Washingtonians

[SadieSue]

I am a new chicken owner in NE Seattle! I have three girls, around 4-6 months old--Blanche, a white leghorn, Ginger, a red sex link, and Buffy, a Buff Orpington.

Jump in and have fun - this is a great group of people!

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

We don't have a rooster and I am actually kind of hoping our Welsummer will crow a little bit because it would be pretty cool. She is definitely the flock leader and our most vocal. She's always the last one to roost at night, on the lookout until everyone else is safely roosting. When I added two new pullets to the flock back in June, she was the first to accept them because she didn't feel her status threatened. Now she's even protective of them when the others start hassling them! Oftentimes she is pretty darn loud in the morning and just before and after roosting in the evening, but no crowing yet. She is not even a year old.

 

[FirewifeJess]

I am a new chicken owner in NE Seattle!  I have three girls, around 4-6 months old--Blanche, a white leghorn, Ginger, a red sex link, and Buffy, a Buff Orpington. 

Welcome! Jump right in, hopefully you'll love it here!

 

[PNWGirl]

Quote:

Now THAT is what I am talking about.

I have been looking at the van size ones that have a bed, toilet, fridge, Not to big for me to drive. I would be afraid to drive too big of one. Thing of it is, we have a 5th wheel. I just need to learn how to drive/pull it.

It is really easy. I had been towing the little trailer (you see behind it), the MH (motorhome) is SO much easier to drive and back up! I had never driven anything that big before (my Caravan was the biggest) and I had to drive this over the coastal mountains (two lane road) to get it home. Baptism by fire, so to speak. It really surprised me how much easier it was to drive, compared to towing my TT (travel trailer).

I just love this! Took 14 months of, serious, searching but I wanted a coach that I could pay cash for but also to meet certain criteria. I got SOOO lucky getting this coach-- you've no idea! It was in beautiful condition.

A 5er is easier to tow than a TT, MUCH more stable. Just remember, when towing, that a 5er's wheels track on the inside of your TV (towing vehicle) tires. Make your turns a bit wider than you would if you were only driving the TV by itself.

The best way, that I learned- when towing the TT- was to practice in an empty parking lot. Made it MUCH easier to get a feel but without the stress of worrying about other things around me.

That would also make an AWESOME dune camp!!! Did anybody ever tell ya I am up for adoption ???

With the Ford 460, I would have no trouble towing "toys". I've friend's who are 'duners' wanting my rig

Sheila

 

[PNWGirl]

I am a new chicken owner in NE Seattle! I have three girls, around 4-6 months old--Blanche, a white leghorn, Ginger, a red sex link, and Buffy, a Buff Orpington.

Hello and WELCOME!!!

This is a great thread, there are lot's of people- on it- with ton's of experience, so always feel free to ask any question.

Sheila

 

[PNWGirl]

So I guess I can add "rat killer" to my resume'. now. I've been watching 2 rats jump around in the trees over the coops for a couple of weeks just as the sun is going down. Varmints were waiting until everyone was locked up so they could eat chicken feed. DH and I have been bringing all the feed into the garage at night but every night my Golden is tracking the rat down and I'd go out with my flashlight just in time to see it skittering up a post or over a coop roof or into the tree over my head. Gives me shivers....

I read a post the other day that said the cheapest, easiest way to kill them was to fill a 5 gallon bucket with 6 inches of water and sprinkle it with sunflower seeds. I had a bucket, and water, and BOSS, so I figured I'd try it last night.

This morning I discovered that was one fresh rat. It sunk right to the bottom and stayed there. Totally skeeved out right now. I'm waiting for DH to come home from work and hoping he will take mercy on me and dispose of it even though he said last night "you bury any dead rats - they're YOUR chickens!". Eww. I am just trying to maintain any semblance of cool I once had.

However - that bucket is going out tonight to catch another rat!

Seriously??? I had never heard of this before. Easiest method, ever, and no poison that dogs can get in to. I am going to use this (won't be thrilled about the 'clean up' but a darn sight better than a trap. Ick!!! Messy!!

Sheila

 

[KMHunter]

Quote: You just set the bucket out there, and they climbed in?

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

Hi... I would love to hear more about your mealworm colony... Id like to try it but it intimidates me a bit Also for what its worth.. when I was a kid, our chickens roosted in 2 big cedar trees in our yards.. They did very well. They had a lovely coop but preferred the trees and to lay eggs in the brush. We started by free ranging them and then locking them into the coop at night but eventually they just stopped coming to the coop to roost. I was only about 6 or 7 then so it was fun for me to "Hunt" for eggs each day. When I would find a nest I had the job of marking the eggs with a big X and then take new ones out each day. We even let the hens hatch out the babies out in the brush under the trees where they roosted Back then where we lived was pretty secluded our property was surrounded by forest land on 3 sides. We did have a few very large guard dogs that kept predators away so we had very few losses. Minus the few babies that mistakenly wandered to close to the pig pen and didn't make it past

It was a great life for them Now I personally wouldnt do the same thing now because where we are is surrounded by houses and those houses have a lot of dogs that like to visit our house and my current dogs are much more friendly to all creatures than the ones of my childhood. But hey if it works for you then do it..... like I said its a pretty cool way to let them roost

Everything I learned about starting the mealworm colony came from here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-raise-mealworms

I just started my colony a few days ago. I bought the worms from Petco and I think the bran they were packed in had a couple of another type of bug living in it because I'm seeing a few small black bugs. Hopefully they won't be too much competition for the mealworms, but I'm a bit worried. Other than that, so far so good. The mealies are doing fine. Just don't get the giant mealworms because they are given some sort of hormone to make them get that big without reproducing, so they're mostly sterile. The whole process is ridiculously easy, though, and cheap, too. If you're spending money on mealworms on a regular basis, starting your own colony is definitely the way to go.

As far as roosting in trees, you are right, it is a super cool way for them to live! They look so gorgeous up in the tree. I should take pictures sometime if I can get enough light. Watching them go up every evening is a favorite pastime, for sure. One by one they hop from the top of the fence to the lowest branch of their giant pine tree, then hop from branch to branch until they are about 30 feet up and roost way out on the branch. Our flock leader always roosts in the same place - the part of the tree with the most visibility of the yard, and the other four have their favorite spots but it can vary from night to night. Sometimes lately, the leader will make a huge racket before, during, and after the great ascent. I'm not an early riser, but I did see them come down in the morning once. I thought they'd hop back down from branch to branch, but nope, they walk out to the branch that sticks out farthest in the yard and just flap straight down. So cute!

 

[FlyRobinFly]

Ummm, not really THAT nuts. I DID buy a Class A motorhome so that I could travel with my fur-kids in comfort. The photo, below, is the day I bought it (my old travel trailer is behind it). I have added a full length awning and it has tons of storage (in the outside basement and inside cabinets) plus every bell and whistle available for it's year. I got her for a song as the prior owners were going through a divorce (8K below low blue). If I travel, to bird shows, the birds will be traveling in comfort too! LOL!

Sheila

Oooh, I'm in admiration of your beautiful motorhome!

We thought of renting one for going to our national specialty this fall but they didn't have anything this nice!

 

[FlyRobinFly]

Let's hope Blueberry returns to her normal self soon!

x2!