Illinois...

[Molpet]

I've been a bit worried about my chicks and the heat. We usually get lots of wind down here and then they seem ok. Yesterday, I think it was, there was no wind and they were panting a bit. One other hot day, they got spooked - I think by the neighbor's lawnmower - and I found them in the chicken coop - definitely too hot. Unfortunately, they've figured out how to get into the coop from the run, but not how to go down the ramp to get out. So, I've got to watch that. The last 2 mornings, Princess Laya, my Speckled Sussex, has been out in the run when I went out in the morning. The only thing is..... I don't know if she's figured it out or if she's just staying out. I need to remember to check after dark this morning.
Also, I installed a new feeder made of pvc pipe and I've seen a few of them eating from it, but I think they are eating much less. Could this be because of the heat? They seemed eager enough to eat when I scattered some of their food on the ground. I've made sure they have some shade and, like I said, we get quite a bit of wind, but I still worry.

chickens are like me and do not like change LOL...but they will get used to the new feeder...the heat has my hens and cx leaving some feed this morning too...although they are under the mulberry tree filling up on berries

 

[emilyfinley]

Looking for a Australorp pullet or juvenile in or around the Peoria IL area

 

[Faraday40]

How is everyone's chicks holding up in the heat? I had the mister going for my older guys, and the all the juvies were good finding worms and bugs on the drive side after I watered.

Spangled Orps are getting so big.


Fluffy butts!

I just noticed that you have some flowers. How does that happen??? My flock does most of the gardening. I try fencing where it matters, but let's just say nothing keeps them from a good dust bath or scratch in the mulch.

 

[Faraday40]

chickens are like me and do not like change LOL...but they will get used to the new feeder...the heat has my hens and cx leaving some feed this morning too...although they are under the mulberry tree filling up on berries

1/2 the mulberries land on the backyard patio. The chickens have access, so the concrete stays white. The other 1/2 of the berries fall in front of the garage, where the concrete is stained black.


.... of course, the 1st time I saw my flock with black poop, I freaked out!

 

[Molpet]

1/2 the mulberries land on the backyard patio. The chickens have access, so the concrete stays white. The other 1/2 of the berries fall in front of the garage, where the concrete is stained black.


.... of course, the 1st time I saw my flock with black poop, I freaked out!

yes they clean up every one don't they

First time I let some free range, the green poop scared me until I realized it was vegetation LOL

 

[rlep]

I've been worried about my chicks too. Put a fan outside the coop run, blowing over frozen water milk jug. Giving ice water when I'm home, but they are still panting. They get plenty of shade. Don't know how else to help them

 

[Pixie]

I just came in from locking up my birds. Once my flashlight landed on the chick waterer, they came booking out from the mama's and crowded around drinking like crazy. I had to wait until they were all done. The older girls were panting away. I wish I could leave them outside (or at least leave the doors all open) but coyote's and stuff..

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I just noticed that you have some flowers. How does that happen??? My flock does most of the gardening. I try fencing where it matters, but let's just say nothing keeps them from a good dust bath or scratch in the mulch.

How this happens, is the older girls are not allowed out here on the side drive. They have, turned my beautifully planted back yard into a big dust bowl. And the youngsters don't know they should eat the flowers yet. Thank goodness.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Went out last night, and 1 of the SL Orps has gone broody, and no good eggs to hatch. Thought I broke her today, but at lock up, she was back in the nest. Uggg

And today was Maximus big day! He finally gets to come out of isolation and join his own family of girls. Well, all 3 girls went into the coop and never came out. Went and looked, all broody sitting in the nest boxes. Looks like his big day was a bust! I did take all the eggs, I am not hatching anymore chicks until I get rid of the grow outs in the garage! Poor disappointed frizzled Max and his 3 smooth mottled girls, they are going to make cute chicks together.

 

[MeepBeep]

Long day gardening, but did accomplish getting most of the garden in, and late as usual even though we plan well in advance...

Tried something different this year with the corn... All my life I have never had issues growing corn, plug it in the ground and it grows, but, I also only did small plots... Since moving into the new place I have attempted for 2 years now to grow corn and I get horrible germination rates and I mean horrible... Trying to figure out why, always use fresh seeds and plant multiple varieties just in case on is a dud, but for 2 years they have essentially all been duds... First year I planted a few hundred seeds and maybe 50% germinated, but then most got knocked over in a wind storm soon after thus killing the crop... Last year I planted over 1000 sweet corn seeds and I'll bet that less than 50 actually germinated, a stupid dismal number that baffles me, especially when I had give or take 90% germination on the couple dozen 'Indian corn' seeds I planted... I basically just gave up and let the weeds take over at that point...

This year I decided to try switching it up, and even go controversial to see what happens...

So last month I sprayed the plot with Roundup to make sure all vegetation was dead, thinking there might be some weeds with natural germination inhibitors causing issues... Doing it last month also gave well over the 1 week don't plant wait recommendation...

Tilled it last week and then tilled it again yesterday, giving some time for the dead weeds to break down in the soil...

And the biggest change up, I pre-soaked my corn seeds overnight, changing the water every 8 hours, this is something I have never done but I found after some Google searches, pre-soaking of corn seeds to be quite common to increase germination and even recommended by some university extensions...

I also made a peg stick tool to space out the corn and create uniform 1 1/4" deep holes for the seeds, with the pre-soaked seeds a hole is pretty much necessary, no pushing them in with the fingers as they will literally squish apart once soaked... This 1 1/4" depth is shallower than many corn packets recommend but again a change up to what I have been doing from the normal 1 1/2" - 2" depth hoping it helps... I can always mound up more dirt around the exposed roots if I notice them not taking good rooting and falling over...

I also increased the space so I can better get in there and weed, I usually space 8" on center with row spacing 12", this time I kept the 8" on center but increased the row width to about 20" so I can better navigate the rows...

I'll also be installing a snow fence as a wind block on the prevailing wind side... Planned on getting a 6 foot tall specially designed wind fence, but it's out of the budget right now and I have the snow fence, so cheap and existing wins out...

Anyway we will see what happens from this point on, just over 600 sweet corn seeds dropped today, and I'll drop 60 Indian corn tomorrow, just ran out of light and the vampires came out today...

We also turned all the soil in the container garden area and mixed in peat moss and/or sand depending on the type of plants going into the containers... We hand a wonderful turn out in the containers last year so they are of little concern, just wanted to freshen up the soil this year just for good measure...