Sally's GF3 thread

[Sally PB]

I got to be Momma jungle gym again today. I shut the coop door to keep the adults out and opened the brooder door, then sat down and waited.

 

[Sally PB]

I watered a lot of stuff in the garden and fertilized the butternut squash plants that look a bit small and pale.

I also squashed a bunch of asparagus beetle larvae on my asparagus. Man, those things are UGLY! Very easy to catch, though. They don't drop off or try to get out of the way.

Hmmm... wonder if the chickens would eat them...? Snip off the frond they're on, catch them in a bucket, and take to the run. I might give that a try.

Many years ago, I almost lost the asparagus. I didn't know what the beetles or the eggs looked like. Then one day, the asparagus plants were covered with these slimy, slug-like things. Ever since then, it's been all out war on them. I feel like I am finally (!) getting ahead on that front.

 

[Sally PB]

Happy Solstice!

 

[Sally PB]

There is a Celtic Festival in Holland, Michigan, this Saturday. My favorite group, Crossbow, will be playing there at 7 pm.

https://hollandcelticfestival.org/

DH and I are going, since it's only 60 miles away.

That might sound far away to some people. Out here, everything is "a ways away," so it doesn't sound far to us.

 

[Sally PB]

The littles are doing well in their part of the coop. I go out at least once a day and shut out the adults, then let the littles out to play.

I am afraid that one of the Bielefelders pullets (I got an extra) is: a) not a Bielefelder, and, b) not a pullet. If she's a pullet, I don't care what breed she is. If he's a cockerel... I most likely cannot keep him. I have a rooster, and he's not going anywhere.

This was a bit of a gut punch, as they all looked like female Bielefelders when I got them as day olds. I haven't had any reason to question until now at 5+ weeks, the comb has popped a bit more than the others. This one has always been slightly smaller than the others, and a bit more of a blonde than a reddish blonde. Now I have to consider leaving the "e" off.

Maybe she's a brown leghorn, with a precocious comb...

 

[NanaK]

I've never had Bielefelders. Cute!

When I start suspecting a cockerel so young, I watch for wattle development along with comb development. Sometimes single comb girls have good size combs young but seems like only the cockerels will show much wattle development young.

I do think this chick has thin looking girly legs.

 

[Sally PB]

I do think this chick has thin looking girly legs

Thank you. I'm sooo hoping I don't have to find a home for a cockerel. I tried to do that three years ago, and couldn't give two 4-month old cockerels away, not even for chicken dinner (some disassembly required).

My husband has said he's happy to eat the eggs, but will have no part of killing or eating any chickens we raise. He has had fresh chicken, and says there's no comparison to store bought.

I've never had fresh chicken. It would be hard for me to eat a bird I've raised. I've had to put 3 down, and it. was. hard. Even when I know it's necessary for peace in the flock.

 

[NanaK]

He has had fresh chicken, and says there's no comparison to store bought.

I wonder if the fresh chicken he ate was an older bird? Also, maybe it could have been cooked a better way? Maybe if it was a young bird cooked properly, he'd feel different?

My DH has an uncle who will only eat store bought eggs. Says he can't eat an egg from the backyard. They are retired and she cooks breakfast often. Sometimes they are our backyard eggs. He's been eating our eggs off and on for several years. She just has to hide the shells. We have blue, tan, and dark brown Marans eggs. None are white. We just don't say anything.

I've never had fresh chicken. It would be hard for me to eat a bird I've raised. I've had to put 3 down, and it. was. hard. Even when I know it's necessary for peace in the flock.

I have eaten home (family) raised birds many times through out my life. Never one I've raised myself.

If I have extra cockerels my husband dispatches them and takes them to his Mom. She loves home raised birds. If I have a bird that has to be put down, he also handles that. I think if I had a bird suffering and he wasn't around I could take care of it. It would be hard.

One day I was going grocery shopping around the same time he was getting some cockerels ready for his Mom. One of the things I was buying at the store that day was chicken. I told myself this makes no sense. Decided I needed to change my thinking. I think the first couple times will be difficult but I'm going to give it a try. I've got to separate my pets (layers) and my food.

 

[Sally PB]

I wonder if the fresh chicken he ate was an older bird? Also, maybe it could have been cooked a better way? Maybe if it was a young bird cooked properly, he'd feel different?

Oh, he meant it was WAAAAAY better than store bought. It was at his grandparents' house when he was a boy. He doesn't have any idea how it was cooked or the age of the bird, but probably a young cockerel, would be my guess.

His grandparents lived on a farm in Alaska. They raised rabbits and chickens, hunted, trapped, and fished.

 

[Sally PB]

When I walked Freya last night, I saw 3 small raccoons run across our driveway.

This morning, I saw evidence of one or more of them trying to dig into my run. The predator apron foiled them. This is the first time I've seen clear evidence of something attempting to get in.

The apron is 18-24 inches wide. I might put another row down. I have a lot of janky old 2x3 welded wire fence that is awaiting a trip to the dump. Digging up a strip of dirt/grass/weeds and burying some fence strips a few inches down might be a good way to use it.

The area between the run and the garage is about 4 feet wide. No grass grows there; not enough light, and lots of foot traffic (me) keeps almost everything out, except some very tenacious weeds. That's where the raccoons tried to dig.

The other side is "the side yard." Right now, due to the extreme drought, the sandy soil is growing only some scraggly looking weeds. The grass has given up. Now would be the time to dig it up, as we haven't needed to mow it.

We're in "extreme" drought now, level 3 of 5. Most of the area around us is in "severe" drought, level 2 of 5. Ionia County is a bulls-eye of extreme drought. Some rain -- maybe? hopefully! -- is in the forecast.