but I've learned they are done hunting by noon so I just never let the birds out of the coops until then. Coons are my biggest issue but thankfully where I live they still have a healthy fear of people and populated, well lit areas and if I keep a light on near the coops at nigh they stay away.

We have had no predators, but 1.
That is primarily due to the prison wire-fencing system we did.
The 1 predator that did gain entry, was a pair of juvenile mink, during Father's Day 2 years ago in broad daylight between 10 AM & 3 PM while we were gone.
They dug under a gate, and ripped heads off 5 Blue Jersey Giant pullets, and tried to take them out.
We found several chickens feet up in the ground where the mink had dug tunnels & the pullets were too big to go further.
DH propped the game cam up & took pics all night.
This was 2 feet from our cabin's front door !
The pair returned that night & the next, but we heavily fortified with wire buried 1-2 feet deep, and topped with sprinkled mound of 6-8" of concrete.
The rest of every inch of our pens & pasture was already "no dig & no climb" fencing, except the 1 gate !!!





The best thing to deter these predators (and many more) has been the radio left on loudly on a nice PBS jazz station !

The human voices deter predators, and the birds seem to like the music.
The baby chicks also adjust to human voices.
Seems to have worked great !

 

[Chickielady]

I tried to catch and spay/neuter the feral cats around here but they never go in the trap! I've caught my own cats, my Delaware hen, and a hawk in that live trap but never a cat. The hawk walking into a live trap to get a can of catfood really surprised me! I felt bad for him to be that hungry!

wow, a hawk ?
how did it know food was in there ?
I could not have smelled the food.........and if the food did not move, generally a hawk will not 'see' it as food.
Maybe what happened (it has happened here) was a mouse or rat was after the bait in the trap, and the hawk went after the rat.
I had that happen with a hav-a-heart trap tripped one night & inside was a dead shrew, and a rat.
The rat's weight set off the trap...but was it after the bait too ?
Or the shrew ?