Friday, February 25, 2011

Do the same principles apply to vegetables as chickens?

So, I am wondering...if happy chickens lay more eggs, does a happy garden produce more vegetables?  Something to think about.  The other day, when I got home from school, husband was asleep on the couch and the kids were doing whatever it is they do.  Avoiding work.  I decided that it might be a good day to get out in the garden and start managing the weed population.  That might make for a happy garden...or at least a happy gardener.  Seems like a win-win situation in any case. 

I started in the farthest corner of the garden and decided that pulling these knee high weeds manually wasn't going to cut it.  Especially since somehow, goatheads have been introduced into the yard.  I'm going to inflict some serious harm on someone if I ever find out how those got there...they are miserable beasts.  Those things hurt like the dickens when you get poked by them.  Anyway, I got a shovel, put on my super awesome pink gardening gloves that protect my hands from the pokey things, and started attacking the weeds down low by the roots.  The chickens sensed that earth was being moved and joined me in the garden.  They are really good at finding worms and other little num nums.  So after about an hour of this, I took a little break.  I had been taking little potshots at the chickens when they would get too close to where I was working.  Pretty funny to see them get scared and try to fly away.  Honestly, there has to be some entertainment value to these menial tasks.  When I came back from my break, much to my dismay, it looked like I hadn't touched a single weed...the front weeds were blocking the view of what I had cleared.  This wouldn't do at all, so I finished the rest.  The results look good, although when you look at the picture, the ground still looks deceivingly green.  There are a lot of smaller weeds that really don't deserve the amount of effort I was putting forth.  That will all go away when we rototill. 


Looking east...


So, after I finished getting the weeds out, I decided to go look around the yard...go on an early Easter egg hunt...I really feel like the chickens are laying eggs all over the place, but I can't find any other than in the Blazer or in the shed (it's been rediscovered!).  The only one I found was between the old unused dog house and the coop.  Seriously?  I cannot fit any part of my body in there to get it.  I figured I would get one of my long armed children on it at a later time.  While I was focused on the mislaid egg, I noticed that the condos were pretty disgusting. 


I decided to clean those while I was at it...you'd think I could put some similar effort into cleaning my house...nah...  After some effort, I managed to fill a large tub with all sorts of chicken poop, which will be spread about in the garden.  I think this might be a key in happy vegetables.  The chickens seemed to be pleased with their clean home as well. 

Nothing like a clean house...


  Satisfied customers.

I had high hopes that the chickens would be eternally grateful for my cleaning spree and reward me by laying a multitude of eggs.  I don't get it...only two eggs yesterday, and one the day before that.  I can't imagine they enjoy the filth, but they are weird creatures.  They remind me of people...some are smart, but the majority of them are not.  One smart one, moved the egg that was between the dog house and the coop...moved it through the chain link fence into the coop.  Must be someone with some maternal instincts. 


So one last note...there was quite a squawking going on, so I went outside to see what was going on.  Dogs looking for chew toys?  Chicken v. cat stand-off?  Someone laying a really big egg?  Nope...


...just this one, who managed to get on top of  coop.  She seemed quite concerned and distraught that she was above everyone else.  I left her there and she eventually figured out how to get down.  I kinda wish I had set up some sort of video to watch the rescue events unfold.  I'll bet it was awesome!

Next on the agenda?  Well, it's supposed to storm like crazy today and tomorrow...possible snow flurries in fact.  Rototill next week, then lay out the soaker hoses.  I guess a plan is still in order.  Next week...



Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Anyone interested in an omelet or two??

Well, if happy chickens lay three eggs, then our chickens must be ecstatic chickens!  For five days in a row, we have collected up to eight eggs from the coop!  Our cup, or in this case, our coop, runneth over!  This is not counting the eggs that may or may not be hidden in the yard...oh, I can hardly wait until the height of summer, when it is 100 plus degrees outside and someone steps on one if those gems... hoooooaaaauuugghhhh.  Anyway, the girls like the last condo for their egg laying, so every day, there is a little mountain of eggs.  In addition, the Blazer seems to be a preferred location for one of the girls...there is an egg in there daily.  The shed, thankfully, has lost its appeal. 

