Washingtonians

[itsren]

Chickielady - thank you so much for the information. I haven't seen any of these resources - they will be very helpful.

Blood spots on the yolk are called "egg meats" and are caused by minute ruptures in the ovary when the yolk emerges.
Big egg farms candle eggs to remove any eggs with "egg meats" so you seldom see a commercially farmed egg with egg meats.
Washing eggs does not do anything to stop embryo growth, temperature does.
An embryo will begin to grow before the egg emerges from the warm confines of the hen's body, but will halt growth as long as held below 55 degrees.
Hatching eggs do not get washed as washing removes the protective coating called a "bloom" that covers the egg & seals out bacteria.
Washing eating eggs is necessary...following USDA directions, use 120 degree water in 2 containers, add a spray of bleach SOLUTION or a tiny bit of auto dish washer detergent to each....measure temp with a stem (meat) thermometer so water is at 120 degrees.
Put eggs in 1st bowl & use a seperate sponge to gently wash each & place in 2nd (rinse) water...leave in the water 30 seconds...then remove to a colander to dry.
Then paper towel to dry & into a clean egg carton and into the refrigerator.
Small bits of poo can fall off unwashed eggs and get into the food...and it can make you or others sick.
If you sell eggs you need to wash them just in case someone does get sick....cover your behind !
I can look up the USDA link & post it for you.

This is a cool pdf...I cannot get my puter to open it right now but here is the link:

http://agr.wa.gov/marketing/smallfarm/DOCS/056-SmallFarmAndDirectMarketingHandbook-Complete.pdf

I will keep looking for the egg washing page

here is the egg washing (one of many) articles:

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=798

http://agr.wa.gov/marketing/smallfarm/savorWA.aspx

Click the link on the left that says "Small Farm Marketing Handbook" and see loads more info !

 

[itsren]

I have had such good luck with the Baby Cake chick treat. So I got the forage cake for the big chickens. They tried a few pecks and left it on the floor. So I gave it to the nearly 3 month old chicks and same reaction. So.......Last night a bear got into my chicken treats, ate all my meal worms, ate the Baby Cake that I had stored, broke into the Forage Cake and it left it on the ground. I am not buying that again. Apparently it was 3 claws down and no one, not even the scavenger bear (who in years past has eaten potting soil) will eat it.

Where do you get the Baby Cake chick treat? I tried to find it at Dels and at Reber Ranch. Neither place carried it.

Sorry to hear about the bear. That must be scary to have a bear break in.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Where do you get the Baby Cake chick treat? I tried to find it at Dels and at Reber Ranch. Neither place carried it.

Sorry to hear about the bear. That must be scary to have a bear break in.

I also have a Forage cake type thing from Reber Ranch and it's been in the coop for 3 weeks. Nobody will touch the thing! I finally just offered it to a friend of mine whose chicks eat practically anything in sight...hoping it doesn't go to waste, that sucker wasn't cheap!

 

[FirewifeJess]

I gave the girls a small squash cut in half today in within 2 hours they'd picked it clean to the skin! Glad I have 4 more in the fridge, they'll love that each day to keep them busy

 

[FirewifeJess]

My poor girls...I went outside at 9pm to check on them and say goodnight and their light was off! Poor things had been in the coop since 5pm-ish with no light. They were all huddled together and all felt nice and toasty warm (thankfully!) from each other's body heat, but I still feel bad. They're really used to that lamp! Also, they were all huddled on the floor...BY THE VENT/WINDOW. Dummies!

I won't do that again!

 

[Flaming Chicken]

Where do you get the Baby Cake chick treat? I tried to find it at Dels and at Reber Ranch. Neither place carried it.

Sorry to hear about the bear. That must be scary to have a bear break in.

I found it at Rocking E feed in Duvall and Monroe Feed. We are used to the bear. We get them every summer and just learn to keep everything foodlike locked up tight.

 

[itsren]

Hey friends, I am just wondering if my fellow Washingtonians can tell me if I have enough ventilation in my coop? It's so rainy in my area that I'm a bit worried about the coop. Here's the thread where I asked about it, with pictures and measurements of the coop.

Cool coop Jessica! I think it matches my house (is it sage green with white trim?).

Sorry I can't help you with the ventilation question - I have no idea.

 

[drumstick diva]

seems like you could use the forage cake as Bear repellent - spread it around outside the storage area and he will remember it isn't worth breaking in for that.

 

[itsren]

I also have a Forage cake type thing from Reber Ranch and it's been in the coop for 3 weeks. Nobody will touch the thing! I finally just offered it to a friend of mine whose chicks eat practically anything in sight...hoping it doesn't go to waste, that sucker wasn't cheap!

When I was at Reber Ranch - they offered that to me when I asked about the Baby Cake. I didn't buy it - didn't know if my chicks were old enough for it. Now I'm glad I passed on it!

 

[Ogress]

Hey friends, I am just wondering if my fellow Washingtonians can tell me if I have enough ventilation in my coop? It's so rainy in my area that I'm a bit worried about the coop. Here's the thread where I asked about it, with pictures and measurements of the coop.

I'd read somewhere that you should have 1 square foot per bird. I think I may have photos of mine on My Coop page, but I don't recall. It has been a while since I looked at the page.