Washingtonians

[justbugged]

Well is it freezing in the garage I don't know if any of the hanging baskets will survive? I think I will see if I can't somehow stuff them in to the greenhouse.

I finally had to put the heater on the hummingbird feeder this morning. I just don't know how the little birds survive this cold. But last year we were able to feed them even during the blizzard, and all the cold, and that we had last winter.

Half the girls are tucked in the coup this morning, and the other half (the big girls) are out foraging. We got the temperature up to almost 40 with 2 heat lamps in the coup. The little birds are huddling under the lamps most of the time.

I Finally Did It!

I have been putting eggs in my jacket pockets to bring them into the house.

I knew what was going to happen,

I really knew

that sooner or later.....
I finally broke an egg in my pocket.

Now I will have to use a basket. I have a beautiful egg basket, that I have had a hanging plant in for years. Now I need to go pick up a hanging pot to transplant the plant into. Then I will be able to use the cute little basket for eggs like it was meant to be.

I posted a Trio of Welsummers on craigslist yesterday in any one is interested. The roo is pretty enough to show for 4-H. Then hens are only for sale with the roo.
[email protected] This is the link you may have to copy and paste to a e-mail.

Have a Good day all!

 

[brennant]

All 4 are huddled next to the waterer with the lamp! They seem to be during pretty good. I have them some scratch yesterday morning too.

I was told you can only give scratch a few times a week... is that true?

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
Too much scratch lowers their overall protien ration and can make them fat--sort of like eating nothing but cookies.

That being said I give my flock (30 +-) around a cup every morning and with the cold weather I've upped it to around 1 1/2 cups morning and night because I think they need the energy boost to stay warm.

Edit to add: Since it's gotten so cold I'm giving most of the morning scratch in a warm oatmeal mash with some yogurt and raisins or whatever fruit I have handy. You can also give them BOSS, it's high in protien and they love it too.

 

[Nyrial]

I've been feeding more scratch as well, with the oatmeal mash, but I've been adding a tablespoon of protein powder every other day (keep in mind I'm feeding a lot of mouths with this, so I make a big batch) to the oatmeal/whatever else I can find mixture.

Whatever else I can find may include/but not always/is not limited to: yogurt, baby food, cut up fruits (but not vegetables, in oatmeal? Blech

, they get those at night chores anyway) and/or scratch grains.

I've also been mixing their Flockraiser in with their oatmeal.

I sprinkle some scratch out in the morning for them to have something to do, because scratching frozen ground is so much fun! They get vegetable cull from the fruit stand at night.. and, if I'm home and get to do chores before dark, they even alternate free range days. It sure is amusing to watch a pullet try to intimidate a turkey though.

Thus far I have not provided a heat lamp to any of the fully feathered (almost) adults. That may change, but then, if it gets too cold, I already informed DH that they're sleeping in the laundry room.

He didn't seem to have a problem with that.

Beyond that, I don't have the time or inclination to mix my own feed, because I'm a lazy chicken mom. Although I'm actually afraid of NOT giving them their mash, I skipped one day last week and I was pretty sure I was going to get my eyeballs pecked out.

 

[Imp]

Hi everyone,
I've been on vacation the last few days and have been burning the candle at both ends getting Christmas together. Shopping pretty much done, and mostly wrapped. Lights are up.
While I was buying the squirrels their peanuts. I bought Michael another bag of feed.
Been enjoying reading all your posts.

Russ

 

[RonB]

Russ
How are we doing on keeping Michael supplied with feed? I bought a bag last Monday.

Do we have any other Volunteers ???? I know lots of people said they wanted to help. I hope as the winter rolls on,people won't jump OFF the wagon

 

[RonB]

Last Saturday I only got 4 out of 8 eggs. I figured the girls were slowing down in the cold weather. But yesterday and today I got 8/8. But the BEST news is I got 3/3 White eggs.. I hope this means that my White leghorn which had laid FOUR eggs in a row with NO shell is BACK on track!

Does any one here have any California Whites beside me????????? I have one

Ok, EVERYONE knows Ron is in his Rookie year of rasing chickens right?? So that means I can ask dumb questions!

When my daughter bought our Calf. white chicken, the lady told her that the chicken could lay TWO eggs a day. I took that to mean in 24 hours she could lay two eggs. Its not possible that she would lay two at one time is it?

. The reason I ask is because the last two days I got three white eggs but they were ALL in the same nest at the same time. I'm hoping all Three of my white layers are laying
when ya stop laughing, you could answer my question

thanks

 

[brownlikewoah]

I can't believe how cold it is! I feel so bad for my chickies out there.... are they really going to be okay? This is my first time with chickens and I'm worried about them. We have a catawba style coop so there isn't any insulation. They have a thick layer of shavings in there, and we put a tarp over the coop. I gave them fresh warm water this am, and when I checked it this evening it was solid ice. How are you guys dealing with frozen water?

 

[Nyrial]

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/grd/1499579390.html

$75 in Lynnwood.

I would buy it, especially as I still haven't figured out how to get that shipping container into my backyard, but don't really have the $ to throw around right now with Christmas around the corner.
Such is life.

Maybe one of you could use it.

 

[RonB]

brownlikewoah
as you can see by my post, I'm new at this too. The people are VERY helpful on here. I have done ALOT of reading here. I did a search on cold weather last night. some people DON't use a heat lamp at all, some wait till it gets to 20 degrees, others to zero. I just put one in tonight, but I won't use it if its over 30 degrees

You will get lots of GOOD advice here. But I think your chickens will be find, keep them out of drafts