Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Hinotori]

I went to Tractor Supply and picked up a bag of chicken grit, and a bag of DuMor 24% meat bird feed. I planned to supplement the 18% feed they've been getting with a little of the higher protein feed each day. In the store the 10 pound bag wasn't loose, the feed was all clumped together. Got it home and opened it up and the feed felt slightly moist, and smelled bad. I don't know if it's mold or what, but I'm not giving it to my birds. I'll take it back and get a refund.

Also picked up three 2x6x10' boards (70% off cull lumber) to use around the base of the chicken run I'm building. With the other boards I have the base will be close to 12" high, so it should be good for deep litter.

I got a 25# bag of grit, but it's chicken size, not chick size. I'll break it up with a hammer, and sort or sift out the large particles for now, until the chicks get a little older.

I'm pretty disappointed about the feed being bad.

Clumpy feed has aways got wet. It's a botulism risk. I learned that the hard way when moisture got into my scratch. Leak in awning and water made it's way in where the lid handle attaches. Birds were suffering before I even saw the actual mold. Main reason I don't dump the feed out of the bags anymore. They are another protective layer in the metal trash can.

Yes take it back for a refund. I've seen some places leave feed pallets in the rain. The bags are only water resistant.

 

[Smokerbill]

Clumpy feed has aways got wet. It's a botulism risk. I learned that the hard way when moisture got into my scratch. Leak in awning and water made it's way in where the lid handle attaches. Birds were suffering before I even saw the actual mold. Main reason I don't dump the feed out of the bags anymore. They are another protective layer in the metal trash can.

Yes take it back for a refund. I've seen some places leave feed pallets in the rain. The bags are only water resistant.

The feed has been returned. Thanks

 

[Saris]

I am so over the rain, we got dumped on at a cookie booth we were running and had to shut the thing down. At least girl scout cookie season is almost over. Once it finishes up then I'm going to be working on building a brooder and setting my eggs ^_^

I planted my strawberry I was so happy to put them in dirt.
I am going to have re home Smudge. He has gone kinda weird with the new coop
DH thinks he does not like it.
He will not allow girls to eat, made one girl almost bald on ther neck breeding her.

I need to get some strawberry plants to put in my garden beds

I heard a nifty podcast with the author the other day, if you are into podcasts. It's called "ologies"

That's a good podcast!

 

[pennyJo1960]

I bought my Ozark and Eversweet at Sunbirds. Bought a dozen more on Amazon.
Everbearing Ozark Beauty Strawberry Plants 20 Bare

 

[Smokerbill]

I used to live in Spokane Saris, back in '89 and '90. It was the Newman Lake area, actually. Sure has changed out there since then.

I worked on my coop today, adding some framework and mounting hardware cloth to the last of the vent openings. Tomorrow I'll cut, prime and paint the walls for the second half of the coop. Toss on a roof panel and install the walls, and maybe by Thursday my chicks will expand their living space from their current 4'x4' area to an 8'x4' palace. LOL

Next job will be to finish up the adjacent secure run area. Once that's done I'll have some happy little Barred Rock pullets! They'll have a 32 square foot coop and 120' of wood chip floored run space to explore. Cheep Cheep!

 

[ValerieJ]

I had to give Corid to my chickens for a week and have noticed they are not laying all of a sudden. Does anyone know if this is a normal reaction to the Corid? Or just a coincidence?

I have 3 broodies too, so between the not laying so much and the broodies, I'm getting maybe 2 or 3 eggs a day out of 18 hens. Well, a few of my hens are past the laying age and are retired. But still, I was getting 6 to 8 a day before the Corid. Even had a shell-less egg yesterday and a fairy egg the day before. Something is effecting their egg making system.

 

[Smokerbill]

Oh crud let me go look x-cel feeds Tacoma mill date shows March 2023
Chick starter
Ya it is 20% also pulled the label off the bag

I just picked up a 50# bag of X-cel non-medicated chick starter at the local hardware store, 20% protein. It was manufactured this month, so it's nice and fresh. The ingredient list is not very specific, though. It lists "grain products", "vegetable matter products", and "forage products" as the first three ingredients. It should work, and the price wasn't bad, $19.99.

I'll gradually mix it into the remaining Purina crumbles to break them in gently to the new feed.

 

[Hinotori]

I had to give Corid to my chickens for a week and have noticed they are not laying all of a sudden. Does anyone know if this is a normal reaction to the Corid? Or just a coincidence?

I have 3 broodies too, so between the not laying so much and the broodies, I'm getting maybe 2 or 3 eggs a day out of 18 hens. Well, a few of my hens are past the laying age and are retired. But still, I was getting 6 to 8 a day before the Corid. Even had a shell-less egg yesterday and a fairy egg the day before. Something is effecting their egg making system.

No its not a normal reaction. I usually have to give mine corid in spring. The weather makes it more likely. Doesn't even slow their laying.

Only had to do one pen this year, plus my elderly rooster Ashes.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning state, My family years ago would go the mill in Tacoma with the one ton
truck.
I use X-cel now pellet now need more coffee.
Going to be hot today. Make sure you have fresh water for the birds.

 

[Smokerbill]

I screwed up and let my chicks run out of water overnight.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...r-flock-today.1371402/page-1096#post-26783398

Other than the screw up, it's supposed to be in the mid 70s here to day, mid 80s tomorrow. I think I'll get the final 3 coop wall panels in place today, and open up the entire coop to the chicks so they will each have 4 square feet of floor space instead of the 2sq ft they've been enduring.

And I'm really tempted to put my tomato plants in the ground now, but I'm going to try to wait until May 7th. I need to go out and check the temperature of the garden soil now. I guess it should be 50 degrees plus for tomatoes to thrive.