Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[lindalouly]

Took a few pictures the other day of my chickens and looking at them had a realization......my little ugly duckling Am cockerel has grown up!

Still sweet and peeps like a chick, which I find adorable.......hasn't crowed yet because he has a very dominant flock rooster. Of course, I am already dreaming of next springs littles........

BEAUTIFUL~!

 

[CarolynF]

Took a few pictures the other day of my chickens and looking at them had a realization......my little ugly duckling Am cockerel has grown up!

Still sweet and peeps like a chick, which I find adorable.......hasn't crowed yet because he has a very dominant flock rooster. Of course, I am already dreaming of next springs littles........

Stunning! Wheaten? Whose line?

 

[Carolei]

Hey Carolei, so I got my chuxaway door the other day. Trying to figure out how to install the controller "remotely" away from the motor... But I can't find any isntructions... Did you just have to run extra long wires from the motor to the controller?

Yes. I just ran the wire that came with the controller out to the outside of the coop. I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow if it isn't pouring. You could replace the wire with a longer one if you needed to, but I just used the wire that came with the setup. They sell a little waterproof enclosure to put the controller in, if it is installed out in the weather. I bought something similar online in the U.S. to avoid paying the shipping costs on that from England. I'll send pictures soon.

 

[Ogress]

Thanks for all the great tips for wood chips. I used them in North Bend, but only because we built the coop where the kids play set was. I moved to Langley, right near the fairgrounds on the South end of Whidbey. We are renting a small house down the road from some land we purchased. The chickens are on the land. I see tree trimmers dump loads at the lot next to me all the time. I will flag them down for a load

 

[Ogress]

What a handsome Am Roo.

I was at the home we're trying to sell in north Bend all day Thursday, on Rattlesnake Mrn about 500' above town. It was snowing there

 

[Carolei]

Hey Carolei, so I got my chuxaway door the other day. Trying to figure out how to install the controller "remotely" away from the motor... But I can't find any isntructions... Did you just have to run extra long wires from the motor to the controller?

Here are some pictures. I routed the wire that came with chuxaway door through the hardware cloth to the outside of the coop. I installed the controller in a little weather-proof box that I bought online. It is very similar to the one they sell on the chuxaway website. Here's the door, open and closed. You can see the wire leading out of the run and you can sort of see the controller mounted outside.



And here's the control box on the outside of the coop. I covered the wire with fancy duct tape to protect the insulation from UV etc. I got my first chickens from My Pet Chicken and I love their logo, so I cut out a picture of the logo and taped it inside the door of the weather-proof box

Here's the big picture with my seven fabulous girls. As you can see, they really are backyard chickens -- city chicks -- in Seattle with very close neighbors. You can see the controller on the right edge of the coop. That's where I stand to reprogram it or to open and close the door in manual mode.



I hope the Chuxaway works out great for you! I love mine.

.

 

[nuklee0]

Here are some pictures. I routed the wire that came with chuxaway door through the hardware cloth to the outside of the coop. I installed the controller in a little weather-proof box that I bought online. It is very similar to the one they sell on the chuxaway website. Here's the door, open and closed. You can see the wire leading out of the run and you can sort of see the controller mounted outside. And here's the control box on the outside of the coop. I covered the wire with fancy duct tape to protect the insulation from UV etc. I got my first chickens from My Pet Chicken and I love their logo, so I cut out a picture of the logo and taped it inside the door of the weather-proof box Here's the big picture with my seven fabulous girls. As you can see, they really are backyard chickens -- city chicks -- in Seattle with very close neighbors. You can see the controller on the right edge of the coop. That's where I stand to reprogram it or to open and close the door in manual mode. I hope the Chuxaway works out great for you! I love mine. .

Awesome!!! Thank you so much for the recommendation and for posting pictures. Trying to get it installed today so we'll see how it goes.

 

[Chickielady]

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.

 

[Chickielady]

How much does it cost to ship... If they are Delawares I would send you eggs at cost for shipping...

Priority box. medium flat rate is 3 days and $12,95 which includes $50 insurance...(which no one can ever prove has caused their eggs to be scrambled & there fore not hatch)

 

[Chickielady]

We put down cedar chips for a path. The chickens have devastated it. They think it is their private scratching area. <sigh> Just wait, the worms will move in under the chips and the chickens will go after them eventually.

We added another power and water line from in front of our two dog kennels for the dogs across the back of the yard to the wood shed. Nice to have water and power (lights) for getting wood after dark. The soil here is millions of years of rotted leaves and wood. Under that is sandy clay and rocks. The area that was dug up is a mess. Soft on the top, and I am sure it will settle way more. I keep stomping on the top, but that isn't going to help a whole bunch.

Sunday and Monday we spent the better part of both days moving the three dog kennels that the chickens are in. The rain was running down across the yard and flooding one with about 1/2 inch of pond, and it was a real mess. We had to move the other two to make room for the wet one. It is finished and way nicer for all three pens. Mostly sandy and rock base for them to dig in and they think it is great.

It is raining again today, but, at least we don't get as many inches as the rest of the western part of the state. We are in the rain shadow of the Olympics. It does make a difference, though we do have colder nights and some pretty blustery winds.

Wishing everyone a Great Holiday Season.

Ours will be okay, but I'll not get caught up around here. Work seems to never end and our energy does.

Chickens, are excellent at stirring up the soil into a vat of poop soup, it is what they do best, and they are very happy at it.
Mine can dig up 12" of pea gravel and have it into a muddy soup in just half a day.