Washingtonians

[Chickielady]

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I'm thinking a good thunderstorm one of these nights would be a good thing.

Oh yes with tons of rain, bless you darlin'!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chickielady]

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My Lucille Buff Orp Pullet was 8 months old and went broody deep and hard after laying about 20 eggs, she did not even have a full red comb yet, just a pink 'pea comb' like a young pullet....Buffs go broody bad and they are ferocious mommies.
I have heard cochins do the same.
My Brahmas are the ultimate mommies.
The last one has set and hatched 21 Ameraucana chicks, shelters them and goes off like a fire siren if so much as a leaf moves outside...the chicks run, and she stands tall on her toes I swear she is almost 4 feet tall, and swells up to look as big as a goose !

 

[Chickielady]

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So true!

I also like to practce my belief that there is one God.
In different cultures and countries we praise this God in different ways.
To each her/his own.
And there will be no peace on this little marble until we all respect the other's religion, and right to peace and quiet, and accept the fatc that we are no better than the animals around us, we need to respect all life, not just think we humans deserve to be here.
We are, if anything, intruders on this beautiful place.
I feel controling our numbers and using these giant brains we have is exactly why God gave us the big brain in the first place.
Not to destroy and pave and build more and more homes, but to control ourselves, and respect and protect nature and animals.
We were given brains for a reason....so we could take aspirin, right !?!>?

Oh lighten up I tell myself !!

 

[Chickielady]

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I have been using oyster shell too, and still this time of year some of my hens are laying thin eggs...my opinion is they are tired and molting and need a rest.
I do not know of anything that works.
I feed them cottage chees, fresh greens from the garden daily, free range all over 5 acres...scraps, yogurt, fruit, and scraps from the grocery.
Nothing helps a hen who is just tired of the season of laying...and with the marans I noticed the eggs are paler, so it is time for them to rest.
Now, if only I knew how to tell them to take a vacation from laying as to build the strength back up ???
The only thing I have not tried is the suppliment you can add to water for nursing goats/rabbits and cows to prevent calcium shock...has anyone tried that ???
I kind of feel that is like adding nitro to a dying car..but if the girls need calcium then that product should help...anyone know ?

 

[Chickielady]

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Also wanted to say my FarmTek magazine came today and they have a whole bunch of these waters too.
I had 2 roos that were terrified of the big hens and put them in a rabbit cage a few months back...and I noticed they were pecking at and drinking the water drops out of the rabbit bottles...within a half day they learned how it was done.

My big issue with the water bottle/nipple deal is that they all freeze in winter unless you have an insulated, and heated coop.
The nippies freeze fast, way faster than a bucket of water.
The coolest thing I have seen for watering any livestock in winter is crockpots.
We cut hunks of 2x4 fence wire to cover the crock pots, and when it is 10 degrees...plug it in on low.
Crockpots are cheap at second hand stores...protect from rain...make sure it is kept full, and even unplugged, it will protect from freezing due to having a double wall construction.
Hopefully you do not get one that goes to 400 on low...always test them out first !
But, do check Farmtek.com about the water nippies, some go into a 5 gallon bucket bottom, some have complete systems.

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

Quote:
My Lucille Buff Orp Pullet was 8 months old and went broody deep and hard after laying about 20 eggs, she did not even have a full red comb yet, just a pink 'pea comb' like a young pullet....Buffs go broody bad and they are ferocious mommies.
I have heard cochins do the same.
My Brahmas are the ultimate mommies.
The last one has set and hatched 21 Ameraucana chicks, shelters them and goes off like a fire siren if so much as a leaf moves outside...the chicks run, and she stands tall on her toes I swear she is almost 4 feet tall, and swells up to look as big as a goose !

How very funny. well when I got home, Hannah, was back inside in her "spot" trying to be broody. I will take her outside again tomorrow and break her. She doesn't even have eggs under her. Sheesh.

 

[Peppermint]

Alright, so no takers on my RIR 3 month old roo on craigslist. So I'm taking him to the Enumclaw auction on Saturday. Can anyone give me a little guidance? I just show up and drop him off? What if nobody wants him? Do I have to come back and pick him up? I don't even want any money for him, just either a good home, or a humane exit to the dinner table.

Thanks for any wisdom...obviously my first roo...

 

[RonB]

justbugged

I have oyster shell out in the run and in the coop. I don't see my girls eating a lot of it. seems like my BR eats more of it than the others. She lays 6 out of 7 days.

You have seen my place. My girls free range two to three hours every day. But I don't think they get enough,because they coming running everytime I fill up their food dish..

 

[RonB]

peppermint
You can take your roo to Monroe Feed (by the fair grounds) they have a big pen that you can throw him in. They sell any chicken in that pen for $10.00. you don't get anything for him. I took my BR roo up there three months ago.

 

[NWChicks]

We finally got one of our Chicken RV's done! My DH is such a good sport! He built the first one and the kids and I painted and put the wire on. He's got the second one about halfway done so hopefully before the weekend is out I'll have two chicken RV's and very happy chickens!

Here's one of my pretty buffs trying it out for me.

It's got a little nest box on one end and the door on the other end swings open to the right side. My run has a gate that swings to the left so we can use both doors to form a sort of chicken gauntlet and hopefully keep them corralled a bit better. This last pic is just because i think it's cute. All photos are courtesy of my 14 year old DD who got a camera for her birthday.