Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

Love the names!

We rambled all over for a bit, looked at names of India/ Bangladeshi origin, looked at Scandinavian names (valkerie ideas for the brahmas size), english/anglo-saxon/Celtic for the Sussex. Even looked up some Aboriginal stuff with the australorp in mind. The Sussex pathing worked. The rest, not so much....until the kid who DOESN'T like the Brahmas suggested hobbit names furry/feathered feet. I can guarantee that the first cockerel with feathered feet will be dubbed Brandobas/Bullroarer. Hector is the same kid's favorite character from the Illiad. (He is reading that on his own)

 

[bgmathteach]

Me. You gotta come to Montana for them though... I can probably swing some lilac shoots and even some quaking aspen too, thoug.

Thank you. Will bookmark the post this time!!

I love lilacs....and they are really good early flowers to help polinators before there are lots of 'feeding' options! And chickens can eat the flower petals...and they smell wonderful to boot!!!

 

[bgmathteach]

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They are just so darn adorable, aren't they!

 

[rural mouse]

Thank you. Will bookmark the post this time!!

I love lilacs....and they are really good early flowers to help polinators before there are lots of 'feeding' options! And chickens can eat the flower petals...and they smell wonderful to boot!!!

We have the standard lilacs, white, dark purple and French. The hummingbirds on migration usually show up while the crab apples are blooming, then move to the lilacs and pea trees (which blooms first varies a bit). By then I have the feeders going. Working on expanding the blooming things to keep natural food going all summer, but not there yet. I know some are nesting here, but have ZERO clue as to where (good: well hidden). I just enjoy watching them....immensely. I'm also working on increasing the dandelion supply. between the deer and the chickens, though, it's a real challenge.

 

[rural mouse]

Thank you. Will bookmark the post this time!!

I love lilacs....and they are really good early flowers to help polinators before there are lots of 'feeding' options! And chickens can eat the flower petals...and they smell wonderful to boot!!!

I ran across a recipe for lilac lemonade one time. Now if I could only remember where!

 

[rural mouse]

What about strategic branch removal near the 8' mark? Just enough to slide (and curse, untangle, curse some more) the net between layers of the branches: 2 man job, 1 ladder from outside branches feeding net in, 1 up inside the tree spreading the net around the trunk....

Kinda thinking more trim parts of the branches, not remove entire branches

 

[RoyalChick]

We have the standard lilacs, white, dark purple and French. The hummingbirds on migration usually show up while the crab apples are blooming, then move to the lilacs and pea trees (which blooms first varies a bit). By then I have the feeders going. Working on expanding the blooming things to keep natural food going all summer, but not there yet. I know some are nesting here, but have ZERO clue as to where (good: well hidden). I just enjoy watching them....immensely. I'm also working on increasing the dandelion supply. between the deer and the chickens, though, it's a real challenge.

Sounds wonderful. I am surprised about dandelions, I only have to look at a spot and dozens appear overnight - including in cracks in concrete where there doesn't appear to be any soil. I think the deer keep them short rather than eradicating them and the chickens eat the leaves but don't seem to prevent them from reseeding.

 

[Sally PB]

Considering the number of deer around here, I'm surprised they chewed on it. Here, they usually just bed down in the lee of it.

This winter must have been rough for the deer. They browsed Every. Darn. Thing. I plan to enclose mine with some chicken wire for protection until they get tall enough.

Chickens (and other birds) LOVE the seeds (30% protein). Bees and hummingbirds love the flowers. Not sure on the sprouting ones, but pull early. They grow a long tap root.

Thanks for the info. It'll be a couple years (probably) before I see much of anything.

 

[Sally PB]

Tax is due...

Not very good, but I think May looks like she's smiling, so I love this picture.

 

[Marie2020]

I ran across a recipe for lilac lemonade one time. Now if I could only remember where!

It's probably in my kitchen