Category: Chicken

cutting a ramp with Takeuchi

Last year I bought a Takeuchi TL26 track loader.  This machine was made in the 90's and because it has tracks rather than wheels is ideal for grading or re-shaping the ground surface.  It has 61hp, which makes it a mid-size loader and just right for my limited needs. In the article on the fading battery I mention some of the repairs I have made to it. Since the temperature tomorrow is expected to be back in the 90's and today we are only in the 80's, I decided to cut a ramp down to the lower Read more [...]

cantaloupe

During the past week the cantaloupe have shown they are ready for picking.  Quite suddenly their color changes from green to yellow, their stem withers and they exude a strong musk aroma. I planted the seeds directly into a raised bed (8ft x 4ft) on Sunday 6/26.  I had purchased a packet of Burpee's Ambrosia Hybrid which cost $1.89 (before taxes) and I was disappointed there were only 12 seeds in the packet.  I formed two hills in the bed and placed 6 seed in each hill.  Previously I had Read more [...]

chicken dynamics

Eight young chicks arrived as a group into a shed converted to coop two Golden Comets who jump on your knees when sitting you offer some morsels to feed two Black Giants so skittish and shy they keep the most distance when friendship you try two Speckled Sussex the smallest of all but quickly chase Comets to far away wall and then the last couple, so striking indeed a hen and young rooster of Buff Orpington breed as coop door unshackles they cluster around then chortle and hustle with Read more [...]

recycling, scuppernong and the first crow

Recycling I recycle whenever possible.  Two favorites are newspapers and woodchips.  I was able to twice load my pickup with pine tree woodchips and these, together with bundles of accumulated newspapers, gave me the incentive to weed the overgrown walkways in my vegetable garden. I first remove the weeds, then lay down the newspapers (typically open the newspaper at the middle and ensure plenty of overlap to block the sunlight), and then cover with a thick layer of woodchips.   In addition Read more [...]

2nd chicken coop done

Arrival of the egg laying chicken My neighbor offered me her 6 chicken and nesting boxes and metal waterer for a reasonable price and, because of the age and size difference between her mature egg laying chicken and my youngsters, I built a second chicken coop to receive them as well as a separate fenced outdoor exercise and grazing area. I refurbished a horse stall into a chicken coop using scrap lumber and wire fence leftovers.  I used screws rather than nails since it is easier to undo Read more [...]

trying to get smarter

A few evenings ago, after locking the chicks in the pen, I heard an unusual noise and went to investigate.  The coop is divided by an inner partition.  The two Golden Comets were on the one side on the roosting perch, which didn't surprise me since from the get go they were ostracized and even though now they appear to be accepted, they still act independently.  On the other side of the partition I saw an unusual sight - the other six chicks appeared to be shoving and tugging to get into a corner Read more [...]