Washingtonians

[hallerlake]

Quote: Many flowers are edible.

 

[hallerlake]

I hope everyone survived the heat.

I'm finally enjoying the AC for a few minutes. Had to kick my wuss of a german shepherd off the bed in front of it. She's "But mom! I like the cold air!" She just waiting for me to quit watching.

I'm grateful for a finished basement when it is hot like yesterday.

 

[Greg Richardson]

Why is it I don't think this kid has learned his lesson?

I see so many on the road from kids to so called Grownups texting these days it ticks me off as they are putting my life in danger.








Troopers: Texting driver nearly lost his head in crash

By KOMO Staff Published: Aug 5, 2012 at 9:49 PM PDT Last Updated: Aug 6, 2012 at 10:09 AM PDT
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(Photo: Washington State Patrol)
ABERDEEN, Wash. -- A teen suspected of texting and talking on a cell phone while driving escaped with only minor injuries when he crashed, causing a fence post to spear his windshield.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Russ Winger said the teen was eastbound on Highway 12 near Aberdeen Lake Road on Saturday when other drivers reported seeing him texting and talking on the phone while driving erratically.

The 18-year-old driver made a U-turn a short time later and then crashed off the side of the highway and into a fence.

A piece of the fence smashed through pickup truck's windshield and "nearly took his head off," Winger said of the driver.

The teen suffered only facial lacerations and was taken to a nearby hospital to be checked out.

(Photo: Washington State Patrol)

 

[jenreinke]

Hello all,

I've been lurking for a few months and finally joined BYC. I am in the process of clearing the ground to build my coop and pen. If all goes well, I will have it built by fall and buy chicks in the spring. I bought plans for a 10X4 pen with 4X4 raised coop inside (I will make some changes for our climate), and would like to keep 3 good layers plus a silkie and a Polish for fun.

My question for other PNWers is, what sort of substrate do you use in your pens? I have seen sand, dirt and bark mulch in your pictures. My pen will be in the lee of our house and the soil drains pretty well, but it rarely dries out for 9 months out of the year. We live in that wonderful "Convergence Zone" the weather guys talk about. I don't want my pen floor to become chicken poop soup.

Any other things I need to consider for my coop that are peculiar to the PNW? I went on the recent Seattle Tilth coop tour and got to talk to a few people about their coops, but I wasn't able to see as many as I'd liked to have, since I had my toddler with me. I will be using hardware cloth (a friend who used chicken wire just had her chickens all killed by dogs) and building a sturdy structure. My coop has to be in my front yard thanks to our local ordinances, so it'll have to look nice. I have seen lots of references to "chicken math" and I hope I can avoid it, as we don't have the space for a giant chicken coop. I also have most of my .25 acre lot landscaped with ornamentals and edibles, so I will be careful about when and where the girls will get to roam.

I would appreciate any advice you can give me! It's nice to meet all of you.

Jennifer

I plan on adding plastic roofing over my run before winter to avoid soup but currently have it lined with arborist chips for drainage. Add diatomacheous earth periodically to prevent lice. Some folks like to put strw or alfalfa down as they can munch on it as well. I used welded wire on the top part of my run and on the floor. to keep critters from digging under. Still lets the chickens scratch around though and I partly buried the wire on the floor before adding the bark over the top. Used hardware cloth though an the bottom 3-4 ft of the run to keep racoon/cat.possum/etc hands out and away from my chickens. I am in Edmonds and we can only have 3 chickens so I built my coop out of our old bathroom sink cabinet. Flipped the doors to the back, added an A-frame roof, cut out a hole for a nest box, cut out the interior dividers from 2 of the cupboard/drawer spaces, added OSB over the open side, put on the cloth and siding and paint and voila! Still have some roofing shingles, tons of roofing felt and a bit of welded wire left over. I do recommend raising the coop onto legs so you have a covered area to put your feeder and waterer though. Also if you are in Western WA buy your lumber supplies at Lowes and hardware at Home Depot! Better prices!

