What did you do in the garden today?

[WthrLady]

That's what I'll be doing in about a week or so. I'll just staple the chicken wire to the coop and zip tie it to the wall of the run fence. A few sticks pushed through some holes into the dirt to hold it vertical should do for supports. That's the second part of my "look, don't touch" integration.

The first part will be with them staying in the coop for a few days/a week to "home" them to the coop. I did that with my first chickens last spring, and it worked very well.

I used to do it that way, then I found it easier to keep them in the barn/workshop in a large playpen to make sure they were getting food and water. I was going to let them have supervised play during the day with the flock until I found out the flock was breaking into the workshop during the day and playing around, on and IN the playpen with the chicks and then leaving everyday as they got full/bored. Now I just let them do that, and at 7/8 weeks, everyone goes to the big house and fends for themselves. LOL.

 

[Sally PB]

until I found out the flock was breaking into the workshop during the day and playing around, on and IN the playpen with the chicks and then leaving everyday as they got full/bored.

I can just see this going on! Do they post a lookout so they know when you're coming?

 

[WthrLady]

I can just see this going on! Do they post a lookout so they know when you're coming?

They KNOW they aren't supposed to be in there and they know the word 'out'. So when I go in the people door and see those fat hens all over the place all I have to do is point to the 30 foot gate (like a giant 3 foot baby gate) across the front of the highbay door and yell 'OUT' and off they fly or waddle, then they hop onto and over the gate and go about their day. One of the icelandics, trouble makers that they are, knocked over a 20 pound mutant bag of mealworms one day that HAD been stored on top of a 5 foot shelf. Can we talk about the chaos that happened after that? (crappy cheap ziploc bag closure)! two dozen fat hens going after manna and me trying to clean up what was left and not loose a hand in the process.

 

[littledog]

It is so strange that some of you are dying for rain. It’s rained every day for at least part of the day for the last 2.5 weeks (minus the one day DH mowed the very wet lawn). Yesterday afternoon it was 85 and sunny, we got in the pool & the thunder started. Rained for an hour, but hard enough that there were 2 inch puddles in the walkways of my garden. I planted with slight hills on the veggie parts. The forecast the next 10 days has 9 of them with rain/thunderstorms. I am praying the ground has a chance to dry out. I would gladly share w some of you that need it. I worry about my tomatoes with blight. Have the bottom branches trimmed about a foot off the ground & try to trim a branch on each twice a week to keep them away from the splashes. It’s getting old...

It's like we in the PNW traded our normal summer weather with yours in the NE! It's been something like 24 consecutive days without rain here, which is unheard-of.

I'm a horrible sleeper. It takes me forever to fall asleep, and I wake up and then cannot fall back to sleep. For grins one night I slapped my bluetooth headset on and fell asleep to a 10 hour loop of thunder and rain on a window. OMG I slept like a brick.

Oh wow, that's me! I don't have apnea, just insomnia, and part of it is probably related to my swing/night work schedule.
I tried CBD, it was expensive and didn't do crap, except make me feel less anxious about my inability to fall asleep. Tried OTC sleep pills, they help me fall asleep for about 2 hours, then can't get back to sleep, but at least I got those extra 2 hours. I really do NOT want to try Ambien or any prescription thing, I'm afraid I'll go sleepwalking and fall in the river or something.
I'm going to try your method of headphones with weather noises, what a great suggestion!

 

[WthrLady]

OH and while the giant rooster will fly into the workshop to check out the chicks and watch the hens, if he gets CAUGHT in there by me, he won't fly out. He saunters and struts to the people door and waits for me to open it and let him out. His royal hiney.

 

[Sally PB]

They KNOW they aren't supposed to be in there and they know the word 'out'.

He saunters and struts to the people door and waits for me to open it and let him out. His royal hiney.

Not so funny while it's happening, I'm sure. But this sounds like a Funny Chicken Story to be told and retold for years to come.

 

[WthrLady]

It's like we in the PNW traded our normal summer weather with yours in the NE! It's been something like 24 consecutive days without rain here, which is unheard-of.

Oh wow, that's me! I don't have apnea, just insomnia, and part of it is probably related to my swing/night work schedule.
I tried CBD, it was expensive and didn't do crap, except make me feel less anxious about my inability to fall asleep. Tried OTC sleep pills, they help me fall asleep for about 2 hours, then can't get back to sleep, but at least I got those extra 2 hours. I really do NOT want to try Ambien or any prescription thing, I'm afraid I'll go sleepwalking and fall in the river or something.
I'm going to try your method of headphones with weather noises, what a great suggestion!

They have soft sleeping headbands with bluetooth earpads in them, so nothing is really blocking your ears so they still get air.
This is what I listen to. He has several. I prefer the dark screen versions so my phone goes black at night.
Also, funny, I can only stay zonked out to a specific one. I tried to change it up once. It didn't work. The one I listen to sounds like rain on my window and far away rolling thunder. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPhADRTIwDxB0vVSU33CijA

 

[WthrLady]

Not so funny while it's happening, I'm sure. But this sounds like a Funny Chicken Story to be told and retold for years to come.

Oh it was funny then too. Chickens, well critters, are SUCH characters.
I have LOTS of farm stories.
My Miss Merriweather turned 7 Sunday!!! Sweet wittle hen, still gives me an egg every once in a blue moon too.

 

[gtaus]

no water this morning so I could not water my garden. just picked up some mung beans, peppers (bell and hot) and a cucumber. it was too hot before 7 am so I don't know what to expect later. there is no hope for rain this month.

I was fortunate to visit Greece twice back in the 1980's, when I was in college. Great memories of those times. Traveled there in May with everything I cared about in my backpack. Sleep on rooftops of hotels to save money. Pitched a tent in some other camps. But I certainly remember us discussing that we had to visit Greece early in the year and move to northern Europe by June. Even in May, I thought Greece was plenty hot. I can only imagine how hot it gets there in July - with no hope for rain....

 

[TJAnonymous]

tetanus shot?

My DH said that the stores will not give you a tetanus shot if you've had an accident because of liability. So I'll either have to wear long pants & lie or call the doctor. It's pretty red and inflamed today so I should probably call the doctor's office.