Washingtonians

[FirewifeJess]

Thought it would be fun to share some pictures I took today of the girls. They simply LOVE my yard and I'm so happy to give them the run of the place! DH isn't quite there yet as he despises the chicken poop on the porch, but I hose it off every evening after they roost.
Martha (EEer) and Dartha (Black Aussie, named for Darth Vader)

Martha up close, I just LOVE how pretty she is! I plan to get more EEers of different coloring next year

Ethel coming to check out the camera

In back, Tilda (GLW), Scarlett the RIR, and both Buff Orps (Lucy and Ethel (smaller, darker))

Scarlett finally let me take a picture of her...AND hold her for the first time today! Usually she's very obstinate about being held but today she was a sweetie!

My Welsummer named Pip (Pippin from Lord of the Rings, LOL) in the front, she's finally getting prettier; gosh she looked a MUTT for a while!

All 8 in the ivy by the creek and bridge!

Lucy is the Queen of worms...she finds them everywhere!! I think she's my softest and she likes to be held a lot

 

[Breshcandra]

Thought it would be fun to share some pictures I took today of the girls. They simply LOVE my yard and I'm so happy to give them the run of the place! DH isn't quite there yet as he despises the chicken poop on the porch, but I hose it off every evening after they roost.
Martha (EEer) and Dartha (Black Aussie, named for Darth Vader)

Nice looking flock

 

[KMHunter]

Quote: So handsome! I am hoping that the boy I choose to keep is as nice as that!

 

[Sudsy Chick]

Quote:
If you don't quarantine your birds when adding new ones, you can get your whole flock sick.

Stress can make them sick, and if they are carrying bugs (the crawling kind or the sickness kind) you can usually tell in the first couple days of them being moved.

Also, with older birds especially, before bringing them home, be sure to handle the bird and look at their vent area. This is the place where issues will show up first (mites/lice/etc.)

This will also tell you if they're nice and used to being handled =) (This is important to me!)

If you're concerned about one little guy quarantined by himself; I can send a second one! Not kidding either - cockerels that grow up together often work well together.

I know that some people don't quarantine their birds at all. It is a risk.

As far as adding more chicks - the easist way to do it is to wait for a broody hen and stick eggs under her =) Then just be sure to handle the chicks and broody so they stay nice.

Or you can add new chicks or pullets to the flock; let them look at each other for a while, make sure to add multiple chicks so one isn't getting picked on.

 

[Sudsy Chick]

Quote:
We also use Scratch & Peck feed. I get it at the Bothell Feed Center or Seattle Farm Coop (much cheaper!)

I chose S&P when I first got chickens. I went to the Bothell Feed Center, and they had samples of feed showing what was inside the bag. I loved the fact that I could see what the ingredients were.

The only downsize to this is that I tend to have leftover "dust" of the vitamins and DE they include in the feed. I usually mix this in hot oatmeal. I've heard others will bake theirs into a cake - those are some spoiled chickens!

 

[Sunbug4]

Quote:
Oh my heck the mealworms.... lol That caused a chaos like no other..lol There were plenty for them all but if one had one in her mouth someone else wanted that same one.. So there was one being passed around by them all, while the others just laid there. It was hilarious! They finally clued in.. Silly Silly Girls! Thank you for providing that entertainment..lol

 

[Sudsy Chick]

Quote:
I have FOUR waterers around our yard - and they drink out of my son's dump truck. Why does that muddy water taste so much better than the waterers that I clean on a daily basis?

But I wouldn't worry about your chickens not getting enough food - if you have 1/2 acre - that's a lot of seeds, bugs, etc.

 

[Sunbug4]

Elisabeth just adored Bumble.. Such a sweetie!!

 

[Sudsy Chick]

Thought it would be fun to share some pictures I took today of the girls. They simply LOVE my yard and I'm so happy to give them the run of the place! DH isn't quite there yet as he despises the chicken poop on the porch, but I hose it off every evening after they roost.
Martha (EEer) and Dartha (Black Aussie, named for Darth Vader)

Martha up close, I just LOVE how pretty she is! I plan to get more EEers of different coloring next year

Ethel coming to check out the camera

In back, Tilda (GLW), Scarlett the RIR, and both Buff Orps (Lucy and Ethel (smaller, darker))

Scarlett finally let me take a picture of her...AND hold her for the first time today! Usually she's very obstinate about being held but today she was a sweetie!

My Welsummer named Pip (Pippin from Lord of the Rings, LOL) in the front, she's finally getting prettier; gosh she looked a MUTT for a while!

All 8 in the ivy by the creek and bridge!

Lucy is the Queen of worms...she finds them everywhere!! I think she's my softest and she likes to be held a lot

Aw, they're all so cute =) Love your big backyard too!

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

Quote:
Oh my heck the mealworms.... lol That caused a chaos like no other..lol There were plenty for them all but if one had one in her mouth someone else wanted that same one.. So there was one being passed around by them all, while the others just laid there. It was hilarious! They finally clued in.. Silly Silly Girls! Thank you for providing that entertainment..lol
let me know and I will give you another bag full. They are a fun treat.