Maine

[lazy gardener]

http://honeybeenet.gsfc.nasa.gov/Honeybees/Forage.htm

This is a map of the US with a listing of what plants are great for honey bees. Just click on Maine and it will go to a page that lists plants (including trees) that our bees love. As much as people dislike dandelions they are one of the best early sources of nectar for bees. So the next time you think about getting rid of those yellow flowers think again. They are useful and much needed. Personally I have always like dandelions and never understood why people though of them as weeds.

They're certainly a tasty early green when there's not much else to be had, and they make a wonderful wine. The chickens know how tasty they are.

 

[anyasmifya]

My leghorns are extremely skittish, but all my birds are skittish. They all come running for food, but if I move my hand towards them at all, they are gone. Most of my birds I can only pick up if I trap them in a net first, even those I raised myself. The only exception is the flock of lavender Ameraucanas. They will let me pat them, even the rooster, although they still don't like to be picked up.

Lazy gardener, comfrey was the enemy on my property for quite a while. A neighbor gave some to DH as a welcome when he first lived here, and he stuck it in the corner of the garden. After years of ripping it out, mowing it, and covering it in plastic, it continued it's relentless spread. Finally, I began to methodically dig out every piece of root. It went 3 feet under the ground, throughout a 15 square foot area. In the end, I won, but I threw the roots into the brambles beyond the edge of the lawn, and it's still out there.

Now we have a new weed that is totally choking out the asparagus bed. It is a twining vine, not sure what it is officially called, but the roots are white, go very deep, and are extremely fragile. Every tiny broken piece forms a new plant, and it spreads like crazy. Maybe I can hope the extremely low temperatures will kill that off!

For the record, I closed the pop doors in the coop and I'm running the reptile heater just for a few hours. It might make a little difference, since the coop is insulated. The hoop coop birds will be the guinea pigs in the "how cold can you go?" experiment. The space is way too large and open for a tiny lamp to make any difference. And even though tomorrow it may snow, that flock gets a break and a tropical vacation, every time the sun comes out.

About the twining weed it sounds like it may be mile-a-minute weed. Here is the umaine fact sheet on it http://extension.umaine.edu/publications/2533e/
Or the horrible vine I have honey vine milkweed! Ugh, it's horrible. Here is a page about it on Dave's garden website http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2911/ I love Dave's Gardens' website! Or as lg says it could be bind weed.

LG-Artemesia comes in many different types I have silver mound and I love it! It grows in nice compact silvery soft mounds! I don't give it to my chickens though! I know old timers used it to treat malaria I believe but it is also added to absinth and I guess makes people hallucinate, not sure on its effect on chickens though!

I suppose I should go give the birdies some warm oatmeal now! It's negative 8 here! Ugh, how many days until spring? Maybe 80? ugh....

 

[anyasmifya]

They're certainly a tasty early green when there's not much else to be had, and they make a wonderful wine. The chickens know how tasty they are.

I love dandelions too! I think they look lovely in lawns!

 

[lazy gardener]

About the twining weed it sounds like it may be mile-a-minute weed. Here is the umaine fact sheet on it http://extension.umaine.edu/publications/2533e/
Or the horrible vine I have honey vine milkweed! Ugh, it's horrible. Here is a page about it on Dave's garden website http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2911/ I love Dave's Gardens' website! Or as lg says it could be bind weed.

LG-Artemesia comes in many different types I have silver mound and I love it! It grows in nice compact silvery soft mounds! I don't give it to my chickens though! I know old timers used it to treat malaria I believe but it is also added to absinth and I guess makes people hallucinate, not sure on its effect on chickens though!

I suppose I should go give the birdies some warm oatmeal now! It's negative 8 here! Ugh, how many days until spring? Maybe 80? ugh....

No, the weed I'm describing is not either one of those. It has large white morning glory types of blossoms, and if one did not know how invasive it is, one might say "oh what a pretty flower, and I didn't even have to plant it here!" Yes, I love silver mound. Have some of it. The artemesia I'm looking for is more upright in it's growth habit, though not as tall as the big ones. ?silver king? I doubt that chickens would choose to eat the stuff, I'm just thinking of adding some dried leaves to bedding and nesting material. Heat wave here, all the way up to - 5.

 

[anyasmifya]

My poor BigBird!



I brought her in to defrost! I think when she drinks water out of the bowl her feathers get wet. Poor thing! I'm not sure what to do with her! I'm thinking of putting her in the basement, but it's dark and lonely down there. I have two cats and they haven't bothered her yet. I really don't want an indoor chicken! But I can't let her turn into an icicle!

I brought the birds out some warm oatmeal with scratch mixed in and it pretty much froze instantly! This weather majorly sucks! Why, oh why did I move to Maine!?!?

 

[lazy gardener]

Perhaps you can give Big Bird a hair cut?

 

[Widget]

Just completed round two of outside critter care. Gave everyone some soaked beet pulp. The horses love it and slurp it up instantly, Lots of hot water added makes a warm slurpy. The birds had beet pulp, BOSS and layer pellets. They tried it but preferred the straight pellets. The goats got the same as the horses but were not as impressed. The horses all have a blanket of snow on their backs so I know they are well insulated from this horrible weather. The birds are fluffed up and sticking together out of the wind and the goats are staying in their shed. The dogs and I are staying inside on the couch snuggled in some warm blankets and watching tv.

Amazingly enough I do not need to watch the news to find out that the weather outside is bitterly cold and that the roads are slippery so I should stay home. I am so tired of watching the news crews standing outside to report on how bad conditions are every time there is a snowflake in the air. I am not an imbecile. I know to slow down when it is storming. I know that wind chill makes it feel colder. There has to be something more important to report about. No wonder I hardly ever watch the news anymore.

 

[striperon]

Just completed round two of outside critter care. Gave everyone some soaked beet pulp. The horses love it and slurp it up instantly, Lots of hot water added makes a warm slurpy. The birds had beet pulp, BOSS and layer pellets. They tried it but preferred the straight pellets. The goats got the same as the horses but were not as impressed. The horses all have a blanket of snow on their backs so I know they are well insulated from this horrible weather. The birds are fluffed up and sticking together out of the wind and the goats are staying in their shed. The dogs and I are staying inside on the couch snuggled in some warm blankets and watching tv.

Amazingly enough I do not need to watch the news to find out that the weather outside is bitterly cold and that the roads are slippery so I should stay home. I am so tired of watching the news crews standing outside to report on how bad conditions are every time there is a snowflake in the air. I am not an imbecile. I know to slow down when it is storming. I know that wind chill makes it feel colder. There has to be something more important to report about. No wonder I hardly ever watch the news anymore.

 

[Widget]

There are days I think my chickens have a higher IQ than many people.

 

[anyasmifya]

Perhaps you can give Big Bird a hair cut?

Yes, just gave her a feather cut. It was not as difficult as I thought it would be. A bit of anxiety did occur on my part, awfully close to her eyes! She didn't seem to mind much, think she thought her feathers falling to the ground was some type of treat! She is back outside now with the other birds. Seems ok so far! Hope I cut enough.