Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[chikenscratch]

Love reading about all the egg incubating and hatching.  Don't know that we will get to that point for quite some time, but you never know.  Headed to Menards today, hardware cloth is the big purchase.  May get the block so I can start laying out the base to look at it for the rest of the week.  Hubs still convinced I am going to "realize" that the plan is too large and will decide to go smaller...

Keep in mind that you should dig a foot deep trench around the perimeter and put pavers in vertically. This not only helps keep your foundation solid, but precents digging animals from getting into your coop. Once that is done, fill in with dirt, then lay your surface pavers horizontally and build from there up. Hubs was greatful that we did this (after the fact....he wasn't so sure it was needs initially though).

Well, the plowing and disking didn't happen yesterday.  The hubs is finishing off the outside of the coop and needs to have the loader so the garden must wait.

Other than garlic, has anyone planted anything directly in the garden yet?

What have you started indoors?

I just took the weed wacker to the asparagus patch and took it down as far as I could.  Rhubarb is starting - won't be long now!

The chickaroos are loving the weather and the bugs it brings out.  They don't seem to be going after any of the box elder beetles and there are more of them this year than I've seen in years past.

We are further south, but I already have peas, radishes, spinach, kale, mustards, collards, and onions up and needing to be thinned. Also, just poking through are beets and maybe carrots.

Just got the lime on my garden.  My asparagus is almost a foot tall.  Relatively new patch.  Strawberries are coming on strong and the rhubarb is ready to pick.  Going to be planting beans, radish (already have a small amount planted), peas, cukes and zuchinni within the next week.

Anyone that wpuld love to share asparagus at Chickenstock, I would love some.

 

[GranolaGirl72]

At this point our plan is to lay out the paver base and then peel back sod about 3" deep. We will lay the 3' hardware cloth 2' out from the pavers in all directions and have the last foot trapped by the pavers themselves rolling the sod back over the rest. As animals typically dig right up against the structure (first hand experience with our shed) the cloth will keep them from going under the coop. I have never met a burrower that would start it's hole that far away from a structure so we figure we will be good. Using the 1/4" cloth as we have had rats in our garage before and didn't figure that chicken wire would keep them out.
As far as the size, I figure all chicken owners feel coops are too small regardless of how large they build them

 

[Terri O]

I just typed a huge response on this phone and lost it...I will add the pic and then I'm DONE. Guess you will all just have to suppose what I said.

 

[jvls1942]

Yeah, Terri, I can just guess what you said when you lost the post. and I suppose most of it would look like
this: (*****************) if you sent it..

 

[Angiebubs]

Angiebubs, when I first got my incubator, I called Jim and set it exactly to his instruction. I also set the hatcher to the higher humidity he suggested. I haven't touched either since, and we get great hatch rates here.
Remember my first hatch guys? It was eggs from TO. She had some that were 4 months old. She had a project shed been collecting for. And REALLY wanted the chicks. I was so nervous. ...
But even those eggs had a 65% rate. Our fresh ones average 95%. Except the French Black Copper Marans. because those hens are 3 years old, and fertility is effected.

Its been so long since I incubated anything (and this is way different than parrot eggs) that I feel like a first time mom lol. This incubator seems to be pretty much "Set and forget" so to speak...digital and holding temps/humidity pretty well. I have to say "IncubatorWarehouse.com" had the best prices and so far, excellent service. I called this morning and asked about the loud clicking coming from the egg turner and if that's normal. The did a couple mins trouble shooting and are sending out a new motor asap. Turner seems to be working fine but they said it can be a sign it will go out and they don't want to risk it. Pretty awesome.

 

[jvls1942]

I forgot to mention, about those arms at the ends of the turner trays with the post that fits into the connecting bar..
they are very easy to break off.
they are OK as long as they are installed and the turner is going, but if you ever have to take one out, be careful to not bump that little arm. I even had one broken off of one that was mailed to me from the company .

If you break one, all I can say is Gorilla Glue.
Super glue did not work. I did not know of gorilla glue back then..
.........jiminwisc.........

 

[Cindlady]

Hi All!

I haven't checked our asparagus patch yet.... guess I should do that.

Nothing new.... Night All.

 

[jvls1942]

good morning, I am getting a late start, watered the chickens and had my first cuppa.
I closed up the coop last night, when I went in with the water this morning, there were about 9 chickens short.
I don't see any roaming around outside.
I think the foxes are outsmarting the dogs ..
I will have to be more careful ..
If something is taking the chickens, it is during the day.
maybe early in the morning , that is when the owls and hawks like to eat chicken..

On the upside, if I have only 7 hens, then my egg production is at a higher %tage ..

I had noticed that the birds weren't eating as much feed, but I reasoned that was because they were finding more food out freeranging ..

..........jiminwisc.......

 

[corewassen87]

When I lost my two birds it was early morning. Before I got home from work at 615. There were two huge feather piles and then a sporadic trail of feathers all the way back to the wood line bout 300 yards away. I also blame the foxes and the not so brightness of my dogs. That was in early November and I haven't had a problem since.

 

[jvls1942]

When I lost my two birds it was early morning. Before I got home from work at 615. There were two huge feather piles and then a sporadic trail of feathers all the way back to the wood line bout 300 yards away. I also blame the foxes and the not so brightness of my dogs. That was in early November and I haven't had a problem since.

well, it is spring and I assume there are little mouths to feed.
the foxes get pretty bold then.

we have had them hit at high noon . right outside the kitchen window.

.