Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Raiquee]

I got out and planted some garlic, radishes, some lettuce mix and a few more peas today. I was really surprised, but my herbs are all coming up! I figured they'd come up when it got warmer out, but they are starting up already! I also finally have some tomato sprouts! I started them 3 1/2 weeks ago and for whatever reason, they are just now coming up. I resowed after a week and a half and now both sets of seeds are coming up! Same thing happened to my watermelon too! They didn't come up so I resowed and now both sets have come up. I wanted about 5 watermelon but now I have over 20! My celery is doing well also! I'm very happy about that. Last year it hardly grew much between sprouting and the two months before I set it out. It ended up dying with the massive downpour we got the next night after planting out. They are growing much better this year and hopefully will be bigger when i set them out.

Hey earth lady, when do you harvest your garlic? I always planted in fall (October) for harvest in July. I never heard of someone planting it during summer!

 

[Terri O]

Good morning...not too much to read today; everyone still must be digesting! Chickenscratch that was a very nice set of pictures....I forgot to mention that yesterday. I tried to view them as a slideshow and got a screen that it was broken and to report it to BYC...so I had to go pic by pic. NICE JOB! You and your DH can come and build me a coop anytime!
CC I think you can tell the difference between those two chicks (doms and BRs) in a couple of days after hatching...the doms will have the flat comb! My brooder is full of all those little black ones too. THe problem that I have is that the roo I used I am not sure that he is BR! He just might be a clean legged cuckoo Marans. These chicks are going to be really confused!
The hen in the rafters of the milk house hatched her eggs yesterday. I think there are 4. She hasnt brought them down yet because she still has quite the nestfull of eggs. THe same with RoadRunner...still sitting on that nest with one baby! Tossed 4 of her eggs yesterday because they were starting to stink! Got some on my pants

I put the pairs in the new converted mink cage. I might have to make a few modifications but I think it is a winner! I will try to get some pics today...it's pretty dark in there so keep your fingers crossed!
Put the chicks on shredded paper yesterday...they are very funny picking at it and carrying it around. When I cam down during the night I realized something wasnt right...their lightbulb had gone out. Jim I think you jinxed it by saying you changed yours! They were huddled pretty good but seem like no harm was done...good think the 2 day old guinea was in the middle! I am considering putting the babies downstairs with my modern games and Tommy and Tina after this cold snap is done. They need more room badly! Their tails are developing now and they are starting to run and try to fly in the limited space they have. It is funny how much further along the ones are that hatched first compared to the end of the hatching....and I set them all at the same time!
I hope everyone is feeling better today! DD was saying that a few people at her work were feeling the effects of Easter too....I think we just arent used to eating that much at a time!

I see a tree outside my window that is starting to bend because of the weight of its leaves. Maybe Iwill get a rope on it today and tie it to another to straighten it...if it is a box elder I will just have DH cut it down. We certainly have ENOUGH of them!
Cind you are lucky that you have the girl guineas and the boys come to visit. I think they might end up living with YOU! At least you wont have any ticks.
Sounds like we are having another frosty night tonight...according to the news I just heard. Did everyone's plants make it through the night? I havent been out yet to take off the blankets. Man, we are only supposed to do this in the fall! Oh yeah, it's only the beginning of April!

Enough rambling, I guess I's better get at this house (or find something else to do) Have a fantastic day! Terri O

 

[Bigfamily4me]

poor Jim, yesterday frozen hose, today stink finger

 

[Terri O]

I had to laugh that there were many more posts to read after I came back from Feathersite looking at chicks. Jim, you and I are living parallel lives again...I sure hope the stink came off of your fingers better than it did mine yesterday! I must have washed 50 times and I could STILL smell it! Good think most of my clients dont have a great sniffer.
How is the house thing going Raiq? Havent heard an update in a bit. Ya know, we need an updated pic of your boys too! The baby has got to be getting pretty big already!
OK I REALLY have to go and do something...besides my coffee cup is empty! Had to make it MYSELF today! Guess DH was running late? Terri O

 

[EarthyLady]

Hey earth lady, when do you harvest your garlic? I always planted in fall (October) for harvest in July. I never heard of someone planting it during summer!

I couldn't find any in the fall when I needed it, so when I found it this winter I just stuck it in the freezer and waited til spring to plant. It will be smaller than most garlics, but it will still grow!

 

[Raiquee]

EL) I bought mine from http://www.wegrowgarlic.com/catalog/ buuuuut you they put it up for sale in July. It takes awhile to hear from them in order to pay, but they have great garlic. Plus it's in wisconsinso you know the varieties do well here!! Just thought I'd throw out a resource if you wanted it.

To) yeah, the house thing is going. We are in a bidding war with the sellers for the home I want, and ours has been on the market for a week now. I just want to fast forward to getting the keys to our new place and moving!! I planted my spring garden and am real bummed I won't be doing a summer garden this year. But, oh well. I'm sacrificing now for a bigger pay off later.

