Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[ValerieJ]

Rose, Blanche and Dorothy at 4 weeks.

Rose, Blanche and Dorothy at 12 weeks. Uh, Rose, BLAINE, and Dorothy?

I wonder if he'll get along with Cooper.

Who? Me?

 

[Smokerbill]

Rose, Blanche and Dorothy at 4 weeks.View attachment 3840336Rose, Blanche and Dorothy at 12 weeks. Uh, Rose, BLAINE, and Dorothy?
View attachment 3840341
I wonder if he'll get along with Cooper.
View attachment 3840347Who? Me?

Uh oh. Cooper has some future competition. LOL
Hope things go smoothly. How long before they're integrated with the flock?

 

[ValerieJ]

Uh oh. Cooper has some future competition. LOL
Hope things go smoothly. How long before they're integrated with the flock?

They have been integrated for a couple weeks. Young cockerels are not a threat to a rooster, so no drama yet. I just can't believe I never noticed this until now!!!

It would definitely be nice if I could keep two roosters. One is not enough for 14 hens really. My poor broodies keep sitting on unfertilized eggs. And for some reason, Cooper's favorite girls are the Australorps. They are 8+ years old, so not many eggs from them. But he does get around and I have a hopeful broody on the nest now. She has been sitting for a couple weeks, so we will soon know how it all works out for her.

 

[pennyJo1960]

We ran across some rain showers coming home.
I counted the girls last night 20 in the main coop not counting Fred.
Never see more than 10 a day know 6 are aged out.

 

[Smokerbill]

I'm going to start installing my drip irrigation system today. It'll make watering a lot easier and more efficient once the flow to different zones is adjusted with the inline valves I bought. Total cost for everything, about $140.



I've been neglecting my chickens lately but they're still healthy and laying loads of eggs. With the gardening and other projects I just haven't had the time to spend "quality time" with them much. Poor girls haven't been out to free range for over a month.

 

[ValerieJ]

I'm going to start installing my drip irrigation system today. It'll make watering a lot easier and more efficient once the flow to different zones is adjusted with the inline valves I bought. Total cost for everything, about $140.

View attachment 3842460

I've been neglecting my chickens lately but they're still healthy and laying loads of eggs. With the gardening and other projects I just haven't had the time to spend "quality time" with them much. Poor girls haven't been out to free range for over a month.

Maybe some day you'll have time to fence in a free range area for them. Everything costs money, of course, but so worth it to us.

You will love having an irrigation system for the garden! We have sprinklers set up to water low at the base of plants and it is so convenient.

 

[Smokerbill]

Maybe some day you'll have time to fence in a free range area for them. Everything costs money, of course, but so worth it to us.

You will love having an irrigation system for the garden! We have sprinklers set up to water low at the base of plants and it is so convenient.

I have two brand new 50' rolls of 1 inch chicken wire, 4 feet tall. I'd like to set up an area adjacent to the run and coop but with water, septic and and electric lines underground somewhere in that area I can't drive in t-posts.

 

[ValerieJ]

Oh, yes. That might be a problem. It sure makes life easy when they have their own space and we don't have to babysit.

 

[Smokerbill]

Oh, yes. That might be a problem. It sure makes life easy when they have their own space and we don't have to babysit.

I think this is a high-risk time of the year to be free ranging chickens. There are lots of baby predators that either need to be fed or need to be taught how to hunt. Chickens would be good food/practice.

There's tall grass growing next to the day run, just out of reach of the chickens' beaks. I've started laying a board on the grass so it leans over far enough for the girls to pick on and eat.

Got the raised bed layout all measured out on paper. Had a hard time putting ink on paper because it's lightly raining here and the notepad got wet.

 

[ValerieJ]

Yeah, not sure I'd be truly free ranging chickens right now. Our fenced area has a hot wire, so those woodland critters won't get in. Then fence is 6 foot tall too. I only have to worry about the aerial predators, but haven't had problems with those in several years.