Washingtonians

[Chickielady]

Last Tuesday I went to pick green beans, and brought a small bucket thinking there was not many yet.and had to go back 4 times ...
Ended up bagging 10 pounds, in quart bags, filled each bag 1/2 to 3/4 pound per bag for single servings.
Those beans can hide in there !!!!!!!!!
We have loads of stuff in the garden & hardly time to pick...I have buckets of cucumbers & not making any Bread & butter pickles this year

No time !
So I am "opening up" the garden to my egg buyers.
I have 4 egg buyers who come different days each week for years now.
There is one coming today who weekly buys 4-6 dozen eggs and she gets to pick the next 10 pounds of green beans this afternoon.
I will pick again next week.

The birds get the zuchinni...ducks LOVE it halved longways they scoop out the centers with their bills like a spoon !

 

[Chickielady]

Hello everyone, haven't been on for over 2 weeks - yikes! Vacationing and other stuff going on. Been REALLY busy.

Got ducks galore, getting a new bunny in a coupla days (Champagen D'Argent, bred to a Florida White for meat babies), traded a goat for a bespoke Changing screen (you know, the tri-fold old fashioned ones you used to get dressed behind). Been out on the boat - took visiting family to the Pt Defiance Zoo/Aqaurium . . . ton of stuff.

Oh, and got a new gadget - hubby bought us Androids! Our last phones were almost 15 years old and all they did was make phone calls. Who knew

I like that it's got a camera, video recorder, kindle reader, email, GPS, and a ton of other stuff. But one app I really like is the bar code reader, so I can go through the pantry and make a shopping list just scanning bar-codes off the bottles, bags and cans! Super cool.

Going out today in the boat again, then himself is off to Arizona on Thursday - dove hunting. Mmm Mmmm Mmm!

Hi there ! Wondered where ya been !
Mario is asking after the ducks.
Let me know.
JB is also looking for someone to return my plucker she can meet up @ Tacoma, and maybe drop it with you ?

 

[lovinchickypoos]

Thank you both and I am sorry for your loss! It is never easy

It was a transition, going from big dogs to toy dogs. I had Sibs and Alaskan Malamutes since 1979 but can no longer keep them.

I have a degenerative spinal condition (11 surgical procedures) and could no longer show my dogs and even bathe them (had to take to the vet for that). (not looking for sympathy, I got used to it a long time ago but it bears greatly on my 'story')

Before every surgery, the surgeon asks you "if we could make you 100%, what would you like to do?". My response was always the same; "show my dogs". They would then ask, "What kind?", my response "Alaskan Malamutes". They would then- always respond- 'well we can't do that'.

Then one surgeon said "Why don't you just down-size?" No one had ever said that and it startled me. My whole life I have had big dogs and Mals were my "Breed".

After a while, I started to really consider it and began researching on a dog that I could still show. It would have to be a Breed that was small, as I walk with a cane (on good days). I am a Northern Breed person, so settled on Poms.

Then came finding a breeder and I can tell you that was the hardest part. I spent a year trying to find someone who would sell me a Pom when I had Mals.

I finally found two in Canada. One in New Brunswick and the other in Newfoundland. Two of my girls, Kaitlyn & Brianna are from there.

I learned, from having Mals, to allow the pack to 'shake out' on it's own. You have much less issues if the pack is maintained by the Alpha pair- which, with my pack, is Kaitlyn and Sampson. They may be small, but they still maintain that from their wolf heritage.

I still miss my big dogs but I found a Breed that I can still do what I love; showing.

Sheila

It's wonderful that you were able to make the best out of a bad situation! My property is 2.33acres but the main living areas in my house are not very big. I dream of having Pyrs, Newfies, etc., but I can't get the hubby on board...yet! Currently, I have a super sweet Am. Cocker who is only 20lbs (the smallest dog I've every owned) and an Aussie/GSD mix (53lbs), who NEEDS A JOB!! I suffer from some health troubles too and don't have much energy to maintain huge hairy dogs right now and my high-maintenance cocker wears me out as I do her grooming to save some dough. I have considered possibly trying a Pom and would prefer to have one first before getting a giant to encourage "seniority" of the Pom...if I get one. Around here, most I've seen are backyard breeder dogs with unstable temperments so I plan on taking time to consider my situation, shorten my breed wish-list, and start researching breeders before getting another family member!

