Washingtonians

[Chicken Rustler]

LaSombra If ya decide ya want some banties let me know I have a pair of OEGB. The roo is silver duck wing and not sure what the color is of the hen. These are very tiny and lay the cutest eggs.
I could set ya up wiff some eggs or wait for my hen to go broody or set some in the LG.
Just food for thought if ya think ya may want some.

 

[brennant]

Automatic chicken coop door!

I am going to get one this week. I am not the most mechanically adept person, so I think I am going to order this one at http://www.chickencoopdoor.com. Hopefully I will have a good experience... I am looking to hear if anyone has a good experience with this company over in the coop section.

Now I am going to have to run power to the shed/coop!

 

[rainplace]

Hubby and I are looking to lease some land in North Kitsap. If you know someone that may have some land to lease, direct them to our craigslist ad!

http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/grd/1591328694.html

Donna

 

[LaSombra]

Quote:
I saw they have a solar one. I wonder if we get enough light here for that...

I wonder what happens if the door closes while some chickens are still outside. I suppose if the coop is all dark by then, it would be fine, but I keep my light on in there until about 10pm and some of them like to hang out and party on the porch until they're tired

 

[ultasol]

Hey guys. It's been busy here lately. The lone sebastopol that hatched from the abandoned clutch didn't make it. She was weak from the time she hatched and I couldn't get her to eat- she passed after five days.

On the other hand I have a bunch of silkie chicks, from my eggs and some shipped eggs, and I've had a very high percentage of chicks with correct toes and vaulted skulls. We shall see how they continue to develop- some are starting to feather but are still too young to tell much about quality.

My remaining outdoor hens are laying up a storm and I have placed all of my outdoor chickens, including my exb. white wyandotte roo, for sale through craigslist.

This season I am going to sell my American Buff geese. Three girls, two ganders (and *nice* ganders- culled heavily). Nice birds, but I want to limit the number of breeding pens I have to setup and I am going to keep my Buff Dewlap Toulouse and Sebbies.

The weather here in SE WA has been balmy. My roses are starting to break dormancy and the bulbs are coming up (not just crocus, hyacinths and tulips too!). This is, by far, the mildest winter I've experienced out here. A winter like this is what I was told each winter would be like here, but the last two were snowy and cold.

The weather has affected me too- I've been sowing seeds, creating new compost piles, built two cold frames, stuck dormant wood cuttings (roses, chitalpa, elderberry, etc), and drooling over garden catalogs by the dozen.

I got some eggs from our Maran and Barnie fellow Washingtonian eagle2026. He shipped them despite everything else going on! What a trooper! Unfortunately, it looked like USPS drop kicked the box from his house to mine but many eggs made it despite the dented box. I can't tell how many of the remaining maran eggs are developing becaus the shells are SO DARK! The barnies are doing ok, and I think most are developing quite well. Great considering the damage to the box! I was expecting them to be completely scrambled.

My yorkshire puppies are now ready for new homes, so I've had plenty of strangers coming and going. I've been doing far more housecleaning than I like (BLECH!) but the house looks good for visitors.

The neighbor's feral cats are breeding- I've been waking up at night to the yowls of kitty-romance. I'm not looking forward to kitten season with the accompanying trapping, taming, scratches and bites. It's better than leaving them wild and having the population of ferals continue to grow, but taming down wild kittens is time consuming and, considering my allergies, no longer fun.

That said,.. I need to go check a couple newly hatched chicks in the 'bator.

 

[brennant]

Quote:
I am going to go the safe route and use regular old power. I will update everyone who cares to read about my experience. I think I am going to like it, as we sometimes are not home when it gets dark, and I want them to be out as much as they want to be. I am going to set it for after dark to make sure they are inside...

On another note one of my BO pullets was going "bok-bok-BOKBOKBOKBOK-bok-bok!" on the deck this morning. Her comb and face are pretty dark red now, so I hope she is going to lay soon!

 

[herbandteas]

Quote:
I am going to go the safe route and use regular old power. I will update everyone who cares to read about my experience. I think I am going to like it, as we sometimes are not home when it gets dark, and I want them to be out as much as they want to be. I am going to set it for after dark to make sure they are inside...

On another note one of my BO pullets was going "bok-bok-BOKBOKBOKBOK-bok-bok!" on the deck this morning. Her comb and face are pretty dark red now, so I hope she is going to lay soon!

Maybe she wanted you to know she was going to lay today

 

[weaveagarden]

Hey Breannant. Don't forget to go on a really good easter egg hunt around the place. You may be surprised what you'll find. Also, just wanted to let you know that Roxy (temp name for wht rock) is doing a fair bit of bokbockbegotting herself. I hope that means she will be laying soon too. very early, but you never know.

 

[LaSombra]

quick question for anyone who's had a broody. When they start laying again, are the eggs small like pullet eggs? I've had a pullet egg in there 3 days in a row and am guessing that means my broody is going back to work...

 

[brennant]

Weaveagarden - Good point. I try and keep an good eye on them, but you never know!

Roxy is getting close? That's a bonus. My EE needs a friend

Automatic Poultry door is on it's way... Darned things are pricey. I hope they are worth the dough. <sigh>