In other fowl news, our Rhode Island Red rooster currently has a gig as husband's rugby team mascot.  They are the Thundercocks, and well, "Thunder" represents the team in fine form.  Last Saturday, he was caught and transported via cat kennel to the playing field.  We tie a bit of 550 cord to his leg and he gets to wander around before the game begins.  He's a great conversation starter...it's as if no one has ever seen a live rooster before.  Okay, they most likely haven't.  Thunder seems to enjoy his excursion to the playing field.  The only thing that is problematic, are the little kids who want to pet the "birdie".  He's not a fan.  Nor are their parents after he tries to peck them and then they cry.  I find it funny.  Parents shouldn't encourage their children to "pet" a rooster.  I blame them. 

"Thunder"

So, the garden...it is at a momentary standstill.  I have been gone every weekend, with the next one being no exception.  The plan is to spend a few hours clearing out the big weeds...then getting a rototiller one afternoon.  It won't take long to do that at all.  Probably best we don't have the rototiller all day...we tend to get carried away with that sort of stuff...start tilling everything in sight.  Hopefully once that is done, I can get the irrigation set up and start planting some things.  I need to start my seeds soon too.  Maybe a trip to Walmart for potting soil and some little pots is in order.  I have a few packets of seeds...mostly herbs though.  I prefer to plant my tomatoes and squash from the little starter plants they sell at OSH and those kinds of places.  No sense of adventure I know.  In reality, it's called lack of patience! 

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Wandering chickens make happy chickens!

So a few weeks ago, I decided to let the chickens out in the veggie garden to see if they would help with eating weeds and fertilizing.  I caught and carried each one in, which was an adventure of sorts.  I gave up on trying to catch a couple of them, mostly because I don't enjoy being pecked and scratched.  A few of them are kind of mean.  They started out well...scratching around, looking for worms and other random bugs...they looked content, so I went inside.  Apparently, most decided they didn't like the confines of the garden.  You know, the grass is greener thing???  I came outside to see what they were doing and all but one of them had literally hopped the fence and were grazing in the yard area near the garden.  Oh my...how to get them back in the coop??  My fears were made a little more dramatic when I realized that there were cats lurking about in the yard.  Now what??  Had I created a situation I wouldn't be able to deal with?  I wasn't too concerned about losing a chicken or two, especially since they haven't been laying any eggs (more on that later), but the melee that might ensue had me worried.  I got a scoop of scratch and tried having them follow me, Pied Piper style, back to the coop.  Most of them complied, however, a few of them didn't understand the path I had chosen.  They kept running full force into the chicken wire on the outside of the coop, trying to get inside.  Um...there is a door, but I guess when your brain is smaller than a raisin, logic is not your forte.  After I stopped laughing, I finally was able to herd them near the door and they saw the goods and ran in.  Slammed the door shut and felt successful that there hadn't been any bloodshed...mine or the chickens.



They have discovered the front area as well.

So, about the cats...They don't seem to be interested in the chickens as snacks.  That could be since the chickens are twice as large as both cats.  The cats and chickens are odd creatures though.  I put out some snacks for the cats to eat.  More specifically, the carcass of a precooked chicken that I picked the meat off to make a dip for the Super Bowl.  The cats, of course, dug in and started eating.  The chickens, clearly sensing some sort of snack frenzy, waddled on over to see what was going on.  Much to my disgust and surprise, the chickens pulled the carcass out of the tray and started eating it.  Yech...cannibals!  Did they know they were eating their own kind?  So, the Ninja cat and the chickens ate chicken side by side...orange cat opted out of the feasting.


Ninja cat and friends enjoying their snack...



So, all of this made me pull out my favorite chicken book, also known as the chicken bible, and I read that chickens love to roam and explore, and that they will head back to the coop when it gets dark.  Really??  Can it be that easy?  So the next day, as I was leaving for work, I opened the door and they came pouring out.  I put some scratch on the ground because if I don't distract them, they will follow me and try to get in the car.  I came home at lunch to check on them and was amused to see them all sitting on the flat bed trailer on the side yard, soaking up the sunshine.  They ran to me and followed me all the way up to the back door.  Kind of a weird feeling, having all these beady eyed fowl following me.  After school, it was dark and I was worried to not see any of my feathered friends.  Thinking back to what the chicken bible said, I looked in the coop.  One, two, three...thirteen!  All there...roosting peacefully on their condo.  NICE!!!

