NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

My gardens were not good this year. Last year we had great kale, Swiss chard, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. This year none of that. I put it down to soil fertility, and rabbits. So have been dumping the gleanings from the poop board into the gardens and will continue to do so until Feb first, when I will revert to composting. Till it in and plant in the spring, hoping for a better year. The rabbits, are still under consideration.

Two thing?

1. I use things like this and the rabbits don't seem to get over them. Of course my garden down have 2' poultry wire behind the rustic fencing too.



B. this year I mowed the leaves and all and dumped them in my raised beds. For the garlic I put down a layer of compost and then planted and added another layer of leave/grass clipping. Though not every year is great. My best year was with lots of horse manure in each bed. I haven't gotten any this year. Anyhow I filled the beds and then stapled the plastic over it. I'll add some compost in the spring and plant. Even if you don't do raised beds you can always pile the leaf/grass clippings along your rows and then cover with plastic weighted down.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

Probably a silly question, but why do u cover ur beds with black plastic?

 

[PhoredaBurds]

Well, I just about give up. The seller reshipped me chicks yesterday, express overnight guaranteed again, and guess what? They aren't here today. Again.

Ugh, so frustrating! Thank goodness tomorrow is not a holiday!

 

[PhoredaBurds]

That is a prime example why it is so important to halter break them early cause it s harder when you don't have the added benefit of their desire to follow their mom. I don't think that the foal would be in too much danger from the others as long as there is a fence between them. Where the problem lies is the trouble that the foal can get into by himself. He can get himself caught up somewhere and panic and get himself hurt. He can be trained, but it will be a little harder now.

The other issue is that foal's future. Without early handling and training, it may be difficult to teach him proper manners. While this may be cute in a little foal, it can be irritating or even dangerous in a thousand pound horse. When/if that horse needs a new home it will be tougher to find humans that are willing to put up with that. Hope they start working with him soon.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

The other issue is that foal's future. Without early handling and training, it may be difficult to teach him proper manners. While this may be cute in a little foal, it can be irritating or even dangerous in a thousand pound horse. When/if that horse needs a new home it will be tougher to find humans that are willing to put up with that. Hope they start working with him soon.

As of now they have done nothing with the foal. I was on my own with the horses this weekend and I wanted to scream. So my husband came over and put fencing up to make an alley way of sorts. It works for now but seriously. That's such a waste of a horse. He's a registered German Riding horse. Absolutely beauty with great blood line, but he's an ***. Not his fault I know. Have any of you ever heard of Equine Affair?

 

[Chicken girl 15]

I

Two thing? 1. I use things like this and the rabbits don't seem to get over them. Of course my garden down have 2' poultry wire behind the rustic fencing too. B. this year I mowed the leaves and all and dumped them in my raised beds. For the garlic I put down a layer of compost and then planted and added another layer of leave/grass clipping. Though not every year is great. My best year was with lots of horse manure in each bed. I haven't gotten any this year. Anyhow I filled the beds and then stapled the plastic over it. I'll add some compost in the spring and plant. Even if you don't do raised beds you can always pile the leaf/grass clippings along your rows and then cover with plastic weighted down.

tried raised beds this year. I loved it , hubby not so much. He thinks a garden needs tilled every spring. I would prefer to just toss everything in and let it simmer all winter. Mix it with a how or shovel come spring and plant.

 

[BakerzDozen]

Well, I just about give up. The seller reshipped me chicks yesterday, express overnight guaranteed again, and guess what? They aren't here today. Again.

OMG...not again. I hope things work out better this time.

 

[BakerzDozen]

I haven't tried kale in my eggs, but I do like spinach on occasion.

Just a quick update on my sister. She was all set to come home on Friday, but Thursday night her lung collapsed again. It was at that point that they decided they needed to operate. So Saturday morning they went in and removed the section of her lung that was causing the problems. Her and the baby made it through just fine. If everything looks good on the x-rays this afternoon she will be able to come home this evening! She has been in the hospital for a week now and is very ready to come home. 

On Chicken related news. The 2 chicks that hatched are doing good and are happily co-existing now. It also looks like one is going to have frizzled feathers.

Going to finish processing the last of the sold turkeys tomorrow. There will be a few hens left over that I have someone that wants them for one of his toms, then I will be done with turkeys...They were alright, but the kids got scared of them. Both of the kids got attacked by the toms and I can't have that. So on nice days when the kids wanted to play outside I had to keep the turkeys locked up and I hate having to keep them cooped up when they should be out enjoying free ranging... So after they are all gone I will have an empty hoop coop that I'm going to have to find some thing to put in there 

Happy to hear about your sisters recovery that really must have been awful. I hope things continue to improve for her. Much positive thoughts headed your way for her and the baby for their continued improvement.

 

[rancher hicks]

Probably a silly question, but why do u cover ur beds with black plastic?

The black plastic helps to "heat" the leaf/grass clipping underneath and break things down. In spring I'll add compost and plant the plastic helps warm the soil for early planting.

I
tried raised beds this year. I loved it , hubby not so much. He thinks a garden needs tilled every spring. I would prefer to just toss everything in and let it simmer all winter. Mix it with a how or shovel come spring and plant.

I've been reading about no till gardening. It's believed that the tilling upsets the organisms that work in the soil to break down nutrients, so limiting the tilling is best. I read so many magazines and can't afford them all I can't remember which magazine it was in. (We go to B&N and sit there reading, but I only buy magazines with two or more articles I need)

My raised beds are 4X4 or 2X4 for my personal choice. Raised beds can be much longer and your hubby can till them. You can even use 2x4's. The purpose is the keep that section from being walked on.

I like them because I just have to weed the beds and use the weed whacker to clean up in between. Weeds that I pull come right up. It also allows me to control the soil.

Of course I'm not feeding a family of 6 so I can do with not so many beds.

Our yard was filled with hard fill. There are huge chunks of cement and tarvia that I can not dig out. A friend came with a tiller and a rock got stuck in it. You've seen these pictures? People think, "oh I'll just fill it in with hard fill and then go over it with topsoil." Then the new person buys the place and can't understand why the can't plant a shrub or tree.

Not to mention the drainage problem hard fill can create. I had to use a pickaxe to dig some holes. I could go on but I'll spare you.

Also "Jeopardy" is coming on.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

As of now they have done nothing with the foal. I was on my own with the horses this weekend and I wanted to scream. So my husband came over and put fencing up to make an alley way of sorts. It works for now but seriously. That's such a waste of a horse. He's a registered German Riding horse. Absolutely beauty with great blood line, but he's an ***. Not his fault I know. Have any of you ever heard of Equine Affair?

Is Equine Affair the event held in Springfield, MA where they have the Big E? If so, yep, went a few years ago w my sis. It was fun. If not, then no I don't know, what is it?
Regarding horse training, there's a couple that raises Haflingers not far from me & they leave the foals out w their moms & don't even touch them till after they're weaned. Then training doesn't start until they're well over a year or two old when they're sent off to the Amish to be trained. Those geldings do alright. They're not very people oriented, but they're not dangerous either. Probably helps that the Haflingers by nature are very gentle horses. Suppose there are different theories on how to train a horse.