Washingtonians

[Stumpfarmer]

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There was a post on the Wyandotte thread soon after I signed on about somebody losing her whole flock of Partridge Wyandotte Bantams to a young GHO which found its way into the run and then couldn't find its way out. And now I can't find the original post, which is a shame because the information she gave about her run construction influenced my ideas about predator proofing.

 

[hallerlake]

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I've only seen them in my yard twice, and both times they were after my chickens. If you'll remember, I had to chase one in my jammies to get it to drop Roz.

 

[Illia]

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Amen!!

But that isn't the half of it. Even within WA state, on our very own peninsula, there are cities of people who, when a Bald Eagle flies by, they get all joyous and in awe as if they just saw a Unicorn. I'm talking cities like Port Angeles, who you'd think have plenty of Eagles, but, I guess not. People there celebrate them like they lived in the Midwest or something.

Try going to Neah Bay.

They are WORSE than crows.

 

[Ogress]

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The Elk worry me a lot more than the bears; the lone males and bachelor herds especially.

F&G has the 2 that they caught for re-training, but they will be releasing them back in the same area soon - bear sightings are very, very common out here, almost daily. since this area abutts the Seattle Watershed, trapping and moving is pointless as more bears will just move in; they figure these bears they know, and so far they have not been aggressive.

I worry about Alex going out to the bus stop. He goes out himself at 6:40 when it is still completely dark outside. I can't even get the kid to use a flashlight. He just takes the trail at the edge of our woods out to the bus stop. Right next to our neighborhood is another where the houses are all close together instead of on acerage - more people to spot bears. They regularly see the bears in peoples yards and rummaging through trash cans only 100 feet or sometimes closer to where a bunch of little kids are waiting for the bus. There has never been an attack on anyone out here that I am aware of.

I go out to the stop with Olivia in the mornings, and the guy from the bottom of the hill drives his boy up and waits in his SUV. If a bear came, we could hop in the car, but Alex usually waits alone. I'd give the kid some mace If I could trust he wouldn't test it on some annoying kids at school.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

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I've only seen them in my yard twice, and both times they were after my chickens. If you'll remember, I had to chase one in my jammies to get it to drop Roz.

I see Bald Eagles here at least once or twice a week, and much more often in February and March, but the only times I've seen them land have been when they were picking through the waste hay for nest lining. There's a lot of good fishing near me, and they will always prefer spawned-out salmon to chickens (although the ones that nest up by the Capitol have specialized in gulls and geese, and I watched one try to take sleeping Trumpeter Swans up at the Skagit once).

 

[SadieSue]

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Sharp Shinned or Coopers hawk.. yes, I would put your peeps away. Those are what we have around our house.... not the falcons.

So I just heard one of the chickens clucking LOUD, and ran out to the yard. It was my mama hen, Whitey Ford in the middle of the yard sounding the alarm and none of the chicks were with her. I'm panicking. All of the other chickens were hiding near the coop. I found Harper, the Ameraucana, with 2 of the chicks hiding by the composter. I got to Whitey who started running across the yard when she saw me and all of a sudden, chicks are popping up from underneath shrubs all around me like little munchkins in the Wizard of Oz. They took off after her, (now that she had protection) and they all went right into the mini coop in a hurry and waited for me to close the door. Looks like they're staying in today. I guess I'm going to try and get the other girls under cover in the big coop before I take off to run errands.

So upsetting. I was going to have our pet sitter come over in the morning to let everyone out for the day and come back to put them back in at night. Now I'm questioning that. Maybe they should all just stay in their coops while we're in AZ since no one is here during the day to supervise.

Harper is going to be ticked about that, and then maybe the neighbors. She screeches in the AM until I come and let them out to free range. She is my most dependable layer right now and of course, the most annoying. Darn, darn, darn.

 

[herbandteas]

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That is a fair price for one that just started or hasn't started laying yet. $15.00 is the limit for me. I won't pay over that for one. I see people on criagslist asking $20 & $25 per bird. thats TOO much. but $15.00 is fair.
Two weeks ago I bought two six month old (not laying yet) speckled Sussex for $5.00 each

now that was a deal

. I love them

Ron thats what I told one person that $15 is the going price for hens this age 3 other people didn't blink. So the 1st person to get here for them wins.

 

[herbandteas]

we are out in the sticks a bit so thats how we roll

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
I've only seen them in my yard twice, and both times they were after my chickens. If you'll remember, I had to chase one in my jammies to get it to drop Roz.

I see Bald Eagles here at least once or twice a week, and much more often in February and March, but the only times I've seen them land have been when they were picking through the waste hay for nest lining. There's a lot of good fishing near me, and they will always prefer spawned-out salmon to chickens (although the ones that nest up by the Capitol have specialized in gulls and geese, and I watched one try to take sleeping Trumpeter Swans up at the Skagit once).

There's a pond 1/2 mile from my house (and a river that runs behind both) where people dump their unwanted ducks...the eagles make quick work of them, and ODFW stocks the pond twice a year...easy meals make for eagles that stick around.

 

[herbandteas]

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trying to make me pee my pants!!!!