The Old Folks Home

[microchick]

We need rain badly. Everything is browning out right now and it seems as though the rain is dancing around us when it does happen. I think there is a 30% chance for rain today and then 60% Saturday night. We shall see.

My garden is a disaster zone. I was keeping on top of it until we had about three days of rain in a row early last month ad the weeds exploded. My tomatoes dry rotted after that. I think I've got one that I was able to slice for dinner one night and I bought some variation of Roma's mainly for the chickens to eat and they are doing okay. The garden is about 30 feet from the chicken run so I go out and toss little tomatoes through the chain link fence for them. They love to chase down those delicious little red balls.

Then the raccoon destroyed the corn crop. The only think that has done well has been my potatoes and cukes. First time planting spuds and they didn't do too badly. I have about three more plants to dig but the tops died off about a week ago. I've been putting the little ones in a green beans and they melt in your mouth.

About half of my onions survived the early wet/cold spell we had. The ones that survived did quite well. Some are soft ball sized. I told DH that I'm debating whether or not to even do a garden next year or do one and just grown onions, potatoes and butternut squash. A year off does sound tempting but we enjoy the fresh veggies so much.

Buck has always been a bit unpredictable with the birds. He loves to watch the chickens and many times I'll find him in the entranceway of the coop with his nose against the hardware cloth on the door just watching them. What's even funnier is I've gone out there and found three or four hens on the other side with their beaks against the screen, watching him back.

Here's my bad boy enjoying his first snow. He is a happy dog and always ready for an adventure.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I was thinking of installing vinyl flooring in the coop.

 

[getaclue]

Cap, that is a good solution. A few years ago, I needed a few cages. I built my own, and they turned out good. I had looked at the trays, like in the dog kennels, for the bottoms. They were cost prohibitive. I was meandering through the hardware store, and found a good quality, easy to clean, not too slick so the little ones wouldn't be sliding around, vinyl flooring. It was decently priced, so that is what I got. It's worked just fine.

 

[Latestarter]

Finally got some rain here worthy of mention. We've been told we were going to get some but it's been all around me and none here. At sundown, the clouds seemed to be building so I decided it was a good time to go to the PO and check my box, do a little shopping and go out for some dinner. That did the trick. We got about an inch and 1/8th over about an hour. Not enough to cause serious run off and over a long enough period to allow most of it to sink in.

Good to see your coop was above high water there Clue. That could have been very bad. But knowing FL, I'm sure the grass loved the bath! Gonna need to mow soon because of it I'll bet

Grats on the new coops Wicked, they look nice! I need to get off my duff and start building a coop so I can get back into poultry next spring. I left all of mine in CO with the buyer when I moved here to TX.

What a great looking dog Micro! He sure looks happy Glad your BO didn't end up a doggie treat.

So SCG, did the pie help the issue you had after eating those ribs? I LOVE blueberry pie... it's about the only pie I'll eat. Best warm with some vanilla ice cream I also happen to love ribs, so next time I plan to have them I may look into getting a blueberry pie to follow them up with.

I had to laugh at the parakeet story Deb. That must have been hilarious AFTER the fact. Just picturing that parakeet strutting around muttering with moist, ruffled feathers.

Capricorn... if the cat walked away from a direct hit, you obviously didn't throw that can hard enough So it cost him one of his nine... I love watching the youtube videos of cats doing dumb stuff.

 

[pennyJo1960]

think I need to borrow the coin can trick in the house more forgot it but water bottle are not working on some

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I had a guinea keet escape the brooder and fly right past my Shepherds nose! Thought that bird was doomed, but i managed to catch it. Thanks goodness the guinea tractor is almost finished!

Aren't they crazy? Mine are at the point that I'm starting to sex them (3 opaline/white females so far...lol) and they're flying and roosting on the top of the wall that separates the back section from the front. Then they're flying down on the side of the hens and getting a rude awakening. Then they lose their mind running back and forth along the wall trying to figure out how to get back on their side.

From tomorrow on I will be home (sort of) so I'll set it up they can start venturing through the doorway and mingle.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

@Wickedchicken6



New coooooooooooops!!!!!!

