Washingtonians

[FlyRobinFly]

So, what's extremely cheap and easy to clean that we can put in the bottom of the new coop to make the hens more comfortable? They're going to be spending a LOT of time in there until they break their habit of roosting in the tree.

Dried leaves work well for that. The chickens break them down with all their rummaging through them, and you can also scatter scratch and other goodies in there to keep them busy.

 

[itsren]

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I'd think those numbers would be only optimal egg laying conditions and with the perfect bird. I don't think most of my EEs layed that much in the first year. I do have a couple who did their best to 6-7 days a week. They even layed through molt, though they slowed down.

Yeah, I don't know what the real numbers will work out to be. My only experience so far is Rhodie reliably lays an egg a day - and skips one day about every 10 eggs or so. The other two have laid every other day - up to every day. So far I've been pretty lucky with getting so many eggs out of 3 girls. They won't be a year old until next April. From what I understand, they will lay less after two years.

I don't know about the feed conversion. My girls primarily free-range. They have all-day access to feed, but they ignore it. In the past 6 months, they have gone through less than 2 bags of feed. They'd rather eat grass, or plants in my yard. Although, now that it is getting darker earlier, I am noticing that they are finally eating more feed.

 

[FlyRobinFly]

Okay, way too many pages behind. JNB, sorry about your grandfather, wish I had tents to loan you. JennS, sorry about Gimp. Add me to the list of folks who like to eat elk. CR, love those piggy planters and the rooster, you still need to make an Aussie.

Finally, I think there is a reason Neiman Marcus is nicknamed "Needless Markup"!

 

[Mrshollywood]

I think we may know a relative of one. 

Yeah I was hoping someone would know who they were... If you can ask them I would so appreciate it! They can also contact me thru BYC if that is easier or I can PM you my email.
Thanks!

 

[itsren]

She is doing very well but but not with the birds we got at the show in chehalis and not in 4h as the washington county 4h has been difficult to deal with and very UN-helpful. always telling me the groups are full and not accepting new members. I talked with a 4h leader at the state fair who is in yamhill county and she told me that I could request being transfered out there which I didn't know. I will be doing that very soon but with school starting she needed to focus on that for a little bit. She had a few difficulties last year in school twards the end of the year and I wanted to make sure she was going to be doing good in school this year before we added something else to her plate.

I contacted the King County 4-H person and will be meeting with her in a couple of weeks. She said our family could start a family program. I told her I'm not interested in leading a new group as I'm already a Cub Scout leader, a part-time Girl Scout leader, and an Autism Support Group leader - and cannot take any more on. She seemed totally fine with our doing the family program and not running a group. She said the biggest difference for us would be if we were a group, we'd be able to hold fund-raisers, but being a family program, we cannot fund-raise. Honestly, I'm OK with that... I'm overwhelmed with fund-raisers as it is, and don't want to do any more.

Have you considered doing a family program?

 

[itsren]

Okay, way too many pages behind. JNB, sorry about your grandfather, wish I had tents to loan you. JennS, sorry about Gimp. Add me to the list of folks who like to eat elk. CR, love those piggy planters and the rooster, you still need to make an Aussie.

Finally, I think there is a reason Neiman Marcus is nicknamed "Needless Markup"!

Hadn't heard that one before!

 

[FirewifeJess]

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LOL, thanks Mike. I think so...I'm probably quite biased though

But I'm one proud mama

I do know that public school doesn't start grammar until 2nd grade in MOST of the country.

 

[FirewifeJess]

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That's cute! LOL

 

[elizmartin]

Hi everyone.. I just skimmed the last few days post.. I'm glad to see the injured birds are doing better.

Everyone seems busy getting ready for the wet and cold coming our way.. We just finished the new fence on the back property line.... and have 6 of the 10 apple trees picked.. so I'm a busy bee making applesauce and apple butter.

I'm a little bummed/worried because we did not get to build our new coop and remodel chicken area as planned. Hubby's work load was changed ( he is moving up in company So he couldn't take his 2 weeks planned vacation... instead he took 2 days.. Those 2 days were following my Grandfathers death last Sunday. So now I'm scrambling trying to figure out winter housing for 30 hens.. My current coop is only suitable for half that many... I told the hubby we should 'nt put it off LOL Should of done when i planned this summer instead of going to the Dunes.. but what do I know I'm "Just the Wife" LOL Oh well it will be OK.... I'm not gonna be too grumpy with him because I have room to complain that he is working steady in this economy. That's a blessing. The new girls just may have to live in a cow stall in the barn this winter and I may just have to build a new run.. That I can do on my own

I am gonna be busy helping my Mom put together services and a gathering for 200 to 300 people for a memorial for my Grandfather on October 27Th. We are in need of some large outdoor tent type structures for outdoor covers on that day.. Anyone have any they would like to rent out???

So now for something I think is really Odd....... I have a wild female pheasant trying to live with chickens...... I had seen some odd feathers about 5 days ago. Yesterday i was working in the garden area and noticed a "funny looking chicken" out with my hens... I realized that it was a pheasant. I shooed it off but she only went a little ways off and in the evening she was nested down in some blackberry bushes next to my pens.. The next few days she just was wandering around with my hens as they were free ranging. This morning she was in a tree above my coop. Then tonite she was actually in the coop with the Rooster and hens... I had kept the hens in their Kennel today hoping she would leave. Because she is getting tamer and tamer around us. So I got her out and then went around and reinforced the top of the pens to keep her out... When I last checked to nite she had dug a little hole right ext to the coop pen and was huddled up next to the wire. I'm only worried about it all because I have heard that wild birds can carry disease that my chickens may not be immune too. Any Insight????

well am thinking that if she looks healthy, and since your chickens have already been exposed she might be a pretty addition to your coop group. she's lonely and will probably be dinner for something or someone if you don't. If they are free ranging your not keeping them from wild birds and like children who eat with dirty hands have probably aquired some immunity anyway. eliz

 

[TerrorBird]

I was trying to take some pictures of our cute BLRWs nestled on a stump in a garden today when that jerk Muffet saw what I was doing and vaulted up onto my arm. I was forced to give up and made the best of it by cuddling my cute girl. She's the cuddliest chicken I've ever had. She was stabbing at my shoulder for a bit and that made me wonder why chickens show affection by using violence.

George pecks very hard. She's a very sweet girl; I'd be able to tell if she was out of sorts or just felt like being mean. Mom ran in the house the other day and said "THAT BIRD'S GOING IN THE STEW POT!" I thought the rooster might have committed some terrible crime, but it turned out to be George nipping at her calves. I told her I'd be very cross if she ever tosses my sweet girl into a cooking pot. Another amusing thing they do is scratch at my pants when I sit in the grass near them. They run over and peck at my pants, then scratch them as though they're looking for goodies. I'd just really like to know their reasoning for their silly affectionate behaviors.

By the way, JennS...you could name one of your chickens Butter since you've got that cooking name theme going.

I like me some Butter Chicken when I go to the Indian buffet each Christmas eve.