 

[Chickielady]

OK back to work for me.
I have already completely gutted 3 coops yesterday, and did 3 today.
Cleaned them completely out, swept the floors, new shavings & nest box straw.....new sand on the poop trays, good to go through winter now.

Upcoming in the next month will be worming with Eprinex, getting the birds ready for winter.

have a great day all !
Oh, and this week end is butchering the Cockerel Cornish X birds...the following week end is slated for butchering the pullets.
If we have no plucker then we'll hand pluck them.
Still have not gone fishing, too busy !

 

[Teva]

I have had a heck of a weekend!

Poor Cash found a rattlesnake....

Here he was last night...took him to the vet this morning....


Eye Shaved & ready


Waiting for the Valium to kick in...you can see marks that look like fangs here..

Knocked out, draining fluid. The bloody area is from the vet draining pus out. The dark circle below is necrotic tissue.


Knocked out at the vet's office. Lanced, drained & packed with antibiotics.


Back home, still really drugged up...


Poor Cash, with drool strings...


I had to lift a 95lb, drooling, bleeding, pus-filled, drugged/dead-weight dog out of the truck bed. I couldn't carry him into the house, so for now, he's resting on his old sleeping bag in the shade with some water. He's still really out of it. But $235 later, he's still alive. Now he's on Predisone and Cephalexin.

The vet said he'll be okay...and thankfully, he's a BIG, tough dog. A smaller dog or a cat wouldn't have been as "lucky."
HOLY COW, how awful! I'm hoping for a speedy recovery! I'm glad he was tough enough to get through it!

 

[lovinchickypoos]

Oh my gosh, So I am trying to help out a friend of mine. The day before yesterday I got a call from my friend that her dog got out of her yard and into the neighbors yard, who had chickens. The neighbor claims that my friends dog killed her 5 chickens and 10 quail. Now Dear Friends dog has never done this before and has been around chickens and other farm animals before, just never lived with them. Neighbor called the cops and cops said DF had to put her dog down. That night DF gave her dog a bath and called me asking "if my dog killed that many animals wouldn't there be blood on her and feathers?" I told her I don't know for sure but I would assume that there would at least be blood on dogs mouth and front paws, as they would hold what they kill with their front paws as they ate it. She said there was no blood at all on her dog. Well DF's dog was put down the next day before she could get home and do some looking into what happened.

Well she was told she had to replace the 5 chickens and 10 quail. I don't have any quail nor know of anyone who does so I am assuming they will have to be ordered as chicks from a hatchery. As far as chickens, DF's neighbor wants laying hens. I normally would just give her 5 of mine but because I have lost so many to coyotes the last few weeks I would have almost no laying hens left if I gave her 5.

I have already asked DF if her neighbor had or wants any specific breeds, She has not gotten that info yet. So I am wondering if any of you all in the Snohomish county area would be willing to give or sell some of your laying hens to me so that I may help DF. I will be buying them and just giving them to DF at no cost to her. She has already lost her puppy. I appreciate any help. Thanks in advance!

This just made me sick to my stomach. Years ago I had an Akita. He was super friendly to people and even other dogs. He dug out of my fence one day and killed my neighbor's goat. I thought I was going to have to euthanize him but when I took him in for his appointment my vet told me that is not the case. She talked me out of it because he was such a sweetheart. She even talked to my neighbor on my behalf. If I wanted to keep him I would have had to keep him penned up with insurance, etc., so I decided to rehome him. Even my neighbor, who consulted with her lawyer said she couldn't make me kill him. I did end up paying her $300 vet bill, though, as they actually had him hospitalized and put on fluids!! This whole ordeal haunts me even today.

