Good Morning! <=2017

Post by **WLLady** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 9:33 am

My chickens would eat my garden to the ground! They did one year....just about as well as my lab does...difference was the chickens left the stalks while the dog ate the stalks. Lol. I actually looked at my hubby last night and said i was the trailer coop put into the garden. He said ok. Then i said and i want 2 guineas. The look on his face was priceless. Then i ducked....lol. he doesnt like the noise either. I offered to put them in the freezer in the fall...lol. so i guess bvf never say never...ducks are out. I am not set up for ducks. But i might put a couple of my grow out cockerels in there....hm...guineas would be better. Or maybe my turkey poults altho those arent really poults any more. I wouldnt need to feed whatever is in there eating the hoppers!! Gotta move the trailer coop first though. The girls were dust bathing beside the tires and its all sunk into the ground and of course the trailer hitch is busted lol.
I dont have any mixed mutt chickens anymore downsizing went pretty well...no more free ranging right now because of corn right up to the horse paddock. Coyote prints and fox prints along the edge. My house sitters were frantic when we got home they hadnt seen the one cat all week...they were convinced she was dead. Saw the garter snakes yesterday in the strawberries...need to thin that out theyre setting those runners like mad. Well. Guess i better get moving today. Getting out the sawzall-removing all the glass from the driveshed so it doesnt break everywhere and then hopefully starting the destruction.

baronrenfrew · Post by **baronrenfrew** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 9:41 am

As a kid I had Black Rosecomb bantams running loose (well over 20) and full size chickens locked up. one broody mom with chicks would patrol the garden for bugs with little damage other than to lettuce and a few low hanging tomatoes, and the odd cuke. visitors still left with baskets of veggies. with a little thought to matching up the birds to the garden and a bit of design for fencing and crop species it could work pretty good. I know one guy that has bobwhite quail loose in his greenhouse and no problems with white flies on cabbage or cukes.

Chickens and a garden don't mix? that's like saying solar panels don't make sense. if you do it right....it works.

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 9:48 am

Bayvistafarm wrote:QR_BBPOST lol. I got her into Guinea's..... and after a spell she promptly said NO MORE. She won't change her mind back, lol. You either love them, and put up with their bull.... or you say nope!

I myself love them. Sometimes I ask myself why.

I pulled a tick from Drake yesterday and saw 2 climbing up the deck a few hours later. Only saw them on the deck because the Muscoveys had their eyes set on them, they just couldn't reach them. Wish I had my camera with me as they all stood still, heads tilted with one eye STARING at the ticks all lined up.

I didn't get the last 2 babies - keets raised very well. Maybe I need a junior-Ish to get me past the extra fragile stage.

Had a mellow day yesterday. Rough week and needed to unplug. Took my book and sat by the campfire most of the afternoon. Made a good dinner for Josh and I and then back to the fire with a few marshmallows.

ross · Post by **ross** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 10:04 am

Maximus wrote:QR_BBPOST
ross wrote:QR_BBPOST I have close to 40 free roaming Banties here & man do they do a job on all bugs even in edge of forest . Most are pure Chanties or chanty cross . A lot quieter than Guinea fowl & I feel more fun to watch . Mine never get locked up come & go as please .luck
You mean not locked up in the coop at night? I know someone else who does that too and her losses aren't any more than those who do. Hmmm, interesting.

My doors on barn are Dutch 4/8' top of south facing door 3' stays open 24/7 chickens fly in out
Light always on in barn . I find as you say more loses if penned can't get away from predators . Sitting ducks so to speak & also have yard lights & traps set 24/7 stops a lot before happens . Luck .

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 10:08 am

baronrenfrew wrote:QR_BBPOST As a kid I had Black Rosecomb bantams running loose (well over 20) and full size chickens locked up. one broody mom with chicks would patrol the garden for bugs with little damage other than to lettuce and a few low hanging tomatoes, and the odd cuke. visitors still left with baskets of veggies. with a little thought to matching up the birds to the garden and a bit of design for fencing and crop species it could work pretty good. I know one guy that has bobwhite quail loose in his greenhouse and no problems with white flies on cabbage or cukes.

Chickens and a garden don't mix? that's like saying solar panels don't make sense. if you do it right....it works.

I'm heading to garden shortly. I'll be taking a few chickens in with me to scrounge around. I have it all fenced off. Ducks would destroy my garden!!!

hayladee · Post by **hayladee** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 10:11 am

Morning all, been absent for awhile...computer problems then a short vacation to Dollywood in Tennessee with DD and her kiddoes. Rented a vehicle since we don't own one that would hold us all. Had a great time and it was great for DD and the kids to have fun without worrying about someone coming up and reminding them of their loss. The kiddos sure love hatching eggs and taking care of the peeps.. I have at least 70 juvenile chickens at the moment, going to wait till they can be sexed to start moving some, mostly eat the boys and cant wait to see what the little girls lay. I have about 20 that are black americauna/crested cream legbar, they are all black with white barring all over ...some look poka dotted, and some have little puffy crests. the rest are flower hens/olive egger roo and blue laced barnvelders/olive egger roo. I have a neighbor who has 3 light brahma hens/and roo, she gave me some of their eggs for the kiddoes to hatch, she will take any roos for eating.
Only a few late bred cows yet to calve, started haying those out on pasture....really dry here at the moment, made really nice second cutting grass hay this week but it was really short....still its gotta be cut. Hoping for rain this week....a good soaker!

Post by **WLLady** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 12:08 pm

Lol solar panels do make sense....i think anyways. I just like to get some vegetables. I must have weird birds. And dogs.
Another beautiful day out there.

ross · Post by **ross** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 12:13 pm

I won't even go their Kathy. . Come back in 20 years then we'll talk or less . Luck

Post by **WLLady** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 5:37 pm

Lol. I sure hope it will be when we get off the grid!!
That sun is warm out there again this afternoon. Hoping some of that forecasted rain hits us tonight.
Destruction has begun!! Yay!! Getting things stripped out before really getting destructive-but there are pieces on the ground now so thats getting somewhere i think.
Found another tick today too. Gah. We have had 12 months of ticks here it seems!! Another 10 chickens out the door and a turkey pen cleaned and the turkeys rounded up again...all the youngsters...minor freakout when the door to the big scary outside opened. Lol
Another week of holidays coming up. Another yay!

Post by **Killerbunny** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 9:04 pm

scared tweeping/shrieking noise from one of the poults in the turkey pen. Went over to rescue/calm/cuddle whatever. Apopletic poult jumping up and down apparently screaming "OMG what are Mum and Dad doing - help!" poor thing distraught.