What did you do in the garden today?

[TJAnonymous]

Re: the chick thing. Here's a story from a friend of mine that makes me CRINGE!

The mother of one of my friend's coworkers has ordered 32 chicks for April delivery. To keep in her basement.

Friend wanted to know if I knew of anyone who would want these birds after "mom gets tired of them."


No, no I don't. Please, please, cancel the order...

She will change her mind as soon as she realizes the SMELL and cleaning effort that is going to create. Good Lord.

 

[Sally PB]

She will change her mind as soon as she realizes the SMELL and cleaning effort that is going to create. Good Lord.

Exactly. I told my friend to tell her coworker that very thing. And the dust. And the noise.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. The warmer temperatures and rain is lower the level of the snow cap right now. I did some shoveling in the chicken yard yesterday afternoon so the chickens would come out for some fresh air. Still warm today so more melting going on. I'm watching that storm set to hit tomorrow night as well @Sueby. Predictions here are ranging around 6 to 9 inches of fresh snow. I really like snow, but I'm getting a little tired with all this exercise from the constant shoveling. Today is the warmest day this week so I will be washing my wee beasties this morning. I think all the reports about the avian flu causing the egg prices to rise are what is creating the frenzy to start raising chickens. Just like in the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 people were scrambling to buy chickens to raise their own eggs. Then totally not understanding you won't get your first eggs for 4 to 5 months. LOL! And cheap eggs? With the price of feed, supplements (scratch, oyster shells, mealworms, etc,) then bedding, and don't forget to add in the cost of egg cartons and the labor involved. I used to do the math to determine what my chickens eggs were worth, but honestly that can get exhausting. I'm just happy to know where my eggs come from and how much better quality they are. Same with the food that comes from my garden. I'm really hoping with the expanded gardening area I have a good gardening season and am able to provide more fresh vegetables for the local food pantry. It's taking a lot of self control to hold off on starting the warm season vegetables. Ooooh! I could start kale, lettuce and chard. LOL! OK, off to get the dog washing started. Have a great day all!

 

[Sueby]

I agree @Wee Farmer Sarah, people think they’ll get some birds & have instant, free eggs. While chickens are easy to keep compared to a lot of other livestock, they aren’t cheap! I’m sure I pay more for my ‘free’ eggs than I would from the store. I, personally, raise them to know where my food comes from AND because I need to stay active, I enjoy the work. Same with the garden. If I had neither you’d see me on the news with the fire department having to cut out my bedroom wall to get me out of the house. Ok maybe not that bad, but I need the exercise and to me it’s much more enjoyable than going for a run or to the gym - that I just can’t do. I’d much rather push a wheelbarrow & haul buckets of water.

& wow Sarah, you have gotten a lot more snow than me this year! Usually you only get a little more. I’m always the one begging for snow, not this year tho.

 

[WthrLady]

Re: the chick thing. Here's a story from a friend of mine that makes me CRINGE!

The mother of one of my friend's coworkers has ordered 32 chicks for April delivery. To keep in her basement.

Friend wanted to know if I knew of anyone who would want these birds after "mom gets tired of them."


No, no I don't. Please, please, cancel the order...

OMG. A: the attitude of 'when I tire of them'
B: the dander in the house and dark, damp basement, instead of outside in the sun and grass

 

[WthrLady]

Exactly. I told my friend to tell her coworker that very thing. And the dust. And the noise.

As one who has a live cam in the coop that broadcasts to the tv in the house, I enjoy the sound of the birds....but the mess and ammonia. Hard nope.

 

[WthrLady]

I agree @Wee Farmer Sarah, people think they’ll get some birds & have instant, free eggs. While chickens are easy to keep compared to a lot of other livestock, they aren’t cheap! I’m sure I pay more for my ‘free’ eggs than I would from the store. I, personally, raise them to know where my food comes from AND because I need to stay active, I enjoy the work. Same with the garden. If I had neither you’d see me on the news with the fire department having to cut out my bedroom wall to get me out of the house. Ok maybe not that bad, but I need the exercise and to me it’s much more enjoyable than going for a run or to the gym - that I just can’t do. I’d much rather push a wheelbarrow & haul buckets of water.

& wow Sarah, you have gotten a lot more snow than me this year! Usually you only get a little more. I’m always the one begging for snow, not this year tho.

I agree. The animals give me a reason, force me, to get going in the morning.

 

[WthrLady]

Good morning gardeners. The warmer temperatures and rain is lower the level of the snow cap right now. I did some shoveling in the chicken yard yesterday afternoon so the chickens would come out for some fresh air. Still warm today so more melting going on. I'm watching that storm set to hit tomorrow night as well @Sueby. Predictions here are ranging around 6 to 9 inches of fresh snow. I really like snow, but I'm getting a little tired with all this exercise from the constant shoveling. Today is the warmest day this week so I will be washing my wee beasties this morning. I think all the reports about the avian flu causing the egg prices to rise are what is creating the frenzy to start raising chickens. Just like in the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 people were scrambling to buy chickens to raise their own eggs. Then totally not understanding you won't get your first eggs for 4 to 5 months. LOL! And cheap eggs? With the price of feed, supplements (scratch, oyster shells, mealworms, etc,) then bedding, and don't forget to add in the cost of egg cartons and the labor involved. I used to do the math to determine what my chickens eggs were worth, but honestly that can get exhausting. I'm just happy to know where my eggs come from and how much better quality they are. Same with the food that comes from my garden. I'm really hoping with the expanded gardening area I have a good gardening season and am able to provide more fresh vegetables for the local food pantry. It's taking a lot of self control to hold off on starting the warm season vegetables. Ooooh! I could start kale, lettuce and chard. LOL! OK, off to get the dog washing started. Have a great day all!

I did the math during pandemic. To break even I would have to charge.....wait for it......$8 a dozen. And that was before prices for everything went up. And that's with free-ranging 9-10 months a year and NOT including the cost of the massive coop. Just feed, electric, supplies, cartons, minerals, flake, new birds(when needed), etc.
At that time I was charging $3-3.50 a dozen just to offset feed.
Now I charge $4 a dozen.
But our egg prices never REALLY went nuts here, high, but not nuts, and we were never without eggs at the market.
It's funny.
I offer free delivery and billing twice a year, so people don't even have to come up with $ everytime I deliver, and one lady cancelled because it was too much trouble to remember to order eggs. It was just easier to remember to grab a dozen while marketing. Same woman told me last week they ordered chicks. OMG. too lazy to send a text to order eggs that miraculously show up on her doorstep, but now she's going to care for 10 chicks until they're 6 months old. Please pass the popcorn.

 

[DParker75089]

I haven't even planted anything else yet and already the asparagus I planted last year is putting food on the table (or at least the counter). And yes, they're delicious.

 

[igorsMistress]

Morning all. We had wind and rain late yesterday and into the night. There was snow in the valley this morning, not at our house though. I’m grateful for the rain and the snow especially. We’re supposed to warm up this weekend, I hope the Vitex decide to fight or die soon, there’s new growth all over this little plant in my kitchen and I want to get it outside soon. Break is over, see y’all later.