(I know! Eeek!) I still can't quite believe they're in our yard. I still feel sickish about buying them, just like when we buy a vehicle. Eventually the feeling will go away...lol. It's not like I couldn't sell them IF needed. They were on a great sale...we saved about $500 on the two of them. My feed just went up $2/bag. These could be $500 more next year. I keep telling myself it's a good thing. I have issues...lol.

stall mats are heavy at least a hundred pounds.... four feet by six feet though and can be cut with a box knife and a straight edge I want to do the floor of my chicken house with them.

You want me to do work! I was hoping to get the exact size to fit.

I have stall mats in my coop. They will not budge.

They are, however, good insulation in the winter.

Stall mats in my coop, too. Love 'em!

I looked in the equine section for stall mats after posting on here...and they're not the right size. So I went looking in the miscellaneous section of the farming stuff and found rubber utility mats in the size I want (I've got to measure to make sure.) They are 1/4 inch thick, so much lighter for me to handle and cheaper, which I like very much. I'll look into these today...lol.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

We need rain badly. Everything is browning out right now and it seems as though the rain is dancing around us when it does happen. I think there is a 30% chance for rain today and then 60% Saturday night. We shall see.

My garden is a disaster zone. I was keeping on top of it until we had about three days of rain in a row early last month ad the weeds exploded. My tomatoes dry rotted after that. I think I've got one that I was able to slice for dinner one night and I bought some variation of Roma's mainly for the chickens to eat and they are doing okay. The garden is about 30 feet from the chicken run so I go out and toss little tomatoes through the chain link fence for them. They love to chase down those delicious little red balls.

Then the raccoon destroyed the corn crop. The only think that has done well has been my potatoes and cukes. First time planting spuds and they didn't do too badly. I have about three more plants to dig but the tops died off about a week ago. I've been putting the little ones in a green beans and they melt in your mouth.

About half of my onions survived the early wet/cold spell we had. The ones that survived did quite well. Some are soft ball sized. I told DH that I'm debating whether or not to even do a garden next year or do one and just grown onions, potatoes and butternut squash. A year off does sound tempting but we enjoy the fresh veggies so much.

Buck has always been a bit unpredictable with the birds. He loves to watch the chickens and many times I'll find him in the entranceway of the coop with his nose against the hardware cloth on the door just watching them. What's even funnier is I've gone out there and found three or four hens on the other side with their beaks against the screen, watching him back.

Here's my bad boy enjoying his first snow. He is a happy dog and always ready for an adventure.

I'm sorry to hear about your garden, micro. I want to tap into Buck's obvious energy...lol. Lovely dog!

I was thinking of installing vinyl flooring in the coop.

Cap, that is a good solution. A few years ago, I needed a few cages. I built my own, and they turned out good. I had looked at the trays, like in the dog kennels, for the bottoms. They were cost prohibitive. I was meandering through the hardware store, and found a good quality, easy to clean, not too slick so the little ones wouldn't be sliding around, vinyl flooring. It was decently priced, so that is what I got. It's worked just fine.

I have/had vinyl flooring in my brooder. I really like it! But part of it's ripped now, we use the shovels and hoe to clean it out. It'll have to get replaced when we can get around to it.

 

[microchick]

Everybody keeps talking about ribs. Makes me hungry for the ribs they serve at a restaurant in Macon MO called JJ's. They aren't exactly barbeque but they are covered in this delicious rub and then grilled till the meat is almost falling off the bone. They give you a whole baby back rack and call it a serving. I'm always asking for a doggy bag.

My juveniles are driving me nutz also. The ones that have graduated from the grow out pen want back in there the minute I let them loose in the morning. They spend the day running up and down the fence line. Oh well at least they are getting exercise.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I have not even been working outside today and i am dehydrated and tired anyway. It is 90 degrees here now, you would think it might cool down a bit! Maybe i can drag myself out to try and finish the guinea tractor. Or work on the next coop wall. Feel like i am low on B vitamins, maybe i need a shot.
Got two more tomato plants today to stick in the garden. I could not believe the prices they are charging for rose bushes! Used to be you could get a nice rose bush for $10. Now half price is $15!