What did YOU do in your garden today :P

[thistlebloom]

Hey Marshall, you should take some pictures of your gopher stopping beds during construction, that could be real helpful to some folks.

 

[buckabucka]

We shouldn't have named our chickens, but we did, and still do. Last year, we did not get rid of the older hens like we said we would. This year, we have to. I'm going to do a small hatch, and we already have 54 birds.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

well, the chickies got a thorough coop clean out today. raked off 2 of the 3 garden beds and threw the shaving mix down on them. noticed my garlic sprouting through the soil so there's my first real sign spring is here!

 

[Kassaundra]

Lesa, I would love to hear about your chickens. Do they eat slugs? Can you turn them loose in your garden without them damaging the plants? I am talking to my husband about getting a few. Do you go for meat chickens or egg layers? I live in a residential area where the lots are about 1 acre each and a few people in the area have chickens and I'm kind of intrigued with them. Do you have areas where the chickens create problems in your yard? I have a lot to learn about chickens.

Chickens are good for prep and in between seasons. They can be used in the growing garden depending on the number of chickens, what you have planted, and what else they have to eat.

There are garden plants they just ignore like okra, squash, onions, asparagus. Then there are ones they will eat your crop, tomatoes, peppers that turn colors, melons, cukes (when the mood strikes), any and all leafies, and cole crops.

I am selective w/ the plants that the chickens have access to during growing time.

 

[baymule]

Named hens make good soup too! But I don't tell DH until after supper. "Lola tasted good didn't she?" DH-"NO! Lola? Did I just eat Lola?"

 

[baymule]

@thistlebloom I gave my grand daughter a paint brush and cans of paint. I love them too! She had a blast!

 

[kathiesgarden]

Baymule, I love your chicken house! I am going to show the pictures to my husband, because you guys have really gotten me interested in getting a couple. Lesa thanks for the advice about how to handle them in the garden, I probably wouldn't have thought of that until it was too late! Steve, I won't name them, sorry about your loss of Edna. Chickiesmom, sorry about the loss of SweetiePie. I am getting excited about this chicken thing! Thanks everyone for your advice.

 

[ninnymary]

Katiesgarden, you NEED chickens! Get only a few (3-5) to start with if that's all you can get. I name mine and even reuse the names! I am too "chicken" to process them but if I need too, I give them away to a woman I met who makes chicken soup out of them. I have no problem with that. They led a great life while I had them.

Mary

 

[kathiesgarden]

Thanks for the advice on how many to get. I want to start small (3-5) and see how I do with them. I imagine the grandchildren will name them, but I am going to try not to! Giving the chickens away is a good way of getting around the problem of cooking a named chicken!

 

[thistlebloom]

Kathie, it helps if they all look alike. I usually have a lot of variety (and names) but this batch almost all look identical.
It's much easier to not get attached to individuals that way.