Washingtonians

[Stumpfarmer]

Having to feed cats, dogs, two batches of chicks (tomorrow they'll both be in the hall bathroom, finally) and sheep (who gets alfalfa pellets in the evening) and deal with the laundry I started earlier undid my plan to write tonight, oh, weel.

And thus to bed after checking Email.

 

[justbugged]

Quote:
he's aware, I hope, that "Hot" manure will most likely kill anything he puts it on ....

if he's wanting to fertilize his garden, aged is better

my old neighbor raised an incredible garden using overwintered sheep barn muckings, and kelp from the beach

I had good luck with a local stable, got permission to dig their year-old muck pile, they use pine shavings in their barns, so there was NO smell at all
(one of my neighbors here kept her horse there, so she told them to let me have anything that had come out of "her" stall ... LOL)

I got a bunch of fresh cow patties, put them in my compost bin, worked wonders after it had worked itself out for six months or so

but as already recommended, check to see what ELSE is in the manure, and what the animals have been eating

(if the animal has eaten tomatoes, be prepared for "volunteers")

Actually I use "hot" chicken manure in my garden the the spring... I till it in under the topsoil so that the heat helps the plants grow even when its cold out. This year I had several bushels of tomatoes and squashes from the "hot" bedding under the top soil.

I then used the older stuff mixed with the top soil to make the plant beds.

I finished out my meat birds this spring in the area that became my garden this year. I am blown away by how well everything grew. I have never had a more successful garden. I had believed that I couldn't use fresh chicken manure, but after this I will continue to finish the meats birds of in the garden space, while the starts are in the greenhouse.

 

[justbugged]

I need to move a load of laundry into the dryer.

This is more fun.

 

[justbugged]

Quote:
only if you add a comma

It's nice to know that I am not the only person to miss the comma.

I think it would be very sad to have slow chickens. I wonder if the poor little slow chicken would get picked by the smarter and faster chickens?

 

[justbugged]

Well I am thinking that the night crew is head'in for bed early. I have to save something for the weekend, since most of you are heading south for the weekend.

 

[PitterPatterPalace]

Quote:
Smart chickens? Isn't that an oxymoron?

 

[VelvettFog]

Quote:
Smart chickens? Isn't that an oxymoron?

Chickens are good at chicken things, people things, not so much.

I'm headed to Stevenson.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Smart chickens? Isn't that an oxymoron?

You need some Gamefowl

 

[SadieSue]

Omgosh - so scary. I'm still shaking. Our Golden Retriever Gryffin just cornered a giant raccoon on our upstairs deck and got into a scuffle with it before we could pull him off and back into the kitchen. We were all still in bed, (but awake) when I heard Gryffin revving up his warning growl and leaped out of bed but by the time I could get out to the deck he had chased it onto the lower roof and had his head through the side slats of the deck, barking loudly not 2 feet from the predator. I ran back into the house to get what? a broom? I had nothing else handy and in those few seconds the raccoon had tried to make a break for it, but was running right along the top railing of the deck so Gryffin lunged for it and was ready to kill. I was screaming for help, terrified for my dog. Finally DH was out there and somehow able to pull Gryffin back into the kitchen so the raccoon took off.
We checked our dog over thoroughly through his thick fur, but can see no scratches or bite marks TG. I'm also grateful our stupid Pomeranian hadn't had time to run out there because I'm sure he would have joined in to help and I don't think he would have fared as well. This raccoon easily outweighed our little 7 lb. Pomeranian several times. I appreciate Dasher's bravery, but I've seen him try to take on 120 lb. Rottweilers before because of his Emperor's complex and he's just not the brightest dog in the world.

This is of course, our fault since we were gone for a week, only returning yesterday from AZ. We'd had food out for our outdoor cat while we were gone and I know that's what attracted that da** raccoon.

I'm so upset with myself. I should have known better. Of course, I am somewhat vindicated now since DH has been saying for months I'm too protective of the chickens because "there hasn't been a raccoon around here for years". I told him just because he hadn't seen them doesn't mean they aren't here and that just about 6 - 8 months ago the dogs had chased one up one of the fir trees.

It's a good thing Miss Whitey Ford had decided to take herself and her 6 week old chicks into the big coop last night. The mini-coop where she's been the past 2 months isn't as strong as our home built. I'm guessing - no, I'm certain this isn't the first time the raccoon has been in our backyard this week. She must have known she needed to take the chicks into the fortress at first opportunity, because I'll bet that thing had been there.

I am sick. I do not like when Wild Kingdom takes place in my backyard.

 

[Kaneke]

whew

I am so glad for you, and so appreciative of Whitey ...

and this

to the fellow who doubted raccoons in the city

I remember what it was like when Rug ... our half-bobcat big orange cat with the aquamarine eyes ... had a huge boar possum cornered on our deck

luckily DH had the .410 loaded ...

I was into rendezvous competitions/hobby then, so I skinned the dratted thing out afterwards ... it's still around here somewhere ... I used it as a pad under candles on the rustic table