Making Beds

Morgan sniffed out the planter beds today and before I knew what she was doing she ate some of the alfalfa pellets. Hope they won't make her sick.

I raked up a bunch of leaves, pine needles and other forest litter and added it and other layers of dirt and straw to the hugelkultur. 

I was going to start work in the chicken pen, but it started raining. Good excuse to quit and watch Inspector Morse.

Here is another new link to a site with great photos on hugelkultur and composting. Somehow I managed to forget to put in a layer of cardboard and newspaper. Photos on composting are at the top and hugelkultur photos are toward the bottom.

Here is a link to a post with great photos of how to hugelkultur that I have posted before. I'm adding more layers to my beds so I can add more layers of the crummy dirt we have around here. If I could have started with some fairly good soil I could get away with the layers in the photos. The dirt we have is like pulverized rocks. Well, we are on top of the mountain so all the good dirt washed away to the valley long ago. 

Hope everyone had a great day!

Peek at the Past

(May 9, 2009)

[7 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Greenhouse Bed

Blogger won't let me type next to the top photo. Bad Blogger!

Today I worked on the greenhouse planter bed and finished up the layers in outside beds up to ground level. The next step will be to build wooden planter box frames so I can add more layers and soil for planting. The top two photos are of the bed in the greenhouse. I dug out the area, filled it with old branches and then filled the bed with water to soak the bed and the wood.

(I tried moving some code around so now I can type next to these two bottom photos. I wish I knew HTML better.)

Then I added a thin layer of dirt over the branches, then straw and some alfalfa pellets. Then I watered the whole thing well.

The soil here has very little organic matter in it and it is very dry so the soak will hopefully help with composting the branches and the other layers.

Once I get the wooden frames built and add more layers I have the feeling that I may not be able to plant this year because it will be too late to plant and the beds may need a year to compost so they won't burn the plants.

There are three beds in this photo. The third bed has a layer of dirt over it so it doesn't show up in the photo.

It is supposed to rain Sunday and Monday which will be great for the beds and for the chicken pen. The chickens won't like the rain, but it will make digging out the chicken pen a lot easier.

The Buff gave up being broody after one day... or she is hiding out somewhere in the woods? The Australorp is still strutting around in the pen like a gorilla chicken clucking away.

Peek at the Past

(May 8, 2009)

[4 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Breaking Broody Hens

Hormones!

When hens go broody they have hormonal changes that tell them to stay in their nest and keep their eggs warm.

The broody hens stop laying eggs and sit in a nest to hatch eggs. Doesn't matter if there are eggs or if the eggs are not fertilized the hen will sit for three weeks or more.

These two hens have gone broody and are not happy with my method of breaking their broody spell. The Buff is pacing back and forth in front of the entrance to the coop nest boxes and making cooing clucking noises. The Australorp is strutting around and is all puffed up and making non stop angry clucking noises. Broody hens are scary!

Shutting the broody hens in the pen during the day so they can't get inside to the nest boxes while having feed and water available will hopefully signal their hormones to change. If this doesn't work my next trick will be to place them in a wire bottom cage with feed and water for four or five days. Keeping their tummies cool is supposed to break the broody cycle.

Sometimes I just give up and let them sit. But it's worrisome wondering if the hen is going to be ok and besides that... no eggs for a month is a bummer. I've tried putting a bag of ice cubes under a broody hen but that didn't work. The hen just moved to a new nest. I should have put her in a cage first.

There are lots of sites on the internet about Broody Hens. Here are two... Feathersite and The Poultry Guide. They both have helpful information.

I gave up on outside work today and decided to make some cookies.

PS: I tried to catch up on blogs and comments, but I may have missed some.

I apologize.

Peek at the Past

(May 7, 2009)

(6 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Broody Chickens

These hens are not broody.

The broody hens are in the pen. I took the broody hens out of their nest boxes and shut them in the chicken pen where they have feed and water but no access to nest boxes. They are not happy but at least they are eating and drinking and walking around.

The rest of the hens can get to the nest boxes to lay eggs but can't get to the automatic waterer. So, I filled a pan of water for the outside chickens. I had to sprinkle some scratch near the water pan before the chickens would would come check the pan out. They like the water in the pan ok but they really like the water that flowed out and made puddles in the dirt when I was filling the pan. They love that muddy water. Go figure.

I spent some time wandering around finding more branches and bringing them back to the planter beds. I'm going to fill the dug out beds with wood then fill it with water and let the wood soak before I put on a layer of dirt.

