The Old Folks Home

[superchemicalgirl]

No, but I started seeds on Jan 1 and transplanted the tomatoes today. 'Course I'm a bit south of you.

Holy Moly. Will you get tomatoes all the way though September? Or will they spontaneously catch on fire in the July heat down there?

 

[insanity]

Anyone else starting seeds now? About all I can do right now is my storage onions... but in another month should be able to start tomatoes and peppers!

I started my beans, corn, and melons last week. Our season is to short for the longer crops otherwise.

 

[drumstick diva]

They are predicting 6 inches of snow tomorrow night into Tuesday, so won't be planting here for a long time. Usually June 15, you can still get off and on days of frost. Ugh!! At least now when we get snow, it pretty much gets sunny the next days and melts alot of it.

 

[tick22]

Hello to my fellow old peeps and young ones...


Nice day yesterday and a bit brisk today. Got lots done both days and the animals are loving the no rain days.

Still so much to do because of all the rain. Seeds started inside but am holding off outside planting for a while longer. 2 years ago a late frost wiped us out and so now, I wait til the end of March unless the weather has been awesome, which of course it has not been. Another cold spell is hitting us...

.
Nothing like the North but still slowing down the planting and major projects....

Possible rain on Tues, I really hope not...

Things are just start to dry out nicely. If tomorrow is not too cold, I have to re-level the corral and coops.... Yes, both have nice ditches and high spots I need to even out...



Been hard but I have fought chicken math (maybe not since biddies don't count) or at least adding some fuzzy butts. We have enough chickens but they are so cute. Our little dog Rat just loves to gather them up as they escape and pulls them to her side. or if she can jump in the box and lay with them.... Rat is like that with our Finches as well. If one escapes while we clean the big cage, she will find them and if she can will cuddle them. The little Finch does not like that but what can it do...



Expecting the teenagers to start laying by early next month to the next one. 21 weeks to 18 weeks so by June all should be up and laying.... Looks like all 19 are hens....

Hope everyone had a nice weekend...

 

[Wisher1000]

Our little dog Rat just loves to gather them up as they escape and pulls them to her side. or if she can jump in the box and lay with them.... Rat is like that with our Finches as well. If one escapes while we clean the big cage, she will find them and if she can will cuddle them. The little Finch does not like that but what can it do...
21 weeks to 18 weeks so by June all should be up and laying.... Looks like all 19 are hens....

Tick - What kind of dog is rat? I have a small house dog that wants to eat every chicken she sees, and 19 pullets? How the heck did you manage that?

 

[KnobbyOaks]

Holy Moly. Will you get tomatoes all the way though September? Or will they spontaneously catch on fire in the July heat down there?

Not exactly catch on fire but they do stop producing when the nighttime temperatures get too high for them to set fruit. Then as the heat nears 100 during the day, it's hard to keep the bushes hydrated. So pretty much they just burn up. BUT during the time before that, lots of great tasting home-grown tomatoes. Then in August you get to plant a fall planting of tomatoes, just not as prolific. Can you say, fried green tomatoes?

 

[tick22]

Chloe aka The Rat, is a Yorkie pom mix. That is her in My avatar picture... My other dog, Hoss is a Black and Tan hound. Great watch dog, heck both are great watch dogs. They both get alone with all the animals here which is great. Was worried about Hoss since we got him as a puppy a while back...



We had a great broody fall. 5 hens went broody about the same time within a month. Chicks born Mid Oct through Mid Nov.. That is rare for us because we normally get one or 2 a year go broody during the summer. it may have been a last hurray since except for the normal 2, the other 3 are older. Thought they were about ready for retirement... Kind of like us here, old but still kind of useful...

 

[gryeyes]

Both Beth and Punkin, my inside-at-night pullets are laying! Because I am a late sleeper (night owl) they each have laid their eggs inside the house before I am up and about. Beth has laid twice in the clean laundry basket in the bathroom (holds plankets and linens) and Punkin laid once in the middle of the office floor and the second time in the dog bed. Uhh, the dogs have never slept in it, but Lizbeth the cat likes it when the sofa gets too busy in the evening.

The pullets have their own night roost in the office. As soon as I get up, I open the door from the office and they go out on the deck and out into the empty, fenced garden. After I'm dressed and awake, I go do chores, letting them out of the garden to join the rest of the flock all day.

I think it's interesting both girls started laying within two days of each other, even though my other Orps have usually been older before they start to lay.

I made the Baked Eggs Chicken Treat last night and fed it to my flock today. What a hit! Couple of days ago, HHandbasket had scored cauliflower leaves and bits, plus cucumber peels, from some winery event food prep and she shared the bounty with me. The ducks and geese were in heaven.

I went looking for secret nests today and discovered I'm gonna have to chase two ducks off their nests to remove the sneaky hens' eggs laid in them.

 

[drumstick diva]

gryeyes- You're a late sleeper! I'm a night person too, usually go to bed 4 or 5 am and then sleep till 3 or 4 pm. On days I am not leaving the house it's okay but, boy when I have to arise early on the other days - not so much.

Maybe we are psychic twins, what shape is your head??

 

[gryeyes]

gryeyes-  You're a late sleeper!    I'm a night person too, usually go to bed 4 or 5 am  and then sleep  till 3 or 4 pm.     On days I am not leaving the house it's okay  but, boy    when I have to arise early on the other days -  not so much.

 Maybe we are psychic twins,  what shape is your head??

Luckily, I don't need to leave the property that often... I AM trying to dress when I get up through, because chores in my nightshirt are not a problem for me but my neighbors keep thinking I am ill. Nah, just comfy.

When I was bald during cancer treatment folks reassured me the shape of my head is nice - "You're a good bald!" but never mentioned the actual shape. Not even the three lumpy bits that make me think I was supposed to grow horns.....