Washingtonians

[Chickielady]

Quote:
If you need help with the processing part, DH and I do a freezer camp. Anyone is welcome to attend, basically it happens those days, is that we process our meat birds, and you can either watch or help. DH is a very good teacher, and can answer just about any questions.

I think that it will be another 6 weeks before we are ready to do the dirty deed. It doesn't help that the meat birds are still very cute. I have to say that it is much easier when they are 8 weeks old, and are rather disgusting looking things.

Thank you! I will seriously take you up on that! We are getting a plucker soon and any tips would help! I am all for getting my hands dirty!! I was raised on a farm, did the FFA thing was a Vet Tech for 10 years and a Boatswains mate in the USN! Not much scares me or makes me blush! LOL! Let me know when and where!

You are gonna fit right in here!!!

 

[Chickielady]

JB: Where is Eenie ?
Go back to Mo or MI or where ever flat place she came from ???
I wanted to meet her~~Maybe next time she is here, and let me know about the beet brownies, you use beet juice ?

 

[cheryl98117]

Hey Chickielady?! Did you see the pics I posted last night??? Im in love

with this little BW pullet. She is so sweet, mellow, and OH SO cuddley. But... I'm wondering how long I should keep her seperated from the other juveniles? She seems to be healing up well, though obviously still bald around her vent. Poor little thing. I dont mind having her in the house. lol She's turning into quite the little house chicken. Even my Dh opens up the crate and pulls her out for some cuddle time!

 

[Chickielady]

Quote:
I need to figure out how to put up an icon/avatar/userpic and add to the info under my name; I've been online so long under so many forms of coding that I'll probably post a whole lot of the wrong code.

Must get into town shoes and run off to the first weekend of the Oly Farmer's market, see if any of my friend's there have clues as to hens!

The avatar is the only picture that I have any trouble with. It drives me a bit batty. (I guess that's okay, cause I am a bit batty anyway.

) I can't seem to get some pictures small enough to use. For me some pictures work, and others just give fits.

Alter them on your computer before you upload them, that is what I do, I use the Lexmark software that came with my printer, but think you can crop & resize with the standard microsoft stuff too...gotta ask a kid, I am too old

 

[justbugged]

Quote:
If you need help with the processing part, DH and I do a freezer camp. Anyone is welcome to attend, basically it happens those days, is that we process our meat birds, and you can either watch or help. DH is a very good teacher, and can answer just about any questions.

I think that it will be another 6 weeks before we are ready to do the dirty deed. It doesn't help that the meat birds are still very cute. I have to say that it is much easier when they are 8 weeks old, and are rather disgusting looking things.

Thank you! I will seriously take you up on that! We are getting a plucker soon and any tips would help! I am all for getting my hands dirty!! I was raised on a farm, did the FFA thing was a Vet Tech for 10 years and a Boatswains mate in the USN! Not much scares me or makes me blush! LOL! Let me know when and where!

Then you fit in very well at my house. I don't always have very good filters on my thoughts. I am in Enumclaw, and I am fairly sure that we will be processing on a weekend. Chinook Pass should be opened by the time we process the birds. We have always just skinned the birds, but this year I would love to have a plucker. A few of us are working at going in on a community plucker, but if you have a plucker by then, maybe you could bring it with you. My thing this year is I have to do the kill. DH has always done it in the past, but I am going to need to toughen up more and do it myself.

You can always bring a few birds that you want to process, and we can make sure that you are able to handle the sad part. It does get all better after you see all the wrapped meat in the refrigerator afterwards. I nearly out of chicken in the freezer, so I am going to need to raise a few more meaties than I did last year. Of course it would help if I didn't give all the neighbors a whole chicken this year.

 

[Chickielady]

Quote:
I would keep her seperate until she has no more red showing, chicks go after red stuff.
It helps to have red lights, then they cannot see red.
I have flourescent (the squiggly kind) of lights from Home depot come in all primary colors & called "party lights" I have alot of red ones that I sometimes use for that purpose, especially in brooders.
If your brooder is too crowded chicks may peck each other too...and maybe keep them occupied with other things to do...mine are outside everyday.
I open the brooder door and out they go in a chick-safe, predator proof big yard.
They are happy and distracted...and if cold they come back inside under the big infrared heat lamp.
Try those things I guess

 

[hallerlake]

Spritz a little Blu-Kote on her heinie. I was able to put Roz back in the coop one week after her run in with a bald eagle by using Blu-Kote.

