Maine

[buckabucka]

I'm not sure if it was definitely a cucumber beetle, but I think I would have noticed that red head on the impostor. If I get another, I'll have to check more closely.
I've been able to keep the doors to the squash/melon house closed during this gloomy weather, and so far, there are no beetles in there, which is a stark contrast to last year. I'm hoping they put some growth on before the bugs attack. Last year was bad!

I don't always measure things when I cook. For the garlic scape pesto, I took a handful of garlic scapes, some basil, parsley, maybe 2 T. almonds, a little salt, tiny bit of lemon juice, some parmesan and ground it up in the cuisinart, then added olive oil to grind into a paste. It is basically just pesto with no garlic cloves, although you need less basil.

We're eating lots of strawberries too! Getting the patch going was a lot of work, and it is up in the field, so we let almost half the young plants die from drought (two years in a row ), but we are excited to not drive around seeking a place to pick strawberries this year.

 

[Newbiechickchic]

In Whitefield.. hello neighbors! I've been told by everyone so far that the chickens adjust to the winter weather just fine and are better off without added warmth, such as if you use a heater and there is a power outage then they will not be used to the cold, and they will get too cold and potentially sick. Some breeds do require warmer temps (silkies, etc), but most are hardy enough from what I've learned. I may put foam insulation under the floor of my new coop I'm building, but probably not on the walls, IDK. Heated water bowl is a must. Also, make sure they have 4-inch flat roosts to sleep on so they can cover all their toes and avoid frost-bite, and they do need vents at the top so the moisture evaporates outdoors.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Sounds like you have most of it. I did insulate the coop walls, then covered with inner plywood to keep them from eating it, and I'm glad I did that. The coop stays pretty warm from the insulation, despite the temps outside.
Lots and lots of ventilation. Then more.
And I have a showgirl (a half naked silkie) out in the coop all winter. She's fine. My naked neck regular sized and regular feathered chickens are fine, too. No one here has ever died of cold.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Recipe for your scape pesto please????

basicly the same as basil pesto but use scapes instead

a couple good handfuls of scapes
splash of olive oil, a lemon's juice, about a cup (depending on your taste) of parm cheese
a dash of pepper (again depends on your taste)
i have also been known to add a bunch of fresh garlic too ( i like it spicy! )
food processor

done!
yummy!!

 

[DwayneNLiz]

In Whitefield.. hello neighbors! I've been told by everyone so far that the chickens adjust to the winter weather just fine and are better off without added warmth, such as if you use a heater and there is a power outage then they will not be used to the cold, and they will get too cold and potentially sick. Some breeds do require warmer temps (silkies, etc), but most are hardy enough from what I've learned. I may put foam insulation under the floor of my new coop I'm building, but probably not on the walls, IDK. Heated water bowl is a must. Also, make sure they have 4-inch flat roosts to sleep on so they can cover all their toes and avoid frost-bite, and they do need vents at the top so the moisture evaporates outdoors.

Sounds like you have most of it. I did insulate the coop walls, then covered with inner plywood to keep them from eating it, and I'm glad I did that. The coop stays pretty warm from the insulation, despite the temps outside.
Lots and lots of ventilation. Then more.
And I have a showgirl (a half naked silkie) out in the coop all winter. She's fine. My naked neck regular sized and regular feathered chickens are fine, too. No one here has ever died of cold.

I agree,
the only thing that has bothered my birds was frost bite, and it was on the waddles of my tophat roo (i swear they were 2" long) he lost a good 1/2" but is fine now, when he was drinking his waddles would end up in the water, i think for him i would need to switch to nipple water system but instead got rid of him

ventilation and moisture control is the most important

 

[lazy gardener]

My flock size is slowly getting down to the numbers I want to see. 7 pullets sold, about 7 more to go. Hoping to be able to cull the roos next week. Any one need a good flock master? I have some beautiful boys to choose from. All sons of my avatar. They may or may not pass on the blue egg gene.

 

[buckabucka]

No need for more chickens here. Even though my egg supply will drop next winter, I'm enjoying my year off from hatching. No youngsters to integrate and no bachelor pen with crazy fights breaking out. It will make it easier on my chicken sitter when I go camping, too. I'm going to the Gaspe peninsula this year!

LG, you were right about my impostor cucumber beetle. A couple days ago I picked 8 off my potato plants, -definitely had an orangy-red head. I found at least 8 Colorado potato beetles too, and yesterday picked off a few larva.

Now the real cucumber beetles have arrived. I killed a dozen yesterday. When their numbers increase I'm going to try the vacuum cleaner for catching them. We'll see if that works.

 

[cattaillady]

My flock size is slowly getting down to the numbers I want to see. 7 pullets sold, about 7 more to go. Hoping to be able to cull the roos next week. Any one need a good flock master? I have some beautiful boys to choose from. All sons of my avatar. They may or may not pass on the blue egg gene.

Yes! I just lost a girl to a coon last weekend, so I'm on a rooster hunt. I'm in Bridgton, but for a good rooster I can travel some. Where are you? Would you have a hen or two to send with him so he has a flock that he knows while he's getting to know my girls?

 

[MavMike]

Hello Mainers. I'm in Scarborough, squeezed in the middle of gorham, saco and buxton. I'm new to the BYC community. Started our venture into the chicken world last month with 6 hens and a roo. They were all 16 weeks when we got them. They've been great and we are getting eggs from 3 hens so far. Wanted to say hello and connect with some other chicken farmers in the area. Hope you're all enjoying the nice weather finally!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Hola, Mike. Welcome to BYC and welcome to chicken keeping.