Washingtonians

[PitterPatterPalace]

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Yippee! No advice other than bath 1-2 days before, dust and oil. Best of luck!

 

[Peppermint]

Anyone else go to the poultry barn at the fair this week? There wasn't that big of a selection of breeds, actually I was expecting MUCH more. The 4H kids had a better variety of birds, and I totally drooled over those prize BLRW

I'm new to chickens, so this must not be THE poultry show for Western Washington. For the open class, I didn't see any Marans...only one D'uccle, no true Ameraucanas...and a hundred cochins. Where and when are the shows I need to go to?

 

[Chickielady]

Hope you are all doing fantastic !
Myself and DH have been in the boat at dawn and home by dusk, and then it is crazy taking care of birds, cleaning coops, feeding, collecting eggs, cleaning water fonts...watering the garden, doing laundry and dishes...and collasp...(sp?) but all is well here !
Later and good luck all at the Fair, I will do it next year !

 

[hallerlake]

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That was my reaction. I was hoping to see more breeds. Maybe the Puyallup fair will have more.

 

[Chickielady]

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Yes, the Rabbit & Poultry Barn closes on the first Monday of fair at 5:30 for a change over. The 4-H kids take their Rabbits and Poultry home that night and the open class Poultry moves in until Friday night when there is another change over and the Open Class Rabbits move in until the end of fair on Labor Day. Sorry you missed it! Come earlier in the day on Monday and you will be fine.

It was nice to meet Mark today when he picked up his Lav Orp babies. Hope the trip back to Whidbey Island went well!

Hope everyone is enjoying the rain.

So sorry for your loss !

That is so sad...we are watching the days go by and one day time will take one of our parents and I do believe I will fall apart...
Has anyone heard from Justbugged lately ?
Just wondering if she is OK, last we talked she was in alot of pain and I have been gone....

 

[KMHunter]

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If the trade does not work, put the hen/pullet in confinement for a few days to knock her down a few pegs. Then try again. Put her in "chicken jail" a little longer if it doesn't work the next time and so on. It knocks her down in the pecking order enough that they usually start getting along just fine. I had to do it with my Barred rockmore that a few times. She is my bully. Good luck!

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

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I let mine free range until three weeks ago. I had to rescue one of them from a bald eagle that was stripping off her feathers. I live IN the city of Seattle mind you. Free ranging is dangerous. If you free range, you WILL lose some. As Cheryl said, you have to balance the desire to keep them safe and the desire to let them live the free life. At this point, I let them free range for an hour or so every day when I can be out there with them. Some people feel life in a cage is no life at all, and let theirs free range. Some people keep theirs in a run all the time. You have to decide what you can live with.

I let my birds free range for 2-3 hours a day (sometimes longer)...they always head for my vegetable garden...but are chased out. They are in my backyard, 1/2 acre, but my yard is surounded by 5 and 6' high chain link. This protects from neighbor dogs, etc. My birds get some protection from the skies from the surrounding of trees around my yard and then the HUGE ANCIENT willow in my back yard. Hawks have been known to sweep through after quail (before my chicks) but it seems it is hard for them to get an angle on anything in the yard. We have been lucky and I am careful. I have cats and dogs of my own, but all my furry critters leave my feathered critters alone.

 

[cheryl98117]

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It can be. For those of us who free range our flocks, we are running the risk of predators gaining access to them. But we are also letting our chickens get the benefit of eating a more natural diet. Its definatly safer to keep them in a coop and run. I just can't stand to see them locked in ALL the time. My entire flock has been outside, and free ranged in my fenced back yard, since they were 4 weeks old. Whether or not you decide to free range your chickens is totally up to you. Just be prepared for anything that could/might/will happen, be it from birds, dogs, coons, bear, coyotte... It doesnt matter where you live, there are predators everywhere.

x2. We lost one... Very sad. But still want a fulfilled life, which in our minds mean access to the "safe" version of the world around them.

Over the past three years with having chickens, I have lost 4 birds to predators. My original roo was taken by an eagle, had one 2 month old chick taken during the day by a coon, and lost my kahki campbell drake, and my all time favorite hen to something that reached through the wire and took their heads... That was a grusome sight.

I now am down to 4 pullets and 1 roo, they are locked in a fully enclosed coop & run, and I let them out for aproxamately 4 hours in the afternoon, to range and eat whatever their little hearts desire. lol I somehow manage to convince them back into the run around 7PM, refill their waters and feed dish, and lock them up for the night. So far this is working for me.

 

[Mrshollywood]

OK so which day is the best to go to the Puyallup fair and check out all the pretty chickens???
Do any of the 4-H kids sell their hens? I can't wait to go, I'm judging the horse herdsmanship on Friday the 10th at 5:00, are the chickens there all the time or just a special day??

 

[Rainwolf]

Hey Folks,
One of my neighbors started a website that folks in Seattle should check out.
http://www.diyseattle.com/
I was thinking we should try and have little local "coffee" meeting with the peeps who live close to each other maybe once a month to trade, socialize, etc
Anyone up for a meeting in North Seattle? I was thinking Cloud City Coffee http://www.cloudcitycoffee.com since they have indoor and outdoor tables, food and drinks, kid toys etc. They have a knitter meeting every Saturday so I was thinking Wednesday's 4pm-ish? maybe once a month for starts? Let me know if your interested.

Its not raining now so I'm off to work on my coop and I need to take pics to update my page.