Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Leigti]

My nest boxes have those nest box mats and then aspen.
So far my eggs have been consistently clean (occasional feather or piece of aspen). 
I don't wash mine, and I store them on an egg skelter on the counter. 

(One egg was soiled once, so I washed it and put it in the fridge).

Of course, I don't sell mine, which makes a difference.

I've thought about getting one of those nest mats to try it out. What is yours made of? I've seen them in plastic and in more natural fibers. Right now I use dried in pellets as the bottom layer with some pine shavings on top. Haven't had any problems. But now that I have more chickens I thought I might make a change when I build the new coop. I think I'm going to make two large nest boxes rather then smaller ones, all my friends say the chickens always lay in one box anyway.

 

[pennyJo1960]

My nest boxes have those nest box mats and then aspen.
So far my eggs have been consistently clean (occasional feather or piece of aspen).
I don't wash mine, and I store them on an egg skelter on the counter.

(One egg was soiled once, so I washed it and put it in the fridge).

Of course, I don't sell mine, which makes a difference.

I use shavings in my nesting boxes, when they lay them outside I do use a wet paper towel to take the mud off, I guess when and if I sell any I will say not for humane consumption

same as the gal we get our milk from

 

[lynnehd]

I've thought about getting one of those nest mats to try it out. What is yours made of? I've seen them in plastic and in more natural fibers. Right now I use dried in pellets as the bottom layer with some pine shavings on top. Haven't had any problems. But now that I have more chickens I thought I might make a change when I build the new coop. I think I'm going to make two large nest boxes rather then smaller ones, all my friends say the chickens always lay in one box anyway.

Mine look like this. Various sources online, look for 'nest box pads', or you can cut up a similarly made welcome mat.


You can trim them. Then I have aspen on top (because I had that anyway). The chickens form the aspen into a shallow bowl.
My eggs are 99% very clean.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Mine look like this. Various sources online, look for 'nest box pads', or you can cut up a similarly made welcome mat.


You can trim them. Then I have aspen on top (because I had that anyway). The chickens form the aspen into a shallow bowl.
My eggs are 99% very clean.

I guess that I probably will stay with good old shavings. The chickens where bought to give me something to do now. I have never been a person to sit for long that part really hasn't changed I just require dark glasses and painkillers to make it through a day now should I do a little much

 

[Leigti]

OK thanks. I will look them up. It might be something I put in the new coop. The list of things to put in the new coop is getting longer by the minute

 

[Chickielady]

Love this image!
.....and the phantom smell of summer-cured hay it evoked for me.
I even had a flash of a late summer afternoon.....decades ago.......after bucking hay all day on our Montana ranch and loading into our big barn for those long cold winters.....falling asleep on the top of the hay pile.....so very tired....such a delicious feeling.....a nap in newly baled summer hay.

Now doesn't it make you feel so very lucky to have this life ?

 

[Chickielady]

I can't believe nobody wants it. I have absolutely no problem finding homes for my eggs. Between people at work, for other friends, and my neighbors more people want eggs then I have eggsfor. More and more people are raising chickens but there still seems to be a market for eggs. I don't advertise on craigslist or anything, just people I know.

Me too, if I have a sudden glut of eggs, I can also do a "referral" bonus...to my regular customers, refer a friend, and get a doz eggs free on your next visit.
Or their is always the Senior Center...the old ones need as much healthy protein as they can get.

I also have lots of family...my doctor, and the produce guy at the grocery store who saves the chickens vegie sraps...

You can always scramble the eggs, and pour into plastic wear to freeze....we have also sprayed an ice cube tray with Pam Olive Oil, then poured scrambled egg into each well, freeze, then pop out into a 1 gallon freezer ziplock.
THEN, in deep winter when your girls slow down lay, you grab 1 well of scramble per person, thaw in a egg poacher or plastic tub to use for breakfast the following day.

Chickens also love cooked scrambled egg...a great protein boost for sexually active birds, and for broodies.

Dogs love scrambled eggs too!

 

[Chickielady]

Chickielady....You could take some of those old tires and make a couple of tire swings for your flock. Bet they would enjoy that. You could even make one for yourself and swing with them.

hahahahah what a picture that would be !

 

[Chickielady]

I was just happening to look up the topic of cleaning or not cleaning eggs yesterday. And also whether to put them in the refrigerator or not. It is interesting reading the different viewpoints.

Once your eggs have been washed, you DO need to refrigerate, as the bloom is now gone.

 

[Chickielady]

We moved here in in October my chicks where started in a dog x pen in my friends basement waiting for the new place to close I had bought 16 birds but ones leg was caught in the chicken wire around the pen the others stomped him then there 15. I recently acquired 3 new light brahmas real sweeties, then gave away my two rode island reds so an even 14 now.
I started with two small coops but all my birds wanted to cram in one so we bought a second dome, the first was when we moved here it has a great garage actually 2 car and two work shops the first is my "barn" the second is the chicken coop a guy named Tim in Adna builds them of pvc you cover them how you want to the coop
the barn

Well, you know how much work is involved in moving to bare land with critters !
Could you cover the domes with chicken wire & spray with gunite ?

This is not my dome, just using it as an example of a dome covered with gunite...

They are so COOL!!