Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[jvls1942]

up at 4 AM today. drank my coffee in the dark.
something I like to do. I do my best thinking then.
the new barrels are coming along nicely.
I have 2 temporary barrels set up to divert the water away from the house. it is working nicely. I have a happy wife. no trickle of water in the hallway in the basement, despite the monsoons ..
I am not going to say the chiropractor is curing me, yet. I have had 3 sessions on the neck stretcher.
I have 15 more to go. It is a bit painful while I am on the stretcher, but the end results are worth it
the treatment is not the painful part. the strap that holds my head in place could use a little tweaking..
Enjoy the kittens while you still have them.
I have tomatoes on the small plants already.
One tub seems to be kind of spindly. today I am going to sprinkle some Tomato Tone in that tub.
the other two tubs are going great. each one of those tubs has a whole bag of composted cow manure. I should buy another bag and top dress the spindly ones. I really miss my chicken s#!t..

 

[ShrekDawg]

Only 7!? I would have gotten thousands hahahaha

 

[ShrekDawg]

Only 7!? I would have gotten thousands hahahaha

Still four kittens this morning, and I have found homes for three of them, right after their first vet visit.

Although I wish all six were back, it was heartwarming yesterday to see four kittens playing on the deck and being goofy. One took a nap in a watering can; others slept in my potted herbs.

Although I will miss the kittens, I have a brooder with seven chicks that should help keep me busy. Lisa, how are you and your new chicks doing?

The McMurray sale was wild. We were given boxes as we entered the building, which was filled with hundreds of bins of chicks, separated by breed and sex. There were many THOUSANDS of noisy, lively babies to choose from.

We were allowed to choose our own chicks, fill our boxes with how ever many of whatever breeds we wanted and were charged a flat price per chick, based on the number and not whether it was a more rare or fancier breed.

I think I showed a great deal of restraint in ONLY getting seven. Although four would have been a better number, based on current available housing space. I'll figure it out. And, I got all the breeds I wanted, based on the lists I kept making and revising for weeks.

Although all chicks are cute, I am absolutely in love with the 2 Cochins' teeny tiny feathers on their legs. I don't remember my other Cochins having such adorable feathering so early.

When I asked online about vaccinating chicks, I was told they would not do that with sale chicks Monday. However, I heard someone else ask Tom, the hatchery owner, and he took their box of chicks and mine, and we got Marek's and coccidiosis vaccines. When I got to checkout and told the girl I'd gotten vaccines, she said that was free.

Jim, you might have enjoyed one of the sessions I attended. Anne Briggs, who is known online as "Anne of All Trades," demonstrated the right and safest way to use a variety of hand and power tools. Someday, when I finally get the garage organized and know where all the tools are, I might have a better understanding of how to use them. Maybe.

Glad to hear the chiropractor is helping you. Keep harassing those Menards clerks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I agree. I would not have stopped at 7. Probably 7 boxes. I go crazy at swap meets, I cannot believe how nuts I would have went at that event Barb. Congratulations. What color cochins? I'm already wishing I had gotten more of them.

My chicks are doing well. I decided today to get them out of the brooder box. It is a well build box that was crammed in a pen. I managed to get the box out using a board for leverage, and only skinned my knees once and hand once. The polish German in me made me keep going.

The box was built back in the 80's using real lumber from that time. Jim you remember when boards were boards? That's my brooder box. It has held up for more than 30 years.

So chicks are out of the box and have the full pen. They are enjoying digging around in the sand floor. They are growing well. My older batch are nearly full grown. Gotta chase down some polish again and trim the crests.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I agree. I would not have stopped at 7. Probably 7 boxes. I go crazy at swap meets, I cannot believe how nuts I would have went at that event Barb. Congratulations. What color cochins? I'm already wishing I had gotten more of them.

My chicks are doing well. I decided today to get them out of the brooder box. It is a well build box that was crammed in a pen. I managed to get the box out using a board for leverage, and only skinned my knees once and hand once. The polish German in me made me keep going.

