Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[dheltzel]

This is awesome, thank you so much! I didn't realize about the specific mulching and i needed reminded that plants need water throughout the winter...it is a very easy fact to forget!...I have lost large canes on my climbing rose because of this "wind burn"...will try to remember ! Thank you again for taking the time!

Tall canes like your roses do best when you detach them from the trellis after everything freezes and lay them on the ground. Loose leaves are an ideal protection for rose canes, though "professionals" use burlap to wrap them. The idea is to reduce the drying effects of wind on the canes when the ground is frozen and therefore the roots can't extract liquid water to send up to the canes. Wind can "freeze dry" the canes if the ground is frozen but the canes are not, like on a sunny day that warms the canes up above freezing.

 

[BullChick]

Well, Stake, you were right. I am missing a bird.
I wish I could say what happened. Rather how. The flock was locked up last night. Surely no one doubts that I would lock up the flock.
I had checked for an entry point, but I didn't look everywhere once I found the screen door torn open. I thought I had completely checked that side of the run though.
Another girl was found. She is pulled through. I had to of missed her body yesterday. First, she would have been able to get out last night. She couldn't. Plus she would have had to have a reason. The teens are still relying on the ducks. I can't see her suddenly wanting to walk away alone.
I will stop trying to explain the inexplicable. But there is another oddity. There is a cockerel still alive. One boy, one girl. A girl is missing.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

So, before the winter? I have to move slow so my husband doesn't freak out. I need time for him to warm up to the idea.

You could bring him over to the farm to meet Pilgrim and the girls.

Yeah, I would like to trim the flock size down before everyone has to move into more substantial structures for the winter.

That's would backfire I think. He can't even handle a little chicken poo on his shoes... I'll try to start greasing the wheels and see how it goes from there.

 

[dheltzel]

That's would backfire I think. He can't even handle a little chicken poo on his shoes... I'll try to start greasing the wheels and see how it goes from there.

Don't call it "chicken poo", always refer to it as "free, organic fertilizer".

I like to take the brooder "output" with wood shavings and make a big compost pile. Almost nothing makes wood chips rot fast, but "chicken poo" can do it. Next Spring that pile will be great compost. The bigger pens just get spread around the cornfields. I can't think of a better fertilizer for corn than manure, and poultry manure, being extra high in nitrogen (N) is perfect for heavy feeders like corn. Farmers uses to inject straight Urea (the smelly part of urine and bird poop) directly into the soil near the corn roots, it's that good for them. It is very hard to overfertilize corn, you hear about burning plants with fresh manure, but unless you cover up the seedlings, I have never heard of corn getting "burned" by fresh manure.

So start promoting the natural benefits of that chicken poo. If it gets on his shoes, he's just become part of the fertilizer distribution system on your new property.

 

[LearninMyFlock]

hahaha...tell me about it ...
Thank you  for the info.!!
okay, you actually cover yours... most of what I have read is to cover just to help keep debris out, letting air flow...that is why it always has to stay under/covered by the liquid....
Have you ever had a lid come off??, I guess that would be incredible if it did... only dumb question is one not asked...  
Could I use a quart jar for a tester?..

yes. You could use a quart jar for a tester. That is what it is made in. Pack your raw cabbage in the jar, make hole add salt and put boil water. Turn the ring on really tight. The ring stays on till you use it. You can even use glass mayo jars with their lids or any jars you save that have lids. Rings can get rusty somehow from the fermenting. I've never had a lid come off. I've never had any problems with it except for the time the lids were not turned really tight them it mold/spoiled on top. That's when it drove home point make sure real tight. Unless you want to speed up process you let rings a bit loose but I dont know how long cuz I never did that. I do it all in one easy step and my sauerkraut is started and canned in one easy step. I put it on the shelves right away. I put something under it in case if it decides to make a mess but I think the only time made a mess was when the lids weren't tight. Hope it works for you and you enjoy it's so easy that I never tried the complicated (to me) crock method.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Well, Stake, you were right. I am missing a bird.
I wish I could say what happened. Rather how. The flock was locked up last night. Surely no one doubts that I would lock up the flock.
I had checked for an entry point, but I didn't look everywhere once I found the screen door torn open. I thought I had completely checked that side of the run though.
Another girl was found. She is pulled through. I had to of missed her body yesterday. First, she would have been able to get out last night.  She couldn't. Plus she would have had to have a reason. The teens are still relying on the ducks. I can't see her suddenly wanting to walk away alone.
I will stop trying to explain the inexplicable. But there is another oddity. There is a cockerel still alive. One boy, one girl. A girl is missing.