Next step is to get the branch cutters and make smaller branches out of big ones and arrange all this wood neatly. I think I will try walking around on the branches first and see if some of them will just break into smaller pieces.

iPhoto is giving me a headache! It is just short of crashing running very, very slow. I was going through old photos and throwing them in the trash and evidently I threw too much away and iPhoto lost its mind. I did a search (wish I had done that before I deleted photos) and found out that you are not supposed to trash more than 100 photos at a time. Arrgh!

I was able to find the photos I took today but the photo of the chickens only showed up in the large size so you can click on it and it will enlarge. Screamer and Pastey are the Light Brahmas drinking with one of the no name Dark Brahmas.

Kristine will be calling soon, Morgan is due back from the groomers, and I have to quit typing this and go cook dinner.

iPhoto update: I finally got iPhoto working again, but I had to trash the last two days photos. Live and learn.

Peek at the Past

(May 6, 2009)

[4 eggs so far today]

My egg count may be going down because of the broody hens?

~:>

Smiles

Sunny But Cold

The chickens are eating scratch I tossed on the ground and Morgan is thinking about how she can lick some of the corn up without me seeing her being sneaky. I really don't want to be up all night with a sick doggie. So, I stand and watch while the chickens eat up all the scratch.

There is a pile of small branches behind Morgan. I'm collecting them to use as a layer in the hugelkultur planter beds. I still need to find some more small branches and some larger pieces for the first layer. I wish I knew someone who had cows because I would love to have some manure to add to the soil. I really don't want to buy bags of compost from the nursery. Who knows what is in the stuff or where it comes from.

I guess I will dig up some of the "soil" from the chicken pen and add it to the dirt in the planter beds. I have read that chicken poo will burn plant roots, so I will add the chicken soil as a layer over the bottom layer of logs. Maybe I can take off the top few inches of soil in the chicken pen and put that on the logs and then use the soil that is deeper and has been there longer to add to the dirt I will use for top soil in the planter beds. I'll see what happens when I ever get out there to do some work.

I found another site (OregonLive) with info about hugelkultur with a link to a diagram on how to assemble the layers. It seems that people put the beds together pretty much the way they want according to what they have on hand or can get. I was getting worried about what layers go where, but I have decided to calm down and just do the best I can with what I have available.

Peek at the Past

(May 5, 2009)

Screamer is a kick.

Too bad I didn't catch her "yelling" at me.

[4 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Branches and Beds

This is a photo of two planter beds that I have started to fill with old branches. I dug out the smaller bed today and then wandered around the property looking for branches hiding under the leaves. I am about halfway done filling the beds with the wood. Looking for more wood will be a good job for me tomorrow.

It was so nice and warm today, but the weather is going back to the 60's and 50's for the rest of the week. I will be happy when we get some warm weather. I need sunshine!

Morgan did a lot of barking today that I would like to think was at foxes, but I think she was probably after squirrels. At least the barking will hopefully keep the fox away.

Things are pretty boring around here. The big event today was when a propane truck parked out by the gate with the engine running. Noisy thing! I was out checking on the chickens and taking photos so I clicked off a pic. I thought the truck drivers might be lost... or maybe they stopped to eat lunch?

The chickens are so happy to be back out in the woods. The ground is still fairly wet so the hens are having a ball digging holes looking for yummy eats.

I have started reading comments and blogs. It is going to take me a long time to catch up.

Kristine and I are still tired and sleepy. I'm going to cook steak tonight in hopes that will give us some energy. Maybe I should get some salmon. Fish and chips sounds good.

Peek at the Past

(May 4, 2009)

mmmm... BBQ

[ 5 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Porch Chickens

The chickens enjoyed a cabbage treat on the porch this morning and then stuck around in hopes of more good things to eat. The hens look bigger to me now. I guess they gained weight over the winter.

One of the Wyandotte hens has been acting poorly for over a week, but looks like she is feeling better today. She is moving around quicker and is eating and drinking. One of the hens is laying tiny eggs. Maybe it's the Wyandotte? Hope the sunny warm weather perks her up.

One of the trunks of an oak tree has bent itself all the way over and is touching the top of the chicken coop. The trunk is way too big for me to mess with. I guess Tom is just going to wait for it to fall on the coop?

I watched movies on YouTube today instead of going outside. But I did have an appetite and ate so I hope I'll have some energy tomorrow. I hate feeling so blah.

Peek at the Past

(May 3, 2009)

I still haven't done much genealogy.

[8 eggs today]

I had a cute egg basket just like this

but it was hard to use and didn't hold many eggs.

