Maine

[superchemicalgirl]

I can tell the guineas apart when things are calm and they're making their normal male and female guinea calls.
But then a leaf falls or something and they get all stirred up and I can't tell the birds apart at that point, other than I have 4, 3 and 2 of each breed.

I don't really need to sex them, pretty sure I have 5 boys and 4 girls and they all get along. They even bully my bully toms, and keep them in line. As much as the guineas do annoy me, I really do like them.

 

[CoopChick719]

My high bush have not produced for 3 years due to infection with witch's broom, and rust. I pruned them heavily. If the heavy pruning does not get rid of the witch's broom, I will have to destroy the plants. Alternate host for WB is Balsam Fir.

So that's what is in my blueberry bush!!
I have think I can prune it out. What causes it?

Got her done yesterday
View attachment 1116745

She looks great!

I had eggs left after my BA, Matilda, finished sitting so I candled them and put the ones I thought were viable under my Sizzle, Blue. Blue got confused & returned to the wrong box. So we had a chick hatch alone & cold. I decided to see if my BA would accept it. Thankfully when I put the peeping chick in front of her, she lifted her wing so I could tuck it under. Phew! So Matilda has 6 chicks. 5 BA/Lav. Orp crosses & 1 Rhodebar (pretty sure it's a roo since they're auto-sexing).

So Blue had a new chick under her this morning. I'm hopeful at least 1 of the other eggs hatch so this little one has a buddy.

 

[buckabucka]

It sounds like a lot of people are hatching this time of year!

The eclipse was amazing. We viewed in Princeton, KY. Already looking forward to Maine 2024. Now I need to start thinking about cleaning the coop and the start of school...

 

[CoopChick719]

It sounds like a lot of people are hatching this time of year!

The eclipse was amazing. We viewed in Princeton, KY. Already looking forward to Maine 2024. Now I need to start thinking about cleaning the coop and the start of school...

I wasn't going to hatch any this year but after leaving the girls w/o a sitter for the weekend, Matilda had a nice little clutch under her. Unbeknownst to me, others were laying in her box too & she just "backhoed" them under her w/the ones I had marked. So they're were in different stages of development when I found them.

I bet your view of the eclipse was much better than ours but still a cool thing.

Have a great school year!!

 

[JDisme]

I have some straight combed "silkie" hatchery roos if anyone wants some. I got them from a guy that ordered meat birds from tsc and these were thrown in. Dont know mich abot silkies but they seem big to me. Have the extra toe and black skin

 

[JDisme]

 

[superchemicalgirl]

They'd be delicious with some dumplings.

 

[JDisme]

Haha. I my boss married a Chinese woman. Apparently the "black boned chicken" heals all kinds of ailments.
She even eats the brains. They are a delicately. She claims that she can tell the sex of the deceased by looking at the brain

 

[JDisme]

I think the one in the back on the left is a hen. Walnut comb and smaller waddles

 

[lazy gardener]

So that's what is in my blueberry bush!!
I have think I can prune it out. What causes it?

Here's an article about it.

https://www.extension.umn.edu/garde...ment-for-home-blueberry-plants/witches-broom/

Prior to destroying the plants, I'd try a radical pruning program. Disheartening that this article says it's caused by the rust fungus. B/C my blueberries had a heavy infestation of rust last season, in addition to the WB. I pruned them heavily this spring, and they look much better, but still a little rust here and there. i intend to again prune heavily this fall, and again this spring, as well as spray them with some sort of natural anti fungal. Will have to do some homework to see what to use for a spray. I also need to re-prioritize my gardening practices, and not allow stuff to grow up near the blueberries. Give them more sunlight and fresh air. If this doesn't cure them, I'll rip them out, and reclaim that space which is inside the garden foot print for something that will feed me. Prior research has told me that the alternate host for the blueberry WB is balsam fir. Interestingly, all of the fir trees in my area are dying or dead.