Washingtonians

[Chickielady]

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Do you suppose there are any more chickens that have the disease or is this the end of it ?
I wonder if you get the new roo or others that better be vaccinated so they do not get it too.
Bummer, huh ?

 

[NWChicks]

Rainierlass, let me talk to my husband before I go and get myself in trouble! Out of curiosity, about how old is he? Thank you for the offer.

Chickielady, since I know we had an issue with Marek's I'm just going to vaccinate any new birds that come to live with us. Zeus didn't show any of the symptoms of Marek's and had no obvious reactions after the vaccination. What I posted earlier were his only signs and DH said when he picked him up he was still very heavy and solid so there was no sudden, extreme weight loss. He is the last of that group. Hopefully all my other girls will escape the nastiness. I had had Zeus since early May.

On a happier note, I am excited because DH is going to build me a couple of little tractors this weekend. Nothing fancy because they'll still overnight in their coop but they have a stationary run and where I live we can't free range. So I'm happy for my girls that I'll be able to move them around the yard and let them enjoy fresh bugs and grass without me having to collect it for them. They stand lined up at the edge of the run and stare longingly out at the grass. Poor babies, they look like they're in a concentration camp.

I've got a very flimsy PVC pipe and garden netting set up that I've let them hang out in from time to time but that has to be watched like a hawk since it is so flimsy. It's actually something we made up to keep the cats out of my garden so it wasn't designed to be very sturdy.

 

[Greg Richardson]

NWChicks

On a happier note, I am excited because DH is going to build me a couple of little tractors this weekend. Nothing fancy because they'll still overnight in their coop but they have a stationary run and where I live we can't free range. So I'm happy for my girls that I'll be able to move them around the yard and let them enjoy fresh bugs and grass without me having to collect it for them.

What is your method to get them from current place to tractor? You pick up each one?

Reason I ask..........
I had a huge extra run I built that I was able for the most part take my treat container shaking it and they follow me to it not a problem. Every once in a while one not go in and have to chase it down but for the most part it was good.

Due to how they would enter a tractor compared to my old situation where I walk thru a door and they follow I'm thinking I might have to pick up each one and 15 of them just to much work and far to walk each one.
If you let them out of tractor at almost dark they are very good at going back to their coop when I had them in the extra run so that not be a problem.

I have to many plants to let them free range during summer. Come fall no problem.

There runs are nice but they get bored in there. I need to find a deal on straw that would help.​

 

[NWChicks]

Thanks for the tips Greg, I'll keep them in mind. I have a treat bucket that they're already familiar with so that might work. When DH does the tractors he's going to make a little door on one end so we can butt it up to the run opening, open it and shoo them in. It's how we've been working the temporary one and it's a lot easier than picking them up one at a time! I do have what we call "the chick stick" and when they see it they run away. It's a very scary long white stick that I've used to herd them in and out. Now if I stick it in one end of the tractor thing they all run out the other end.

 

[mamarose]

We've been pondering the same thing, about getting chickens to a tractor. We have a temporary one and we've been carrying the chickens to and fro. Which is fine, but getting annoying. We tried shooing them once, and it sorta worked, but I wouldn't like to rely on it. They have to pass a lot of the veggie garden, plus the kids' sand pit, and I don't really want them to discover all that fun! ;-)

So having just read this thread, I was talking to DH about it at lunch. I mentioned the move the tractor right up against the run idea, and assuming the tractor would have wheels. It would be awkward to move a tractor of any useful size through our yard, though. He said we need a chicken bus. And now I totally have this crazy idea of building a double decker red chicken bus to wheel the birds around the yard. Someday, maybe.....

 

[Illia]

Hi, loong time no see. I have not been online in months because of computer problems, so I' m currently using my mom' s computer.

Anyone currently looking for Araucanas? (the real rumpless, tufted kind) I have some extra cockerels who are 4 moths old for sale right now at $20 each or $50 for all 4. All of them are rumpless and bilaterally tufted, but only one has even, large tufts. Another has a large and a small tuft, and the last 2 have both small tufts - but all will pass large tufted genes. I have blue, black, splash cuckoo, splash, and "Lemon Blue" colors available.

These boys come from very blue egg laying lines and will be good for current Araucana breeding or even Easter Egger/Olive Egger breeding programs. I will have Araucana chicks and hatching eggs available, too, in October.

Here's a "Lemon Blue" cockerel, he's blue with duckwing genes. The second photo is of a splash cuckoo, who has small tufts that you may not be able to see in the photo.

If you have questions, PM me or email me or my mom at [email protected]. Pick up only. but can arrange to be picked up in Port Angeles / Sequim.

Oh and if anyone is wondering, my Tolbunt Polish are doing great! I got 1 boy and 1 girl, the girl is a Frizzle!!

 

[NWChicks]

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Ok, so you're going to HAVE to post a picture of that if you ever make one!

 

[MjChickens]

I'M SO EXCITED!!

AND I JUST CAN'T HIDE IT.. I got more Orpingtons today. I now have Lavender, Blue, Splash, of course Buff, and in the bator Black and White. Should we see how many I can collect??

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

Thank you for the thoughts on our bunny. Well, we went to local feed store and they had bunnies. My daughter picked the tiniest black bunny I have ever seen. It is in a cage in her room until it gets a bit bigger and we can build a better hutch. It is really friendly. She is so excited. In the cage are a few stuffed animals and a fuzzy blanket for the baby to stay warm, it is cute.

Chickens are doing great and spent most of the day out running around...I love that they are eating bugs in the yard for me.

 

[hallerlake]

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We had a series of bunnies when my kids were growing up. They're adorable, and make such good fertilizer pellets.