Washingtonians

[chickenjane82]

If you have left over starter you can continue to use it till it's gone or toss it in a freezer till next time. I've mixed it in with homemade suet for the wild birds.

& possums seem to like it. (snort)

And some people use chicken feed in their kitty kitter boxes. I tried it and wasn't impressed.

Purina makes Layena, so I'm not sure exactly what you are asking. I've always used Layena Pellets for my hens. At first I didn't know there were so many options. Lol.
It works very well for me. I also only have 2-5 chickens at a time, and it holds well. I just rip open the top and store it in a garbage can, open in the open garden shed. It has never attracted pests except once a squirrel. (The scratch is worse) A bag has lasted as long as 6 months without changing color, smell, texture etc.
I haven't ever had a problem with soft shells, or other nutritional related things. (As far as I know)

Right now the 800 lb gorilla in the room is the Purina pet food recall. So far Purina chicken food is not effected, but it is causing a lot of consternation. Since the problem revolves around too much or too little Vit D, in the feed. It is not a poisonous issue, more of a long term health issue. I'm in a wait and see mode. If it turns out Layena is deficient in Vit D I'll supplement. If it turns out it is too high in Vit D, I'll switch, or mix.

Russ

Wet feed is smelly.... feed wet from the smelliest pee on earth? BLECH.

 

[AWalker3]

okay, so here's the Scotch eggs I did for our crabbing tomorrow.

The egg in the middle is an EE - the Scotch eggs are ducks eggs wrapped with ground, seasoned chicken thighs. We had one for a starter before dinner tonight, cut up and dipped in mustard. It was fabulous.

Oh my! it is dangerous for me to read this forum LOL When I saw that post I just HAD to make some myself and they are terriffic!! Thank you for posting that

 

[Imp]

Quote: I have always wondered if everyone names their first RIR- Rhodie? I did.

Wet feed is smelly.... feed wet from the smelliest pee on earth? BLECH.

Completely lost me at first. You're talking about using it in a litter box, I hope.

 

[Nikki99]

Early this evening, a Vietnamese woman shows up at my front door crying her eyes out. I don't know her from Adam. Between the accent and the sobbing, she was very difficult to understand. It seems she lives in the nearby trailer park. Her landlord has told her to get rid of her chickens. She was hoping I would let them live here where she can visit them. The only other people willing to take them wanted to eat them. She has a friend coming to build a coop and run in my backyard on Sunday. I'm out of my mind, but what can I do? I'm just a softie. She and her daughter will come and clean all the coops every week. She has nine hens. I suggested she ask her landlord if he would let her keep her three banties. I hope he will.

Oh wow, that's so sad for her, very nice of you. I hope it works out well.

The Freezer camp was very successful. Jess and Natalie made it here, and we had a quick bite of lunch. We then got busy and for the most part we had no problems with getting the birds processed. The kill part got left to me, but I believe that it sometimes takes a bit before we can wrap our minds around that part of chicken processing.


We will be finishing up our meat birds next weekend. I wasn't able to get the last 6 of the meaties done today. We got a total of 11 birds done in the 3 or 4 hours that we had today. Jess's boys were wonderful kids, and seemed to enjoy learning about the process. At least we didn't traumatize them for life. lol


So if anyone is interested in processing meat birds for the freezer, we are open to having another Freezer Camp 101 next Saturday or Sunday. Just PM me and I will send you the address and time. DH will be home this coming weekend, so the class should be better organized and faster paced.


The chicken plucker work very well, so we will be using it for the last 6 birds.

I'm very interested in this! I will see what my DH thinks about next weekend though, after all, he needs to know how to do it too so he can help me!

WOO-HOO!!! First egg tonight! And my sweet little pullet even left it in the nest box, despite being out free ranging. What a good girl! I don't know who left it, so all the girls got an extra handful of mealworms.

Yea, chickens!

--Nikki

Yay!!! Congrats!! That's so exciting! What a smart little girl, even putting it in the right spot and all! And about the chicken math thing, I totally agree! There's math problems I just wont do too! Hahaha!!

Congratulations!!!

Have you done the math on what that egg has cost you yet? We estimated our first egg cost us 800.00.

I'm scared to do mine!

