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

[ChocolateMouse]

We got our secret santa gift today too! XD It's a multicolored set of candles.

 

[IamRainey]

Roses love clay!

 

[Folly's place]

I too got a Christmas card today, postmarked Dec. 23. Hope that something is done about the postal service before spring and chick orders coming!
Mary

 

[MROO]

Ah, gotta use potting soil for these.
Some things you can get away with digging in the ground if you have decent stuff, but some things, like ginger, roses, and delicate plants need potting soil.

I mean never, have I ever, just grabbed dirt from the ground and tossed it in a pot and wondered why my plants died. Nope, not me.

I start with potting soil, then transplant the whole thing into a larger, loosely dug hole, so it can transition ... like I'm supposed to. It's the mid-term maintenance I keep dropping the ball on. Once the plants go from the porch to the yard, they kinda drop off the radar ...
It's all in the name of Science, doncha know? Darwinism ... survival of the fittest,
Again ... That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

 

[MROO]

I too got a Christmas card today, postmarked Dec. 23. Hope that something is done about the postal service before spring and chick orders coming!
Mary

Maybe it's a good thing my kids imposed a Chick Ban, this Spring. I wouldn't want to be responsible for the loss of babies from shipping delays.

 

[Folly's place]

We ordered chicks, and if they don't arrive safely, it won't be MY FAULT!!!
Mary

 

[IamRainey]

I just got a refund for something that never arrived. There's no indication where it may be. Tracking for it has totally disappeared. But now if it ever shows up it will be free.

 

[electrycmonk]

I want to make a "root beer float" and a "Black cow" in the coming days.
Haven't had the RBF in a few years.
Haven't had a BC in a couple decades.

Craving comfort food!

 

[MROO]

We ordered chicks, and if they don't arrive safely, it won't be MY FAULT!!!
Mary

I know it wouldn't really be my fault, or even anybody's fault, really. It's just that, until this postal mess is cleared up, I think I'll stick to hatching or local pickup. Not that I'll be doing much of either anytime soon. I joke about the kids banning more chickens, but I know it's not a good idea, right now. My hens are already a bit too crowded, so production is down.

Which brings up a question for discussion before I start digging and hammering -
This is a fairly recent pic of my coop and run. The top (cabin) is about 8 X 9' wide. It's a good 9'+ tall - plenty of room to go up with roosts & ramps. There are smallish windows on both blind sides. This is where my hens and two breeding roosters reside.

The bottom houses The Boys ... my bachelors. There are currently five in residence and they have access to both sides and a 2' 4' X 3' coop on the back ... which they have only begrudgingly begun using and only because the local foxes are way too active.

The smaller section (under the deck) has a removable wall that screws into place, but no shelter other than the roof.

The plan (this week) is to build a "lean-to" style addition the length of the lower end and hard-mounted flush against the barn door side. It needs to come out at least four feet and will rise to the crosspiece above the barn doors. The bottom six feet of the sides will be T1-11, to match the rest of the wood. The rest will be 1/2 inch hardware cloth. The roof panel will be a corrugated clear panel slanted only enough to let the rain and whatever snow we get slide off. The front will be all wire, but have a "people door."

• Other upgrades (time and weather permitting) will be to add a removable screen panel to the top half of the dutch door to provide more light and ventilation.
• Enlarge the back widow and put plexiglass over it for the winter.
• Remove the wire from the barn doors and add a switchback ramp. The only ones that will need it are the SiIkie cross and the JG. The others fly WAY too well!
• The lower divider will go back up and the four bantam EE;s will go there. We will move The Boys' house over for them, since The Boys will once again have access to the main coop ... and the ladies.

All this is in lieu of electric fencing ... for the nasty fox creatures. The area is so small that it just doesn't make sense to put in a full electric system for it - and the many turns are seriously problematic. The other option - cheaper, but totally out of view of the house and thereby perfect for the red devils - is to hardware cloth the swing set area ... but DD still uses it, so I'm told that's not an option.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Very creative setup, MROO!