Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[JanetMarie]

I put a packet of comfrey in the refrigerator to stratify over over two years ago. For the reasons of conflicting information is why I haven't planted them. There is one type from seeds and one from root cuttings, and I believe one of the two types can become invasive.

I have a bottle of a healing tincture that I've had for years and never used it. It's called Bacteria Buster. It contains comfrey extracts of the leaf and stem.

 

[JanetMarie]

Husband tilled most of the flower garden area. Digging areas where the tiller can't reach. The chickens have a job for now of keeping it loose and from anything growing.

I have to figure out how to keep them out of it though when everything is being planted.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Husband tilled most of the flower garden area. Digging areas where the tiller can't reach. The chickens have a job for now of keeping it loose and from anything growing.

I have to figure out how to keep them out of it though when everything is being planted.

We just fence off any beds that we don't want the chickens in with either 2 foot green welded wire or 3 foot. My chickens generally don't go over these fences. I have on occasion had a young one hop over, but it's quite unusual.

 

[bruceha2000]

Do you get some lake effect warming there @JanetMarie? Couldn't till a darn thing here right now. Frozen doesn't till well.

 

[JanetMarie]

We just fence off any beds that we don't want the chickens in with either 2 foot green welded wire or 3 foot. My chickens generally don't go over these fences. I have on occasion had a young one hop over, but it's quite unusual.

With this group of birds the fence has to be 7 foot high. There's enough fenced in around here, that I've been removing individual fences around bushes and putting large heavy logs around them, because they started jumping the fences around the individual bushes. It looks better with the logs too rather with little fences everywhere.

The area is unique, as it's on the other side of a series of connecting ponds.

Future plans are to not have chickens in that area, and just keep the muscovies and geese there.

 

[JanetMarie]

Do you get some lake effect warming there @JanetMarie? Couldn't till a darn thing here right now. Frozen doesn't till well.

Yes, there is some warming from the lake, as well as lake effect snow. Also, our property is just uphill from an expansive marsh and creek, which is part of our property, that also warms the air.

The entire surrounding region has been mild though.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

With this group of birds the fence has to be 7 foot high. There's enough fenced in around here, that I've been removing individual fences around bushes and putting large heavy logs around them, because they started jumping the fences around the individual bushes. It looks better with the logs too rather with little fences everywhere.

The area is unique, as it's on the other side of a series of connecting ponds.

Future plans are to not have chickens in that area, and just keep the muscovies and geese there.

Curious, as mine can certainly fly up 7 feet, but they cannot seem to tell the height of the garden fence and they do not generally attempt to get over.

I for one am surprised that they stay out even though they can obviously see good stuff and will go in if I leave the gate open. My garden beds aren't huge or open so maybe a bigger wide open area may change things.

 

[rjohns39]

Mine for the most part, except a couple of the brats, observed the 2' fence. And the couple that did find their way in didn't do much damage so I just let it be, one even left me eggs in there. The funniest one watched me, climb the stairs to the deck, walk down the deck and into the garden. The next day, I was walking back from the pasture and there she was climbing the stairs and made a bee line for the garden. Hid out under the Kale. I had to let that one go.

 

[JanetMarie]

Curious, as mine can certainly fly up 7 feet, but they cannot seem to tell the height of the garden fence and they do not generally attempt to get over.

I for one am surprised that they stay out even though they can obviously see good stuff and will go in if I leave the gate open. My garden beds aren't huge or open so maybe a bigger wide open area may change things.

They do have a very large foraging area, of varied landscaping, probably an acre for this group. For some reason they just want to go where they're not supposed to sometimes, and as any chicken owner knows how much damage can be done by those little tillers in a short amount of time.

 

[JanetMarie]

This is just a portion of their area. There's 14 hens and pullets, one rooster, 12 muscovies, and two geese. They share around one acre fenced, and as you can see plenty of room with greens.

I don't know why the chickens have to go where they get into trouble, such as in the garage on a nice day such as this when the large garage door is opened, some of them want to hang out in there and poop.

Actually that's just what healthy chickens do; active and curious.