~:>

Smiles

Sleepy Sunday

Most of my plans for today didn't happen because I slept most of the day. I did manage to dig out one of the planter beds and get it ready to fill with a layer of old branches. Morgan and the Buffs came to check out what I was doing. This editor is acting goofy again and not letting me type next to the photos.

I thought the egg balancing trick was hard to believe too. This Australorp looks amazed! No, I did not put the egg on the board. The last thing I did before I came back in the house was to clean out the automatic waterer and put some pine branches down around it to help keep the chickens from scratching dirt in it. Poor chickens. Nobody cleans the waterer when I'm sick and I didn't think to tell anyone to do it.

I haven't started reading blogs and answering comments yet. Sorry. Hope to get to that soon.

Kristine just told me that HenRoo was out in the driveway today crowing! This is how HenRoo sounded last year. Kristine says now she sounds like a rooster with laryngitis. I'll try and get a video of HenRoo crowing.

Peek at the Past

(May 2, 2009)

My bears!

[8 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

May Myrtle

I actually got myself outside today and took some May photos. I would have liked to take more May flower photos, but Myrtle is all I found.

I promised Kristine to just do one job today and not get carried away with different tasks and make myself sick again. I was good and just cleaned up after the Buff house chicken. Somehow her pen, straw bedding, etc., was waiting for me to clean up and put away.

The weather has been so unpredictable, but we are supposed to have some sunny days this week in the 6o's. That's still kinda cool for my taste.

When I'm cold in the morning, I just put my clothes on over my pajamas. Kristine thinks I'm silly, but I don't care. I'm more interested in staying warm.

The Buff house chicken is all healed up, fine and happy and back in the chicken herd hanging out with her buddy, Pastey, the smaller white Brahma.

Hard to see in the photo but that is an apple tree on the left being propped up by a stake. Two tall cedars in the middle and lots of new green leaves and needles brightening up the forest.

Kristine still sounds like she has pneumonia, but she is back to work and classes. She says most of the problem now is from allergies. Too much pollen around. She got an allergy shot and pills to go along with the antibiotics.

I know I'm on the mend because I want to work on some projects I have planned. Before I really didn't care about anything. I haven't read any blogs yet. I am soooo behind. I still feel so tired.

[9 eggs today]

Peek at the Past

(May 1, 2009)

~:>

Smiles

Snowy Slow Day

4/28/10 - It hailed today so hard it looks like it snowed and now it is hailing again... thunder and lightning. Weather is weird. Chickens are ok. Kristine went back to the doctor and got antibiotics this time. I'm getting better... just want to sleep all the time.

Hope I will feel like reading blogs and writing a post soon. Hope everyone is healthy and enjoying Spring weather. Spring must be happening somewhere.

Thank you for all the good wishes!

4/19/10 - A nurse said it is the three week cold from the hot place and that 3 out of 5 people have it. Bad news. My throat has pretty much stopped hurting which is one improvement. I really don't want to itemize the rest. Kristine sounds like she has pneumonia. Snow is gone. Rain tomorrow. The Buff is back out with the other chickens. Thank you for checking in and leaving such great comments!

Quick update: 4/13/10

Still sick, weather bad, snow, rain, thunder/lightening, power outages. Will post again when I feel better. I know I'm sick because I don't want to read blogs or post. Kristine went to class today and missed part of it because she was coughing so much she had to leave. The Buff is healing. Thank you for all the kind words!

Three or four inches of snow.

The snow is already melting because of the rain.

I will add to this post when I'm feeling better.

Happy Easter

Rain and even puddles!

We may get snow today. I guess we will have to wait and see because the forecasts keep changing.

Kristine and I will be staying home while Tom visits with the family.

I'll add to this post later...

it's later... a big storm has blown in with noisy winds, but not much rain yet.

It is snowing!

Kristine and I are feeling a little better. I made chicken soup.

Peek at the Past

(March 4, 2009)

Easter last year.

(these 2009 photos will enlarge if you click on them.)

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smile

Cranberries And Pickle Juice

Morgan is ok now but she was sick last night pacing around the house wanting out for urgent business, drinking water, keeping sick Kristine from her rest. I had my turn at taking Morgan out.

It turns out that yesterday when Tom first let the wet soggy Morgan in the house she spent some time in the entry area eating chicken feed and straw that the recovering Buff Orpington had pushed out of her caged area.

This was not a good thing for Morgan. Or us. We didn't get much sleep. Kristine is trying to fight off whatever the fever and nausea is leading to and I'm fighting off nausea and sore throat. Pickle juice helps.

I'm making cranberry sauce for Kristine. She has made her vinegar with mother, lemon and honey tonic. We'll see if any of this does any good.