Let's see if I can get a pic to work of the kiddos,

Hmmmm can't seem to do it on this blasted iPad. Will have to upload later tonight.

Thanks for checking in on me! how have you been?

 

[mxmarg]

TerriO! I'm so excited to come see you today! I think it'll be around 1. Gotta deliver the 5 year old's birthday treats to school today... gotta make 'em first tho so for pity sake why am I spending my time on this durn addictive chickeny site?!

BabyLady- Dude you're making Soap?! Wow! Everyone else may be like, yawn, BL's makin her soap again but Wow! What 'flavors" you got going on? Some handmade soaps are making it into my Piggly Wiggly and I ALWAYS buy their Angel scent. Sooooooo wonderful

Aw and thanks to your daughts. I have a blog about my fingernails! lol fingertipfrosting.blogspot.com Have her come check it out, and while she's there follow the links to other WAY MORE AWESOMER nail polish artists. That's right, linguists, I said "way more awesomer"

Maggie- Soooo glad to hear yr chickies aren't mighty.

It'll be hard I'm sure for me to tell what the heck is something that needs treating or not. Common sense and this forum will save the day I hope!

Group! With the fam done being sickie we've made great progress on the coop recently! Hubs is thinking about putting a vent along the peak line of the roof. What does the brain trust think of that idea??? Uh.... you guys are my brain trust... ...not sure what that says about me....


I don't know how I feel about the window (hardware cloth under it) being hinged on the top. Maybe the side would be better for a cross breeze, but not for rain. Opinions? Thank you!

This second pic will have double doors (with hardware cloth) and wood inserts for cooler weather. Under the start of the framing for the doors is a 2x4 that can be detached for easy cleanout.
Thinking linoleum floor. Opinions? Thanks again!

ok, those cupcakes aren't making themselves..... Hope to hear from youse, ta!

 

[jvls1942]

IMHO llinoleum is a pretty slick/slippery type of floor for birds to walk on.. might cause leg/hip problems.. (spraddle leg on the young chicks.) ? It might be OK if you use a straw type bedding or deep litter..
I like the vent idea .. and I prefer the window hinged on top..

I was careful to not wipe my hands ON MY PANTS !! TerriO ........ I can still get a whiff of the odor yet.. I wonder if it is coming from inside the hatcher.,. (or is there another "stinky" lurking somewhere.. ??)

Dan, stinkfinger ? haven't heard that for a long time..

chick #17 is still working at it..

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

 

[babylady4]

for you Raiq!!!! I wish I was in your shoes!!!!

Jim I told the DH your advice on the in-laws place...... now it is a waiting game for him to open his mouth. All of you guys will have to harass him at the Bash, he is a little shy until you get him talking!!!!

MxM, I will tell my DD about your site. She is constantly combing pinterest for new nail ideas, I think she has a whole page just for ideas. I LOVE your coop and yes you need a vent at the top. Just listen to Jim.....

The soap making is something I started when I was wasting away at a job that required no brain power...... and so I thought I was wasting my education away doing nothing and decided that I needed a way to make $$$$. So I went to the library and started reading about making homemade soap and started making goat milk soap. My source for milk is no longer selling, so I make the soap with DI water instead. I make natural soaps (not organic) with no artificial dyes or scents, I use natural dyes like flower petals, seeds, etc and I use essential oils for scent. I brought some to the bash last year and I think I need to redeem myself since I was NOT happy with what I brought. I KNOW I can make better so I will be bringing more for all my chicken loving friends! The stuff I made today is citrus smelling and lightly dyed with annetto seed oil. I can take pics later tomorrow. I think tonight I will make a light green variety, I have some powdered algae that i have been wanting to try as a coloring agent........ I do not sell my soaps yet since I do not have the space to make it on a large enough scale, and I am still perfecting my process. I look at it as my 'retirement' job.... I do miss making the milk soaps, they have a wonderful texture to them that the water just does not have.

The ducks were all laying nice sized eggs and suddenly died back to laying either no eggs or little tiny ones. Could it be the cold temps???? I hope they manage to lay some decent sized ones over the next few days since they need to start sitting next week!

 

[kristip]

Having fun with all those babies. We had our broody with the three eggs and 2 of the chicks survived. The last was small and couldnt leave the yolk sac and part of egg shell. the two that made it are so sweet hiding in and under and on the mama. Otherwise have 7 sweet babies running around upstairs in a rubbermade bucket that they are already outgrowing after a week. Need to get a baby pool for my garage with the heat lamp out there. Give them some room. We did 2 babies last year so no comparison for space!

GOt my seeds started in the basement. Now need to stop these cold snaps with everything that needs to go outside. Want to get my little greenhouse up and ready to go outside but with the wind like yesterday, it would be long gone. Warm up now!!!