Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[CarolynF]

I gutted & refurbished a huge coop today...old shavings out, new cedar shavings in.....and new dust bath tub, DE & sand mixed, and right away I had 3 hens in the dust bath tub at a time !!!

YES it is mite time.
Mites LOVE this time of year, so be alert to any birds with dirty cushions (the POOF right under the vent)
Mites lay eggs in the cushion down, and it will appear as muddy dirty......
Keep your eyes open for mites this time of year...another dead giveaway is birds freaking out "preening" and preening, and preening and preening.....

Night all !!!

Again... Thank You CL. I just noticed the dirty fluff an one of my birds, but I checked her vent area and it looked clean. I hope that was the right thing to do . I just put a pan of dirt and DE in their pen 2 days ago since they haven't had a good area to dust bathe in all this rain. It was hilarious... nobody would put even one toe in it even to get sunflower seeds! Except miss bottom-of-the-order, she got her fill of seeds that time! It looks like they've gotten used to it now, though. And today I ushered them down to their old stomping grounds and I saw one, at least, having a great bath!

 

[CarolynF]

Yes CL tends to have some nice looking birds. Some day I hope to also but in the mean time I will just settle for a little "Fudge"

Fudge is Cool! I like him a LOT!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Anyone needing DE can get it super cheap (yes, it's food grade) at Auburn Coastal Farm Supply. I got a 50lb bag for less than $20 a couple months ago.

 

[JennS]

JenS --I don't know how you can stand those low flying planes! We drove up to Mukilteo to buy something from craigslist and one of those planes flew right over our car. It freaked us all out. I think I'd have to move LOL.

It can be kind of cool to see the big jets passing over so close, but they are also loud and sometimes so low I wonder if they're going to fall short of the runway! I'm glad that Paine hasn't been able to start commercial traffic. We don't need more big jets flying right over our house every day.

Jennifer

 

[CarolynF]

Doing this from my Phone is a pain. But For some reason my internet is down.
Well we found out we did not get the House! There were 6 offers on it and ours was 2nd highest, I guess I have to keep looking. So bumbed.

It's SO true about not being over until closing. In '98 I sold my house in Shoreline to such a nice, very excited young couple. The day before closing I got a call from an attorney, bad news, over the weekend the wife had been killed in a freak accident. They were hiking up at the ice caves, she and her father walked inside one, just a few feet, and the archway collapsed on them, killing her. Such a horrible loss. THEN, when I got home that evening I listened to my phone messages. There was a msg. from the escrow company from 9 a.m. that morning telling me to come in the following day to sign the final papers. (Obviously they hadn't heard the news when they left the message.)

Two lessons learned.... it's not over until the papers are signed, and pay attention to the warning signs and Don't Go Into Ice Caves.

 

[SadieSue]

Has anyone ever used X-Cel feed before?  I just discovered their wholesale warehouse is a mile from my home!  My gf has been using their feed for a while and likes them and says their prices are very reasonable and that her girls are happy with it so I'm thinking for convenience sake I should give it a try.

I use X-Cel, I get it at Drive Thru Feed on Key Peninsula (that place is a hoot) and I found another store in Belfair that carries it.  I didn't know they sell directly to the public, where is it? 

The corner of South 56th and Washington, right off of South Tacoma Way. It's a large white warehouse by the railroad tracks and they sell wholesale to the public. My gf told me she paid $24.44 for an 80 lb bag of layer crumble. She also bought a 50 lb bag of oyster shell for $10. Not all of us are as fortunate as Chickielady who has a coast full of oyster shell practically outside her front door!

Thanks for letting me know you're using the X-Cel. It's too close to me to not give it a try.

 

[CarolynF]

You drop the trap in a bucket of water and drown them. I couldn't wrap a screaming twitching rodent in paper. I've knocked them in the head before, but the bucket is better.

OHHHH.... I can just see it now... the lashing out and scratching the sides of the bucket as it drowns and tries to climb out! Oh... it's feet are stuck, no scratching! Okay, maybe that would work. I boiled a lobster once and heard it scratching the kettle.... really creeped me out!

 

[Hinotori]

They just twitch on the glue and breathe in the water. It's over pretty quick. When I got 5 on four traps this summer I just tossed them all in and they were well dead by the time I got back with a bag. Pulled them out and tossed in bag and trash. Those were the voles, though, not super bright, I'd find them dead with their heads caught in bird netting and plastic chicken wire regularly. The dog has taken care of almost all the voles. She's been after the rats and gotten several. I've gotten a few in the snap traps, but they've avoided the glue traps mostly. One got it's tail stuck it looked, but was able to get away.

 

[CarolynF]

Just wanted to peek in here and say THANK YOU to everyone who answered my questions... a few months ago. Unfortunately soon after getting all comfy in the BYC forums I was diagnosed with a very very annoying autoimmune disease and have been fighting that with all my energy ever since. It isn't any better yet aside from my getting somewhat used to some of it, but I am tired of letting it have all my energy.

So, I have been trying to get caught up in the Washington thread.... only to find a new one was opened! LOL Only about 2000 unreads to go... Lucky for me I have insomnia now too! Hoorah!

- - - - -

So there you go, hopefully it won't be another 4 months before I can go through the WA thread!

~ Tracy in Rochester - just a sneeze south of Olympia,

Tracy... I missed welcoming you when you first arrived, so WELCOME BACK! I'm so sorry to hear about your health problems! I hope things turn around soon. You're so right to not let it STEAL your Energy! Stay positive and get well!

 

[Chickielady]

Yep, good idea. If we ever do catch one that is what we'll do. Snap traps were loaded with pb last night, but I have garlic bread and mozzarella at the ready just in case the pb isn't effective!

We alternate, and this week it is a walnut tied on the Victor's with dental floss, the small hav-a-harts have sliced garlic bread and some have bread sections with pea nut butter.