Something kinda weird / Funny today... My hubby has been complaining that the Rooster I keep has been attacking him when ever he goes into the coop or even to open it. Now I have never seen this roo do anything more than puff up and charge, but then waddle off chattering to himself . Minus one time shortly after he arrived that he came after me and that ended with him running off with the feed bucket on his head. He and I have gotten along well since and so has my kids and the caretaker that looks after them when I'm away...

Anyways I have been thinking my husband was just overreacting.... until tonight. We had let the chickens all out to free range while we were unloading hay into the barn. When the Roo spotted my hubby he went silly crowing and puffing up flapping his wings...... I shooed him off and we kinda laughed about it.. About 10 minutes later... ( there's a loft in the barn) the roo came flying down at my husband. He looked possessed.. I have never seen him act like this.. Hubby knocked him back and I swear I'm not fibbing the 2 of them went round in circles. I t was a little like watching a MMA fight. I told Hubby he had to "win " the fight and actually catch the Roo . Hold him upside down by feet and put him in time out ( small kennel ) I don't know if that's the best way to handle an unruly roo. It is how I was taught by my father and grandfather (except they weren't always as patient, we often ate combative Roo'
s the same night ) it has worked well for me when dealing with the boys over the years..

I asked hubby what the heck he did to the bird to make it hate him so. He swears he has never done a thing. A friend of ours that was here helping with the hay told hubby that the Roo just looks at myself and my daughter as a more of "his women" and that must be why he dislikes hubby.. haahaa LOL

Now for a bit of funny.... later on I walked out to toss some melon to the girls... Here was hubby sitting next to the Roo still in his time out box.. Talking... yes my husband was talking to the Roo. Telling him that he knew he was" just protecting the women and all but dammit I pay for your food and you don't even give eggs.. so buddy shape up or well ...." I was pressing my hand over my face so hard to stop from laughing I almost couldn't breath . See my hubby really tries to be the tough guy esp when it comes to the animals.... so I quickly backed up and headed back to the house... When hubby came in I asked so did ya put "Hulk" (that's the roos name). Hubby replied "HECK NO.. if I put that so and so anywhere it will be it will only be into a pot." I told him no worries Id go put him back in... but really I was smiling to myself because I knew otherwise....

This story is hilarious! I love it! Thanks for sharing!

 

[justbugged]

Quote: DH said that it was most likely a rock got up into the rotor and everything should be fine now that the rock is back out of it. He did though mention that you should have the CV joints inspected just in case the rock somehow got in one of them. I believe that Les Schawb will check your CV joints for free. But double check to make sure that I have remembered that correctly.

 

[Totalcolour]

I'm so bummed!

So, the Scotch eggs were made, and I made potato salad, and green beans and tomatoes and mustard, and Perrier, napkins, plates, flatware, the whole thing and loaded up the boat. We got the crab pots and bait all tucked away and off we went.

Get almost to the marina, and traffic is at a standstill. After inching along slowly, we get to spot one of those folks in the bright orange jackets - she came over and told us that we were not going to be able to launch today. Seems it's some kind of canoe regatta today and the marina is closed to ALL other boating! This is the first day we actually went out, because the weather has been horrid.

Oh well, I guess dinner is already cooked now.

 

[Shyla-C]

Here are my babies checking out their new dust bath area. Last weekend they upgraded from an 8 sq ft brooder to the new 24 sq ft brooder. Ever since the move they have been peeping and playing like crazy!

 

[Chickielady]

I have a few minutes while DH went to pick up some big posts for the center wall that hold up the beams that the loft will be laid on.

We have framed both long walls, and are on the center wall now............should be done by tonight.

The framed walls can probably be stood up tomorrow.....have to find a few folks to help.

So, that is what we have been up to.
I am sawyer...DH running the nail gun.
So I get the wood cut & laid out & he comes along & nails it all together...........
SO EXCITING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you are all doing great !!

Anyone need to get ahold of me, you'll have to call me or DH.

 

[Breshcandra]

Here's an updated picture of that one chick that survived the mauling

 

[Breshcandra]

Here are my babies checking out their new dust bath area. Last weekend they upgraded from an 8 sq ft brooder to the new 24 sq ft brooder. Ever since the move they have been peeping and playing like crazy!

Nice Dust bath area. =)