Washingtonians

[Teva]

I went to the H D in Woodinville I DID ask and they looked at me like I was crazy LOL ! told me take as many as ya want they just get thrown out. they are laying around the 2x4's, 2x6, etc. usually on the floor but some times there's really good ones still on the lumber piles they are just the right size , all ya have to do is cut them for length

I had the same idea when I picked up a load of 2x4s for my coop at ProBuild. They let me have them.

 

[Chickielady]

about 9 weeks old, I have tried to check the hackle feathers but even on my rooster I couldnt tell

Hmmmm, should have emerging hackle, no hackle on the cockerel either ?
How do you know it is a male ?
Dig in the feathers on the bird's back, just in front of the tail, you will see sharp thin, pointy hackle if a male, and rounded fatter feathers if a female, is all I can help you with.
RW thinks it is a pullet, though, she has more experience with that breed.

 

[Chickielady]

I got mine from walmart, good price I think it was somthing like $10 and not only does it plug into the wall but it has a battery back up that lasts for about 5 hours after the outage, and when the power comes back on it reacharges the batteries. It is great I love it.

Wow ! I have not seen the battery back up types !
I will have to look.
I hate having to re set all the timers I have here...5 of them !
We did get a power-out alarm though, which is very cool if you have incubators & brooders going.
It plugs into a wall socket & does nothing unless the power goes off, and then it beeps rather nicely.
Not loud like a smoke detector.
It wakes me up so I can go start the generator if need be.

 

[Totalcolour]

So .. DW goes to get a pedicure today. When she gets home, she tells me that the folks who run the nail salon are very much interested in buying live duck. They would pay up to $15. I have no experience with ducks. Can someone tell me if that's a price I can make a small profit on? Can you point out a few species that would work? Obviously meat ducks

I'm taking DW out to Red Lobster for her birth-a-versary (which was in May)

I don't know if anyone else has answered this for you, since I'm several days behind. If redundant, ignore!

We have mostly Muscovies, and we sell the females for 15, males for 25-35, live. We also have other breeds but they don't sell quite as well. Are they wanted as "food", and is the client Asian? Our market is Asian and they "require" live birds, the bigger, the better, so older ducks are good. They also like the red caruncling on the face, so older drakes bring in more, since they have better caruncling.

We actually make some money on the ducks, not a lot, but enough that it pays for our own duck food so our own meat is free. If you don't like duck meat, it still pays for chicken feed!

I find them easier to keep than chickens, and even have a market for duck eggs. BUT, 'scovies don't lay all year like other breeds of ducks. We are hoping to sell around 100 ducks this year.

 

[HarveysHens]

Hmmmm, should have emerging hackle, no hackle on the cockerel either ?
How do you know it is a male ?
Dig in the feathers on the bird's back, just in front of the tail, you will see sharp thin, pointy hackle if a male, and rounded fatter feathers if a female, is all I can help you with.
RW thinks it is a pullet, though, she has more experience with that breed.

ok , not the feather on top of the back by the tail, sort of underneath those? I posted a pic of my welsummer a few days ago and everyone said he was a roo, his comb is bright red too and no one elses is. Thank you for the help!

 

[Teva]

Here is the inside of my new coop! (that I made MYSELF without DH's help OR opinions!!) (He did carry over&hold up some plywood for me, though. 3/4 inch is HEAVY!!)

I didn't plan for a window, but I found an old window at the flea market and will install it soon. I haven't put in the automatic door yet, either. It will go on the right, under the ladder. The window will go above it. I found that cool ladder at the flea market too. It is so solid, I really don't want to cut it down to size! Next, I will make a board with cleats for the roost in the back.

The nest boxes will go behind me. For now I have the old 4x4 coop open for the mommas to use.

I put corrogated plastic on the roof, but it is so flimsy I don't like it. Before winter I will take it off and put down some plywood.

I will be lining the floor with plastic feed bags. I looked/asked around for some leftover vinyl flooring but everyone's being stingy.

 

[Rainwolf]

Spent grain = protein that is not soy based...... and way less then $15 for a 40lb bag. Possible free if you have a agreement to take all the grain from a small brewery every time they brew.

Spent grain = Barley, oats, rye and wheat that is cooked and no longer has any sugar. Hence the fact that it is 30-40% protein and the rest is fiber.

I do not buy feed with spent grain. I get it fresh from the brewery. It has a nice fresh nutty aroma and the girls love it.

