Arizona Chickens

[Beckyhsinglsc]

I have a question for the gardeners out there. I used compost from my chicken coop in my garden this time for the first time and I'm getting some weird results. Everything is growing like crazy on top, but root like vegies are not developing. My turnips aren't turniping and my beets aren't beeting. It's just very healthy large greens! My radishes did fine and grew huge, though. I haven't checked my carrots yet, still too small. Does that mean too much nitrogen? Did I add too much chicken compost? (The compost was shavings and poop, composted for 6 months to a year.)

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I have a question for the gardeners out there. I used compost from my chicken coop in my garden this time for the first time and I'm getting some weird results. Everything is growing like crazy on top, but root like vegies are not developing. My turnips aren't turniping and my beets aren't beeting. It's just very healthy large greens! My radishes did fine and grew huge, though. I haven't checked my carrots yet, still too small. Does that mean too much nitrogen? Did I add too much chicken compost? (The compost was shavings and poop, composted for 6 months to a year.)

Yep, too much nitrogen causes root vegetables to grow lots of leafy on top and little down below. Look at the carrots, are they hairy? That is a symptom of too much nitrogen too. Plants that have tubers, like carrots, beets, potatoes store energy in the tuber for hard times ahead. If there is an overabundance of nutrients the plant "thinks" that it can spend more on flowering than on storing energy in the roots. You can double-dig the growing space so that the very bottom soil (with less organic material) is turned up on top. But, unfortunately, the plants growing now won't change growing strategies as they approach flowering. Well, that's been my experience anyway. When I add new compost, I do so in areas where I'm going to plant nitrogen-loving plants (e.g. cucurbits, corn, leafy vegetables) or I bury it deep.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Oh, I wanted to add, that just a few years ago we discovered that beet greens are our most favorite greens we've ever grown. In fact, the family here prefers the tops to the bottoms. I couldn't believe how good they were. It's so sad that all the time growing up we just fed the tops to the chickens. I asked my mom about it and she said that someone told her they weren't good to eat, so we didn't.

 

[ElizabethAz]

Hi all! Just discovered there was a forum for people in Arizona who raise poultry so I thought I would introduce myself incase you see me wandering around the forums

I have been around or owned chickens since I was 4 years old-- started out with all the normal things like Auracaunas, RIR, Barred Rocks, Australorps, and the like...then, thanks to my adventurous step father I learned that chicken breeds went beyond what the local feed store carried. So now I am crazy about rare breeds...especially bantams
Just have a few boring standard breeds to rid myself of, and then my bantam addiction will be well under way.. I have (or hope to have): Cuckoo rose comb leghorns, Bantam Butter cups, Vorwerks, White Faced Black Spanish, and Spangled OEG. I also have Royal Palm Turkeys, and hope to get a trio of Spanish. Water fowl include: Runner ducks, Chinese Geese, Sebastapol geese, and apricot/pastel call ducks.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Hi all! Just discovered there was a forum for people in Arizona who raise poultry so I thought I would introduce myself incase you see me wandering around the forums

I have been around or owned chickens since I was 4 years old-- started out with all the normal things like Auracaunas, RIR, Barred Rocks, Australorps, and the like...then, thanks to my adventurous step father I learned that chicken breeds went beyond what the local feed store carried. So now I am crazy about rare breeds...especially bantams
Just have a few boring standard breeds to rid myself of, and then my bantam addiction will be well under way.. I have (or hope to have): Cuckoo rose comb leghorns, Bantam Butter cups, Vorwerks, White Faced Black Spanish, and Spangled OEG. I also have Royal Palm Turkeys, and hope to get a trio of Spanish. Water fowl include: Runner ducks, Chinese Geese, Sebastapol geese, and apricot/pastel call ducks.

Welcome to our AZ thread! Wow, that's quite a list of birds! You're going to fit in quite well here.

 

[ElizabethAz]

and the list grows...lol.

Did I also mention I love gardening??

Another solution to the "beet greens but no beets" scenario is to plant your root stock plants with/ mixed with Nitrogen loving plants. I like to plant my beans right in between my corn stalks. The beans Nitrify the soil, and the corn eats it up! It can make harvesting a 'walk in the jungle' but if you space the furrows out to about 14" you can walk between them with ease once you tie up the beans.. And as you have discovered..Chicken manure is very fertile I like to plant my and carrots (I have always found beets..a little gross. Much like eatting dirt) in a garden box with a 40/60 sand and well aged horse manure mixture. The sand ensures drainage, and the aged manure provides nutrients, but not too much. We have had pretty good results so far..I am also experimenting with rabbit manure, and it is very mild--not too 'hot' with nitrogen, so far my herbs love it, next year I will be trying root veggies in it

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

Oh, I wanted to add, that just a few years ago we discovered that beet greens are our most favorite greens we've ever grown. In fact, the family here prefers the tops to the bottoms. I couldn't believe how good they were. It's so sad that all the time growing up we just fed the tops to the chickens. I asked my mom about it and she said that someone told her they weren't good to eat, so we didn't.

We like beet greens a lot too. I just wanted both beets and greens!
Oh well, live and learn.
Turnip greens are not as good, though. I'm the only one that will eat them.

 

[azurbanchickens]

My first coop had the rolled roofing and it worked out good, easy to install and cheaper.

Thank you.

 

[Billiam]

Make sure you still use the felt paper under roll for better moisture protection.

 

[kevs-chickadees]

The deal breaker is that neice. If they moved I would consider it. There is not enought prozac in the world to keep me sane around that child for more than 3 days every 4 months. I it got even worse. She was suppose to share something with my 4 year old and when my daughter told her that she wasnt sharing she said, "you are lucky I am giving you any!" She the perfect picture of demon spawn! Can you say despise!!!! I already told my husband that if both her parents die we are not taking her. I am find with her going into foster care!!! You would all understand after 5 minutes with this child. I really am good with kids, but this one sends me into rage.

Oh common, don't sugar coat it. Tell us how you really feel!