The box was built back in the 80's using real lumber from that time. Jim you remember when boards were boards? That's my brooder box. It has held up for more than 30 years.

So chicks are out of the box and have the full pen. They are enjoying digging around in the sand floor. They are growing well. My older batch are nearly full grown. Gotta chase down some polish again and trim the crests.

Exactly!!! I would have gotten 7 boxes. Maybe 10. 12. 15.

Glad your chicks are doing well and enjoying the bigger space!!!!

 

[jvls1942]

Yes Lisa, I remember. I was just telling someone that when I built this house, 2x4's were 2x4 . and lumber was counted out as board feet, not by the stick as it is today.
I have the barrels about 99 percent finished., I hit a snag when it came to attaching the screen to the cover
so I walked away from it and came into the house.
gave it some thought and I think I have an idea.
they will last for a long time so I don't want to just cobble something together..
Annie went to do a respite job . I will be alone for the next four nights. last night I fell asleep during the
10 o'clock news and woke up at 4 AM. So I am already ahead of the game today. I am already dressed. lol
I guess I will make a cuppa coffee and start the day
Barb, 7 chicks ? are you feeling OK ?
I would have been dipping chicks with a net.

 

[Callender Girl]

Hey, Jim, I've had another sleepless night, so here goes a rambling post!

I'll admit it was hard NOT to grab more chicks. A couple of folks I was talking with while waiting in line for the sale to open seemed to be scooping up everything with feathers. I took one of the smallest boxes -- which would hold up to 15 chicks -- they took the largest size -- up to 100!

I tried to remember how much housing I have (there are some vacancies in a couple of coops). Seven is stretching capacities so much that I started looking at DIY coop plans last night.

Congrats on figuring out how to attach the screen and on being an early riser! My downside to getting up in the wee hours is my struggle to stay awake long enough to close coops at night. I end up setting an alarm so I can get up and secure everyone at 9 p.m.

Today, I was awake at 2:30. I didn't go back to sleep because I am now concerned every day that something may have happened to the kittens. I immediately spotted Calypso on the deck; it took a few minutes for me to realize that her four kids were all safely sleeping together in one of the deck chairs.

But, the tomcat, Jinx, was missing. He's the oddest cat ever, wants to be friendly and doesn't at the same time. I can only touch him when he's eating, which he seems to enjoy -- until he realizes what's happening. I've been checking outside repeatedly until just a few minutes ago when I saw Jinx on the deck, too. I'm so relieved!

I told the people who are planning to get the kittens to wait until I've taken them for their first vet visit at 12 weeks, but I don't know if I can take the stress of worrying about them Every Single Night until the middle of the month. I may offer to drive them to Minnesota just so I can sleep better.

And Lisa, congrats on getting the chicks out of the brooder! Since you asked, my new Cochins are a Black and a darker Blue. I already have one Buff and two Partridge Cochin hens -- and an incredibly vicious lighter Blue Bantam rooster. I am a sucker for feather-footed chickens. I also have a couple of Salmon Faverolles and a Midnight Majesty Marans. What breeds do you fall for most often?

Hope everyone enjoys the holiday. I am planning to spend it, as always, far away from noisy and smelly fireworks.

 

[Callender Girl]

Got up at 3 to let out the dogs. FIVE kittens came running up to the door. The second orange kitten has returned!! And, boy, is he hungry!

 

[jvls1942]

Got up at 3 to let out the dogs. FIVE kittens came running up to the door. The second orange kitten has returned!! And, boy, is he hungry!

and then it was 6, 7, 8, O oh

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What breeds do you fall for most often?

Definitely cochins both large and Bantam. I also like the polish I got, but they are fruitcakes. I definitely prefer docile breeds. Also Easter eggers, welsummers, and Orpingtons.

Got up at 3 to let out the dogs. FIVE kittens came running up to the door. The second orange kitten has returned!! And, boy, is he hungry!

So glad your kitten returned. My kitty was missing this morning again. I'm wondering where she went. She was so content to sit in her bed and eat canned food every few hours. What's better than that? Outside cats are so stressful. You just never know what they are up to.