What did you do in the garden today?

[Smokerbill]

This is the garlic that been growing in the garden since last October. I think it might be a hard neck variety, but I'm not sure. The garlic heads are a reddish color.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Yeah, I was looking at the Harvest Right. It's currently on sale for $2300 which is still pretty expensive. Might have to wait until the fall...or Black Friday.

Yea, thats the one i was looking at too!

 

[Sally PB]

I think it might be a hard neck variety, but I'm not sure.

If you (or anyone else) didn't know: If it sends up a stalk that curls around at the end in May/June, it's a hardneck variety. Cut the stalk (that sends more energy to the bulb; the stalk is its flower) and eat it! Those are called "scapes," and have a wonderful, mild garlic flavor. I lightly sauté mine in my stir fries. Very tasty!

 

[TJAnonymous]

All the roosters in my bachelor pen have bite marks on their combs. Even the one who is separated by fencing from the others. There's some rat feces around the pen too... Wondering if the rats are attacking my roos?

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I smell snake in the chicken run. It has to be underground in a mouse warren. I'll pick up the water pan tonight.
Any other ideas? I'd rather I catch it and take it for a car ride, but I can't FIND it.

The only time I was successful enticing a snake out was using eggs, and they were eggs I'd just collected, and I did slightly Crack one so the snake could smell it.
This came inside to my pigeon loft, where I have grated flooring & that sneaky snake was moving fast under grated floor...hard to see & impossible to lift a 4x4 foot grate faster than it could slither between the grates & get away. After trying that, with me & snake, going back & forth, through 3 pigeon sections & my back aching lifting grates, & getting my head whacked by flapping, frantic pigeon wings, I got an idea. So I set up the eggs & sat on an upside-down 5 gal bucket, not moving, & patiently waited. Only 10 minutes later, the snake popped its head up & the little tongue was tasting the air. He went over towards the eggs, I got ahold of the middle of him & as he tried to escape going upward along the wall, I just did hand over hand til I got behind his head with one hand & then I took him for a one way ride & release, driving 1 handed. It is the Only time I had a snake in this newer pigeon loft, (I had the big door propped open, while cleaning, & it just came right on in...only way I even knew was because my pigeons were flapping madly at the mere sight of him) and only time I had to try & lure one out. This was a little snake, they like eggs & hatchlings. Get yourself some eggs & a bucket to sit on, take some time & see if your little bugger comes out. Also, consider why snake is there...if not for eggs, you may have mice tempting him, so get rid of those varmints, too. Good luck!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

All the roosters in my bachelor pen have bite marks on their combs. Even the one who is separated by fencing from the others. There's some rat feces around the pen too... Wondering if the rats are attacking my roos?

One theory...it is spring, hormones rage & they're just getting annoyed with eachother right now. I have a bachelor section, every spring they get feisty so I have to add 2 pecking blocks & a few hanging cabbages to distract them.

or, could be mites

Mine had little scab dots on the combs...turns out they had mites so I had to dust them all by hand. All the rain made it quite difficult to dust bathe. I checked over the entire flock, only the Roosters & a couple of hens had mites. Hen mites were on their vent areas. Roosters had mites near the head & neck. The majority of chickens had no mites.

Anyway...check for mites & hang up some boredom busters.

 

[WthrLady]

The only time I was successful enticing a snake out was using eggs, and they were eggs I'd just collected, and I did slightly Crack one so the snake could smell it.
This came inside to my pigeon loft, where I have grated flooring & that sneaky snake was moving fast under grated floor...hard to see & impossible to lift a 4x4 foot grate faster than it could slither between the grates & get away. After trying that, with me & snake, going back & forth, through 3 pigeon sections & my back aching lifting grates, & getting my head whacked by flapping, frantic pigeon wings, I got an idea. So I set up the eggs & sat on an upside-down 5 gal bucket, not moving, & patiently waited. Only 10 minutes later, the snake popped its head up & the little tongue was tasting the air. He went over towards the eggs, I got ahold of the middle of him & as he tried to escape going upward along the wall, I just did hand over hand til I got behind his head with one hand & then I took him for a one way ride & release, driving 1 handed. It is the Only time I had a snake in the pigeon loft, (I had the big door propped open, while cleaning, & it just came right on in...only way I even knew was because my pigeons were flapping madly at the mere sight of him) and only time I had to try & lure one out. This was a little snake, they like eggs & hatchlings. Get yourself some eggs & a bucket to sit on, take some time & see if your little bugger comes out. Also, consider why snake is there...if not for eggs, you may have mice tempting him, so get rid of those varmints, too. Good luck!
View attachment 3804880

OH I know I have mice, which is why he's there, plus the water.
No getting rid of the mice.
This has to be a HUGE black snake, no chance on him getting eggs. I don't leave them out long enough, and he's no threat to the hens/ THEY"RE enormous.
This thing has to be down a mouse warren.

 

[WthrLady]

OH I know I have mice, which is why he's there, plus the water.
No getting rid of the mice.
This has to be a HUGE black snake, no chance on him getting eggs. I don't leave them out long enough, and he's no threat to the hens/ THEY"RE enormous.
This thing has to be down a mouse warren.

My guess was he had a nice place under the heated water pan all winter, and I took it away. I'll dig that up after lunch.
I'll disturb the ground and he'll be on his way.

 

[jerryse]

Weather app says it is raining but my weather rock is dry. Max Velosity says big storms today. More drama and little to show.

 

[Molpet]

Weather app says it is raining but my weather rock is dry. Max Velosity says big storms today. More drama and little to show.

And my weather app says no rain but weather rock has a few drops. Actually my weather head. I was mowing what I could of the flood plain and a few drops were hitting me. Left some ruts but it will grow back. One year I kept waiting for it to dry out and it was August before I could mow. Was taller than me.