I get it fresh every week and it provides my protein base for all my feed mixes.

Instead of using 2 50lb bags of feed a week I now use 3-4 bags a month since I mix grains that are high in carbs/sugar with the spent grain.

I also add in any grains of low cost that is high in fat/oil; like sunflower seeds.

Spent grain or brewery grain is not bad nor is it unhealthy. But just like everything else fresh is better.

I get brewers grain from a local micro brewery source the day they make it.

The major thing is to get the right % for a well balanced feed with the ingredients you can get.

Cool ! You have micro breweries close by ?
I wish I did...but none around here for a long long ways............

Centralia:
Dick's Brewing
3516 Galvin Road
Centralia WA 98531
Telephone: +1 360-736-7760
Toll-Free: +1 800-586-7760
Hours: Friday 3:00pm-7:00pm.
Brewer: David Pendleton

Grit City Brewing — Planned
200 East Third Street
Centralia WA 98531
Telephone: +1 360-556-7359

McMenamins Olympic Club
112 North Tower Avenue
Centralia WA 98531
Telephone: +1 360-736-5164
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 7:00am-midnight, Friday-Saturday 7:00am-1:00am.

Gig Harbor:
7 Seas Brewing Company
3207 57th Street Court NW
Gig Harbor WA 98335
Telephone: +1 253-514-8129
Hours: Wednesday-Friday 3:00pm-9:00pm, Saturday-Sunday 2:00pm-8:00pm.

Long Beach
Grey Parrot Brewing Co.
1506 Pacific Avenue North
Long Beach WA 98631
Telephone: +1 360-642-4739
Hours: Friday noon-10:00pm.

Shelton:
Grove Street Brewhouse
233 South First Street
Shelton WA 98584
Telephone: +1 360-462-2739
Hours: Monday-Thursday 2:00pm-8:00pm, Friday-Saturday 2:00pm-10:00pm


and I'm sure there is more... just look for microbrewery

 

[Farmin Momma]

Here is the inside of my new coop! (that I made MYSELF without DH's help OR opinions!!) (He did carry over&hold up some plywood for me, though. 3/4 inch is HEAVY!!)

I didn't plan for a window, but I found an old window at the flea market and will install it soon. I haven't put in the automatic door yet, either. It will go on the right, under the ladder. The window will go above it. I found that cool ladder at the flea market too. It is so solid, I really don't want to cut it down to size! Next, I will make a board with cleats for the roost in the back.

The nest boxes will go behind me. For now I have the old 4x4 coop open for the mommas to use.

I put corrogated plastic on the roof, but it is so flimsy I don't like it. Before winter I will take it off and put down some plywood.

I will be lining the floor with plastic feed bags. I looked/asked around for some leftover vinyl flooring but everyone's being stingy.

Cute lil coop, it's coming along great. I love that ladder. It feels really good to build something and not have any man power to it.

Well just as I was getting a backhoe started up so I could go out and clear myself a path through the new huge patch of nettles, it decided to pour rain on me! Oh well I already have it started and I need to get that turkey coop built by this week so I am going to go do it anyways. Now I just have to find the key to that front property gate. I love finding things to do that require me using the heavy equipment. Now do I need a hole dug for anything because there is a beautiful 210 excavator wanting some of my attention. Here's to a hopefully productive day!

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Quote: Coyote !

 

[StarryEyzz]

Here is the inside of my new coop! (that I made MYSELF without DH's help OR opinions!!) (He did carry over&hold up some plywood for me, though. 3/4 inch is HEAVY!!)

I didn't plan for a window, but I found an old window at the flea market and will install it soon. I haven't put in the automatic door yet, either. It will go on the right, under the ladder. The window will go above it. I found that cool ladder at the flea market too. It is so solid, I really don't want to cut it down to size! Next, I will make a board with cleats for the roost in the back.

The nest boxes will go behind me. For now I have the old 4x4 coop open for the mommas to use.

I put corrogated plastic on the roof, but it is so flimsy I don't like it. Before winter I will take it off and put down some plywood.

I will be lining the floor with plastic feed bags. I looked/asked around for some leftover vinyl flooring but everyone's being stingy.

VERY COOL.
I am trying to find some vinyl or linoleum also. So far no one wants to share. LOL My brother did mention he might run by a flooring company, that he knows the owner. I only need a 4x8 piece (or pieces). He thinks there might be some leftover pieces laying around. You should check into that?