Washingtonians

[FirewifeJess]

Hey all, I've been reading up on winter climates and chickens. Over here on the wet side with our sometimes snowy but mostly just chilly winters, do I need to worry about frostbite? I think what I'm understanding is that we don't live in anywhere near cold enough of a climate for this to be a concern so please correct me if I'm wrong

 

[KMHunter]

Hey all, I've been reading up on winter climates and chickens. Over here on the wet side with our sometimes snowy but mostly just chilly winters, do I need to worry about frostbite? I think what I'm understanding is that we don't live in anywhere near cold enough of a climate for this to be a concern so please correct me if I'm wrong

I don't think so. I have never had a problem with it. If you are worried about how cold it gets in the coop I would get a thermometer for this winter and see what it tells you on those few really cold days we have.
I might put vaseline on my boy if the temps dip down into the teens this year, because it's so big.
And if you are worried about it I would rather be safe than sorry, and put vaseline on all single combs.

 

[KMHunter]

Aaagh! I am trying to resist the temptation of ordering 6 LF Light Brahma hatching eggs. The 2nd coop isn't done yet. And, I promised myself I would never get chicks before a coop was ready ever again! Although, I keep thinking - if I get/hatch some Light Brahma's this fall, the chicks would be old enough to mix up the flocks in the spring and I'd be able to put Drama in with some Light Brahmas in the spring. Then I could get a medium-sized bird to mix in with my EE and RIR in the first coop.

Speaking of that... I'm really beginning to think our current coop is just too small for my big girl. She looks very uncomfortable in there. I think my Silkie dreams are over because I'm beginning to think I am going to have to use that 2nd coop for her. The doors are huge - and the coop is on the ground, so it is being built to be suitable for Brahmas or Silkies.

When my mom was staying with us the past few days, she was cracking me up. Every time Drama walked by, she'd say "Well, hello, Thanksgiving dinner." Now, when I look at Drama, it makes me chuckle because she does resemble a small turkey.

You none of us are going to tell you to resist, right? We believe in chicken math, whole heartedly!

GO FOR IT!!!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Haha! Yep I think you should get them too! LOL but mostly because I want to throw some eggs in your gator when you're done with it

 

[Greg Richardson]

Quote: What ever cage you are using make sure the cage has air coming from below.
Do not place her on the roost at night.
Keep her in the cage for three days straight.

99% of the time that will break them.

 

[cmsdvm]

Today is the last day to enter the Puyallup Fair Open Poultry Show. Enter on-line- be sure to get large fowl or bantam right. It's fun, it's cheap, and everyone who enters a bird gets 3 free fair tickets!

 

[SadieSue]

Today is the last day to enter the Puyallup Fair Open Poultry Show. Enter on-line- be sure to get large fowl or bantam right. It's fun, it's cheap, and everyone who enters a bird gets 3 free fair tickets!

I would like to enter a show one day. I was hoping with my silkies and Seramas that some day I might have something to enter but since I am not breeding opportunities are somewhat limited! Maybe next year I'll have my own homegrown Seramas. We'll see. But then I'd have to learn all about the process of grooming a bird and getting them into a show.

This year I'll have to be content with admiring other people's birds which has totallly worked for me in the past!

 

[Jadedmoss]

So my friend's home flock rooster has been massively PMSing since we have a clutch about to hatch. But he is always ready to watch my son while I feed and water everyone and collect the eggs. lol I should have gotten a pic. Probably will do today and post. Hope everyone is having a good day.

 

[Slinglings]

I am a new chicken owner in NE Seattle! I have three girls, around 4-6 months old--Blanche, a white leghorn, Ginger, a red sex link, and Buffy, a Buff Orpington.

 

[SadieSue]

So I guess I can add "rat killer" to my resume'. now. I've been watching 2 rats jump around in the trees over the coops for a couple of weeks just as the sun is going down. Varmints were waiting until everyone was locked up so they could eat chicken feed. DH and I have been bringing all the feed into the garage at night but every night my Golden is tracking the rat down and I'd go out with my flashlight just in time to see it skittering up a post or over a coop roof or into the tree over my head. Gives me shivers....

I read a post the other day that said the cheapest, easiest way to kill them was to fill a 5 gallon bucket with 6 inches of water and sprinkle it with sunflower seeds. I had a bucket, and water, and BOSS, so I figured I'd try it last night.

This morning I discovered that was one fresh rat. It sunk right to the bottom and stayed there. Totally skeeved out right now. I'm waiting for DH to come home from work and hoping he will take mercy on me and dispose of it even though he said last night "you bury any dead rats - they're YOUR chickens!". Eww. I am just trying to maintain any semblance of cool I once had.

However - that bucket is going out tonight to catch another rat!