Maine

[superchemicalgirl]

Wow, you are hatching like crazy! I did have pretty good luck with shipped eggs, but I want maybe 6 each of 4 different breeds, which isn't very practical.

I love my lone Ancona, - totally flighty, but full of character.

We are sprouting hoop houses here like you are hatching eggs! These cost roughly $1200 each if you do it yourself, but they are very large 20 x 24. We have 2 in the garden that get moved seasonally (pulled with a tractor). Then Jack needed a tractor shed so he built another covered with tarps.
After quarantining chickens in the garden hoop house this winter and seeing how happy they were out there (it seems bright even in the dead of winter), we decided to build another, covered with wire (and plastic for the winter).
The pipes are chain-link fence pipe, bent with a bending jig. I use the term "we" loosely. My only role in building has been standing on the pipe while it is being bent.

Wow those look fantastic! I think the one we'll make though would be out of PVC so it's more easily moved.

I'm jealous of your wide open spaces. I need more land.

And I'm hatching because there's nothing else to do... I've already bought my seeds for spring and it's everything in my power to not start them too early (I do every year, I'm still on Maryland time and I often get fooled by a few days of nice April weather here). I've been dreaming of my summer garden for months. I think a hoop house would help extend my season though...

 

[buckabucka]

A hoop house will definitely extend your season. We had peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes growing late into the fall. This was our first year with hoop houses, and we were a little off on the timing for planting fall spinach and greens. They don't grow much over the winter, although I've been picking small amounts and eating salads on the weekend. We have a lot of land here, but much of it is wooded. Clearing is a big project.

I'm actually planning on starting my onions this weekend from seed. It's nice to have something growing in February. Peppers and eggplant are next month, and then all of a sudden tomatoes and everything else and I'll be overwhelmed.

Good luck on all your hatches!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I'm actually planning on starting my onions this weekend from seed. It's nice to have something growing in February.

Oh I did not need you enticing me with early seed starting! I got my onions from a coworker last year who had started them and had too many to plant. We ran out of our supply about a week and a half ago, and I'm more than ready to plant more of them this year. If I start them this year do I need to have a greenhouse/hoop house or cold frame?

I also am amazed that you still have stuff growing... isn't your ground frozen?

 

[buckabucka]

I was referring to the onions growing in February (indoors), but actually, the greens in the hoop house just started growing again this week! I had not been out there in a week, since I had moved the chickens out. But today, I went looking for a salad and was surprised to see that everything was just a little bigger.

Yes, the ground is frozen, and nothing changed size between November and now (the greens were planted in the fall), but despite freezing hard at night, the greens stay alive and recover.

You can start your onions now, no hoop house involved. I normally wait another week, but not more. I do provide them with a grow light if it is not sunny. And you'll want to trim them back to 5 inches or so when they get tall and stringy. I plant them in the ground around the end of April (covered with reemay in case of a hard frost). The size of your onion greens on June 21st, will determine the size of your onion bulbs come fall.

I can't wait for gardening season and neither can the chickens!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I was referring to the onions growing in February (indoors), but actually, the greens in the hoop house just started growing again this week! I had not been out there in a week, since I had moved the chickens out. But today, I went looking for a salad and was surprised to see that everything was just a little bigger.

Yes, the ground is frozen, and nothing changed size between November and now (the greens were planted in the fall), but despite freezing hard at night, the greens stay alive and recover.

You can start your onions now, no hoop house involved. I normally wait another week, but not more. I do provide them with a grow light if it is not sunny. And you'll want to trim them back to 5 inches or so when they get tall and stringy. I plant them in the ground around the end of April (covered with reemay in case of a hard frost). The size of your onion greens on June 21st, will determine the size of your onion bulbs come fall.

I can't wait for gardening season and neither can the chickens!

Thanks for the info. I've ordered my seeds (same one as last year, found out what type from coworker) and they should be here in time for me to plant indoors in my grow box next weekend. How exciting.

I must have 340968 different types of seeds. I wish I had more room.

 

[hoppy]

mine are standards, no bantams this yr except the silkies/sizzles.

Hoppy - will your BLR Wyandottes be Bantam or Standard size, and will you have any available?

For some reason I stopped getting my subscription notices.

 

[hoppy]

I have 2 free slicky boys to rehome. (smooth feathered sizzles) one is blue and one is black with gold hackles. also have a kinky feathered odd colored pullet for $10. these currently live in 62 degree area so you will need the same.

 

[TayFray!]

I am looking for any hens/pullets or roosters right now! Preferably not just any old layer breed like sex links or comets, etc. But I am looking for leghorns, mottled houdans, silver spangled hamburgs, red caps, anconas, polish, etc. They cannot be chicks, and the lowest age I will take is 2 months! I am looking for singles, pairs, trios, etc. please visit my website for information!
http://www.Tayfraysbarnyard.weebly.com , thanks!!!

 

[Gordonhillfarm]

Hoppy where are they putting the TSC farm day listing on this new format --- I'm sooooooo lost in here now I have set up the first date for TSC to be April 1st we will be doing the farm day the first sunday of every month again at TSC in Wilton -- I herd from Louise that there was interest in having one in march -- I think it will be tooo cold still - but -- if not and anyone wants to set up in march it's the 1st. sunday of the month !!! Can't wait !!! When is the first TSC day in augusta ? Has anyone thought about one in Waterville ? Well hope all is well in everyones part of the world ~~~~ Tammy

 

[TayFray!]

I will be attending most if not all of the swaps in Wilton, and a few in augusta! Since those are the ones closest to me! So whenever the dates are, I need to figure that out, and when the first ones are!