What did you do in the garden today?

[oldhen2345]

Didn’t get much done today. Picked lettuce and some radishes. I spent a good bit of the afternoon setting up the incubator. This will be my first time hatching! I’m very excited and very nervous.

Good luck with the hatch. Nothing beats watching your little chicks coming out of the shell. Very exciting. Keep us posted.

 

[oldhen2345]

We did our first hatch last spring, it was so fun and crazy and awesome!
View attachment 2589818

Best o' luck!

AWWWWW. Sooo cute

 

[oldhen2345]

I had to water my garden. still clearing the future garden area from dismanteled coops. a pair of older hands cannot do miracles. patience.

Yep, it is suprising how much longer it takes to get things done when you get older. I dumped 6 large 2 cu ft. bags of garden dirt in my raised beds this last week and was surprised how much energy it took out of me.
What would have taken me less than an hour in the past takes me 3x as much time now- but at least I can still get 'er done.

 

[oldhen2345]

Nothing here to see folks. Gonna concentrate on cleaning the patio and the house today. I was going to work on my cinderblock garden, but when I got half of it dismantled, I could not figure out how to get it back the way it was. Had to go back in the house and fish out old pictures. Am just putting cap stones between each layer so the grass doesn't grow up through the entire thing.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Good luck with the hatch. Nothing beats watching your little chicks coming out of the shell. Very exciting. Keep us posted.

Had trouble with my thermometer and had to go to town to get a new one so I’ve been recalibrating the incubator this morning. If I can get it calibrated I’ll set eggs sometime tonight.


On a good note the neighbor I borrowed the incubator from said he will take the extra Roos. This a relief because I have no interest in butchering then extras I don’t have the heart to do them in. I have no problem with plucking and cutting them up but I can’t handle the killing and I don’t think the rest of the family would eat the meat.
This morning I made another rooster pen because the girls are still finishing their molt and I’ll have put the chicks in the other pen once they hatch. I planted some cilantro and the peony. And ripped out the kale. This afternoon I have to finish sorting my seed stash again and dig the daffodils.

 

[Sueby]

@oldhen2345 what an interesting idea with the cinder block garden!

I had a cortisone shot in the foot today & I'll tell ya, I've had 12 in my spine at one time & the pain after is nothing like the one single one in the foot. It's taken me out, I can't walk on it!

But I did manage to cook some soup, used up the last of my yellow squash from the garden last year. That's sad. I've got 3 servings of green beans left too. Bring on spring, mamma needs new veggies!

I meant to unplug the heat mat on the habaneros but unplugged the lamp instead, lol. So their days are limited, but they aren't done yet.

Gonna hafta make DH collect eggs when he gets home, no way I'm putting shoes on & walking to the coop.

@NewBoots you really make me wish I liked chard!

 

[Acre4Me]

WINDY today. But starts are in their mini greenhouses on the deck. Should be OK bc they are against a wall... hopefully they don't get blown over. They all get brought inside in the early evening.

Chicks and Poults! Growing well, so far all poults are still alive, but one is on the small side - but moving around well, eating and drinking fine...maybe it's the only girl?

Here is one poult - very active and curious.

Here are three poults - also very active and curious...no way we could corral all 6 for pictures.

6 Black Jersey Giant chicks, straight run. A little easier to corral for photos.

Still in the house with a heatlamp. I think we will take them out to the barn on Friday bc it gets to the low 20s on Thursday, then should warm up pretty well for several days after that. Really hate chicks inside the house past about 4 days...but would also like them to live - we were told poults are more fragile.

The Chicks that are in the brooder outside (they are 5.5 weeks old) are integrating well with the flock. So, hopefully we can evict them to the coop within the next week or so. Once they are out, that gives the poults/chicks a roomier brooder to live in for a few weeks until the poults go into the outdoor covered shed.

 

[WthrLady]

Craptastic morning. Went out this morning to feed the birds and noticed new digging near the door, but it didn't get past the buried hardware cloth. I made note of it and opened the door, screamed the wail of sorrow, dropped everything I was carrying as I saw dead bodies everywhere. I very quickly assessed and went into panic mode looking for my big roo and my favorite Merriweather (both fine). A mink got in, using a small mouse hole in the corner of the run that I MEANT to get to last week. Never again. UGH.
I lost 14 of 27 great birds. 6 of the 14 were on the summer cull list, but the rest weren't. Crap, just crap. All my fault, I feel horrible. But I'm sadly hardened by now, learn and fix and move on. Nothing I can do. All holes have been now found, sealed with wire AND concrete.

Merriweather is living in her spa in the workshop until I have a new mink collar for my coat.
The coop seems so odd without so many familiar little fluff butts in it.
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I haven't checked on my neighbor with all the free and open living ducks, (he's running a buffet over there)
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Another neighbor lost 14 too ...... different mink I'm sure.
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Another neighbor hit and killed one of their loved and $$$$ rescue farm kittens with the truck on the way to take the kids to school.

Been a rough day up on this hill.
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Going to paint the greenhouse deck today and maybe transplant a LOT of baby tomatoes.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I am so Sorry @WthrLady horrible wear the collar when you get him

 

[Sueby]

Oh @WthrLady that sucks! I'm sorry. I hope you get that little !&$@#$.