What did you do in the garden today?

[TJAnonymous]

I just had a tussle with two hens... I have 4 hens who are sitting on eggs (in 3 nesting boxes) inside my goat house. The nesting boxes in there are leftover from the previous homeowner who kept his chickens and goats together in the same coop/house. Anyway, I noticed a day or two ago that 1 nesting box had a chick in it. That particular nesting box and the one next to it have been fought over by the same 3 hens. I've been checking on the chick a couple of times a day because I was concerned it would get squished in the tussle between the broodies (happened already once this spring). Anyway, the co-broodies decided to take the chick outside today for the first time. It's now dusk and I was making my usual rounds to make sure everyone was in. I noticed the chick was standing outside the goat house all alone and chirping pathetically. It was clear that the broodies had gone back inside but the chick was too small to jump up the step to get in. So I grabbed a minnow net with the intention of getting it back inside.....only to find myself being accosted by two angry biddies. I had to lock them inside the goat house. Their squawking brought the baby out from under the goat house (it's raised on pallets) which allowed me to scoop it up rather easily. I didn't dare open the door though....lol. There's a little crack on the back of the goat house where the siding has pulled away a little. I just haven't had time to fix it yet. Anyway, I stuffed the chick through that hole....lol. When I walked back around to the front, both broodies were "tending" to the traumatized chick in the corner. I can't really make a ramp but maybe I can use some bricks to make smaller steps. Anyone know how high a day old chick can jump?

On a side note, I noticed the 3rd broody had two chicks under her today when I was collecting eggs.... That makes darn near 30 chicks so far this spring! View attachment 3123955 My DH is gonna kill me.... Some of this chicks are DEFINITELY going to have to go....

Well this situation did not turn out well... This morning when I fed I noticed the co-broodies in the doorway to the goat house with the baby chick. It looked like they were digging through the hay trying to feed the little fella so I didn't think much about it. About 10-15 minutes later, I walked by again and saw the chick laying stretched out in the middle of the goat house gasping for air. One broody was nowhere to be seen. The other had decided to invade another broody's nest. I picked the little guy up and he was so cold. I knew he wasn't going to make it.

A little while later, I checked on the 2 chicks that the 3rd broody had. She was in the goat house but had left them in the nesting box which is located about 4 ft off the ground. They have been in there for 2 days already so I was worried that they will die without getting water in the next day. So I gently put both them on the ground by their mama. She puffed up at me at first...but called to them and looked them over. Suddenly, she started chasing one around and pecking it mercilessly so I swiped them BOTH up and brought them inside.


*sigh* This year I am doing a big cull through my coop. The chicken math has simply gotten out of hand. I was going to cull around 20-25 birds. I'm DEFINITELY going cull a bunch of broodies because I can't keep going through this every spring.

On the garden side of things, SOMETHING has been raiding my onions at night! Any ideas on a culprit? Soon after I planted them, I noticed a random plant would disappear like something plucked it out of the ground. No footprints or rooting evidence around through.... Then it stopped. Well, now it has started again. I've probably lost a dozen plants in the past few days. Found this onion today "pushed" into the hole it was growing from like something ate the bottom of it and then tried to put it back. Weird! The other onion in the picture was simply knocked over sideways but otherwise uneaten.

 

[jerryse]

Yep been pouring in TN all night ....wondering if the babies are gonna push their coop door open or need an invitation!

You ain't just a joking!
We live in a subdivision that unfortunately was built on an old farm...well don't ya know the "100 year flood" made half our 2+ acres into a swamp that is now protected for a special kinda tadpole and for flooding purposes...so we named it the swamp!
I was walking my grandson in thr stroller last week on the paved road and moticed a limb hanging over the road. I didnt touch it or get near it but did walk under it like normal cuz i had to see how the blackberries were coming along.
welp...my neck blistered up on the back underneath where i had a tumor rremoved In January. Now my entire scalp has it and my ears! And my body itches like everywhere and im afraid to scratch for fear its that spreading! They called me in a steroid pack but cant tell its doin much. Ive been using calamine for days since i put two and two together and realized this is only thing it could be....a poison sumac tree!


Ugh wish I'd known bout this!
Reckon it would help after ya got it? Or only if you get into it then use it?


Rainy day here...and wouldn't ya know I just doused those new lavenders good yesterday! Lololol they gonna die!

Try bleach for the poison ivy - sumac . It removes the oil . Diluted or like Chlorox wipes .

 

[Sueby]

use a coffee filter on the base of a small pot to slow down the draining

I do this, it keeps the soil from coming out the bottom holes.

Well this situation did not turn out well... This morning when I fed I noticed the co-broodies in the doorway to the goat house with the baby chick. It looked like they were digging through the hay trying to feed the little fella so I didn't think much about it. About 10-15 minutes later, I walked by again and saw the chick laying stretched out in the middle of the goat house gasping for air. One broody was nowhere to be seen. The other had decided to invade another broody's nest. I picked the little guy up and he was so cold. I knew he wasn't going to make it.

