Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[ValerieJ]

I have a mostly blind, elderly silkie who won't even try to get into the silkie house anymore. Steps are too high when you can barely see. I upturned a couple rubber water bowls in the pen and she's been sleeping on them. I need to dig out one of the really big ones and fill it with shavings and put it by the house door. Maybe she would sleep in it.

She prefers the treadle feeder for her food because she recognizes it and knows where exactly the food is without trying to see it.

It is so kind of you to keep and cater to an old blind chicken. Warms my heart.

 

[Hinotori]

It is so kind of you to keep and cater to an old blind chicken. Warms my heart.

She doesn't require much. She's still a reliable layer at almost 8. Can't hatch her eggs. She ignores the rooster.

I'd kept my rooster that got blinded by a head peck. He had two older hens that would call him in and out of the house and to the food and water. He got so depressed, though.

 

[ValerieJ]

She doesn't require much. She's still a reliable layer at almost 8. Can't hatch her eggs. She ignores the rooster.

I'd kept my rooster that got blinded by a head peck. He had two older hens that would call him in and out of the house and to the food and water. He got so depressed, though.

Hard for a rooster to not be the one doing the herding. But I'm with you on chickens. I try to give them their best life, and always let them live it out. I'm not opposed to people raising chickens for meat and really think it's probably the healthiest and most humane way to eat chicken, but it sure isn't something I can do. I can't go from cute little feathered comedian to dinner table.

 

[pennyJo1960]

That is really kind of you!
Sitting here Moose woke me at 7.
Okay cannot butcher anymore either.
I do let the hens go to the end
I do make a good cup of coffee.

 

[Hinotori]

Hard for a rooster to not be the one doing the herding. But I'm with you on chickens. I try to give them their best life, and always let them live it out. I'm not opposed to people raising chickens for meat and really think it's probably the healthiest and most humane way to eat chicken, but it sure isn't something I can do. I can't go from cute little feathered comedian to dinner table.

I eat the extra roosters but ones that get names die from old age or illness. My rooster Ashes was a favorite. Sweet boy and posed for pictures. He started going downhill as many old ones do. I separated him to a pen with a hen and chicks. He perked up and made it another 6 months.

 

[ValerieJ]

I eat the extra roosters but ones that get names die from old age or illness. My rooster Ashes was a favorite. Sweet boy and posed for pictures. He started going downhill as many old ones do. I separated him to a pen with a hen and chicks. He perked up and made it another 6 months.

I love the name, Ashes.

 

[Hinotori]

I love the name, Ashes.

He was white. I had 4 white hens as well, named after white/grey volcanic rocks. Ash just didn't seem to flow for him

 

[Smokerbill]

The door of the new chicken run is hanging on hinges now, and it swings just right. I still need to either make or buy some kind of door latch. Screws are holding it closed now.

I'm forcing the big chicks to switch to dry pellet feed now. They've been eating the same feed soaked in water for the last week but they're big enough to swallow the dry pellets now. A few chicks are eating them right up so the others will follow suit eventually, when they get hungry enough. LOL

 

[TeePants]

Hmm, well, the good news is the roost bars come out pretty easy so I could try swapping for a platform. I’ll leave it for now and see if they change their minds. I was hoping that since they’re a cross and not a true silkie they’d behave more like EEs.

 

[Hinotori]

Hmm, well, the good news is the roost bars come out pretty easy so I could try swapping for a platform. I’ll leave it for now and see if they change their minds. I was hoping that since they’re a cross and not a true silkie they’d behave more like EEs.

My silkie/EE, silkie/ameraucana, silkie/cochin will use a platform but none have liked roosts. Some sleep with the silkies and some prefer the flat roof.

The 1/4 silkies have roosted. I'm still not sure how the fat silkie shaped one get 8 feet to the 4x4 uprights that are my roof collapse prevention system. She does and that's her prefered spot.