Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[CarolynF]

Hey Chickielady and Carolyn!!! I'm baaaaaack. Finally remembered my password.

I'm on Whidbey Island now, my chickens are on our lot, my house in North Bend is still for sale, Don is not looking for work, I'm starting a new business .... Logged on here today to see if I can find a cheap way of covering a super long dog kennel. The tarps keep crashing down when it rains; and there are always owls and bald eagles sitting in the trees looking for an easy meal. Poor gals have not free-ranged since May. I really miss my old place, but $ is so much harder to come by these days, so I'm looking a cheap solution to a muddy, poopy mess. My larger hens have a nice shaker coop and covered run, my spitz have a decent tractor, but my brabanters are living in dog-kennel hell with a nice coop, but a stinky, slimy mess of a run. It does not help that they wont use the coop, but instead sit on the cans of feed and poop all over them.

I hope the rains are not too bad. North Bend has been a flooded mess already 3X this fall, and I have to go there tomorrow to get the place dusted, mopped and vacuumed before the weekend lookie lous come.

Hey there, welcome back! Can you get wood chips from a local tree service? They work great for that muddy run if you can get at least 5-6" deep. Nets for covering, or a roof are the only things I can think of for protection.

 

[Bridebeliever]

We have a long path that leads over to our coop area. My husband bought wood chips from Perry Pallet (Whatcom County). The path is about 4" deep with pallet chip (looks like bark) and it's awesome because it doesn't break down! The chickens leave it alone too, they don't try to eat it. Keeps the area completely mud free!

 

[lindalouly]

We have a long path that leads over to our coop area. My husband bought wood chips from Perry Pallet (Whatcom County). The path is about 4" deep with pallet chip (looks like bark) and it's awesome because it doesn't break down! The chickens leave it alone too, they don't try to eat it. Keeps the area completely mud free!

That's what I do otherwise we get a slick murky mess.

 

[ochochicas]

This weather is extra ridiculous considering they predicted a mild and dry winter. LOL Whoever complained about it being too hot this summer is now punishing the rest of us.

I hope the wind doesn't pick up too much. I already had to reinforce the tarp shelter over my chicken tractor. Hopefully it will still be intact when I get home later. Need to find a better solution next week.

 

[JulesChicks]

@Ogress I definitely recommend the wood chips for the run. I can pm you a guy in North Whidbey's number. We are on south Fidalgo Island and they trimmed trees for us last year and left the chips for us. Sometimes they don't have anywhere to dump them though so you can get them for free. Where on Whidbey are you?

 

[lindalouly]

Any one getting any snow...

 

[Rod-T]

Any one getting any snow...

starting to now

 

[lindalouly]

starting to now

Send it my way... Rod, it looks like the chicks I hatched might be Delawares!!!!!! I can tell for sure in a week or so!!!

 

[Rod-T]

Send it my way... Rod, it looks like the chicks I hatched might be Delawares!!!!!! I can tell for sure in a week or so!!!

nice from your own eggs?

 

[lindalouly]

nice from your own eggs?

From the nine I hatched. Three are obviously an austrolorps mix the others are looking Delaware.