Peek at the Past

(March 3, 2009)

Another summer project to finish.

[10 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Rain And Puddles

I was out in a light rain collecting eggs and taking photos. Morgan was having a ball and wouldn't come back in the house when I called. I decided I would check on her after I put the eggs away and see if she would come, but then I forgot she was out there. Bad me! She got soaked. Soaked but happy.

The little trench I dug is working quite well to divert a lot of water away from the chicken pen. Although the chickens don't seem to mind the rain since they stand in the pen unless there is heavy rain.

Kristine said she sees the hens on the ladder early in the morning when she is getting ready for work. The chickens are never on the ladder when I take a look. I think they can hear me opening the door and they hop off and gang up ready for the great escape when I open the coop. Well, when I used to let them out. Poor chickens.

I would like to think that the rain washes the chicken poo off of the leaves and that the mess drains away out of the coop since the coop is on a slight sloop. Well, it's a nice idea. The poo probably just sinks under the leaves and stays there.

The wood ash foot dryer entrance box thingy is working well. I only got one muddy eggs today. I was late putting the chicken feeders back in the coop so the feed got a little wet. I'm in hopes the chickens will eat all the wet feed today. I'll check tomorrow.

While typing up this post I had a glimmer of a memory of a recipe called Muddy Chicken. I did a search and did find one recipe that is really just for browned steamed chicken. I think I will try this out because it will give me an excuse to use my dutch oven. I love mashed potatoes.

The new Google editor was acting up so I switched back to the old editor a few days ago. The photo on this post would not allow any text next to it... only above or below. So I looked at some HTML code on another of my posts that had text next to the photo and copied that code and replaced the code around this photo's code. Now it works! I would like to learn the new HTML but I need an editor. I know... I could still start learning the code, but it is much more fun to actually try the code out and see how it works..

Peek at the Past

(April 2, 2009)

Stew sounds good, but I made tacos tonight. The tacos were extra good because we had organic corn tortillas. Only trouble there wasn't enough so I had some lettuce tortillas. I used a large lettuce leaf in place of a tortilla. Pretty good. But, the organic corn tortillas were the best!

Kristine came home sick and has taken the day off tomorrow. Good move. I sure hope she is not getting some horrible cold. Working in the library she is exposed to lots of germs.

Chicken update: The top wound is almost healed and looks closed. The bottom wound is still open, but looks to be closing.

[7 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Snow On April 1st

April Fools! Just kidding... well, kinda... it is supposed to rain later today through Sunday with snow on Saturday.

I found a page here about California's contrasting weather patterns that range from the Death Valley desert to the Shasta Cascade alpine climate.

Sometimes it seems like a desert here in the Gold Country during part of the very hot summer, but that will change in the winter at times when we have more snow and rain. Rain is a mixed blessing because more growth in the forest means a higher fire danger in the summer. But the state needs the rain for irrigation and drinking water so I am always happy to see rain and snow in the forecast..

I was surprised to find some blossoms on the cherry tree, but with more rain and snow coming I don't expect to see any fruit set.

The sun was out and dried up some of the leaves in the driveway. I raked them, bagged them, and dumped the leaves in the muddy chicken pen.

There is a white feed bag behind Morgan. The bag makes it look like she has a bump on her back. With all the space available I have to wonder why she ran through the leaves I raked.

The chickens were very happy to have a layer of leaves to scratch through. I was happy they were off the mud! More rain and snow will turn the leaves slippery and wet, but at least not muddy. I filled up their wood ash entrance box again. (wood ash to dry muddy feet) The hens had filled the box up with bedding.

I made Kristine steak for dinner and I ate a small piece. Tom had meat loaf. There were carrots, broccoli and artichokes for the veggie part of the meal. For starch there was bread. When I was a kid dinner always included bread in some form. French bread, sliced white bread or biscuits were common at the table. I have taken to usually only cooking a meat and veggies for dinner. (and not having any bread)

Peek at the Past

(April 1, 2009)

[9 muddy eggs today]

I don't know if any coop is bear proof if the bear has time to spend breaking and entering. I would have put washers on the outside behind the head of the bolt so a bear didn't pull the head through the wood. I would think a grizzly or big black bear might eventually split or work a board loose. Bears dig. I wonder what he did to keep the bears from digging into the coop? And I wonder how he secured the door.

My coop wouldn't keep out a determined bear but thankfully most bears are out for an easy meal and won't work too hard and will move off to find easier pickings. I need to put a dead bolt on the white steel door. The door frame has moved and the door barely latches.

~:>

Smiles