 

[blueducklings]

Quote:
Welcome to our chatty site.
Sorry you had cyote encounter. This is their active season. I saw a few on Novelty hill road, just sitting there, watching the horses in the middle of the day next to a very busy road.
They are not afraid of humans and I doubt if it would have made a difference if you were closer to the chickens. What would you have done if you were closer?

On getting chickens, have you thought of bringing your DD to the chicken show in Stevenson? There will be lots of chickens there & lots of BYC folks there too. You'll end up with a good one...or six.

Yeah I am just off Novelty Hill Road. Maybe they will turn their focus on the exploding wild rabbit population in our neighborhood instead!

When is the Stevenson show? Sounds interesting, although we cannot possible buy any more chickens!!!! (I am already planning a shed conversion for the next coop, so I can add a few more- part of my 10 year plan!) Right now I am stoppping at 5 ;-(

Discipline vs chicken math vs HOA coming down on us.

Stevenson is a BIG chicken show, with a few ducks and geese.
Quite a few of our group of enablers will be going. It'll be fun. I went to the Monroe show last month & it was a PARTY.
Pot luck, rafflew, chicks, chickens...friends.
This one is just going to be MUCH BIGGER.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Quote:

I used to be a stumpfarmer in North Idaho, but sold the stump farm & moved west.

Welcome to BYC!!!!!!!!

My family's been on this piece since either 1895, 1901, or 1905, depending on which relative you talk to. Olympia used to be as far back in the hills as you can get at sea level, and Union Mill was the biggest electric sawmill in the world for a while, and the forty I live on was where my great-grandfather kept his road-building draft horse team and the usual milk cows, chickens and pigs, and planted a half-acre of orchard. In my lifetime, we ran Holstein replacement heifers and a small meat herd until my sister and I got tired of walking backwards and used our 4-H money to buy beef heifers. Through the usual randomness of fate, 45 years later we've got a whole lot of Angus and black crosses and a little bunch of Shorthorns. Most of the black herd is on my BIL's family place.

And somebody named Judy, who I hear is around this place, is going to say "That sounds strangely familiar."

 

[pettec63]

Quote:
Thank you! I will seriously take you up on that! We are getting a plucker soon and any tips would help! I am all for getting my hands dirty!! I was raised on a farm, did the FFA thing was a Vet Tech for 10 years and a Boatswains mate in the USN! Not much scares me or makes me blush! LOL! Let me know when and where!

Then you fit in very well at my house. I don't always have very good filters on my thoughts. I am in Enumclaw, and I am fairly sure that we will be processing on a weekend. Chinook Pass should be opened by the time we process the birds. We have always just skinned the birds, but this year I would love to have a plucker. A few of us are working at going in on a community plucker, but if you have a plucker by then, maybe you could bring it with you. My thing this year is I have to do the kill. DH has always done it in the past, but I am going to need to toughen up more and do it myself.

You can always bring a few birds that you want to process, and we can make sure that you are able to handle the sad part. It does get all better after you see all the wrapped meat in the refrigerator afterwards. I nearly out of chicken in the freezer, so I am going to need to raise a few more meaties than I did last year. Of course it would help if I didn't give all the neighbors a whole chicken this year.

No Problem!
I should have the plucker by then, don't know how good it is but, I'm assuming from what I have read, and remember as a child, plucking by hand is horrendous! I probably won't have anything ready by then, well maybe my cornish cross, I thought that was done at 12 weeks, these guys are about a week old now. Not sure? Anyway,I think if they aren't my birds it won't be that much of a problem. ( one can only hope)

Ok well, I'll stay connected to the thread and we will work out a planl! And of course you can always send a message any time!

Thank you so much! and thanks to everyone for a warm welcome! Glad to be part of this wonderful group!