Washingtonians

[hallerlake]

Quote:
He doesn't know yet.

Hallerlake and RFF use the same "shock and awe" method.

I'm not asking him to build a coop or anything, so what is it to him?

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Oh, well, at some point today I absolutely ran out of gas; I kept intending to jump up and get dinner (for values of "getting dinner" which amount to slicing up cold meat and opening a can) and it seriously did not happen. I need to go to bed early, somehow, although I'm just now eating dinner: dumb, dumb, dumb.

 

[broodytood]

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Quincy is, as usual, ADORABLE!!! Where is his pink bandana?

Quincy forgot his pink bandana (yes he has and wears one) that trip. And it was never SAID WHO THAT IS in the drivers seat so you are drawing conclusions based on assumptions !!!!!

Well my conclusion was based on the fact that I couldn't see you letting any one drive your dog around, let alone your DW!!!

 

[AriLovesChickens]

So I'm interested in buying 3-4 hens of different breeds, and I think I've narrowed it down to the following:

Buff Orpington
Barred Plymouth Rock
Wyandotte (laced silver and gold both available)
Speckled Sussex
Dominque (I think I tend towards getting a BPR, since they look similar, but I don't know the differences)
Partridge Rock
Light Brahma

Things we're looking for: docile/good with kids, decent med/lg egg producer (we probably go through 3-4 eggs/day here on average), can handle Seattle's cold (not too severe IMO), bears confinement well (though I intend to let them out in our backyard a lot). I think all these breeds fit those characteristics. Aside from personal preference, would there be any reasons for any of these breeds to not be as good a fit as others?

 

[cmsdvm]

If anyone buys chicks, only to fall madly in love with what turns out to be a male, we can caponize him. My husband and I are both vets with an interest in poultry. Craig did 25 on Tuesday. Generally, the surgery is done on 6 week olds- about right when you can tell he's a he. It is done to make the bird grow larger and stay tender- what people used to eat before the frankenchickens now grown commercially. However, it would be equally useful for people who just want a pet that doesn't crow. The older the bird, the greater the risk of bleeding, so it is quite risky on adult males. Capons are generally calm and particularly useful as broodies too, happily raising chicks (so the literature says) that are placed under them at night. Interesting, isn't it... If someone just wants to buy some capons to raise up for meat, I know a breeder near Tenino where you can buy some.

 

[Ogress]

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I have the first 4 on your list (light sussex, not speckled). I also have an Australorps, a New Hampshire, a Rhode Island Red, several marans, ameracaunas, easter eggers, bantam cochins ....

I would say the friendliest are my RIR, the New Hampshire, the Australorps, and the Sussex, though they all are pretty friendly. The Wyandottes tend to pick on newcomers for the longest, but eventually everyone settles in well together. The RIR, Australorps, NH and Wyandottes and my English Orpington Roosters tend to follw me around, even if they know I don't have food. If I sit in a chair, one of the roosters will even hop up and sit on my lap!

 

[broodytood]

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Looks like you picked some good ones!
I could be wrong but if you want 3-4 eggs a day, you may need more than 3-4 hens. Some hens don't lay every day.

So far my most docile birds(as in 'like to sit in my lap') are my Black Copper Marans. You also might want to check into Australorps. They are suppose to lay well. I have 2 pullets and they are docile. We'll see how they do at laying here in a month or so.
My Wyandottes avoided me. I always did well and liked my barred rocks and buff Orps. I now have black and blue Orps but they are a bit more stand offish than my buffs were.
I just really like my Marans. The big blue Wheaten roo we just got will let my 6 yr old DD pack him around and he's a BIG boy!
Have fun getting your birds! Hopefully your kids will love them!

 

[Ogress]

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I had to go look up what a capon is

I always thought it was a breed of big chickens.

 

[AriLovesChickens]

I could be wrong but if you want 3-4 eggs a day, you may need more than 3-4 hens. Some hens don't lay every day.

Yeah, I realized that after I typed it.

I'd say the first priority is the personality of the chickens (and that I like how they look, LOL). I'll probably enjoy holding them more than the kids, though I hope they learn to love them too. Second would be egg production. My husband eats two days a day without fail - me, not so much, but I'd probably eat more if they were always available. I guess I just wanted to stress that I'm not looking for meat birds or those with really small eggs.​

 

[broodytood]

Just sitting around the camp fire enjoying S'mores! Life's simple pleasures!
Teens get back from camp in a couple hours. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!