NY chicken lover!!!!

[armorfirelady]

Rancher you were the one who gave me the idea about the milk cartons. I love repurposing stuff

 

[marquisella]

I'm going to take a vote because I came across another coop that Iike for my Orps. Now keep in mind, these guys will be free ranging every day, so these coops will be a sleeping quarters only along with "shelter" from the rain, snow etc. Which one do you like better?

http://cconly.com/coop__hutches/cc-18_series - Coop Only, No run.

Or this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Overall-69x...882?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20d957d67a

The first one, from CCOnly, is what the ducks are in right now. That was my first original coop that I started with and before I got the new larger coop, I had Gru and the 3 hens in there and there was plenty of space for each of them at night. Pictures are hard to go by an that's why I need opinions on the 1st one as well. Looks small in the pictures but the measurements are larger than the 2nd.

Rule of thumb, you need 4 square feet for large fowl, 3 for banties. So if your coop is 4 by 4 feet, thats 16 square feet, so it would be ok for 4 large fowl.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I use horse manure and there are differing opinions on the weed thing. However if it's composted properly the heat of the process should kill any seeds. I do use raised beds though. It makes weeding easier. Of course a good mulch always helps. I used cardboard collected from the school. Keeping in mind to not use it fresh from the source. Spread in the fall a good winters snow should help. I'm a big fan of raised bed gardening. Maintenance is so much easier.

I LOVE your raised beds. I would love to have some. I may have to try in the future. This year I'm going bigger and can't wait! What do you use the milk jugs for? Are they for watering?

I have used horse manure in the past. The hens do love to dig thru it. And yes I did have a lot of weeds last year which I figured was from the manure. I will still use it if its free again on craigs list though. I need to save cardboard like Rancher suggested tho. That might just do the trick of keeping the weeds down. I have been saving milk jugs to use this spring for new plants & am going to try planting some plants in hay bales also. I saw it in a magazine & it said you could start earlier. Might as well reuse those bales that around the coop as long as I have them

I've been thinking about the cardboard too. A month ago I was on YouTube, and saw as guy putting cardboard all over his garden then covering it with straw to prep it for winter. I was thinking about something like that. I also have been thinking about putting in a cover crop next fall. I was going to do it this last fall, but never got to it. I try a new plant for 3 years if by then I don't have any success then I stop. I'm planning on using some straw bale gardens this year for some watermelon and cantaloupe. I thought that I'd try them this way cause this will be the last year that I plant them. Getting so excited to get out in the garden!

You know....I just have to say...upon moving to NY from CT back in 2008, not a year goes by that I don't experience an act of kindness that makes me happy I moved here. The town I came from was small - everybody knows everybody kind of town. People there can be snotty and are all out for themselves, can care less to help others. Well every time I make a trip to CT, if I'm looking for something at that moment in time I always post on the CT thread on here. I'll jump over there and ask if anyone has any of this or that or knows of anyone who does because I'm coming down there from this date to this date. And not only do I post what I'm looking for, but I've also posted things for sale or for others in case someone down there was looking to purchase. ALL 3 times, not a single response to any of my posts! Not even an acknowledgment! Like if I post here, at least someone will chime in and say something in response. CT I feel like they skip right over my post and carry on. Like they're too good to answer to me. Just makes me so mad. So I'm done doing that ever again. And in the meantime still loving my new NY "family".

I'm glad that you're a New Yorker now! Life has a way of putting you where you belong! This NY Family is happy to have you.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Stupid computer and stupid website. I have lost 3 messages trying to post them lets see if this one works

Sorry I guess that they worked after all

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Nighty night

 

[armorfirelady]

.

I used a cover crop last year for the first time. The hard part was keeping the girls out But once it got established and I had to take the electric netting down the girls did enjoy munching on the cover crop. When we have had a few nice days I have shoveled an area in the garden and the scratch under the leaves for any cover crop remaining.

 

[rancher hicks]

I use it for my garden made my tomatoes grow like 6' I have chives peppermint and spearamint strawberrys then my vegies I plant usaly tomatoe potatoe carrot if they grow hot peppers tryed corn last year didn't do good I am going to expand it so I can get a few more rows I have chicken wire around it to keep wildllife out
I love garlic but had trouble last few times I tried
I just planted hazelnut bushes I have blueberrys and sugar sweet cherries they young and not produced yet I grow lavendar to to keep bugs and mice away from house I want toget some of those fruit cocktail tree multi pear and apple have to order I would like to get some bamboo plants growing for the poles and make a roof for my garden

there are two types of tomatoes. Determinate and indeterminate. Determinate grow on so far and then quit. Indeterminate continue to grow live a vine. Tomatoes are a tropical plant.

 

[rancher hicks]

Rancher you were the one who gave me the idea about the milk cartons. I love repurposing stuff

Me too. I wish I had a truck and I'd be like my neighbor with all those pallets. I have one neighbor who built himself a nice rustic garden shed. I hate things going to waste. I'm working on a bunch of tires dumped in my woods.

They actually sell plant covers that look similar to milk jugs. I'm like , why would you buy them, when you can get them for free?

 

[dragonlord483]

from tjmax

Todays eggs not bad 5 out of6 one is light brown