Illinois...

[Faraday40]

My little handicapped broody serama gets to care for all the poultry for a few days.

She may be a little confused by the turkeys and ducklings.

 

[Faraday40]

Can't forget to share a poult pic.

 

[Faraday40]

I borrowed a brooder plate for the overflow babies.

 

[jerryse]

Here are a few backyard mixes for another friend. They mostly look like australorps to me. I guess he's the top rooster.
View attachment 2631839


The expression of Chick on left made me laugh
View attachment 2631840

Ok the light duck looks like a silver appleyard . Similar to snowy . The drakes look normal but all ducklings look like that in those breeds . Edit to add Pekin is a dominate white and results in a mix of white and mallard patches when bred to mallard color .

 

[Faraday40]

Established trees. That's it. My chickens destroy every plant they can reach with their feet and beaks. Chickens in the garden is fine in the late Fall after harvest and early Spring before planting. If there are plants I want to grow, I keep the chickens out. If you find something that they ignore and can grow in their run other than a tree, let me know.

Yes, mine ate up all my hostas and day lilies. I never knew such plants could ever be removed once planted. Our raspberries are doing OK. The chickens eat the bottom fruit and bugs. They also hide within the plants. We only get to eat the highest fruits. My chickens don't care for weeds and prairie plants

A friend of mine is a master gardener. Her entire yard has so many plants that I couldn't even name 25% of them. She added chickens a few years ago & STILL has gardens. She admits the chickens have damaged some but I think she simply has more plants & gardens than her chickens could destroy.

 

[BReeder!]

Yes, mine ate up all my hostas and day lilies. I never knew such plants could ever be removed once planted. Our raspberries are doing OK. The chickens eat the bottom fruit and bugs. They also hide within the plants. We only get to eat the highest fruits. My chickens don't care for weeds and prairie plants

A friend of mine is a master gardener. Her entire yard has so many plants that I couldn't even name 25% of them. She added chickens a few years ago & STILL has gardens. She admits the chickens have damaged some but I think she simply has more plants & gardens than her chickens could destroy.

Master gardener... that might go on the bucket list. Sounds like a great retirement hobby. I garden now, but could never find the time to take gardening classes. I barely find the time to get gardening done as it is. Working from home has helped this year at least.

 

[Faraday40]

Master gardener... that might go on the bucket list. Sounds like a great retirement hobby. I garden now, but could never find the time to take gardening classes. I barely find the time to get gardening done as it is. Working from home has helped this year at least.

Yes. She IS retired. She does a lot of volunteer stuff at the arboretum, 4-H, manages a huge butterfly nursery, teaches classes, and works in her own garden.

 

[cavemanrich]

Yes, mine ate up all my hostas and day lilies.

I have plenty of day lillies, and my chickens just hide, and scratch among them. What I have read,,,,,,,,,,, is that day lillies are poisonous, or toxic to chickens. Not sure which term is more serious, but ether way the claim is that day lillies are bad. I have had chickens over 20 years and day lillies even longer than that. NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THAT. All my chickens lived despite the plants. I also have some other no no plants, like Holly, and I think its a Juniper tree. Chickens do go in-between these , but I guess they know what to not eat,,,

 

[Molpet]

Mine scratch up the day lilly's and the turkeys nest in them.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

So far the chickens only scratch around the day lillies and haven't really done any damage. Last year I just flipped over dirt to grow green beans and I had to shoo away chickens a couple times but that's about it. No real damage. I'd like a garden they can help themselves to but not sure if it will encourage bad habit.