Washingtonians

[rainplace]

I should stay out of the rambling section. Haven't I said that before?

If anyone needs large amounts of DE and are coming to chicken thing, let me know and I'll come with as many 50lb bags as needed.

 

[RonB]

Justbugged
I enjoyed our conversation yesterday too. Glad you liked the barn, it might end up being my bedroom too!!! I think the wife is getting tired of chicken stories already.
I never did get the bale of hay out to the cows. I tried to pick up three different bales with the tractor. but they were to heavy (water logged?) it just made the front end of the tractor go up in the air. I noticed when I got home today, that the Landlord had put one out. he must have used his backhoe. BUT I did give the flock an hour of roaming time
I was thinking about our conversation about putting the vinegar in your bread. I don't think you will need it unless your going to let your bread sit for two weeks.
Well now that you know where I live, you and hubby can come up and visit. We can have Kim and her DH over too. We can sit in the Barn and have coffee and Donuts

Hey as far as the menu go's for the potluck. You can put me down for BBQ coyote with a very nice apple/ raccoon glaze!!!!!

 

[weaveagarden]

Well Russ. You are my new bestest friend. Nobody else noticed that I had the BYC pic of the week, even after I posted a notice and a shameless invititation for recognition. Well, I guess I will stomp off to sit in the corner like the good and quiet girl that it is impossible for me to be.

Really, the only thing I did was put it in for the competition. My friend Paul did all the work.

(You met him Kim) But I want to be able to tell him that everybody has seen it, so please check out his great photography. https://www.backyardchickens.com/

I am so lucky that he is willing to indulge me excentricities when I say it is picture day. I think if we have a sunny day after a snow, I will tell him it is picture day again. That should make for some really good and bright picture weather.

 

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:
Ya know, I don't really measure it. I think I read on BYC somewhere that there is a percentage you can put in their food but as far as I know, they can't OD on it or anything.

I have a bucket that I carry the feed in. It's not as big as a 5 gallon bucket so I'm guessing it's about a 3.5 gallon or so. I fill it up almost to the top with feed and then throw about 3/4 of a small Cottage Cheese container full of DE in the bucket of feed. Then I rotate the bucket back and forth and let the DE settle down thru the feed before dumping it into the feeder. I don't do this every time I feed them but do make sure they get a good dose of DE at least ever 10-15 days. As far as I can tell it works great.

I also take a flour sifter and dust the coop floor good when I clean it out, then I put another layer of DE over the chips, and I dust the nesting boxes too. Occasionally, I'll even go out at night and give all the birds a good dusting while they're on the roost. Again, so far, I have no mites or lice problems.

God Bless,

 

[weaveagarden]

Thanks Donna.

And, about YOU - Ron. There you go again. You're gonna make people think that I am fickle, and a rabble-rouser (What is rabble anyway? and why shouldn't it be roused") at this rate. Really it is just the middle child syndrome creeping out of me. Need my recognition you know, or else I cry, pout and complain.

 

[RonB]

weaveagarden
So thats been my problem all these years! I'm the middle child too

And just to show you I DON'T hold a grudge. I can compliment someone after they throw me under the Bus. Nice DUCK my dear!!!

 

[ReiMiraa]

I think i might have my first broody.... either that or my australorp is laying really late today... i took the eggs... then felt bad and left one for it to sit on... if it manages to keep its place all tomorrow (all 9 layers share the same nesting box) then i think i will know if it is broody......

 

[RonB]

ReiMiraa
Do you only have one nest box for nine girls? or is that the one that they ALL prefer ??? I have five boxes for 7 (was 8) girls. when I built my coop, I knew I didn't need that many. but because of my lay out and lumber I had, it just worked out best to make five all in a row. They are ALL used but #1 and #5 get the most use. yesterday it was four in one and three in the other. some days its 2 here 1 there and maybe 3 in that one
One day I heard squabling coming from the coop, so I went in to investigate. One of my RIR was in a box and my BR girl was standing on the little roost outside of it squaking at her to get out cause she wanted in there, even though the other four were empty.

 

[ReiMiraa]

Quote:
well originally i had 6 nesting boxes.... they used 2-3... then suddenly it was one.... then suddenly there were some on the floor(sometime right ontop of the nesting box!) the weirdest location i found an egg was on the roost pole....... so i rearranged a little... and 2 boxes and one cardboard box too... then my chicks i kept in a differnet pen at night were merged into the main coop.... these chicks would never roost... they would go in a specific order into this iglu doghouse.... well after they joined the main coop all hens decided it was the perfect nest box. i stopped bothering putting nesting material in all but the cardboard box and the doghouse...

the chicken books never warned me that some chickens will use only 1 or 2 boxes.... i have 9 layers.... and ALL use the dog house...*(unless it is occupied then they use the cardboard box.)

 

[tomato lady]

I have 4 nest boxes for 28 hens and I think they are all laying now. Every once in a while I find an egg on the floor or on top of the nest boxes. I wonder if I need more nests. There is still one that is rarely used.

My original plan was to put in two layers of nest boxes, but when I got these in I decided it would be too hard to gather eggs from lower boxes so I just left it at 4.

There must be a rule about how many chickens per nest box. Anybody know how many I should have? Today I got 20 eggs. That is the most in one day so far.