Texas

[TexasLisa]

Lisa, last year my heirloom tomatoes froze back three times. We had freaky late hard freezes even in April! The kicker was that the tomatoes did not perform at all. I think I ended up with about 10 or so decent sized tomatoes out of 25 plants.

This year I bought hybrid tomatoes and planted some Roma and Grape in seed planters. My hope is to can some tomatoes this year!!

Anyone can on a regular basis?? I have canned jam but this will be the first year with tomatoes.


On a chicken note, I have 9 chicks that are nearly a month old and 6 more due to hatch anytime! My big hens and pullets are pumping out about 2 dozen eggs a day so my fridge is FULL!!

My tomatoes didn't do well last year for the spring or fall plantings. I bought 12 plants (8 Better Boys and 4 Early Girls) this year. For now they are in my sun room. I haven't canned tomatoes, but I have frozen them. I have about a dozen qt. bags left from last year. They are great to put into chili, stew, etc.

That is good news re. your chickens!!

Lisa

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Atta Girl!

I posted this as an ovation and it auto-corrected to "attached girl" ugh!

LOL!

My tomatoes didn't do well last year for the spring or fall plantings. I bought 12 plants (8 Better Boys and 4 Early Girls) this year. For now they are in my sun room. I haven't canned tomatoes, but I have frozen them. I have about a dozen qt. bags left from last year. They are great to put into chili, stew, etc.

That is good news re. your chickens!!

Lisa

Heirloom tomatoes aren't supposed to do well in Texas. You are also supposed to stick with the smaller size tomatoes. The big ones will crack from the heat. My sweet 100 did ok last year, but I think with the early heat and drought nothing could do very well. I'm hoping things are better this year. Praying for rain.

I freeze tomatoes too. I am scared to can stuff. I have more freezer room than pantry room too.

I was told the front has sped up and the freezing rain will be all day tomorrow. I guess we will find out in the morning.

I got the bed in a planted a couple of blue rug junipers in it. I may move them to a different spot in the bed, but they are fine for now. I'll post pictures later. Technically the bed isn't finished yet as I need to plant it out. The stores don't have much yet though.

 

[SlipsWife]

I was told the front has sped up and the freezing rain will be all day tomorrow. I guess we will find out in the morning.

I'm glad I saw this...I'm going to go check our forecast for tomorrow. We moved the largest portion of our chicks out into a grow out pen but with the cold front I'm afraid they will either need supplemental heat or brought back in. They had one night out last week before it got cold and we had to bring them back in for a night (the next night they were still in their brooder but on the porch, they were stinking way to bad to stay in the house!). I think they have power in numbers and will be fine but it would be devastating to be wrong...

 

[txmel]

Hi All i have a problem and am in need if some advice. One of my hens is eating the eggs. She has been eating 1 to 2 a day for about a week now. I read about filling an egg with mustard as a way of discovering who the egg eater is, has anyone tried this? Do the other hens leave the mustard alone? Any help/ideas are welcome! Thanks

 

[SlipsWife]

Hi All i have a problem and am in need if some advice. One of my hens is eating the eggs. She has been eating 1 to 2 a day for about a week now. I read about filling an egg with mustard as a way of discovering who the egg eater is, has anyone tried this? Do the other hens leave the mustard alone? Any help/ideas are welcome! Thanks

I've read about putting a wild game camera in your coop to see who it might be. We've talked about getting one just for fun. It could also be useful if you want to know who is laying or if you have a predator problem.

http://www.academy.com/shop/browse/_/N-0?Ntt=game+camera&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial

I know there are a number of lower cost options out there...I just like the idea of the camera and there are a couple of different uses for it!

 

[Silver Silkie]

I'm in Fredericksburg (about an hour north of San Antonio)

 

[hotrodflash]

These are horrid little things to take out.



Just finished taking them out of the new chicks I picked up at Atwoods. My DH held them while I cut the metal and then pried them loose from their skin and pulled them back out. I was so afraid I would twist their wing too much and break it. Just glad it's over and done with.

If you push up the little rounded tab on the end, it can be slid right out of the wing. I do them by myself, just hold the chick firmly in one hand and slide the tab up and maneuver it through the hole made in the wing. Several of mine came from Atwoods with the wingband and now you can't tell they even had them in their wing.

 

[jb300zx]

Cold front is just hitting the ATX. Getting cold here in Amarillo. Just a heads up y'all.

 

[txmel]

A camera would be cool and would help with identifying the one whos eating the eggs

 

[ThackerArrykka]

hi everyone i'm new to BYC and to having chickens period. I was wondering if anyone had a silkie or silkie pullets that was around east tx like van, tx. everywhere I look its straight run i'm in need of a brooder but to no avail.... I would love your help thank you so much...