Coronavirus, Covid 19 Discussion and How It Has Affected Your Daily Life Chat Thread

[ShrekDawg]

It's all good.
I had to skip a ton! I have been busy setting up my duck space in the big chicken house.
Messy babies now have a 4x6 space to trash.

Sounds nice!!! I bet they will love that!! I’ve been working on the new coop and on the garden haha got the onions and lettuce started. I’ll get a picture.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Ben at the fair last year:View attachment 2084939

He’s so handsome!!!

 

[featherhead007]

He’s so handsome!!!

YEP, the chicks just love him! So do I, but he did fail me last night! He's out with the girls now.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Jack sees an opportunity and takes it! smart roo!

Yes, very!! He still doesn’t crow or try to mate or anything but does seem to be hanging out with them now that Red is cooped up. Usually he takes his one girl/flock mate and goes away from the big girls. Or pairs up with Red like a couple of bachelors. But he knows that they aren’t “his” girls. He seems to be trying to hang with them today

Although I think he still just views them as friends rather than girlfriends but it’s a start.

Red meanwhile is very prolific and injured one of my girls the other day which is why he is now in solitary. they don’t stand for it though and defend each other at least but still feel better locking him up.

 

[ShrekDawg]

YEP, the chicks just love him! So do I, but he did fail me last night! He's out with the girls now.

Red is gorgeous but a bit of a jerk the ladies hate him. They seem to like Jack but not in “that way” yet. probably cause Red is dominant. Maybe with him in solitary that will change.

 

[IamRainey]

The light parts are the hard parts that have not been touched. The first pic is the cross section
View attachment 2084783View attachment 2084786View attachment 2084788View attachment 2084792

Oh dear! Was that supposed to be garden soil? It looks like construction grade filler to me.

I'd push whoever sold that to you to replace at least a portion of it with compost. You can put that right on top around your plantings but not in direct contact with it. Rain and roots will still work the nutrition in. I'd still get earthworms and let them churn that all up for you adding their rich castings. Then I'd mulch it like crazy and add all the organic stuff -- like leaf mold and kitchen scraps to it that you can over time. Pull back the mulch, lay down some carrot peelings, banana skins, onion skin, coffee grounds and tea leaves, etc. then smooth the mulch back over it.

You can still make decent soil out of that but it's gonna take time, I think. The bits of sticks aren't a problem at all. They're the sort of stuff you're counting on to make that loose and organic over time. Also, keep growing in it. The roots will also mix in the more organic stuff and act as green manure as they mature and die.

When your growing season's over fork it all together -- all the layers of dirt and the dried plants and vines. Don't forget to add the bedding and chicken poo from your coop. Then water it lightly and let it rest. By Spring next year when you're ready to plant again you'll see a huge difference in the quality.

For the rest of your yard and planting beds don't forget the 2-10 rule. Dig a hole for your $2 plant and fill it with $10 worth of compost and planting mix. Believe it or not, that makes a real difference over the years too.

And all the time, keep planting! Tomatoes and roses love clay soil.

 

[featherhead007]

Yes, very!! He still doesn’t crow or try to mate or anything but does seem to be hanging out with them now that Red is cooped up. Usually he takes his one girl/flock mate and goes away from the big girls. Or pairs up with Red like a couple of bachelors. But he knows that they aren’t “his” girls. He seems to be trying to hang with them today

Although I think he still just views them as friends rather than girlfriends but it’s a start.

Red meanwhile is very prolific and injured one of my girls the other day which is why he is now in solitary. they don’t stand for it though and defend each other at least but still feel better locking him up.

Gezzz... Sounds like senior year back in high school!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Gezzz... Sounds like senior year back in high school!

 

[Beer can]

I had beautiful dirt in my NY garden.

You must not have lived in Delaware county. We have good dirt, with lots of rocks, some big rocks. Luckily my garden area has been worked for decades before we moved there, but it still grows rocks
For years now I use my troy bilt weed wacker with a small tiller/cultivator attachment to make hilled rows. Bouncing on rocks the other day I broke something inside the gear box
Guess it probably was made for loose soil.
Now I have to use a hoe... Have a big garden 50'×60'.

 

[featherhead007]

Well, my high school anyways.