Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[FlyRobinFly]

Next year I want this costume...

That is cool! Where did you find that? Maybe after Halloween it will go on sale and you can get it for (sorry, can't resist) cheep!

 

[itsren]

LOL!! oh sorry maybe that wasn't supposed to be funny!! But, it happens!! Poor kid!

It did not happen in real life!

My kid has a quarky sense of humor.

Although I can't tell if the chicken is picking the boy's nose or the boy is inhaling the bird!

I think the chicken flew up his nose....

 

[itsren]

Quote:
It's only $695.00. Sounds cheep - eh? Ebay had a pre-owned one and it sold for $406.00 + $35.00 shipping.

 

[itsren]

Thanks for that! Is there a non emergency number to report traffic violations?? Like people txting and driving and swerving all over the road?? just wondering!?

Check with your city for stuff like that - our Mayor told us we are to report all violations by calling 911 and requesting the city police department. If we don't request the city - dispatch might send county. Every incident in our city is a 911 call - even suspicious salesman. There's a huge problem with salesmen stopping by houses, then burglarizing them if no one answers the door. We were told to ask to see a permit, and if the salesman doesn't have one, call 911 and ask for city police.

 

[Gigirg]

Welcome to the WA thread! You don't say what part of WA you're in. That might help so we can direct you to those who have the birds you desire.
I have silkie pullets, but they were hatched from eggs from a wonderful silkie breeder in Yacoult, WA. There are others who may have chicks in the spring.
Is your coop built yet? How soon are you wanting chicks?

Hi and thanks for the reply! We are in Renton, east of Seattle.

We are debating building the coop or purchasing a built one. I went to a farm this weekend and the coops looked nothing like the "fancy" ones that I see for sale, so maybe we will give building one a go.

I am still doing my research, just finished Raising Chickens For Dummies and I want to make sure I am ready before I get them. I would love to get some this winter, if I am ready. I have read that they should stay inside (garage) until they are about 5 months. Is this correct?

Thanks so much!

 

[justbugged]

The saga of the cockerels is finally at an end!

I told the girls months and months ago that they were going to grow up to be trouble. Oh no, not these sweeties! They would have no giving away, no separate pens, no chicken tractors for their beloved boys. They were so sweet, you see.

Eventually, of course, they made it impossible for the girls to be in the coop with their beloved pullets. Pullets oR cockerels I said. Nooooo! they cried.

Recently in the last month or two, they stopped going in the coop and even I was getting tired of fending off annoying attacks by little bantam brats. Finally, the girls were looking forward to when our neighbors would butcher their birds. I was skeptical they would be on board..

Today--whoa! He's in the middle of butchering and I went to check it out. Brought home a crate in the trunk. "Yes!" the girls both cried. "Now!" All the cockerels, just not Bandit (we agreed on Bandit). Brownie? No....... we agreed *all* the cockerels except Bandit. OK. Family affair catching the cockerels-- pretty easy since they were hiding from the rain in the coop. Left the girls behind to enjoy their nearly cockerel-free coop.

Say bye bye to the boys! Poor boys. Waited in the trunk until it was "their turn". I couldn't watch. I don't think I could ever do the killing, even though the cleaning doesn't phase me (or so I thought). And it never did. Once the deed was done, I had no trouble scalding and plucking and cleaning them out. Tough little dudes, being so old and tiny. Poor "Coop-coop-a-doop" Cooper. He was so tiny and I was so done that his body went into the bucket for the coyotes. Sorry, little dude, but you were a Butt.

Helped my neighbor clean a couple of his birds, younger and bigger (and therefore easier in every way to clean.) I went away with the same impression as I went in with-- the cleaning didn't bug me, the killing did. I didn't even mind cleaning "Flyer" and "George", calling them all by name.

Looking forward to the calm tomorrow. The girls finally learned The Lesson. I'm glad I had the patience to let them learn it through experience. I'm also glad these were little banty's--more irritating than dangerous.

Now they *know* the Trouble With Cockerels, and I don't think I will ever have quite the same struggle as I had this year. But next year? Sexed pullets all the way, baby. I need a couple years to recuperate.

FIN

It took me three years before I could bring myself to do the kill. The first year we did the meat birds, I hid inside while DH, and DS killed and cleaned the birds. I then had no problem with cutting them cut and getting the birds packaged for the freezer. The next year DH and I worked together, and DH did the kill. and we worked together cleaning the birds. The same thing the following year. This year I knew that I was just going to have to get over it , and learn to do the kill. While I firmly believe that I hope that it will always be a hard thing to do, it's nice to know that I can do it.

I will say that it was a bit overwhelming when after having only doing to kills, that I realized that I was going to be on my own teaching a group of friends how to process chickens. DH and I have been offering a class in how to process chickens every since we learned how to do it. This year DH had to work, and couldn't get home for the weekend. So that left me with a number of thread members on their way over, and just me home. I did manage to get the class done, and about half of the meat birds processed. I must say that I felt a big sense of accomplishment. Sometimes the best revenge is having a mean roo for dinner.

I am looking forward to offering more Intro to Freezer Camp classes this coming spring.

 

[FlyRobinFly]

Quote:
It's only $695.00. Sounds cheep - eh? Ebay had a pre-owned one and it sold for $406.00 + $35.00 shipping.

Yikes!

Maybe we all should get together and make our own instead!

 

[FlyRobinFly]

Hi and thanks for the reply! We are in Renton, east of Seattle.

We are debating building the coop or purchasing a built one. I went to a farm this weekend and the coops looked nothing like the "fancy" ones that I see for sale, so maybe we will give building one a go.

I am still doing my research, just finished Raising Chickens For Dummies

and I want to make sure I am ready before I get them. I would love to get some this winter, if I am ready. I have read that they should stay inside (garage) until they are about 5 months. Is this correct?

Thanks so much!

Well hello neighbor! I'm in Renton also.

Chicks can go outside as soon as they are completely feathered out. You just want to make sure your housing keeps them dry and protected.

 

[FlyRobinFly]

It took me three years before I could bring myself to do the kill. The first year we did the meat birds, I hid inside while DH, and DS killed and cleaned the birds. I then had no problem with cutting them cut and getting the birds packaged for the freezer. The next year DH and I worked together, and DH did the kill. and we worked together cleaning the birds. The same thing the following year. This year I knew that I was just going to have to get over it , and learn to do the kill. While I firmly believe that I hope that it will always be a hard thing to do, it's nice to know that I can do it.

Having witnessed your first kill, I can say you did a fine job!

 

[FlyRobinFly]

Okay, I really popped back in just to post this:
http://hackaday.com/2012/10/30/optimus-prime-keeps-a-vigilant-watch-over-the-hen-house/

I loved the Transformers cartoon, this coop and run would be great to have!