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  1. Smokerbill

    What did you do in the garden today?

    I agree. When the garlic I planted last fall started sending shoots above ground something kept nipping them off and eating them, and I suspect it was voles. Now that the garlic is a lot taller they leave it alone.
  2. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    @TeePants , I thought blood in the stools was the sign of coccidiosis, but I might be wrong. Maybe she's just stressed out from the change in her environment, being alone in a bathtub. I know stress can give me digestive issues.
  3. Smokerbill

    What did you do in the garden today?

    I started cleaning the weeds from the garden beds today. The chickens are enjoying them. I'm going to take it easy with the gardening this season and direct seed everything in the garden, tomatoes included. No seeds started indoors. I had three tomato plants last year that were direct seeded...
  4. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    13 eggs is a lot. My six older pullets are laying good now, 4 to 6 eggs a day, and the four younger pullets are starting to get red combs so they're getting closer to laying. Glad my neighbor likes eggs. LOL I think I'm going to take the easy way out with my garden this year and direct seed...
  5. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    I have 6 cockerels now, and one of the older ones is attempting to mate the pullets. It's time to put all the cockerels together into the bachelor pad and move the younger pullets in with the older ones. Do you still want to buy a few pullets @pennyJo1960 ? If you don't, no problem!
  6. Smokerbill

    Tips on restraining a chicken for inspection?

    I've learned that using a flashing/strobing light at night disorients the chickens and makes them even easier to grab from the roost. I tried a leg hook one time and it didn't catch the cockerel but made him go crazy trying (and succeeding) to escape the run.
  7. Smokerbill

    One of my chicks contracted patty butt

    I believe that it's an unabsorbed yolk sac as mentioned in the following thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/unabsorbed-yolk-sack-help.463890/#post-5873691
  8. Smokerbill

    Benadryl to Euthanize Chicken?

    Cervical dislocation is the method I use to dispatch chickens. I set up a simple device that is much easier to use than a broomstick held down with my feet. I drove a foot long, 3/8" diameter spike halfway into a section of railroad tie, then bent it over at an angle, with the gap at the open...
  9. Smokerbill

    Do you use a secondary temp/humidity meter?

    I have a NR 360 incubator and never saw humidity levels that low. I have a secondary meter inside the unit and it always reads around 10 points lower humidity compared to the built in meter, ~45% compared to ~55% shown on the built in. Temperature runs about 1 degree cooler inside than the...
  10. Smokerbill

    Marans genetic and how to breed them to SOP

    Very nice!
  11. Smokerbill

    What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

    The smoke alarms in my house are hardwired, and have 10 year backup batteries in them that need no replacement. I believe that at the ten year point the alarm starts chirping or something to let you know it's time to replace the unit.
  12. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    One of the eggs from my RIR pullet hatched a little while ago. The other one hasn't pipped yet. I think the grandkids will be taking the chicks home with them on Sunday. @pennyJo1960 , are you about ready for the pullets? They're almost 8 weeks old now and eating pellets, and I'm 99% sure they...
  13. Smokerbill

    What did you do in the garden today?

    Pulled up a collard greens plant and gave it to the chickens.
  14. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    My laying pullets are getting back into the swing of things. Four eggs yesterday and five today, from six pullets. It's possible that the light I put in their run is helping. It comes on at 5am and off around 6pm. Gives them more time to eat and drink.
  15. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    Really sorry about Ralphie, but at the same time happy that Cooper is getting a chance to have a flock of his own. Grandkids are here and we're watching Night at the Museum. Might try to find Jumanji next.
  16. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    I did some more flock finagling today. I relocated three of the cockerels and let the other two join with the entire flock, which now includes the six laying age pullets, four young pullets and three young cockerels. This group has two sections of the chicken complex to themselves now, the...
  17. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    Hmmm. A 900 square foot chicken house...
  18. Smokerbill

    What did you do in the garden today?

    I did some chicken integration today. Moved four 13 week old pullets and their brother the cockerel in with my six older pullets, 44 weeks old. I sat in the run with them all for a while and gave the hens a few thumps when they got too aggessive towards the litte ones. They'll work things out...
  19. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    Buying a house is one of the most stressful things a person can go through. Glad things are working out for you. I decided to move all four of the 13 week old pullets into the run with the "old" ladies, who are now 44 weeks old. I also put the largest 13 week old cockerel in with the group. The...
  20. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    It's a lot warmer here, 63 degrees. I need to put up a couple of roosting bars for the chickens, which I might get done today. Edited to add: Got the 2x4 roosts up for the chickies, one in the new run and the other in the coop.
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