A little while later, I checked on the 2 chicks that the 3rd broody had. She was in the goat house but had left them in the nesting box which is located about 4 ft off the ground. They have been in there for 2 days already so I was worried that they will die without getting water in the next day. So I gently put both them on the ground by their mama. She puffed up at me at first...but called to them and looked them over. Suddenly, she started chasing one around and pecking it mercilessly so I swiped them BOTH up and brought them inside.


*sigh* This year I am doing a big cull through my coop. The chicken math has simply gotten out of hand. I was going to cull around 20-25 birds. I'm DEFINITELY going cull a bunch of broodies because I can't keep going through this every spring.

On the garden side of things, SOMETHING has been raiding my onions at night! Any ideas on a culprit? Soon after I planted them, I noticed a random plant would disappear like something plucked it out of the ground. No footprints or rooting evidence around through.... Then it stopped. Well, now it has started again. I've probably lost a dozen plants in the past few days. Found this onion today "pushed" into the hole it was growing from like something ate the bottom of it and then tried to put it back. Weird! The other onion in the picture was simply knocked over sideways but otherwise uneaten.

View attachment 3124331

Aw man, sorry for the chick troubles. & that onion looks like something big was eating it! Maybe a rabbit or a squirrel? Groundhog?

 

[TJAnonymous]

I do this, it keeps the soil from coming out the bottom holes.


Aw man, sorry for the chick troubles. & that onion looks like something big was eating it! Maybe a rabbit or a squirrel? Groundhog?

The onions are planted in tire planters and raised beds. My thought was maybe a groundhog. I think the onion looks chewed...nibbled.... Not munched like a deer or larger animal might. But I'm almost certain this occurred at night which rules out a squirrel. I know there are rabbits in the garden and the area. Never seen any groundhogs around but my gut says that's what it is.

Do rabbits like onions? I didn't think they were a choice selection if there were other options?

 

[SheaLoner]

The onions are planted in tire planters and raised beds. My thought was maybe a groundhog. I think the onion looks chewed...nibbled.... Not munched like a deer or larger animal might. But I'm almost certain this occurred at night which rules out a squirrel. I know there are rabbits in the garden and the area. Never seen any groundhogs around but my gut says that's what it is.

Do rabbits like onions? I didn't think they were a choice selection if there were other options?

My rabbits dont, but they are domestic. Maybe a mole? Since there were no tracks?

 

[Acre4Me]

The onions are planted in tire planters and raised beds. My thought was maybe a groundhog. I think the onion looks chewed...nibbled.... Not munched like a deer or larger animal might. But I'm almost certain this occurred at night which rules out a squirrel. I know there are rabbits in the garden and the area. Never seen any groundhogs around but my gut says that's what it is.

Do rabbits like onions? I didn't think they were a choice selection if there were other options?

Gopher?

Moles are in a garden to eat worms and grubs. They may damage plants by chance while eating worms/grubs.

But a gopher is there to eat the root veg . Don’t know if they eat onions, or if you have gophers. But the “just disappeared” comment makes me think it was eaten and pulled down under possibly.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Gopher?

Moles are in a garden to eat worms and grubs. They may damage plants by chance while eating worms/grubs.

But a gopher is there to eat the root veg . Don’t know if they eat onions, or if you have gophers. But the “just disappeared” comment makes me think it was eaten and pulled down under possibly.

I've never seen a gopher around here either. No telltale mounds other than mole trails occasionally. But nothing that shows anything popped out of the ground.

A lot of my onion stalks are knocked over... Almost snapped at the neck. That would make me think something pulled it out from above but the soil is not disturbed at all from anything rooting around.

I'll try to get some pictures in a bit to show you what I mean.

 

[Sally PB]

My potatoes produced seed pods last year. I may actually attempt them at some point.

I planted some TPS (true potato seed, ie, seeds from a seed pod). I grew 4 plants last year, and got 6 small potatoes. I planted the potatoes this year; we'll see what I get come fall. Growing TPS is a breeding project, and you don't know what you'll get!

Did you guys know that the antidote for poison ivy grows nearby it?

Yes, Jewelweed. Cut a big stalk, and squeeze out the juice onto the poison ivy rash.

I have plenty of poison ivy around, but the Jewelweed won't be ready for another couple of months.

 

[Arosie]

I got about 380 linear feet of potatoes planted! That equals 12 3/4 rows in my garden (I planted them in double rows 20 ins apart to save space and shade out weeds. Also planted carrots, peas, beans and a little bit of lettuce so far. We got some cabbage, broccoli, and (maybe?) cauliflower planted, too.

 

[Sally PB]

The air is wet enough here to wring out. I need to weed some areas, and then I'll plant my bean seeds. The tomato starts are looking good, and I think I'll be planting them this weekend. Tomorrow might be the last day in the 60s. 80s forecast for next week. DH will be grumpy.

The Egyptian Walking Onions have started growing the stem that will make the topsets. If you're interested in some (won't be until late summer/early fall), please PM me with your mailing address. I'll start a list of people to send them to.