What did you do in the garden today?

[WIchickMama]

Goji cuttings have some green!

Only thing today as it was 32 with sleet and snow all day.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Some batches are harder than others. We had one batch where 2 of them started roosting in the coop within days of intermingling (after see-no touch phase) - they were only 6 weeks old I think. Last batch took weeks and weeks to get the idea. So, this is a good reminder for me to go buy a new net.

Today was the first day that I propped up the brooder fence for the chicks to explore the run with the other chickens. Seems to be ok, but just day 1…any bullies will become apparent the next few days. They are 5 weeks old today and have had look-no touch with the flock for 2 weeks.

So earlier this evening right about dusk I walked past the run and noticed the 5 babies were in the goat house. There's 4 nesting boxes in there. They were perched on the 2x4 that runs alongside them. All the other chickens had retired to their main coop. (The goat house and chicken coop are 2 separate buildings now but the previous homeowner used to house the 2 goats in the same shed as his chickens.) That's when I came inside grumbling about the chicks stubbornness because this has been going on for weeks now. Left my post on here griping about it. I ate a quick dinner and then went back out to the run to gather up the little deviants and take them into the coop. It was spitting rain, cold, and very windy. But I couldn't find them! I searched all their normal roosting spots but they were nowhere to be found. In a bit of a panic I went into the main coop and...go figure, there they were! Three are perched on their own roost and the other 2 are snuggling amongst the adults on a higher roost. I swear they did it just to make a liar out of me!

 

[chickengr]

I live in the city and have 4 neighbors that share my property line. First year with chickens so I am deep in the process of getting my yard ready for them. 2 of my neighbors have dogs. 2 Goldens on one side, and a pit and border collie along the back. I planned to put up a privacy fence along the back to keep the pit and border collie out of my yard. But last week another neighbor got a big dog. Neighbor on the other side is watching his son's husky for an indeterminate amount of time. Last time this happened it was 2 years. Son is in the military. There is a large gap iron fence along that side, but easily big enough for chickens to get through....so now I have to replace the fence on that side. Basically surrounded by dogs. I don't hate dogs (have one myself) I just know they can't always help their prey drives.

All that to say, I started closing the gaps in my fence and getting posts installed for the fence. Only done 2 small sections, but they look great! I have never built a fence before, but I am surprised at how easy this is.

Also, I decided to build my chickens a large run. I was going to just let them free range, but my 6 week old chicks just started taking ENORMOUS dumps. Which made me rethink that. I have a small backyard. It is about 1/4 each pool, patio, lawn, and veggie garden. So poop would be everywhere. Especially in places with bare feet. So, now I am moving my pool (8 ft stock tank) to the lawn. The old pool section will be enclosed for their run. Its probably 15x20 feet. Plus, less lawn to mow! So I measured out where I will move the pool to, and marked it. Later this week I will dig it level and drain the winter snowmelt from the pool. Hopefully I can move it myself, cause there ain't nobody to help!

consider that dogs dig under the fence and jump over. you need an enclosed and covered run for your chickens. make a new thread and ask for suggestions about dog safe coop and run before you build it. my dogs killed a lot of my chickens although the coops and runs looked safe to me.

 

[chickengr]

cloudy here. I don't like it. I should weed my garden but there is plenty of chamomile everywhere so I am thinking to let it go for a while and finish weeding after harvesting it. it already started to flower.

 

[Sally PB]

These (bleep) baby chickens are just spiteful and stubborn. They REFUSE to go roost in the main coop with the adults.

I divided my coop when the chicks first moved out there, and gave them a space of their own. It was July by then, so plenty warm enough. I shut them in for about 4 days before I let them out into the divided run. They always knew where to go at night.

Raining and 50 right now. It'll be snowing by the end of the day! Really? Really?

It's still going to be upper 20s/low 30s for the next week or so. That'll keep the fruit bushes and trees from budding out too early.

Yeah, that was my positive spin on the weather.

 

[638858]

Premiere, Climax, Blue Tiff, Pink Lemonade and Top Hat Blueberries are happy..

 

[638858]

I used to ship my super hot peppers all over the world. I often grew 150-200 different varieties of capsicum.. and 50 types of tomatoes, some very rare seeds traded with people from all over the world.. good times..

 

[jerryse]

Another rainy chilly day . I need sunshine and heat .

 

[Arelwood]

consider that dogs dig under the fence and jump over. you need an enclosed and covered run for your chickens. make a new thread and ask for suggestions about dog safe coop and run before you build it. my dogs killed a lot of my chickens although the coops and runs looked safe to me.

I have an enclosed run for my chickens. And the coop is fully enclosed inside of that with a hardware cloth predator apron. There are a lot of reasons I am fence building, the chickens just accelerated the project. I also have a small Papillion that has been attacked by over 10 different dogs in his 14 years. The fence would protect him as well. The biggest reason I am building a fence is because the neighbor with the husky is a creep. He has a camera that looks into my backyard, he comes into my yard to spray "weeds," cut down flowers he doesn't like, and just to "check things out." I don't like this and he has been told off verbally.

 

[WthrLady]

GRRRRRRR... These (bleep) baby chickens are just spiteful and stubborn. They REFUSE to go roost in the main coop with the adults. Let it be clear that the adults mostly ignore them so I'm certain they are NOT being bullied. They have 3 levels of a ladder roost all to themselves so they don't even have to worry about adults... Yet after nearly 4-5 weeks they still refuse to go in at night. I have to go collect them and manually put them to bed. I've tried to remove or block their roosting spaces outside the coop but they simply go find another spot. Outside. Gah!!!!

We had a batch like that. The roosted in obnoxious places too. They eventually got it.