Washingtonians

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Just an FYI...I put up a 2 day egg auction for Seramas, Faverolles, and Ameraucanas, if anyone is interested..... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=590275

 

[hallerlake]

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It just takes time. They should have figured it out by the end of the week.

 

[justbugged]

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Bills Country Farm and Feed in Enumclaw carries the food grade DE in 50lbs bags. I buy it that way. They may not know about the pool grade. I would think that the pool grade stuff would say something about pools and filters on the bad. The food grade doesn't mention use that way. What store did you buy your bag at?

At Del's in Auburn. How would I know if it is the right stuff? I just went out and looked at it and it says Perma-Guard Fossil Shell Flour. Also says Food something something Grade (I should have taken a pen and paper, lol), so I guess it is the right stuff? It is a 50 lb bag that is brown like a grocery bag. I haven't used much of it for fear that it was the wrong thing.

Yep you got the right kind. The Del's in Enumclaw and also in Buckley don't carry DE. Maybe they have gotten enough requests to start.

 

[hallerlake]

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One thing I have found to help is if I leave a light on in the coop. Then as it gets dark they will go to the light.Then I go turn the light off after dark. I have had good luck and found only have to do this a couple nights.

I don't have any electricity to the coop. The days of leaving my window open to accommodate an extension cord are OVER!

I've read a few other threads on this now...people suggest feeding them or offering sunflower seeds in the coop.

How about a flashlight. It doesn't have to be on all night; just until they're inside.

 

[justbugged]

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I like your coop. I keep thinking I need to get a windshield like CR used for his coop to light the A-frame ones, but don't want to have to go to a junk yard to find one.

Maidenhair ferns are absolutely gorgeously iron-tough survivors; my favorite memory is Palouse Falls, where maidenhair grow in the splash zone, in black basalt, facing SW so that they are in full blasting sun at least part of the day all year.

Thank you. I'll have to post some pictures of how the nest boxes open. DH designed the coop without looking at any other coops. I wasn't sure at first if it would work, but it does, and the girls are happy with it.

 

[TrystInn]

AriLovesChickens and all, on the subject of lighting a coop without electricity run to it:

I have to share this because I think this crowd would get a huge kick out of it. One year, my husband and brother-in-law decided to embarrass the heck out of me by making a large menorah for the front yard out of painted mailing tubes. Hysterically ugly. It was an instant success and gained us much notoriety in the neighborhood, given its epic level of tackiness. Each of the "candles" (i.e. mailing tubes) held a dollar store flashlight in it, the switch accessed via a slot cut into the tube. On top, to crown this glory of redneck Jewishness, an upside down plastic champagne glass to provide the "flame" shape.

During a power outage that lasted several days, I was worried about a lack of light in the chicken coop - I need those eggs to sell to buy their feed. So a week's loss is a concern. I needn't have worried. My dear husband stuck that ugly mailing tube menorah in the COOP! The miracle of the eight nights of Hannukah kept the chickens company until power was restored!

Lest anyone thing I'm spinning a yarn, here's proof - taken the night I came home to this monstrosity in my front yard:

If you need one to light your coops, do let me know. I'd cheerfully loan you those two wackos. And throw in some mailing tubes, to boot!

We still own it, it lives in the motorcycle shed. They are talking about making a new one out of PVC plumbing tubes, G-d save me!

 

[justbugged]

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Now that just funny.

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

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Looks like they were injinuitive...but I would have to agree...red neck - hey you would fit in over here. Very cool story.

 

[MadameDork]

I love the menorah and will have to share that story and picture with my Jewish BFF. She will die laughing.

So the girls learning where to sleep.

The first few days, it seemed like they wanted nothing to do with the ramp. Then one or two would get "stuck" up top and start crying to be with the others. Yesterday morning, I had to guide them down so they would eat. They didn't want to go. At lunch, I stopped by and they were all back up top. I was proud because that meant all five used the ramp. I left them in hopes that when I got home at five they would be back below. Nope. So I baited them with meal worms. Four of the five went for it. Rhonda wanted nothing to do with me, which is normal. I when I was done playing with them, all of them ended up back upstairs and seemed happy. Their gullets were full so I left them.

At 7pm I go and check on them and all of them were sleeping on the ground. Since it's been cold, I moved them all up. This morning, they were all back on the ground. So they all have figured out how to use the ramp, but are now not wanting to sleep where they have been sleeping for the last four night. We shall see what today brings. Silly girls.

 

[chickens4gramma]

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I love it!