The Old Folks Home

[vehve]

Quote: It will be interesting to see how they handle the winter. They're pretty small birds, especially the pullet, the Sussexes and the Marans will retain heat better with their slightly heftier build. The mutt has a very similar build to our Alhos though, so I think she'll do fine.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

My experience is that the smaller birds tend to do better in the winter here. The bigger birds are very wimpy. The turkens, the skinny leghorns and the banties are generally the first out in the morning, even if it's significantly sub-zero, and stay out most of the day. With few exceptions, the fatties stay in the coop puffed up and will often just sit in the pop door looking at the ground trying to figure out what karmic reason they're paying for to have been born to a Maine farm.

 

[vehve]

My experience is that the smaller birds tend to do better in the winter here. The bigger birds are very wimpy. The turkens, the skinny leghorns and the banties are generally the first out in the morning, even if it's significantly sub-zero, and stay out most of the day. With few exceptions, the fatties stay in the coop puffed up and will often just sit in the pop door looking at the ground trying to figure out what karmic reason they're paying for to have been born to a Maine farm.

Haha, well that would go along with their behavior now. The gamier built birds have a lot more character, though I like Wilma the Maran's personality.

 

[bamadude]

Got 2 silkies and 2 polish today. Im not very excited but oh well. They are starting to grow on me a little tho

 

[vehve]

Got 2 silkies and 2 polish today. Im not very excited but oh well. They are starting to grow on me a little tho

*Sprinkles bama with spraybottle* "Bad bama. No liking featherdusters."

 

[ronott1]

Got 2 silkies and 2 polish today. Im not very excited but oh well. They are starting to grow on me a little tho

Now you need to get a Barby Play house coop for them!

Keep them close to the house--sometimes they need help getting into the coop and figuring out how to get in out of the rain.

 

[bamadude]

If i could spray paint em camo......

 

[Highcotton]

I like cabbage, but so do the bugs that we have all the way up to the first heavy frost.  I haven't tried green beans or peas in cooler months.  I can remember shelling peas and snap beans with my grandmother when I was little.  Purple hull peas are a hot weather crop, I think.......yummmmm............but I digress.....

I want to put some food crops in now, or later in the summer.  I have grown broccoli and it was awesome.  I will likely do that again.  No one here will eat greens (but me) so I am looking for something different.  What kind of beans and peas do you grow in the cooler months?

Wisher, you can always grow radishes. They grow fast and they like the cool weather. Carrots are good planted late August and gathered in January. They are much better than those bought from the store.

 

[vehve]

If i could spray paint em camo......

Like this?

 

[Bunnylady]

Got 2 silkies and 2 polish today. Im not very excited but oh well. They are starting to grow on me a little tho

Oh, the sacrifices we make in the name of domestic tranquility. If it's any consolation, Silkies typically go broody if they just see two rocks near each other; they are more trustworthy than an incubator (though you do have to feed them even when they aren't working). Polish, on the other hand, usually don't go broody at all, so they produce lots of nice big, white eggs (if you like that kind of thing). Because those crests mean they can't see worth beans, they are easily startled (but easy to sneak up on, too!)