Jen

 

[Teva]

Morning, All: I am pretty sure that I know the answer, but I wanted to check! We have a lot of Oregon grape growing under our trees, and this AM when I let the birds out to range they headed straight for them and started pigging out on the berries. They are not toxic, correct? I've checked lists of plants poisonous to chickens and it doesn't show up, and I know people can eat them. Just wanted peace of mind...I'll have to pen them back up to keep them out of it, otherwise. Thanks

Chickens generally stay away from plants that are poisonous. Oregon grape, and Salal, are not poisonous.

 

[Imp]

Quote: In the fall, I put my raked up leaves in there. It helps keep down the mud. That was Imp's idea.
Yeah, I use lawn clippings, leaves etc in the run. When it starts turning to "dirt" I shovel it out into the compost pile; and start anew.(maybe 3 xs a year) In the coop I use shredded newspaper. Poop goes into the compost, soiled paper into the trash, unsoiled paper into recycling.

Russ

 

[Imp]

Why is it I don't think this kid has learned his lesson?

I see so many on the road from kids to so called Grownups texting these days it ticks me off as they are putting my life in danger.








Troopers: Texting driver nearly lost his head in crash

By KOMO Staff Published: Aug 5, 2012 at 9:49 PM PDT Last Updated: Aug 6, 2012 at 10:09 AM PDT
Share this story

• 36 comments
• print
• email

(Photo: Washington State Patrol)
ABERDEEN, Wash. -- A teen suspected of texting and talking on a cell phone while driving escaped with only minor injuries when he crashed, causing a fence post to spear his windshield.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Russ Winger said the teen was eastbound on Highway 12 near Aberdeen Lake Road on Saturday when other drivers reported seeing him texting and talking on the phone while driving erratically.

The 18-year-old driver made a U-turn a short time later and then crashed off the side of the highway and into a fence.

A piece of the fence smashed through pickup truck's windshield and "nearly took his head off," Winger said of the driver.

The teen suffered only facial lacerations and was taken to a nearby hospital to be checked out.

(Photo: Washington State Patrol)

Scary isn't it? Reminds me of Maria Federucci.

I see lots of people on the phone while driving. And they are never driving safely. Probably think they are.

Russ

 

[TerrorBird]

Chickens generally stay away from plants that are poisonous. Oregon grape, and Salal, are not poisonous.

Though some eat foxgloves like it's candy...

 

[itsren]

Yeah, I use lawn clippings, leaves etc in the run. When it starts turning to "dirt" I shovel it out into the compost pile; and start anew.(maybe 3 xs a year) In the coop I use shredded newspaper. Poop goes into the compost, soiled paper into the trash, unsoiled paper into recycling.

Russ

If the paper is shredded, it will compost quickly. In our city, we're not allowed to recycle any shredded paper. So I always dump my shredded paper into the compost bin. It seems like it only takes a few weeks before it is completely unrecognizable. And, I'm composting regular paper - not newspaper. Shredded newspaper will compost faster.

If you are worried about the ink... most newspapers use a soy-based ink. Our Cub Scout Pack visited a local newspaper print shop (that prints all major newspapers that get delivered to the West Coast). That was one thing they stressed to us was that all the ink was soy-based and compostable.

 

[Greg Richardson]

Russ. What is even more disturbing is the car manfactures are placing more and more tech apps along with the internet in cars.
Now some would say but one looks there anyways to change a radio station or turn on the heat etc.
And I would say correct but one is missing the point.
That is a glance and the act is done.

These new cars have screens where you can actually surf the net. It's insane this is allowed.

The average person has no discipline to handle that.

The auto makers don't care as they are continuing to try to one up each other with new technology.

If they had any integrity that technology would only be able to be looked at when the vehicle was in park. Simple solution.

But who cares about lives being lost when there is $$$$$$$$$$$$ to be gained is their MO.

I was rear ended 3 months ago and I'm still messed up.

The more I think about it being at a stop sign when struck the more I think the driver was probably on the phone and that explains why I was hit so hard.
That explanation has been suggested to me by my Doctor as well as other people.