Illinois...

[Molpet]

I may try the 5 gallon buckets for the earliest slips. There's just 5 that I've cut so far. There are a lot more growing though. I counted at least 40 this morning so I'm not too worried if these first 5 don't work out.

Groundhogs haven't been a problem for us here. The only tunneling animals I've had are voles. They eat insects though I believe.

Moles eat insects
Voles eat plants and roots, like my poatoes and carrots.... Chipmunks are suspects too

 

[Molpet]

I consider May 15 frost free in central Illinois . No mater what they say . I often plant a little ahead of that if the forecast is good . I have also had to cover tomatoes when the weather dorks are wrong .

Umm I live at the bottom of gentle hills, so might be my microclimate too. I rarely plant tomatoes at mother's day, sometimes I put a few out then and the rest memorial day. Usually the volunteer do best then memorial day... Sometimes the mother's day don't have many at all.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Discussion of animal testing so do not watch if you are sensitive to that. At least they aren't testing chickens.

 

[cavemanrich]

Bantams RULE

Well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, when your flock consists of 5 USEFUL BANTIES, one retired RIR, and 2 Polish, which has one on strike,,, this is the best I can get

 

[BReeder!]

A-hole, our Cuckoo Marans, is laying again!

For those who don't know, A-hole is one of our original flock members. She's not very old as we have only been keeping chickens for 2 years now. She is our top hen in the pecking order, earning her name in the process as she takes no crap and dishes out plenty. Even at just a few weeks old, she would peck my hand and escape the brooder, sometimes just to sit on the top edge of overlooking the others. She's calmed down quite a bit though these days. I have been a bit worried about her for some time since she quit laying over 6 months ago while everybody else has laid on and off just fine. The winter showdown was expected, but she totally stopped before it even got cold. We provide supplemental light too while the days are short, so that wasn't it either. I'm so relieved and happy to see that she laid an egg today. I had to take a picture and share with my chicken people.

 

[Justso]

Im looking at a pair of opal legbars and a ccl. Marans and the quail arent a problem.

I thought she dropped opal legbars? I didn't see them on her site this year, I know last spring she said she was having fertility problems. If you do decide to order, let me know.

 

[Justso]

How is everybody doing? I hope you all are doing well through the outbreak and shelter-in-place mandate. This snow has us really cooped up now. I don't even want to go in the yard. I swear if this weather doesn't let up I'm going to have a permanent imprint of of butt in my leather recliner.
Additionally, we plant seed starts for the garden the other day. They'll be coming up between this weekend and next. I also started slips on some store bought sweet potatoes about three weeks ago. They are growing like mad now. I may end up with 40 slips (I only need 20 though). I'm worried we will not be clear of frost and have the ground prepared when they need to get planted. I might have to plant them in cups of soil indoors for two weeks and then transplant. Nothing I've researched addresses that situation though.
We have our three chicks hanging out right in the dining/living room. They are growing and doing well. The keep spilling water though... I never constructed a nipple waterer for the brooder so I use one of those cheap plastic 1 quart jar waterers the stores usually sell right by the chicks. The bedding soaks it up and then dries thanks to the heat lamp, but I'm refilling the waterer every day with only 3 chicks.
Other than all that, the family is doing well. DS is taking full advantage of all this dad time. DD is always sleeping, playing or milk drunk so nothing changed for her. DW is getting through all this chaos. I'd like to think that me being home helps to carry the burden of managing the house, but I'm probably just getting in her way. All in all, we are having a lot of family time and home cooked meals.

I officially have a black thumb. I couldn't even get my cat grass to grow. I have four little mini containers with nothing sprouted.

 

[Justso]

Went out this evening to find my brahma, clover, with a big notch in her head. Lots of head shaking.
I treated with vetracin and will keep my eye on it. I see one of three possibilities, 1. Someone in my flock got her, not likely since she's number two and beats everyone up except the #1, 2. My neighbors massively giant orpington rooster climbed on her and got a little too aggressive, 3 we did have a coyote chase through the area yesterday, I wonder if it tried to get her or if she scraped it trying to get away in the mele.
We're trying to get our other neighbor to shoot the coyote, it's gotten away with three of my neighbors chickens. It's not playing by the rules, coming out just about every day. I have to say, this hen is on the edge with me since she's not laying anymore. She's a big bird and eats a lot.

 

[BReeder!]

Went out this evening to find my brahma, clover, with a big notch in her head. Lots of head shaking.
I treated with vetracin and will keep my eye on it. I see one of three possibilities, 1. Someone in my flock got her, not likely since she's number two and beats everyone up except the #1, 2. My neighbors massively giant orpington rooster climbed on her and got a little too aggressive, 3 we did have a coyote chase through the area yesterday, I wonder if it tried to get her or if she scraped it trying to get away in the mele.
We're trying to get our other neighbor to shoot the coyote, it's gotten away with three of my neighbors chickens. It's not playing by the rules, coming out just about every day. I have to say, this hen is on the edge with me since she's not laying anymore. She's a big bird and eats a lot.View attachment 2060487

I'd guess it's pecking by another hen or the rooster. It just doesn't look like a scrape or bite mark.

 

[Justso]

I'd guess it's pecking by another hen or the rooster. It just doesn't look like a scrape or bite mark.

Yeah I guess my vote is on one of the two orpington roos from next door. They are young, virile, and the biggest orpingtons I've ever seen.
But it would serve her right if it was one of her own flock. She's a real meanie.