Maine

[CoopChick719]

Spent almost all day outside with the girls! They've been on lockdown pretty much the last 5 days between the weather & the fox. It was too beautiful for them to be locked up all day. They did well...stayed close to home. Tried a few times to go to the neighbors but me & my trusty rake corralled them back. Took the roof tarp off the pen hopefully it will help to dry it out! Dug out all the shavings & dirt that had been kicked between the pen & the coop. Slid a piece of garden edging between the 2 so it won't rot the coop wall. Tried talking DH into building an addition to the pen for the girls to have more sunlight. He's not falling for it! He said why don't you just buy another dog kennel? I said I didn't know which would be cheaper building or buying. So I've planted that seed in his brain...I'll sit back and let it grow.

My sister & I picked a 5 gallon bucketful of apples off our tree. I'm going to make some applesauce and ACV. Does anyone have a guess as to what type of apple this is? The tree is at least 50 years old. It was here when DH's grandparents bought the house. I've had some people say Cortland but they're known to be juicy & keep their color for a long time after being sliced. This one is dry & tart and also browned up in less than 10 minutes.

 

[MEMama3]

Spent almost all day outside with the girls! They've been on lockdown pretty much the last 5 days between the weather & the fox. It was too beautiful for them to be locked up all day. They did well...stayed close to home. Tried a few times to go to the neighbors but me & my trusty rake corralled them back. Took the roof tarp off the pen hopefully it will help to dry it out! Dug out all the shavings & dirt that had been kicked between the pen & the coop. Slid a piece of garden edging between the 2 so it won't rot the coop wall. Tried talking DH into building an addition to the pen for the girls to have more sunlight. He's not falling for it! He said why don't you just buy another dog kennel? I said I didn't know which would be cheaper building or buying. So I've planted that seed in his brain...I'll sit back and let it grow. My sister & I picked a 5 gallon bucketful of apples off our tree. I'm going to make some applesauce and ACV. Does anyone have a guess as to what type of apple this is? The tree is at least 50 years old. It was here when DH's grandparents bought the house. I've had some people say Cortland but they're known to be juicy & keep their color for a long time after being sliced. This one is dry & tart and also browned up in less than 10 minutes.

It looks like it might be a crab apple. Not the tastiest right off the tree, but makes great jelly and Apple butter.

 

[lazy gardener]

Evidently we have new neighbors to the east of us... with a small dog. Hubby was home today while I was at a conference. Luckily, the girls had all gone in their yard (perhaps b/c they saw the dog before any one else did.) But small dog chased one of my cats up a tree. I'll need to be having a chat with these folks if I ever see the dog in my yard again. I'd prefer to meet them first before having a discussion about dog etiquette with them... but... I'm not willing to have my pets harassed on my own land. So proud of my 7 y.o. She immediately went and closed the fence gate as soon as she knew there was a dog in the yard. She's such a little farmer.

The girls have spent the past few days "helping" me rip out and level some old raised beds. They're completely over-run with bind weed.

I have a friend who has a DIL in Tenn. who raises Dominiques. I'm hoping that I might be able to get some eggs hand delivered by private plane in the spring!!! How cool would that be!!

 

[lazy gardener]

Coop Chick: I'm also rolling the need around in my pea-brain the idea about adding coop space at least for the winter... making an expanded sun room/weather shield to keep the snow from blocking off the coop door. I may end up using lattice or an other cattle panel with polyurethane over it. I'd like to use supplies on hand, but may have to buy an other panel to get the job done... then someone suggested that if I go to the bother of doing it, perhaps it should be permanent.

I asked hubby what he thought about us having a bee hive... he looked at me and without skipping a beat, asked what I thought about a shot gun. I'm having a hard time figuring out what a shot gun could possibly have to do with a bee hive... For now, I have a friend who's trading honey for eggs.

 

[quailtrail]

Girlies were quite happy to be outside all day today!!!

So...here is my bearded EE?? Pullet...17wks old

 

[CoopChick719]

It looks like it might be a crab apple. Not the tastiest right off the tree, but makes great jelly and Apple butter.

Thanks MEMama3, Not a crab apple we have one of those too. These actually are pretty good off the tree. My Mum made applesauce from them one year. Thinking it could possible be a Baldwin. They are a bi-ennial bloomer, which this one does. Friends had borrowed a cider press and came looking for apples a few years ago. I told them take as many as you want. The darn tree was empty since it was an off year but I didn't know that at the time.

Coop Chick: I'm also rolling the need around in my pea-brain the idea about adding coop space at least for the winter... making an expanded sun room/weather shield to keep the snow from blocking off the coop door. I may end up using lattice or an other cattle panel with polyurethane over it. I'd like to use supplies on hand, but may have to buy an other panel to get the job done... then someone suggested that if I go to the bother of doing it, perhaps it should be permanent.

I asked hubby what he thought about us having a bee hive... he looked at me and without skipping a beat, asked what I thought about a shot gun. I'm having a hard time figuring out what a shot gun could possibly have to do with a bee hive... For now, I have a friend who's trading honey for eggs.

That's what I was thinking too--sunroom with clear paneled roof and some reclaimed wood & windows--greenhouse-like. When DH found that out that's when he said about buying another kennel to add to our existing one (Craigslist find=$150). My sister said he's trying to decide which one will be less work for him!

Shotgun? Beehive?

"One of these things is not like the other. C'mon can you tell which one?"

Ooh Dominques would be cool! They're so pretty! Also love how your daughter took charge & shut the gate for the girls! Sounds like mine when she was little.

 

[MEMama3]

Girlies were quite happy to be outside all day today!!!

So...here is my bearded EE?? Pullet...17wks old

Definitely pullet

 

[quailtrail]

MEmama3...yay!!!! I thought so but wanted to be sure!!! Just love these 4 girls!

And tomorrow I am going to see a pair of 7mo Buff Orps!!!! Kinda scared of having a roo but soooo want orps!!

 

[quailtrail]

The 4 girls, 17wks, are from one hatch. They have gotten along really well. The 2 black feathered ones I added 2 weeks ago. Tomorrow looking at 7mo buff orps. I hope they all integrate well...

 

[TyRysMom]

Hi All,

We are in North Yarmouth and have a flock of 8 that are mixed breeds and mixed ages. Our oldest 3 (buff orpington, lacy wyandotte, black sex link) were hatched in early May and we have not seen an egg yet.

What are the chances we will get eggs this year? My gut tells me if we haven't seen anything yet, we're probably not going to until the spring. They free range most days. When they aren't free ranging, the have a 10'x10' run.

I was on here looking for advice on how to button up the coop a bit for the winter. The thread provided a lot of great ideas.