Surviving Minnesota!

[lvie]

Okay - birds were on their roosts and so was she? I pulled the eggs to put them away. Its all good. She tried and did not like it and walked away.

 

[Cluckies]

I was at Ramsey Feed this past weekend and their birds look to be having mite and eye issues. Not just pullets, older chicks as well. I try not to express any negativity about how other people keep birds - we all do it differently. And I do enjoy going there and the people who work there are very nice. But they have a large pen of pullets full of mites (not for sale) right next to numerous other pens of pullets that are for sale. If they haven't yet, it's only a matter of time before the mites carry on over. It also made me wonder how many people took mites home with them just from walking through there. They should really keep people out of that building and take care of the issue. You'll like this Ralphie, they also sell EE's for $7. They sell them as Ameraucana's, of course. No fault of their own as I'm sure the hatchery sells them as so. I need to start a Farm and Garden store $$$$ =)

Oh no! I didn't go in that building, but yesterday I was in the main building picking up calcium... Don't need no dang mites!

Okay - birds were on their roosts and so was she? I pulled the eggs to put them away. Its all good. She tried and did not like it and walked away.

Guess you can try again next time! lvie, my Gold comet is 3, she lays every day, some days twice. last summer she laid 1 to 2 eggs a day (she was 2, so i'm not sure where they are getting the 30 week thing) all mine layed better last year then the year before. my EE started laying as well, 5 out of 6 days. my others have not started yet, but i'm sure they will soon. I would say they are good layers still. I'll let you know how it goes this summer. I try to keep pretty good records, only the mice got a hold of my egg log book and destroyed a few pages from last fall

I had more stuff marked, but lost it, arghhhhh. but it was good reading!

 

[jerryse]

Anyone growing blueberries ? I bought 2 bushes today plus a PH test kit . Thought a pile of rotted wood chips would be acid enough . Nope tested 7 . Need 4.5 to 5.5 . Looking for ideas that work .

 

[holm25]

I think I have a broody. Well one that's trying to go broody. This pullet had only laid about a dozen eggs! But she didn't get off the nest when I gathered eggs and was still there when's i closed them up! Her Grandma is an amazing broody and her mom never has gone broody and she is a Brahma. But her dad is the Welsummer Australorp rooster I sold last summer.

 

[holm25]

Anyone growing blueberries ? I bought 2 bushes today plus a PH test kit . Thought a pile of rotted wood chips would be acid enough . Nope tested 7 . Need 4.5 to 5.5 . Looking for ideas that work .

Have any Pine trees around you?

 

[jerryse]

Have any Pine trees around you?

No .

 

[holm25]

No .

What about a box of matches lol?

 

[jerryse]

What about a box of matches lol?

Well I see where some claim to have luck planting in a bale of peat . Some say elemental sulphur to acidify the soil . I noticed the wild ones at the lake like to grow in rotted logs . Those are so small . Northern low bush I guess .

 

[holm25]

Well I see where some claim to have luck planting in a bale of peat . Some say elemental sulphur to acidify the soil . I noticed the wild ones at the lake like to grow in rotted logs . Those are so small .  Northern low bush I guess . 

Have you tried planting them in peat? Is there any kind of sulfur additive you can add to so? I am not pro at planting anything but normal garden plants so am VERY little help!

 

[Momof3plustwins]

Well I see where some claim to have luck planting in a bale of peat . Some say elemental sulphur to acidify the soil . I noticed the wild ones at the lake like to grow in rotted logs . Those are so small .  Northern low bush I guess . 

I use Miracle Gro acid loving plants to feed and keep the soil acidic. I am trying to remember what I bought and put around them last summer. I think it was peat moss, maybe, Just google it though. That is what I had to do. Lots of ideas. I also put saw dust around them during the summer months and a lot to insulate them in the fall.