Maine

[CoopChick719]

I voted too. My favorite was haiku, something about a green eggs and green dog bed...
What a gorgeous day! I am trying to get lots done. Last Saturday I slipped and fell (on that pesky new snow) and I think I cracked a rib or something, which is making my progress slow and painful. I'm trying to get hardware cloth put on the tractor DH built, and I'm cleaning out the hoop coop because it is time to move it off the garden. That may not seem like a big deal, but late last winter when we had a flood, we filled the hoop coop with pallets, boards across tires, any kind of makeshift platform we could find. Heavy stuff for this 100 pound weakling, and with the rib thing going on, I am pathetic.

We can't plant peas until we move the hoop house, and we can't move the hoop house until we move the hoop coop!

Bucka, Hope you are feeling better soon!

I will be there with a truck on saturday, and I want some pallets!

The chickens "helped" me in the garden today- I turned over some more soil and picked lots ( and lots and lots...) of rocks out. Also, the peepers are out!!!!

Chicken-tillers!! Isn't it weird how you pick out rocks from the same patch of ground year after year?!!

On a different note, DH had the day off & let the chickens out to free range, left them out while he went in town, called to tell me...long story short...I still have 10 chickens.

 

[Carrie54452002]

Quick question, my little baby chicks seem to be scratching/nibbling themselves a lot... Is that normal itching because I don't see any mites.... just don't remember all the nibbling etc with the first babies I had. Maybe they're a little itchy with their feathers growing in?

 

[ducklucky]

How old?

 

[Carrie54452002]

How old?

1 week. I also had a question about one of the chicks vent being blocked. Never had this happen before but it was completely blocked so I unblocked it by running it's bum under warm water. I didn't want it to not be able to go poop. Hoping that's okay to do?? Stinkin chicks stress me out! Haha

 

[superchemicalgirl]

1 week. I also had a question about one of the chicks vent being blocked. Never had this happen before but it was completely blocked so I unblocked it by running it's bum under warm water. I didn't want it to not be able to go poop. Hoping that's okay to do?? Stinkin chicks stress me out! Haha

Yes, warm water gets the poo glue off. It's called pasty butt and it does happen.

I think your chicks might be grooming because they're growing feathers in. That makes them itchy and makes them groom to expand the feathers.

 

[MustardTiger]

Glorious spring is here finally. There are buds and almost leaves on everything around here and I love to hear all the peepers!!

I will be planting out my seedlings tomorrow after the garden gets tilled. Going to haul in some rotting seaweed for compost today.

Chicks are coming soon. This time of year is always so exciting and refreshing!

 

[Egiroux]

Got my barred rock, and a welsummer chick. Was very surprised to see the number and variety of chicks available at Longhorn in Buxton yesterday. I'll be getting chicks there from now on. Lots to choose from.

 

[buckabucka]

I love spring too. What are you planting out MustardTiger? I'm really hoping to get the peas in this week, if we can get the whole rotation of hoop buildings finished. This year, I started a few spinach and lettuce plants indoors to put between the rows of peas. Not sure how well they transplant, but I'm going to try. There is spinach in one of the hoop houses from last fall that I am still eating, but this year we had lots of winter kill and now what's left is starting to bolt. I usually wait another week to put out the onions, as it is quite frosty here.

I need to fence the garden, too, as we have been letting the chickens loose. I bought a bunch of deer fencing (7 feet tall) and I'm cutting it in half to get more mileage out of it. This might be crazy, as it is fairly tangly stuff. If it is a really bad idea, you will hear about it once I get untangled.

 

[dowgirl71]

Quick question, my little baby chicks seem to be scratching/nibbling themselves a lot... Is that normal itching because I don't see any mites.... just don't remember all the nibbling etc with the first babies I had. Maybe they're a little itchy with their feathers growing in?

Carrie,
I was a little surprised to see my chicks at about 3 wks old dust bathing in their shavings, this year. I never noticed it with last years' batch, but I also had them in our basement and didn't observe their behaviors as much. I also had a chick with the pasty butt problem and had to repeat the cleaning with the warm water, a couple times. Always an adventure-isn't it? But they are fun!

Good luck!

 

[Mainechick168]

I love spring too. What are you planting out MustardTiger? I'm really hoping to get the peas in this week, if we can get the whole rotation of hoop buildings finished. This year, I started a few spinach and lettuce plants indoors to put between the rows of peas. Not sure how well they transplant, but I'm going to try. There is spinach in one of the hoop houses from last fall that I am still eating, but this year we had lots of winter kill and now what's left is starting to bolt. I usually wait another week to put out the onions, as it is quite frosty here.

I need to fence the garden, too, as we have been letting the chickens loose. I bought a bunch of deer fencing (7 feet tall) and I'm cutting it in half to get more mileage out of it. This might be crazy, as it is fairly tangly stuff. If it is a really bad idea, you will hear about it once I get untangled.

Bucka, I'll wait to see how your fencing goes before I try the same thing I need to fence my garden too. My grandfather has an extensive "junk pile" behind his barn, so it's possible I might find some fencing there.... after fencing, I need to get some manure, and then I'll be set to plant!
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