What did you do in the garden today?

[igorsMistress]

I was wondering if anyone keeps their rooster separated from the hens when they molt? I kind feel sorry for them.

My girls said no, get away from me and wouldn’t let him mate. Do your not do that?

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I used to find piles of dog food in my shoes at my old house.

Reminds me of a fortune cookie proverb...

'Tis always better to find what goes in,
rather than what comes out,
inside one's boots

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I should start winter garden but there is too much heat. I had bad experience last year so I'll be patient. lettuce and brassica starts are safe in an unused rabbet cage. I water them and they get little sun in the morning only.

Ditto, it was so Autumn feeling for a few days, now the heat & humidity are coming back. Oh well, it is August

 

[Liz Birdlover]

My girls said no, get away from me and wouldn’t let him mate. Do your not do that?

Actually, my roosters are molting too, so they're grumpy, not really feeling super amorous. Saw Romeo go to grab Amber at back of neck feathers, she ran & he just stood there, with an exasperated "why bother" expression.

 

[chicken opey]

I was wondering if anyone keeps their rooster separated from the hens when they molt? I kind feel sorry for them.

He has 23 hens to contend w and since they have just matured, I don’t know if mine will try or not. I can tell there is one he must like bc of mark on her.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

My hen that he is with hides in the next box all day and when she comes out to eat there is no egg. She has been laying around one egg every 2 days. My rooster jumps on her before she is allowed to eat.

Boy needs to learn a bit a romance.

My 1 Roo is so grumpy molting right now...I gave everyone squash & tomatoes yesterday...instead of chortling to call the girls over like he usually does, he grabbed the whole tomato & Wolfed it down then proceeded to drag the squash to a corner so he could scarf it down 1st!

 

[swampfox440]

Good morning folks! picked all my acorn squash yesterday evening. Have a wonderful day.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I saw another young feral rooster in my front yard, I tried to catch it, and he ended up in my back yard. I chased him around my clementine tree about three times and he ended up flying over my back fence into my neighbor's yard. I hope he doesn't come back and jump on my hens while I am preparing them to breed with their father.

I caught a loose Rooster, someone apparently dropped off in the small town of Lewes. He would run from everyone, eat & scratch up their gardens & crow. He crowed a lot...that's what they told me. One of the neighbors, a grumpy man, said he was going to make chicken stew if he could ever catch that little big mouth. The rooster had been chased around for days, so he knew people were something to be avoided. I knew I'd need more than a net, and camping out til he roosted at dusk was not an option. I went home & got a carrier & my big Barred Rock Roo, Rocky & headed to town. I found the young, fast red rooster, he had established himself a nice sized turf, of several back yards & a vacant lot with a lot of trees & shrubs. I brought my Rocky out, he stood there all puffed up & proud. The little red Roo saw him, stood there all wide eyed & long necked, his interest peaked. By now, we had quite an audience, as this was taking place in a cluster of closely built homes, in their back yards. The Roosters stared at each other, then Rocky slowly walked towards the red, reminiscent of an old west gun fight in the middle of main street at high noon. The tension was building, as each Rooster took another step, then another. When they were about 10 feet apart, they started a "bob & weave" motion while all puffed up, & they began to walk sideways, following an imaginary circle. They were staring intently into each other eyes, not even blinking. It was at this point, I was able to quietly move up near them. They were focused, just about to spar, or still thinking about who would kick 1st, when I quickly scooped up the red Rooster & tucked him under my arm & simultaneously stuck 1 foot out as Rocky jumped up and chest butted the bottom of my muck boot. Yes, I know Rocky's movements well, it's actually a game we've played often. Anyway...I stuck the red Roo into a carrier, scooped up Rocky & put him in his carrier & the whole event was over. The neighbors all clapped. They were pleased that they would be able to sleep in again, without the Red Rooster alarm clock at 5am.

I named the Red Roo Vagabond. He is still alive & well today.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I was in the garden finally, picked tomatoes & surprisingly a bunch of squash. Yes, there are still squash bugs but they have not totally finished off the squash just yet. Got our 1st cucumbers. One vine is doing so well. The other one is gone...totally gone...maybe accidentally pulled up with the 2 dying squash plants? The sunflowers are about to bloom, okra looks healthy, the corn is doing well & the tomato plants are happy, one tomato is taller than I am.

I watered the blueberries, fig & peach. Hope they all make it. The heat in July & beginning of August were brutal. I found a bagworm on my blueberry! Picked it off then proceeded to pick about 75 of those little jerks off of the Green Giant Arborvitae.

 

[Sueby]

I gave up & pulled the cantaloupe. The cucumber beetles just destroyed it & all the fruit was starting to rot. I guess I give up on melons.

Garden is just trucking along these days.