I have found that the chickens really enjoy their days outside.  The only day that they probably regretted coming out, was the day that Avery wasn't tied up.  Jetta and Daisy are okay with the fowl population.  Jetta sniffs them.  I guess because she has been trained with ducks and doves, she has little interest in them.  Daisy...well, she is just a fraidy cat, so she stays away from them.  She doesn't enjoy conflict.  Avery, on the other hand, thought the chickens were yet another chewy toy.  She chased them around (she's very fast) and most of them avoided her jaws.  The rooster, being a stupid rooster, stood in front of Avery, wiggled his tail feathers, which ended up in Avery's mouth.  After the initial yelling phase that I went through was over, the rooster, minus his tail feathers went on his way, and Avery ended up in her kennel.  Lesson learned. 

It seems that wanderng chickens really are happy chickens!  I looked in the coop day before yesterday and someone had laid an egg!  A nice large brown egg.  About time I say! Yesterday, I was the lucky owner of three eggs in the coop.  Husband says by letting the chickens out to roam, we are opening ourselves up to a year round Easter egg hunt.  I'm afraid he may be right.  I found an egg in the garden shed...wonder how long that had been there.  Three eggs in the coop isn't bad though, seeing how we have had no eggs for nearly three months.  We'll see how today goes.  Maybe it's like the nighttime thing...they know where they should lay their eggs...maybe someone just couldn't hold it any longer...time will tell I suppose.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Measured!

16 x 32

Planning is hard!!!!!

First of all, apologies to my mother...in my profile, I stated that my father has a ridiculously green thumb.  I failed to mention that my mother also has that crazy ability to grow things.  There have been some legendary zucchini and tomatoes, which she, of course, has pictures of.  She is currently into cactus, which she may keep...I don't need any more reminders that I live in a desert climate! 

Okay, so I thought that planning my garden would be a simple and non-stressful task.  I was completely wrong about that.  First of all, I keep forgetting to measure the exact dimensions of the garden.  So, therefore trying to decide what and how much to plant is a moot point until that task is complete.  Then I start thinking about vegetable placement and that confuses me as well...should I put the squash next to the tomatoes?  Peppers near squash?  Onions next to peppers?  Pumpkins?  And so on...  Really, I can't even decide exactly what I want to grow.  Peppers, tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers are the staples and non-negotiables.  Herbs will be potted, especially after I nearly pulled a hammie trying to yank the dead basil out of the ground.  Onions...loved the green onions last season, so those may be invited back.  Regular onions seem to be a bit more difficult...you plant what looks like an onion and then magically you should have more.  When I pulled them out of the ground, they looked the same as when I planted them, except dirtier. Garlic should have been planted in November it seems, so that's a definite no.  Eggplant is supposedly an easy to grow vegetable...perhaps...I will definitely need to find some recipes for that. Mom???  Okra...love that stuff, but it didn't work out so well last year...see my first post about medieval weapons!  Peas and beans are reportedly great growers here...the local farmers seem to do well with them.  Maybe...we'll see how ambitious I get this season.

I guess the hardest part of planning is that I have visions of these neatly and properly planted gardens from magazines touting that you too, can grow phenominally colorful and huge vegetables.  These gardens are clearly not part of Zone 9, which is arid and desert-like.  Even Sunset, which is "supposed" to be for the West, forgets us out here in the Central Valley where temperatures regularly reach the high 90's and low 100's. 

Alrighty then...I am going to peruse some gardening websites and see what advice I can get from those.  I found a nice Zone 9-10 Planting schedule on-line.  Good start...

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Progress...

My helpers came out in full force.  They didn't complain one bit...in fact, they were thrilled to help with the bug population. I wish they weren't so good at finding worms though...those guys are good for my soil.  Managed to pull the ridiculously large and well rooted basil out of the ground too. That $#@! thing nearly got the best of me!


Sunday, February 6, 2011

Garden as of February 6th...

So this is the current dismal state of the garden. Soil test, ammendments, a little rototilling and I think we will be off to a good start.