Maine

[lazy gardener]

Bucka, I love your generic answer. I picked up some 14 x 14 bird netting today. that along with the fencing already on hand should have me all set to put the entire flock behind fencing, and also fence in the garden... Caught the girls eating the seeds I sowed yesterday afternoon. Grumble, grumble!!

Dow Girl. Good luck with the creation of your custom sex-links! I love the sex-link option, but it really doesn't solve any problems for me. I could cull the males at hatch, but they're just too cute, so I let them grow out and eat me out of house and home before killing them. Any dark roo over barred hen will give a black sex-link.

 

[lazy gardener]

Dow Girl, what kind of comb does the Brahma have? The chicks should have what he has if it's not a straight comb. I also think the feathered legs are dominant. Mrs. Sedgewick???

 

[CoopChick719]

Have you given them raw liver (chopped fine?) That's often recommended, especially for chicks fed medicated feed.

I did give them some raw liver, chopped fine mixed w/a little feed. They were not fans! I think I have weird chicks!! I don't feed medicated feed but I did have these new ones vaccinated at the hatchery.

The meaties have not been big fans of the FF either so I didn't fill the dry feeder this morning and left them just the FF. I'm sure they'll be screaming when I get home.

 

[Widget]

With all the rhubarb talk I do have a question. I have one plant growing on the side of the house. What do I need to look for to decide whether it is ready to harvest?

 

[mlowen]

I did give them some raw liver, chopped fine mixed w/a little feed. They were not fans! I think I have weird chicks!! I don't feed medicated feed but I did have these new ones vaccinated at the hatchery.

The meaties have not been big fans of the FF either so I didn't fill the dry feeder this morning and left them just the FF. I'm sure they'll be screaming when I get home.

Well, I sure hope they end up delicious. They owe you for being so much trouble!

 

[lazy gardener]

Widgett: how long has that rhubarb been growing? Unless you just planted it, it is indestructible. Basically, if it has good fertility, the more often you harvest it, the more it will produce. Obviously, if you harvest every single stalk, all season long, you'll eventually kill the plant, but that's not likely. The young tender stalks are the best. Eventually, the older stalks get tough, dry and fibrous. also, if it puts out a seed head, clip that off. Folk wisdom says the seed head will rob strength from the plant, but, honestly, my rhubarb grows well with or without the seed heads intact.

We had our second salad of the season tonight. An other 3 weeks, and there'll be baby lettuce available!

Chicks are getting the hang of the sleeping arrangements. This morning, and again tonight, they went from one tractor to the other with barely a glitch. (Well, I did forget to close the top of the little tractor, and the little ones were popping out of the top like popcorn... but that was my fault!) Even then, they are starting to figure out doorways so they ran around the tractor a few times and scooted in the door as soon as I opened it for them.

Bangor Blue Seal had a batch of very nice looking EE chicks. Also a bunch of white ones ? leghorns. I didn't look at them TOO closely, b/c of the temptation.

Newest chickie treat: Maple tree blossoms. They fight over them like they would over mealworms.

 

[Widget]

Widgett: how long has that rhubarb been growing? Unless you just planted it, it is indestructible. Basically, if it has good fertility, the more often you harvest it, the more it will produce. Obviously, if you harvest every single stalk, all season long, you'll eventually kill the plant, but that's not likely. The young tender stalks are the best. Eventually, the older stalks get tough, dry and fibrous. also, if it puts out a seed head, clip that off. Folk wisdom says the seed head will rob strength from the plant, but, honestly, my rhubarb grows well with or without the seed heads intact.

It has been growing since before I moved in here so at least 10 years. I have never been sure as to when to pick it. It just never appears to be ripe.

 

[buckabucka]

I pick rhubarb when it is at least a foot long and the stalks are about an inch wide at the base. I have no idea where I learned that, so it might be some crazy thing I made up.

I posted photos of my golden cuckoo Marans chicks on their thread and someone who seems to be experienced said they see a lot of cockerels. Possibly 2 pullets, but they weren't sure. That would be just my luck!

I'm not sure when I will be able to get my potatoes in, - it looks to be quite rainy for a while. We got the tall grass mowed at least. I am so glad it is Friday!

 

[quailtrail]

Need it to stay dry and warm to transplant my no longer seedlings. ..they are getting big.

Got a large rabbit cage, took out the wire bottom, and placed the 3 3-4 wk old chicks in for more room. Notsure they like being able to see eeverything including the dogs. They are tweeting up a storm. Still have the heat lamp as tried to decrease and they were not happy.

Dominique eggs look really good! I have seen so much more on these eggs than I have ever seen before. ..hoping in have finally figured this out! !???

Picking up some Polish chicks and eggs tomorrow. I just can't resist them!!

 

[longgrove]

It has been growing since before I moved in here so at least 10 years. I have never been sure as to when to pick it. It just never appears to be ripe.

I just love rhubarb! It gives so much and asks so little. If I had an old bed like that, I'd top dress it with some compost, water it in a bit, give it a mulch and pick it this Summer. Then, when it goes dormant in Fall, prepare some new beds (with lots of organic matter and deeply dug, rhubarb sure likes to feed rich and will bear well if well fed). Ideally, give each new clump an area of 5x5 feet. I divide my established clumps into root balls about 18 inches across. (in an old clump, tho, there will be HUGE tap roots, hard to dig up but worth the effort as the deep tap roots make them fairly drought proof). Where you have only one huge patch, you might want to leave part of the patch intact and only divide some of it, so you will have something to pick from next year. That is because it is counterproductive to pick from a new clump the first year (while it establishes itself). I like to divide clumps about every 4 years, they do so much better with fresh soil as they deplete the nutrients in the area after years and a large clump cannot get enough water in dry years. It is hard to enhance to nutrients of established plants, tho they benefit from a good top dress of compost in the Fall and a good mulching. Over the years, this process will keep you in a vigorous harvest and build your supply (and, when you have all the plants you want, make a great product for swaps or giving "starts" to friends!).

Rhubarb doesn't get "ripe". The harvest are the stems of the leaves (the leaves themselves, of course, are poison). As Lazy Gardner said, it is best to cut out the flower stems as soon as you see them. You can pick the leaf stems as soon as they are a decent size. Do let the plant keep some leaves to carry on photosynthesis. The old leaves, as Lazy Gardner mentioned, get pithy, tough or hollow. The stem color has no bearing on readiness for harvest, some varieties have red stems and others have green. Even on the same plant, the color of stems will vary, but that will not effect taste. Good picking!