Something I would only admit to you!

[thechickenchick]

Ok this story is funny but OH so embarrassing! So that is why I am only telling you, my BYC buddies! As most of you know this is our first flock. Along the outside of our 6 ft privacy fence which also serves as one side of our run, we decided to plant the mammoth sunflowers. We thought they would be pretty, colorful and beings they grow 8 - 10 ft tall they would provide our girls with some shade and possibly a seed or two. Sounds like a great plan, right!?...

So I planted the sunflowers. Well we had a weeks worth of rain. It looked like only a few seeds remained and they were coming up willy-nilly. So I planted another package of regular size sunflowers. When things started to come up we noticed 2 dif kinds of plants. We assumed that was due to the dif breeds of sunflowers. Then we noticed there were WAY more sunflowers coming up then I thought I planted and the smaller ones ,although very healthy just didn't look anything like the large ones. Also in my front flower bed some of the same plants, both sizes, were coming up! I didn't plant any sunflowers there!

Yesterday my hubby and I were staring at those plants and wondering what in the world happened. It dawned on me that being proud new chicken owners we had been excited to have free fertilizer coming out of our...coop!(What did you think I was going to say?! I asked my husband Is it possible there was something they ate coming up in our flower beds? But what? It was only 1other kind of plant, besides what was obviously sunflowers. CORN he said, its corn! How? I only fed them leftover canned corn. Yes, he said but didn't you feed them the last of my bird seed? It had corn AND sunflower seeds in it!

So that explains why I had plants where I didn't plant them and why I have 4 times the amount of sunflowers I planted! Last night I pulled over 60 corn plants out of my flower beds!!

 

[MissPrissy]

You could have replanted the corn in a garden if you had left the roots intact. LOL

 

[Year of the Rooster]

wow, that must have been a surprise. What'd you do with the corn plants? I hope you saved them... FREE CORN!!!

 

[cluckychick]

 

[thechickenchick]

I actually DID replant a few, just to see what might happen. I figured they were a gift from my chickens!

They look a little wilty this morning but I have the water on the garden right now. It would be funny if they made it!

 

[dogzrule5]

This is a very cute and funny story!!! It sounds like something I would do!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Quote:
Which is pretty much telling the world anyway... HAVE YOU SEEN HOW MANY MEMBERS THERE ARE NOW???

 

[pixiechick]

Wow you must have very good dirt! It drives me nuts that I spent time and money putting out sunflower seeds, but the only ones that are coming up are from bird poop. What's the deal?

 

[wegotchickens]

I'd've left the corn among the sunflowers just to see what happened. You could always pull the corn later for the birds to trample and pick at.

My girls have discovered my sunflowers. They can only munch on the bottom blossoms, but I pick some of the mid-way blossoms that have gone to seed for them.
The upper blossoms I'm leaving for a gorgeous black & yellow bird and his mate to munch on. I've seen them every night this week.
Not sure what he is. Keep forgetting to look in my Audabon field guide...

 

[thechickenchick]

I truly considered leaving it. However there were just Way to many plants in one spot. Once I figured out it was corn I decided to let my sunflowers thrive. They are doing better all ready. I will post a pic when they bloom. I did leave a few corn plants in the other bed as not much came up in there any way. I also transplanted a couple corn plants so we will see what happens!