Hugelkultur Underway

Yesterday I used stakes and marked out where I wanted the planter boxes. Today I marked the area with the shovel and cut out the bottom of a bed and piled the dirt to the side.


The dirt will go back on top when I get the other layers done.


I dug out the far end of the bed first and put down some old logs. Then I took a break. This is hard work!


The Wyandotte looks like she is asking me if I'm coming back to finish the job. Bossy hen!



I finally (after a few more breaks) got the rest of the bed dug out. Screamer is going to walk around on the logs while Morgan is doing her chicken watching routine.

I didn't have enough old wood at hand so I spent a lot of time walking the property picking up down wood and hauling it back to the bed.

 The first layer is done!

Tomorrow I'm going to clean out the chicken coop and put  layers of chicken stuff, leaves, and sticks. I'll sprinkle a bit of dirt in there too. I'll top the bed off with dirt and some of the leaf compost that has been cooking for many years.

The chickens are so funny. They wouldn't come in the garden area when I was working, but when I left to take a break or take photos some of them would zip in there and check the place out.

Sprout update: Argh! Nothing is happening. Tom got these lentils at the local  market and they are a store brand. Maybe these are old, old sad lentils and are not going to sprout. I'll wait a bit longer.

Peek at the Past

(March 18, 2009)

Jean's ankle is healed and she is home!

[5 eggs today]

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Smiles

One Egg, Two Eggs,

Golden Lace Wyandotte

Five eggs total today, but only two this cool Fall morning and pretty good for this slow part of the year. There were only the two eggs this morning when I went looking and only two hens in the nest boxes. The other hens all skedaddled, when Kristine let them out, and headed for the woods, the greenhouse or the porch. Some of them do hang out on the porch for awhile in the morning and try and talk me into giving them some treats. There are hens who come by the slider on the porch during the day and try and talk me into giving them a snack. Morgan likes the hens treat time too, because I give her doggie treats.

I put the two eggs together in the middle nest so I could get a picture.

There are molting feathers in the nest.

I think Orp-Roo is growing feathers!

Dark Brahma

This Dark Brahma is molting feathers all over. I hope the hens hurry up and grow new feathers so they will be warm this winter. I had to use the flash because it is dark enough even in the day that it is hard to see in the coop without the additional light.

The pink is almost gone in the kitchen, but I have to put on at least one more coat of mud. That means one more day for the joint compound to dry, but probably four days or more after I get the rest of the mud smeared around before I can sand and then paint. Tom went out to get more wood today and got me another gallon of joint compound on the way back, so I'm all ready to go when the pink is gone. I did a little path raking this afternoon. I'm working on a sore throat. Phooey. When the seasons change, it is time for me to catch cold.

[5 eggs today]

Smiles

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Saddle's Still On!

Orp Roo got duct taped again this morning and she was not at all happy about the experience. I was surprised that there were no pin feathers growing on her back. That look she is giving me says go away! Henny Penny's saddle was loose because she is growing feathers, but not coming off, so I didn't mess with her. Putting duct tape on chickens is not my favorite thing to do. I'm glad Henny Penny is growing feathers, but Orp Roo's back is still bare. At least it is not sunburned anymore. Hopefully, when she molts this year she will grow new feathers. Kristine said she would suspect mites, but the other chickens are Ok and Henny Penny's feathers are growing back so the feather loss must be from something else.

The broody Golden Lace Wyandotte is very happy in all her new straw where she has burrowed down and made herself very comfortable. She doesn't roost and sleeps in the nest box and is always here except when I pick her up and set her down in the pen so she will go eat and drink. Kristine and I keep talking about getting a chick from the feed store and sticking it under her just to see what she would do. But we really don't want anymore chickens. Poor broody hen. No chicks.

Although, there are times I would like a Light Brahma rooster that didn't crow or jump on the hens and make them miserable. Too bad roosters don't come that way. I do miss our big Light Brahma rooster, Brutus, that the coyote got. He was so gentle. My neighbor called us that day and said that a fox had one of our chickens, but Kristine and Tom said it was a coyote.

Morgan wasn't out with the chickens that day because for some reason we were keeping her inside and then someone let the chickens out. Kristine says she sees coyotes come through the yard early in the morning before we let Morgan outside. So, the coyotes do keep checking and hope to get lucky and find the chickens unprotected.

There is the little round plant that Kristine brought home yesterday. I mixed half a bag of potting soil with the dirt I dug out of the hole and used that mixture under and around the plant.I hope it will be happy in that spot and do well. I don't have a green thumb and I rely on plants that are basically survivors. Native plants are my favorites. Weeds do well also.

[13 eggs today]

I think the hens like the new straw!

Smiles

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