What did you do in the garden today?

[Sueby]

I am more concerned with chickens that can take the heat. Most of the birds that we can get in the US are cold hearty, except for some of the fancy or bantam breeds. Chickens can keep themselves warm easily. Keep cool in a humid summer is a different story.

That is true, I didn't mention it, but it is a bit of a concern. In CT we do get a good few days over 90 but I have a pretty good set up for them, they are under trees in full shade all day & I have a fan in the coop. Plus I make ice for them & tray of water, etc if it's really bad. But yes, def a consideration.

 

[igorsMistress]

That is true, I didn't mention it, but it is a bit of a concern. In CT we do get a good few days over 90 but I have a pretty good set up for them, they are under trees in full shade all day & I have a fan in the coop. Plus I make ice for them & tray of water, etc if it's really bad. But yes, def a consideration.

I live in AZ and have a friend with BOs here. We get far hitter than 90 and they did ok.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. I got the occasional 4th egg yesterday. Yay! Then in late afternoon I was visited by a rather large flock of turkeys. I was able to capture a few on photo. They all looked big and healthy. There were about 25 - 30 of them. What a treat. We got about 5 - 6 inches of light fluffy snow overnight. I've shoveled the path to the chicken coop, but the driveway can wait until it warms up a bit. Today is supposed to be in the upper 30's, but then back to frigid overnight temps for a few days. Nothing happening in the garden for a while, I'm thinking this layer of snow will be around for awhile. I hope you got some snow out of this system @Sueby. Stay warm everyone and have a great day.

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning gardeners. I'm headed out to water a few things and plant some seeds this morning. Will probably use the hula hoe to knock down weeds today but I need to actually pull a few more in the carrots first. I got the grass frame installed and planted yesterday. It's just a small patch next to the entrance to the garden but I'm planning a larger patch somewhere else as well. Here's a snap of the pea harvest from yesterday. I love these things so a few handfuls are gone already.Have a great day all.

 

[WthrLady]

Morning all. TURKEYS !
Wild turkeys are such goofballs.

Woke up to windchills of -25. Sigh. BUT being the weekend, critter chores fall on DH! LOL.

Tested the paint I thought I wanted in the master bathroom yesterday. It's hideous. The little swatch looked fine. The sample patch, not so much. I need to go darker and with more grey.
I need to get out of the house for a little anyway. I haven't been down the hill since Tuesday. So I'll grab a couple more colors and try again.

 

[jerryse]

On Orpingtons I will share what I know . American Orpingtons are not as fluffy as English orpingtons and hatchery birds are probably less fluffy than show stock . The black Austrolorp is a Australian bred Orpington bred for their hot climate . Different enough to be called a different breed . Orpintons originally a English breed .

 

[TropicalBabies]

Good morning gardeners!
I have three BO's but I am in a warm/hot/humid climate so I am not sure if my reporting on the breed is the help you seek, but anyways...
My 3 BO's are beautiful, people sweet and friendly, not my most reliable layers (maybe the heat) of BIG brown eggs and can be loud and demanding with their needs. They do rule the roost and are peck happy, even my young BO can alpha my senior BR's, Americana's and Bantam mix's. My lt. Brahma's hold their own. If I lived in a cold climate I would definitely have BO's in my flock, I think that they would be a good choice if they can be more pet like. Mine have never gone broody.
Did you say you were interested in lt Brahma too? I TOTALLY love my 3 light Brahma's and think orps and brahms are like peas and carrots, peanut butter and jelly, coffee and mornings!!! Mine are very well suited for each other and would be a #1 cold weather picks for me. My one lt Brahma went broody a few times, was easy to break and has not gone broody for the last year ++. Other two never have gone broody. My Brahm's are more heat tolerant, consistent layers and just very, very beautiful, quiet and pleasant, more of a working girl than my orps have been.
I lost one young BO @ point of lay and heat, and one BO who gets a little quiet so i have to keep my eye on her a bit more and my oldest BO's comb pales every so often, she tends to over eat every chance she gets. I have never had ANY issues at all with my Brahms (touch wood) and hope to get buff Brahms one day.

 

[TropicalBabies]

On the flip side... I will be heading out to check out roosters probably Tuesday . Here are 2 that I found more than interesting...

 

[pennyJo1960]

I like the lighter one not sure why pick number two .. Morning gardeners up late this morning
our winter is back drizzle all over the place

 

[TropicalBabies]

I like the lighter one not sure why pick number two .. Morning gardeners up late this morning
our winter is back drizzle all over the place

In photos- The first, bigger roo is more mature and would be a better match for my big girls but I notice all wild flocks here are guarded by more than one roo- at least 1 back up or understudy and they work as a team. At the moment I have two wild roos guarding my girls, the first dominant tolerates the second so girls are guarded almost 24/7 now. And where that is all nice, I don't want their babies- So... I was thinking replace wild suitors with photo big roo (and handsome little one for my Americana's and BR's... and back up) right?! Might as well start with two instead of intro later on (the chicken math is strong in this one Luke Skywalker) Guarantee my DH will divorce me over this so I should go big... or control myself somehow... somehow... maybe... hmmm... Yep. Hypnosis may the only way! Better have DH hypnotized.