Washingtonians

[itsren]

Ugh! Sick-to-my-stomach-kinda-feeling... we just got notification that our school principle moved on and we're getting a new one. We have our kids waivered to that school because the principal was so amazing. The teachers were happy to be at work everyday, and that translated to a very high performing school in a very low income location. OK... gotta put this out of my mind or it is going to drive me absolutely crazy. I guess, worst case scenario, we waiver to a different school mid-year. I won't send our kids to the school we're slated to go to. I got tired of seeing police showing up at the school to deal with unruly elementary kids.

What can I distract my mind with... oh yeah, chickens and gardening...

Jessica ... this is what those little plants will grow into if taken out of the tiny pot and planted into the garden. They grow quickly. These are from the same batch as the ones I gave you. They'd look better than mine do if the chickens don't eat the leaves. This little raised bed happens to be my chicken's favorite food source. The front plants haven't done as well as the back ones because of the damage that the chickens have done to them. They are edible... even for humans, although, I have never eaten them. You can read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love-lies-bleeding_(plant)

 

[itsren]

Hey did I mention that one of my Buff Orps squatted for the first time 2 days ago? Oddly, it's the smaller of the 2, Ethel, who loves to be held and carried around and hugged on. I can't wait for her first egg!!

Yay!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Hey guess what?! Scarlett my RIR just squatted for me too!! I can't wait for eggs...

 

[Rural Chicks]

Any rare chicken breeders around the seattle area?

 

[hallerlake]

So we picked up some oyster shell, and I put it in my little baby chick feeder for my big girls. Hopefully my mixed-age flock feeding problem is solved. Who knows, maybe we'll start finding pearls in the eggs.

Is there anything besides calcium my layers need more of until everyone can go on layer feed?

--Nikki

I'd put it in a separate feeder.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
She did...she put JUST the oyster shell into an extra chick feeder, for the big girls; or that's how I read it

 

[hallerlake]

Question for the experienced chicken keepers...

Can you mix up flocks? Change their pen-mates?

DH and I continue to debate next Spring's 3 additional chickens (bringing us to the max of 6)... Silkies or LF.

IF I get 2 Brahma's and another LF next spring (chicks), would I, at some point, be able to move Drama to the new coop that is designed to fit either Brahmas or Silkies (all ground level, no ramps, but HUGE doors), would I, at some point, be able to move Drama into a coop with 2 younger Brahmas and move a young LF into the coop with my EE and RIR who will be 1 year old at that point? Is this doable? Or flat out a dumb idea?

We're in total research mode. After buying a Brahma without having a clue how much different she would be, and having all the drama with her... we figured we better plan better the 2nd time around.

I shake up my pens every spring. Introducing a new bird at the same time as moving birds to new pens works for me. Moving them around breaks up the pecking order.

 

[hallerlake]

Any rare chicken breeders around the seattle area?

Yes, what are you looking for?

 

[FirewifeJess]

Wowie it's HOT! My upstairs is already 78 and rising rapidly. The kids are gonna be in h.e.doublehockeysticks when they go to sleep tonight! Glad tomorrow is a little cooler. I hope this doesn't affect the girls laying their first eggs! I am dying to find one!

 

[TerrorBird]

I'm a bit concerned about my chickens. They're all very skinny. They always have food (organic) and fresh water available. We let them out to range whenever we're home and haven't noticed the wild birds freaking out over hawks. Could they just have parasites? How often should they be treated for parasites? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!