That stinks. Hope you can fix the problem before anything else happens to the flock.

 

[TillyPeeps]

I was very busy packing my house last few days. It's very interesting that "grey" egg from Molly changed color to olive. I find a thin layer melting on the surface left some liquid on it, and this thin layer is the grey coating slowly disappearing . Must be something strange happened to the 1st egg. Her later eggs are all beautiful olive color, although she's not smart enough to lay in nesting box so most her eggs were destroyed on the ground.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Don't call it "chicken poo", always refer to it as "free, organic fertilizer".

I like to take the brooder "output" with wood shavings and make a big compost pile. Almost nothing makes wood chips rot fast, but "chicken poo" can do it. Next Spring that pile will be great compost. The bigger pens just get spread around the cornfields. I can't think of a better fertilizer for corn than manure, and poultry manure, being extra high in nitrogen (N) is perfect for heavy feeders like corn. Farmers uses to inject straight Urea (the smelly part of urine and bird poop) directly into the soil near the corn roots, it's that good for them. It is very hard to overfertilize corn, you hear about burning plants with fresh manure, but unless you cover up the seedlings, I have never heard of corn getting "burned" by fresh manure.

So start promoting the natural benefits of that chicken poo. If it gets on his shoes, he's just become part of the fertilizer distribution system on your new property.

Part of the reasons to keep chickens is for the free organic fertilizer. I told hubby how sad I'm about losing my chickens. He said: Don't worry, they will bring some eggs to us, and we still can see the girls a few times every year. Me: But I will not get my fertilizer any more. Him: So you are actually sad about no more chicken poop?

 

[BullChick]

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

That's would backfire I think. He can't even handle a little chicken poo on his shoes... I'll try to start greasing the wheels and see how it goes from there.

Don't call it "chicken poo", always refer to it as "free, organic fertilizer".

I like to take the brooder "output" with wood shavings and make a big compost pile. Almost nothing makes wood chips rot fast, but "chicken poo" can do it. Next Spring that pile will be great compost. The bigger pens just get spread around the cornfields. I can't think of a better fertilizer for corn than manure, and poultry manure, being extra high in nitrogen (N) is perfect for heavy feeders like corn. Farmers uses to inject straight Urea (the smelly part of urine and bird poop) directly into the soil near the corn roots, it's that good for them. It is very hard to overfertilize corn, you hear about burning plants with fresh manure, but unless you cover up the seedlings, I have never heard of corn getting "burned" by fresh manure.

So start promoting the natural benefits of that chicken poo. If it gets on his shoes, he's just become part of the fertilizer distribution system on your new property.

Haha, I'll have to work on that. He's truly a city boy, born in Philly. Also, he didn't grow up with any pets beyond Guinea pigs and fish, so his poo exposure has been minimal. Ha! He's getting better. Maybe I can talk him into a trip to see the turkeys, I'll keep you posted to see if turkey tending would be a possibility.

I was very busy packing my house last few days. It's very interesting that "grey" egg from Molly changed color to olive. I find a thin layer melting on the surface left some liquid on it, and this thin layer is the grey coating slowly disappearing . Must be something strange happened to the 1st egg. Her later eggs are all beautiful olive color, although she's not smart enough to lay in nesting box so most her eggs were destroyed on the ground.

I wonder if maybe she had extra bloom on the first egg?

Don't call it "chicken poo", always refer to it as "free, organic fertilizer".

I like to take the brooder "output" with wood shavings and make a big compost pile. Almost nothing makes wood chips rot fast, but "chicken poo" can do it. Next Spring that pile will be great compost. The bigger pens just get spread around the cornfields. I can't think of a better fertilizer for corn than manure, and poultry manure, being extra high in nitrogen (N) is perfect for heavy feeders like corn. Farmers uses to inject straight Urea (the smelly part of urine and bird poop) directly into the soil near the corn roots, it's that good for them. It is very hard to overfertilize corn, you hear about burning plants with fresh manure, but unless you cover up the seedlings, I have never heard of corn getting "burned" by fresh manure.

So start promoting the natural benefits of that chicken poo. If it gets on his shoes, he's just become part of the fertilizer distribution system on your new property.

Part of the reasons to keep chickens is for the free organic fertilizer. I told hubby how sad I'm about losing my chickens. He said: Don't worry, they will bring some eggs to us, and we still can see the girls a few times every year. Me: But I will not get my fertilizer any more. Him: So you are actually sad about no more chicken poop?

Only in the chicken forum...