What did you do in the garden today?

[Pensmaster]

That's too bad @Pensmaster I can relate. We had 2 apples on our tree, it's a little tree still, and the wild birds were out there pecking them and ruined them. They were so close! Good thing those particular birds are protected or I woulda been out there with the air shotgun! So irritating.

Was really looking forward to an apple pie. Greys are next.
The meat wasps here are fruit loving as well. If you pick an apple here you’d better be sure one isn’t inside it. I used to think I’d like to get rid of all of the meat wasps but had second thoughts when seeing them pollinating several plants.

2 weeks tomorrow from when i started the hoop coop, just a few details to finish up.View attachment 1175339
I have had 2 people tell me it would be a good grow house for marijuana!

I knew there was a reason I like the coop.

 

[Pensmaster]

Yeah, the squirrels cart them off before eating. I had a pet grey squirrel when i was in college. It was scared of trees because it was raised indoors. Once i was peeling potatoes and she picked up a big one and struggled to carry it off. So funny! But not funny when they strip your orchard!

There was quite a few of them so could be. Daw gone thiefs. I’ll be watching closer next year.

 

[igorsMistress]

Watering today, turning the compost pile, there's a few weeds to knock down and the patio to sweep. Trimming some shade cloth and adding grommets so hubs can add to a shade structure when we move it Friday.

It's also time to put solid front panels on the coop, clean off the poop board and dust. Will r&r hay in the nest boxes, remove the wire dog crate and stir the litter on the floor. Might dampen it some too. Scrubbing all the waterers and feed dishes and washing the wading pools.

 

[chickmom3941]

He went to the freezer. I got him as a "pullet" at the end of January this year. He was very rough on the girls and human aggressive. He was raised from a chick with 5 girls.
Everyone seem more at peace. The girls naturally would come to see me when I went outside and he would constantly create a ruckus and vie for their attention. He pulled out feathers, drove the girls out of the coop when they didn't want to go. So it's nice and they seem happier.
They also have chicks to deal with and one of those is a roo. I'm hoping they'll teach him some manners.
The way I see it, there's going to be a death in the flock at some point. As the keeper, if it's my job to keep them happy and healthy. I made decisions for their benefit.
If you think it's time, do it or get it done and over with. Don't torture yourself over it.

ETA I really thought about this for a while before taking action. Didn't want to seem flippant about it.

Thanks for the encouragement. I know deep down that I really should just have it done, but the rooster has always been one of my favorites. He's very friendly to humans, and a real gentleman to most of the hens. There is one hen, though, that he doesn't like, and now he is being kind of mean to the pullets, also, so it's getting harder to justify keeping him. I don't think the one disliked hen & the pullets should have to live in fear of him. It's a really hard decision for me to make. Thanks again for giving me that little "push" to do the right thing for our flock.

 

[igorsMistress]

Thanks for the encouragement. I know deep down that I really should just have it done, but the rooster has always been one of my favorites. He's very friendly to humans, and a real gentleman to most of the hens. There is one hen, though, that he doesn't like, and now he is being kind of mean to the pullets, also, so it's getting harder to justify keeping him. I don't think the one disliked hen & the pullets should have to live in fear of him. It's a really hard decision for me to make. Thanks again for giving me that little "push" to do the right thing for our flock.

I'm sorry you feel like you have to choose. It's really hard.

 

[chickmom3941]

Yeah, the squirrels cart them off before eating. I had a pet grey squirrel when i was in college. It was scared of trees because it was raised indoors. Once i was peeling potatoes and she picked up a big one and struggled to carry it off. So funny! But not funny when they strip your orchard!

A young tame squirrel (Skippy) followed my brothers home from the park one day when we were kids. We kept him for awhile, and he was very friendly. He would climb on us just as if we were trees. One time I had him out in the yard, and an adult squirrel started chasing Skippy. He ran right up me to get away from the large squirrel. I was so scared the big one was going to run up me in pursuit of Skippy, but luckily, it didn't. I was worried I would be bitten by the wild one!

 

[pennyJo1960]

lots of pumpkin to cook down today

 

[CapricornFarm]

I had a baby squirrel crawl up on my foot one day. Apparently husband must have shot mama, and there were 2 hungry babies. I fed them until they were eating well and let them go in a wilderness area.

 

[pennyJo1960]

think I told y'all I had a pet skunk for about 3 years then it just up and left us

 

[igorsMistress]

think I told y'all I had a pet skunk for about 3 years then it just up and left us

My MIL had a skunk, it loved eggs, couldn't see very well either. Was yours destinkified?