***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[chicksooner]

Please pray for us guys...we just put an application on a house to rent. It would be absolutely perfect for us.

 

[chicksooner]

Yep, I found a squash bug in my greenhouse today!

It's January and I don't have any squash planted except in my seed flats that are just coming up. Jeepers. My chickens were happy to dispose of it for me, however, if I let them in the greenhouse they will also help me dispmudose of all my lettuce, spinach, kale, and broccoli rabe that's growing too. Hmm???

I saw a mud dobber this afternoon. My plan to plant early in the hopes of beating the heat and bugs is apparently not going to work. Especially if you have seen a squash bug already.

 

[artsyrobin]

found a june bug in the feed today.... i don't like heat, i sure hope the forcasters are right that we are going to have mild summer!

for those of you that freerange your extra roosters, do they come into a coop at nite? or are they completely free to come and go?

 

[erinszoo]

Quote: Haven't seen any grasshoppers here yet, just squash bugs and flies in my greenhouse. Ugh.

We've just changed our gardening strategy this year instead of trying to garden through the heat of July and August. We planted fall crops last August which we harvested in October and November and planted winter crops in late September and October. We've harvested broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and kale all winter. I now have lettuce, spinach, broccoli rabe, beets, and more cabbage growing. I have tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, melons, and several kinds of squash in seed flats that we'll transfer out and then build hoop houses over so that we can get a jump on the season and hopefully harvest before the heat sets in. I also planted my potatoes last week because they were sprouting in the storage bin. We're not sure we're completely on track for jumping the seasons completely and figure we'll have to tweek things here and there as we go but there's no way we can water through the relentless heat again this year. There just isn't enough crop that comes from it to make it worth the effort. We'll still probably have okra, melons, a few squash, and the artichokes in the heat but that's not much to worry about. Fingers crossed.

 

[erinszoo]

Quote:
That's our plan too ... I'm hoping the squash bug was a fluke brought out by the unusual warmth but I was sure NOT happy!

 

[mjgigax]

Haven't seen any grasshoppers here yet, just squash bugs and flies in my greenhouse. Ugh.

We've just changed our gardening strategy this year instead of trying to garden through the heat of July and August. We planted fall crops last August which we harvested in October and November and planted winter crops in late September and October. We've harvested broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and kale all winter. I now have lettuce, spinach, broccoli rabe, beets, and more cabbage growing. I have tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, melons, and several kinds of squash in seed flats that we'll transfer out and then build hoop houses over so that we can get a jump on the season and hopefully harvest before the heat sets in. I also planted my potatoes last week because they were sprouting in the storage bin. We're not sure we're completely on track for jumping the seasons completely and figure we'll have to tweek things here and there as we go but there's no way we can water through the relentless heat again this year. There just isn't enough crop that comes from it to make it worth the effort. We'll still probably have okra, melons, a few squash, and the artichokes in the heat but that's not much to worry about. Fingers crossed.

That is a nice plan.

 

[NanaKat]

Okieridge. Oklahoma's protected game statute in full states:
A. Except as otherwise provided, no person may knowingly and willfully by means of any device, molest, injure or kill any species of hawk, falcon, owl, or eagle, their nests, eggs, or young.
B. Birds exempt from this provision are:
1. Any species of hawk or owl in the act of destroying domestic birds or fowl;
2. Any species of hawk, falcon, owl or eagle, except those species prohibited by federal law, when taken by a licensed falconer for use in the practice of falconry, as provided in Section 29-5-206[29-5-206]of this Code

http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusok29_5_410.htm

The important note is 1. If the hawk or owl is in the act of destroying domestic birds or fowl you may kill it. Since you have already lost birds, then if hubby shoots it while it is grabbing another guinea, then he is fine.


Found three new chicks under a broodie in the barn and have three in the hatcher with several more pipped.

 

[Oakieridge]

found a june bug in the feed today.... i don't like heat, i sure hope the forcasters are right that we are going to have mild summer!

for those of you that freerange your extra roosters, do they come into a coop at nite? or are they completely free to come and go?

Mine are free range full time. They have the same option as the guineas to go into the 20x10 dog kennel that has a top on it and roosts for them. I can usually only get 2 or 3 of the 10 roos I have running the yard to go in at night. They prefer the big cedar tree out by the garden the dingle berries!

 

[Oakieridge]

Okieridge. Oklahoma's protected game statute in full states:
A. Except as otherwise provided, no person may knowingly and willfully by means of any device, molest, injure or kill any species of hawk, falcon, owl, or eagle, their nests, eggs, or young.
B. Birds exempt from this provision are:
1. Any species of hawk or owl in the act of destroying domestic birds or fowl;
2. Any species of hawk, falcon, owl or eagle, except those species prohibited by federal law, when taken by a licensed falconer for use in the practice of falconry, as provided in Section 29-5-206[29-5-206]of this Code

http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusok29_5_410.htm

The important note is 1. If the hawk or owl is in the act of destroying domestic birds or fowl you may kill it. Since you have already lost birds, then if hubby shoots it while it is grabbing another guinea, then he is fine.


Found three new chicks under a broodie in the barn and have three in the hatcher with several more pipped.

Hmmm I will have to look into that. I really don't want to shoot it since it does go after other things that are a pest to us like rabbits, mice, snakes, ect But if it comes down to it, then it is good to know we can put it down if that becomes neccessary. DH waited outside last night for 2 hours with is shotgun but never heard anything from the birds or any predators so hoping maybe we scared it the other night. I got only 2 of the 10 roos to go into the pen last night and all but 6 guineas went into the pen so that helped I am sure.

 

[BetsyOK]

I stepped on a caterpillar that was crawling across a blacktop parking lot yesterday. It didn't look like a beneficial type. I was very surprised to see a caterpillar this early. Doesn't bode well for vegetation this year.