What did you do in the garden today?

[TJAnonymous]

I have over 50 laying hens and twice last week I got a grand total of 8 eggs. I assume they stopped laying because of the extreme heat

 

[Acre4Me]

Rain early morning and later evening.

The lone Asian Pear is growing!

I scrubbed some rocks, rinsed them well and today some got baked on a low temp to get rid of the excess water. The plan
is to paint tree or other long term names on them and year established.

What is wrong with this tree?

American purple plum tree. 2 years old. Bottom of leaves turn brown, but rest of leaves are mostly ok. Did same thing last year.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

So many reasons the hens don't lay well in the summer is exactly why I put light in my coops and enjoy eggs all winter. They take their breaks in the summer, they aren't freeloading around here all year.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I have 4 large windows in my new coop and 3 lights.
Still not getting but 5 out of 18 birds.

 

[Acre4Me]

We have light on a timer in the coop. But, last year our best decision was to buy some high production layers to add to the flock. We have mostly heritage breeds, and they take their break in the fall/early winter. The winter of 21-22 we hardly had any eggs at all for months, which is why we decided to add the production layers. This spring we bought more - the 1.5 year olds will go to the auction this fall.

 

[littledog]

The weak little chick is doing so much better - eating, drinking, running around, even trying to fly. I am so amazed - I thought it had very little chance. Still, it's half the size of the other chicks - like, it looks and acts like a normal 1-day-old chick, so we can't put her in with the others.
We planned to do another batch in the incubator, and put her with them in 3 weeks, but we only got 2 eggs yesterday and another 2 today (from 9 hens!) so if it's going to take too long to get a clutch, I might have to buy a day-old from the store to put in with her. I'm calling it "her" out of wishful thinking, after all this we've gotten kind of attached and hope we can keep her.

 

[gtaus]

Started picking some peppers a few days ago, the end of June. I know that might not sound very much to lots of you here, but typically I don't have any peppers ready to pick until mid to late August where I live. The difference this year was that I started my own pepper seeds inside the house 8 weeks before our last frost date. My pepper plants are about 3 feet tall already whereas in prior years, buying 6 packs at the big box stores, my pepper plants would be about 6 inches tall this time of the summer.

Also, I started tomato plants in the house this year and they are over 4 feet tall in the garden. They are already bearing green tomatoes. Like the peppers, I usually don't see this growth in my tomatoes until late August. So, I really happy about the way things are going this year.

I was going to take some pictures of the pepper plants with the peppers on them, but Dear Wife saw the peppers and picked them all. I thought they needed maybe another week on the plant, but she picked them all and cooked them up the other night for supper. Oh well, maybe pictures next time.

 

[chickengr]

Where are you located and what are your temperatures for brutal heat?

greece, europe, zone 9a. 105 f is brutal for my chickens and plants. I personally don't mind heat. I cannot stand cold.

 

[chickengr]

I have a couple birds molting already. I think the broody I broke last week & another EE. I'm not ready! I don't have enough eggs stored up!

Anyone else have birds molting yet? Is it normal for a broody to molt after - think she'll lay again or no?

my gees and a few chickens are molting. I broke 1 silkie broody as it is too hot. I don't want to loose her. she can sit when it gets cooler.

 

[chickengr]

my hens lay in summer. I wet their feed and they like it. maybe that does a trick? also their coops have nice shade. I sometimes stay in for a while before taking a walk to the house.