Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[itsren]

Hope it works for you! Try it a couple days in a row too, it might take quite a bit of scratching for them to loosen it up enough to easily pick up or rake up the pieces.

Even if it doesn't work, I think they enjoyed it. They almost never get scratch. I'm too cheap. LOL! Although, they got bored and are now back in their favorite part of the yard hanging out again. Silly birds - creatures of habit. I don't think I have enough chickens to do damage to my lawn. Maybe I should get more...

 

[FirewifeJess]

I really need to do some major ccken chores to catch up out there. One of my feed containers I wasn't using got left out in the rain and is filled with mold and poop. Need to bleach and scrub it out, and make a fresh batch of BOSS and oats mixed with scratch. Then we will be cleaning out the whole coop and run today all together. Then have friends coming over!

 

[CarolynF]

Thank you. I'll look into it.

I know it will take work. I love to work outdoors, anyway, so that's fine. I discovered when I left my PVC chicken tractor on the lawn for a while, that it makes a GREAT cage to keep the chickens from getting to that part of the grass. The grass grew really tall and thick where the tractor was. So, now my PVC tractor is going to be used to incrementally repair and reseed small sections of the back yard. Even so - I still don't want a dangerous chemical where my girls play. Since I have a small yard, it shouldn't take too terribly long to get the entire yard looking good again.

Now I'm going to have to go see what the moss killer was that he used in the front yard. I wonder if it was just iron. The moss in the front yard is black now.

Here's a link to a document specifically about dealing with moss in W. Washington provided by Washington Toxics Coalition. It has a lot of good information and ideas. Maybe you'll find something that helps.

 

[itsren]

Here's a link to a document specifically about dealing with moss in W. Washington provided by Washington Toxics Coalition. It has a lot of good information and ideas. Maybe you'll find something that helps.

Thanks! I forwarded it to my husband. Although - the document recommends using fertilizer on the grass - something my husband is going to love to read. Do you guys use that around your chickens? I'm very anti-fertilizer... maybe I'm over-the-top. I guess I don't know enough about the chemicals that are in fertilizer.

ETA: I garden - but I always use compost as my fertilizer. Things usually grow well, as long as we get enough sunshine and I remember to water during dry spells.

 

[motherochickens]

Actually, it's Salmon Faverolles, and Cukoo Marans (even for singular)

Thanks for the corrections!

 

[CarolynF]

 

[Duck Drover]

You should not take Comfrey internally.  It will hurt your liver.  Use it all other ways but do not eat it.  The FDA has banned it for internal use.

Like I said, I do not ingest it myself but some people do. From my understanding they only use it on occasion for digestive upset, not for any length of time that would cause liver damage. I understand being reprimanded by several people for my incorrect spelling of chicken names and my using hatchery names for chickens that have show names but it does become difficult to want to share any information at all when people find it necessary to to correct me for what other people do.

I have also heard that some people rub the leaves against their skin but I only use the root topically (it makes an excellent poultice in the dried ground up form I mainly use) and cut the leaves for fertilizer. The plants can take being cut to the ground and they come right back. The leaves are fuzzy but in a scratchy way so some people chop them up to try to extract the moisture. I just cut a piece of root and use that myself. It can be scraped or put in water as it dries and it makes a sort of gel like aloe. The roots can also be fermented but the leaves ferment faster, especially if they are chopped up first and put in the sun in a covered 5 gallon bucket. Nettles can be made into fertilizer this way also and they are great to use on potatoes.

To propigate Comfrey you can take a large piece of root and cut it into pieces that fit in ice cube trays. Put water in the trays while leaving the top of the root above the waterline and then put the tray on a windowsill. You will have new plants starting in a few days. You can bury pieces of root to grow plants but they start faster in water and then they can be planted in the soil. Comfrey has to be contained unless you want it to take over your entire garden. The more you try to dig it up, the more root pieces you plant.

 

[Slinglings]

Quote: Fortunately chicken manure is a great source of nitrogen and obviously is safe for the chickens. Maybe try to get your DH to top dress the lawn with composted chicken poop? Grass needs a lot of nitrogen to thrive and block out other better suited plants from taking over.

 

[KMHunter]

Quote: I went and took a look at her and I think her hip might be dislocated or sprained. I told him to keep her from moving too much and see if it gets better. But she had been broody and was weak when the other hen jumped on her so I think that is why it hurt her. Nit sure it will heal, but I think I convinced him to give her a chance.

 

[melissaG]

Perhaps it would actually be prudent to let them on the "clean" side of the yard sometimes for moss removal. Will have to consult with DH

Anyone wanna come over and help me clean out my coop today?

Nope, but when you're done there!