Washingtonians

[jbear]

Grace-- canned kitten food is a good source of protein for ducks and chickens. I forgot about this till just now duh.

 

[Rainwolf]

Quote:
Thank you for the link - that's a nice set-up! All good suggestions, and certainly in keeping with the direction I'm going. I like a raised coop as well, with a convenient "man-door", (I also like that name for it). I hadn't considered until Greg pointed out that I needed to be cautious when planning my coop to not make it too deep so my arms can't reach in for cleaning. Right now I'm thinking 4X6 - 4X8 on legs for the coop, screened in underneath, pop door leading into a larger covered pen. When we're in the yard, the girls can come out of the pen, but I don't want them unattended. Even here in University Place, right next to Tacoma, we have plenty of eagles and hawks.
Thank you all for great suggestions. I can read a million books, but I find the practical ideas I get from all of you a lot more helpful.

check my byc page.. I made a raised coop that is 4x4 and is pretty simple. I added "side coops" as well each section is 4x4 so easy for 2 people to dismantled (the sections are connected by a metal strip) and move each section. Also each section can be moved in the back of a pickup truck if ya move etc...

1 thing I found with mine is that my nest box needs a piece of wood along the door side or the nesting materials tend to fall out. other then that its perfect for 6-8 birds! (I have 10 in there now and there is a minor shortage of roost space)

 

[cheryl98117]

Quote:
I was born in the early 80's... So guess I would be a child of the 80's and 90's. Though Ive been on my own sense 1997... I may not be the baby of this group but AI think I'm one of the younger croud...


Gawd!!! I hate this stupid wrist brace!!!

But I can't function without it... I hate having arthritis, yes 6 years ago I was diagnosed with R.A. and it sucks big time...

I think you are one of the youngest ... I remember when I was always the baby ... long way from that now:/

I also have RA in my wrists and hands since I was 17. My mom is an OT, so she made me all my wrist and finger braces. It worsened with age and the work I was doing for a while. Some days, especially if I've been pulling weeds the day before or doing a lot of pipetting in my job, I could hardly open my hands the next morning if I would not wear the guards. There were days that I had to call for a ride home from work because I could not push in the button on the gear shifter on my car! My grip was very poor for a while. I fear becoming my grandmother whose hands became curled and practically useless with arthritis by the time she hit her mid-50's. She passed away in her early 60's, and she looked old decades beyond her age ... so sad for someone who never smoked and from the sounds of it, had no vices. But my arthritis has improved a lot in the last 3 years; not sure why. I do eat a lot of local unfiltered honey ... maybe there is bee venom in it. I did take bee venom honey for a while too, and even intentionally had bees sting my hands as bee venom reduces the symptoms of arthritis. I first thought it just masked the pain of the sting, but the effects are much longer lasting than that. My fingers still ache when it is cold, so I have a lamp that produces a lot of heat positioned over my keyboard to keep my fingers warm.

I do my best to not complain or moan about my aches and pains, I've gotten fairly good at masking it visibly. I can't take anything for it, as I have to watch what goes through my liver, and most medications make me extremely ill. So I wear a cheap not properly fitted brace, that helps for a bit. But the brace tends to minimise my circulation "sp?"

I know that I am asking for trouble in the long run, with the work that I do. But I have tried doing light duty, indoor work, and I am miserable doing it. Flat out don't like who I am, when I'm stuck working inside and with the general public. People tend to vent on me more than others, and I really don't like all the added crud from other peoples dramma. lol So I have figured out where I am happiest, and what makes me happy with myself, and that is what I do. And in turn, I know that I will have to pay for it eventually. Luckily my joints, especially my left wrist don't get to bad until we have a shift in pressure, or temperature. So really it's only bad for a month total out of the year for me. So it could be worse.

 

[Rainwolf]

Quote:
I havnt read every post yet, but wouldn't these wipes remove the bloom from the eggs as well as any bacteria, and then wouldn't thatbe a bad thing??? I was always told to NOT clean eggs that are for hatching... Was I informed wrong about this?

Just speaking from my hatching... the eggs not cleaned hatch better then those that have been cleaned/washed.

 

[Ogress]

Whoever ordered all this snow better come shovel my driveway.

 

[Illia]

Am I the only one who doesn't have snow?

 

[Rainwolf]

I got a text msg.... its snowing at my house now

I wanted it to wait till I got home first!

 

[TheReidHomestead]

No snow here in Monroe, but it's been drizzling off and on all afternoon.

 

[pongoid]

No snow here on lake tapps.

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

Quote:
Ok...you just sealed it. My first love is horses, fractured my shoulder falling off one this last summer,but intend to get back to it soon! I would love to come see your petting zoo!

I think for me its a dead even 3-way tie between chickens, dogs, and horses. lol I gotta have some kind of exposure to each, or I'm just not myself. Like I said, just let me know when your gonna be over here. lol I'm rarely away from home for long. To much happens around here to quikly for me to go awy for more than a couple hours.

The new job is great for me....I get to play with all the dogs and cats (puppies and kittens) and they have OTHER homes to go to. I don't have to feel guilty and not take them home. We have a kitten at the clinic right now that has a prolapsed rectum and he has been there awhile and he such a love. Every night before I leave...I clock out...and go play with him for about 15 minutes. Mind you, he is petted and loved all day long too....he just gets me with no distractions for a few minutes every night before I go home. We had a guinea pig in the other day, too. And that is only the first week. So interesting.