Washingtonians

[Curlita]

My birds are being weird. They slowed down their laying at the end of December when we had all that snow, but I was still getting 2-3 eggs a day from 4 hens. Now, as far as I can figure, only one of them is laying! I keep trying to explain that we had a winter solstice and now the days are getting LONGER and they should be laying MORE eggs, not fewer.

I'm wondering if it's been the continuing cold temps... or maybe they are moulting, though I haven't seen any feathers around.

Anyone else having a decline in production?

 

[orcasislandchickens]

Curlita,

I have had the same decline you have had, and I am hoping things pick up around here too. I was kind of surprised to get a drop in laying after the solstice??? Since you had exactly the same sort I will worry a little less. Here's hoping they catch on soon that spring is coming. I have 5 chickens and My oldest hen is the only one laying (she is such a sweetheart). I am getting 3 eggs a week.

 

[orcasislandchickens]

Hi Helaine. Your girls must be good layers. Mine are slackers for sure. All but the one. The weather here is improving. I am wanting to plant sweet peas. Mostly I am just weeding out everything I didn't get to in fall. Soon it will be spring.

 

[Curlita]

I'm starting to notice a lot of feathers around, and one of the gals looks a little frowsy. She is my second best layer. I'm guessing she is moulting. I don't know what the problem is with the other two, but they are funny. Different ages, different breeds, but they stop and start laying simultaneously. It's possible that the other two are moulting also, I'm not sure.

 

[Justaheifer]

Hi Washingtonians!
Hope you are all enjoying this nice(r) weather!

Wondering if any of you know if there will be a bird sale in Oakville this saturday?
Or, if any of you have even been to it, since it moved there!

 

[JennsPeeps]

Congrats on the chinchilla babies!

I don't know anything about a sale in Oakdale, sorry!

Anyone seen this Pemco commercial? http://werealotlikeyou.com/ Click on #80. Cracked me up soooooo much.

 

[Selena]

Quote:
I'm rather fond of the "P-patch People" LOL.

 

[Bridy Man]

Hi there Washingtonians, Tailfeathers suggested that I introduce myself on this thread, so here we go. My wife and two daughters live in Woodinville and we decided to get some chicks this spring. We also have two cats and on our property we often see mice, rabbits, deer, coons, coyotes, and bobcats. I have been working all winter on a 'Fort Knox' coop and run and won't be done for another 2-3 months probably. It's a little Craftsman coop that matches the style of our house & separate garage. I'm building the whole thing in that separate garage and will roll it out when completed. The coop is designed for 5 std chickens (23 sq ft) with 2 external nest boxes and a 100 sq ft attached run. The coop and half of the run are covered with a roof. I might build a removable roof for the second half of the run for next winter, kind of like a removable hard top for a convertible car. You take it off during the summer time ;-)
I wanted to order 5 chicks on the internet but now lean more towards getting them at our local Woodinville feed store, in a month or so. They have less choices but you see what you get and they are all alive. Here's my list of top choices (I want 5 different kinds): light Sussex, double-laced Barnevelder, buff Orpington, light/buff/dark Brahma, barred Plymouth rock, silver-laced/golden-laced/Colombian/blue-laced red Wyandotte, Australorp. No rooster wanted. I read that you're more likely to get a rooster from a feed store. Yikes!
This forum has helped me quite a bit as far as designing the coop/run. Thanks all!

 

[Tailfeathers]

Welcome Aboard Birdy Man!!

That sounds like a mighty nice coop you have there. I'm somewhat envious. I've been tryhing to get another 8x10 coop built since last summer! LOL

I would encourage you to be careful ordering chicks from the internet. You could very likely wind up with something other than what you were looking for unless you're talking about a hatchery. And then most hatcheries won't ship less than 20 chicks at a time. You'll probably find it difficult to impossible to find anyone that will ship you only five chicks.

IRT to feedstores, I wouldn't say you are "more likely" to get a rooster than anywhere else. In fact, some feedstores will pay to have their chicks sexed and only get females. There will usually be one or two out of 100 that turn out to be males but it's far less than the normal 50/50 you can figure on otherwise.

Keep me in mind should you ever like to have Ameraucanas (true not EE's) and/or Welsummers. Oh, and I'll be adding a half dozen or so Barnevelders this year too. Breeding for them will be at least next year though.

 

[balticbabe]

Welcome Bridy Man.

Last year when I got my chicks both the Woodinville and Duvall feed store kept selling out so I got mine from Monroe Farm & Feed. They had a huge selection and a book that lists when their shipments arrive. One of the chicks did turn out to be a boy and one was of the wrong breed. Next time I'll do a careful inspection of each bird before I leave. Kids come in there and move the chicks from bin to bin. Still it's more fun to get them from the store, looking at all the cute little faces. Plus you can pick up supplies at the same time.

You'll post photos of your coop when it's done I hope.