Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[HoneysuckleHills]

(It was so lovely that Hallerlake and her husband were there!)

I agree, I always enjoy Ms. Hallerlake's company.

Glad you survived the wedding; feel better soon!

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Also, my silver quail bantam pair went where I wanted it to go: to my late cousin's fourteen-year-old grandson, to show at the fair. So I'm saved from my insane impulse to raise All the Bantams and will only have Quail/Blue Quail/Splash Quail and Porcelain. Unless I go completely insane and manage to keep the self-blue chick, who's more beautiful by the day.

 

[tammyfarms]

Hello Washingtonians! We are currently in North Carolina but doing some long range planning to relocate to Eastern WA. We are looking in the Stevens and Pend Oreille County areas. Is anyone on here in those areas? We are both from the west coast, I grew up in SW Washington, between Longview and the coast, DH grew up in the CA mountains. This will be our retirement move.

 

[lovinchickypoos]

Hello Washingtonians! We are currently in North Carolina but doing some long range planning to relocate to Eastern WA. We are looking in the Stevens and Pend Oreille County areas. Is anyone on here in those areas? We are both from the west coast, I grew up in SW Washington, between Longview and the coast, DH grew up in the CA mountains. This will be our retirement move.

WELCOME BACK TO THE STATE! I'm quite a ways south of your future location (Kennewick) but there might be some on the Eastern Washington thread closer. Hope your move goes well!!

 

[BGMatt]

Just jumping into the thread here, that is very cool stuff you are talking about.

I don't know chickens well enough to tell the show breeds from good layers or meat birds lol. I do know that I am much more interested in production, I just got luck on the pretty part lol

There is no difference between show birds and production. Or at least there shouldn't be. Form follows function. I just notice some preference differences depending on ones focus. A lot of folks that show will choose simple patterns or solid colors, because its easier to get a highly competitive bird, where as non show folks love the different complex colors and patterns. Exhibitors don't give a darn about egg color, it doesn't matter. Non show folk like tinted eggs etc. again not right or wrong, just interesting differences.

Edit: other big difference I've noted is exhibitors don't particularly care about the birds personality in general, while the non show people gravitate away from breeds that have tendencies to be flighty or aggressive.

 

[Totalcolour]

There is no difference between show birds and production. Or at least there shouldn't be. Form follows function. I just notice some preference differences depending on ones focus. A lot of folks that show will choose simple patterns or solid colors, because its easier to get a highly competitive bird, where as non show folks love the different complex colors and patterns. Exhibitors don't give a darn about egg color, it doesn't matter. Non show folk like tinted eggs etc. again not right or wrong, just interesting differences.

Edit: other big difference I've noted is exhibitors don't particularly care about the birds personality in general, while the non show people gravitate away from breeds that have tendencies to be flighty or aggressive.

I used to have two hens that were incredibly friendly, would fly up onto my shoulder and call me whenever they saw me. I really loved them, UNTIL, it came time to part with them. Now I don't want friendly chickens. Just good , healthy birds for the pasture. I personally don't care about egg colour, just want good layers (although my buyers like the rainbow boxes). I want healthy birds that will lay in winter, and won't die from the weather. I like blue birds, but it doesn't "REALLY" matter. I like those that forage and don't eat a huge amount. I'd like ones that will make a good table bird if it turns out to be a cockerel.

IF I were to choose a bird for looks, I really like the dark Cornish. They look like predators and have a nice body, sort of like Schwarzenegger. I like the game birds in general (looks wise). While I love white birds, our weather is bad and they look horrible in winter.

Right now I have a few adolescent Dorkings (great foragers, good table birds, winter layers and hardy). The chicks are Marans, JG's (which I'm going to try a project with) and hopefully some Ameraucanas.

But, truth be told I would NOT have chickens if it weren't for the eggs (I like eggs a lot). We have rabbits and I really like the higher dress out, and the taste. They can go in any recipe that calls for chicken, they are lower in fat and cholesterol and don't make any noise!

 

[AletaG]

I used to have two hens that were incredibly friendly, would fly up onto my shoulder and call me whenever they saw me. I really loved them, UNTIL, it came time to part with them. Now I don't want friendly chickens. I like blue birds, but it doesn't "REALLY" matter. I like those that forage and don't eat a huge amount. I'd like ones that will make a good table bird if it turns out to be a cockerel.

But, truth be told I would NOT have chickens if it weren't for the eggs (I like eggs a lot). We have rabbits and I really like the higher dress out, and the taste. They can go in any recipe that calls for chicken, they are lower in fat and cholesterol and don't make any noise!

OMG. HAHAHA! Awesome post.

 

[mikeyb]

As to the discussion of why one breed of chicken is chosen over another (removing show quality as a function). It took me two years to "pull the trigger" as I know (past exp) a hobby grows in cost. So I decided on how many hens, how big the coop (and built it 2X as large as needed, past exp again) and went off to buy my Buff Orpingtons.
At Dell's they had the BO's and the RIR (my 2nd choice) and because the RIR were way more active, running, eating, drinking and no indication of poopybutt on any of them, I changed my mind and bought the RIR.
I made the right choice. All were very healthy and all the RIR hens lay. However I found them a little light-weight for dual purpose.

 

[mikeyb]

I did get a JG rooster from CL who is the BlueRoo and chicken in charge and then I got a Black Eng Orpington rooster (Rascal) from Robert Jenkins. The intent is to breed the two to the RIR and see if I can increase the size of the hens (for the table) while maintaining the production. I now have 2 juvi birds about 8 weeks old nearly the size of the RIR. If they are producers then next spring I will hatch a bunch.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Just jumping into the thread here, that is very cool stuff you are talking about.

I don't know chickens well enough to tell the show breeds from good layers or meat birds lol. I do know that I am much more interested in production, I just got luck on the pretty part lol

There is no difference between show birds and production. Or at least there shouldn't be. Form follows function. I just notice some preference differences depending on ones focus. A lot of folks that show will choose simple patterns or solid colors, because its easier to get a highly competitive bird, where as non show folks love the different complex colors and patterns. Exhibitors don't give a darn about egg color, it doesn't matter. Non show folk like tinted eggs etc. again not right or wrong, just interesting differences.

Edit: other big difference I've noted is exhibitors don't particularly care about the birds personality in general, while the non show people gravitate away from breeds that have tendencies to be flighty or aggressive.

I guess that you can be unselective about temprement with show chickens, but it makes chicken exhibitors look amateurish compared to anyone else: there is no excuse keeping a mean animal, even if they're not likely to turn you into a fine pink paste the way a bad bull will. My life got an order of magnitude easier when I got rid of a mean rooster. It's just too unpleasant and complicated no matter what their apparent physical perfection.

I've known people who were killed by bad cattle, horses, and goats, so I may be biased.