 

[lovinchickypoos]

Somewhere recently I read where you can buy Rattlesnake anti-venom for dogs, for just this purpose.
Keep it in the fridge (I think) and give the dog a shot ASAP when you know they have been bitten & greatly reduces the necrotic tissue, swelling & pain.
I hear it has a short shelf life though...a year I think.
I will see if I can find the web site again.
DH's Dad in NorCal just lost a medium sized dog to a rattlesnake...Cash is bigger so must have handled the venom better.
Hope he recovers !

He is such an awesome dog !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I believe it costs anywhere from $300-$600 last I heard!!

Oh and my June bearing strawberries are starting to set fruit.

My strawberries have not done much at all this year

. Most that have produced got eaten by the chickens who can fit their heads thru the holes of the bird netting

 

[Ogress]

OMG!!!!!  Did I Miss something????????????

I just was in the store They had a 5 gallon bucket of BOSS that was damaged and were selling it for $8.00.. so I figured I could use it up. I go thru the cashier line and the lady asked me what kind of birds I was feeding? I smiled and said "its for my chickens". She flipped out!!!!!

She said "That is for BIRDS... not chickens.... Chickens eat chicken food"  I was in a good mood this morning because I had just purchased all my feed for a month and did it with the money I have gotten from selling eggs so I was a pretty happy camper.

So I tried to explain to her that I feed the BOSS as a treat to my birds and its really good for them , protein, oil for feathers etc. She asked if I mixed it into their food ... I said No Its just a treat i toss to them. They get their food  free style in a feeder.  Again I smiled really big at her..

As I paid she says again.. and I quote  "Chickens should get chicken feed.. Its people like you that are the reason we have the Bird Flu because your not following natures way!!"

I looked at my 15 year old daughter that was with me and she was laughing and said "Gheesh mom.. how could you!!"  (sarcastically of course). I started chuckling and decided the time and place was not fitting for a debate with this lady.. So I smiled told her that maybe if she did a Google search about feeding BOSS to chickens  it would ease her mind.. I wished her a wonderful afternoon and we left..

Just thought I d share with other chicken friendly peeps

That is too funny! I suppose by that reasoning, giving a pig table scraps and started swine flu.
I'm picturing all the wild chickens of Indonesia hanging out underneath the big trees that grow the sacks of Purina flock raiser.

 

[RonB]

Oh my gosh, So I am trying to help out a friend of mine. The day before yesterday I got a call from my friend that her dog got out of her yard and into the neighbors yard, who had chickens. The neighbor claims that my friends dog killed her 5 chickens and 10 quail. Now Dear Friends dog has never done this before and has been around chickens and other farm animals before, just never lived with them. Neighbor called the cops and cops said DF had to put her dog down. That night DF gave her dog a bath and called me asking "if my dog killed that many animals wouldn't there be blood on her and feathers?" I told her I don't know for sure but I would assume that there would at least be blood on dogs mouth and front paws, as they would hold what they kill with their front paws as they ate it. She said there was no blood at all on her dog. Well DF's dog was put down the next day before she could get home and do some looking into what happened.

Well she was told she had to replace the 5 chickens and 10 quail. I don't have any quail nor know of anyone who does so I am assuming they will have to be ordered as chicks from a hatchery. As far as chickens, DF's neighbor wants laying hens. I normally would just give her 5 of mine but because I have lost so many to coyotes the last few weeks I would have almost no laying hens left if I gave her 5.

I have already asked DF if her neighbor had or wants any specific breeds, She has not gotten that info yet. So I am wondering if any of you all in the Snohomish county area would be willing to give or sell some of your laying hens to me so that I may help DF. I will be buying them and just giving them to DF at no cost to her. She has already lost her puppy. I appreciate any help. Thanks in advance!

I will donate two laying hens. I will PM you

 

[Chickielady]

I believe it costs anywhere from $300-$600 last I heard!!

My strawberries have not done much at all this year

. Most that have produced got eaten by the chickens who can fit their heads thru the holes of the bird netting

My strawberries (June Bearing from WA4-HPoultryMom) were outrageous this year !
Put quarts & quarts up in the freezer.
I never even fertilized them this year...ignored them completely.
They are in the long skinny window-box type planters.