AL - Recording baby steps: Newest Addition

[AL]

Spent yesterday afternoon shelling a 5 gallon bucket of peas. Then cousins showed up and we sat out under the big tent canopy and watched the chickens and horses while munching down on some fried catfish, hushpuppies, cheese grits, peas and rotel cheese / chips. Then blueberry or peach cobbler with ice cream for dessert.

It actually rained a little last night but not much. Walk through the garden and your footprints leave pits of dry dirt.


12yr old nephew is here, cousins have left so I am going to bribe T12 to go help me haul dirt to the chicken house and barn.

 

[AL]

Yay! It rained some more last night! Still not much, but we'll take what we can get!
It is cooler today too, I think the high is 88 and it should be in the mid 60s or so tonight.

I have another green egg layer... I think. I've been getting one every other day, a small one in the bushes. I got the small one yesterday and today there was a little bit bigger one in one of the nest boxes. Cousin backed out of his telling me "save all your eggs for me" - only took a dozen, so I sent another dozen for family they were going to visit. I'll split a dozen and take them to work for a couple of people to "sample".

The fair is next month starting the 21st. I have to have my photos at the display by the 16th and I haven't even started printing / framing them. I really need to get started on that!

T12 helped me haul some clean dirt to the barn. First trip out there we found where Buddy had somehow managed to pull most of a bale of hay under the stall gate, so we had to clean that up. I have to get up in the loft this weekend and clean it out, the foster coordinator is bringing me 10 bales for Buddy and I dont' have any room in the hay storage downstairs.

have several squash plants coming up, peas are still really scattered. Hopefully the weather doesn't get TOO cool for them

 

[AL]

HOW is it 60 degrees?!?!? In FLORIDA???


Oh... must be because I planted a fall garden


I have 3 customers for eggs... one wants a dozen a week, others said a dozen as needed. The first lady already said she wants 4 dozen for thanksgiving too!

And NOW it is getting cooler!! When do hens start slacking off on laying? Is it cool weather or lack of sunlight?

My squash are doing pretty well, but nowhere near having blossoms. My peas are scattered and pitiful.... no sign of my mustard greens.


It isn't supposed to be getting cold yet!!!

edited because I can't spell

 

[FarmerDenise]

Hens slack off with laying do to molting and shorter days. Last year ours barely slowed down at all. You just won't know for real until they do whatever it is they are going to do

Mine are down to 2 eggs per day now. Considering I have close to 30 chickens, that is pretty sad. Most of my flock is young though. I have a few young roos, that will go to freezer camp soon and hopefully the pullets will start to lay soon. Some of the older hens are molting, so that is their excuse for not laying.

We have been getting our winter garden in. And now we have a heat wave :/

 

[TanksHill]

Congratulations on the egg customers!! For me it seems I always have no customers when the gals are laying well and when there not everyone wants eggs. Murphy's Law.

I planted seeds a couple weeks ago I figured it was too cool for them. This heat wave brought them up and out. Now I just hope it cools down so the don't get cooked.

Mother nature is a hard nut to crack!!

g

 

[AL]

I have more people asking for eggs than I can supply now!! It started with 2 ladies at work, then 2 more ladies saw me giving them eggs and THEY wanted some... that was perfect because I get about 4 dozen a week. Then my 90yr old neighbor told me his hens are slowing down (they are about 3, I guess that is why?) so I gave him a dozen.

2 of my hens - a 5 1/2 month old barred rock and a 5mth old RIR have floppy combs - as in laying sideways. They are eating, drinking, laying, pooping, chasing treats and bugs. The roo has started mating, but he actually isn't rough with them, so I dont' think that is the problem. It certainly isn't hot , our highs are around 86 or so and it is in the mid / low 60s at night.


My dad said my mustard may not come up because of the dry weather and it was SOOO hot just last week, now it is cooler. Peas are doing ok, squash seem to be going great guns.

 

[Javamama]

Are you going to get any of the tropical moisture? I just that on the news.
My chickens are giving up 2 to 3 eggs a day too. It's the season plus some of mine are old.

 

[AL]

nah... we'll probably just get some breezy days. We have been very blessed the last few hurricane seasons. In 2004 (September 16) we had Ivan ( http://www.2004hurricanes.com/ivan.html ). My mom was here for Camille and Fredrick , but she said Ivan scared her worse than both of those put together. We were without power for 4 solid weeks. In November my parents cancelled their landline phone because they still didn't have the lines up and working. Mile long waits for fuel, the interstate bridge washed out... quite the inspiration to start pursuing SS lifestyle.
2005 we had Dennis and parts of Katrina.... so while we would never wish a storm on anyone, we are sure glad they haven't been here in a while!

 

[AL]

Had to take my 14yr old Lab to the vet - drinking lots of water and vomited last week and again Tuesday night (once a double handful of grass). Will get blood / urine results tomorrow. Sweet boy

Have the equine vet coming out tomorrow morning.... Skye has a tennis ball sized knot under her jaw.

ahh... life at Lori's house for the aged and infirm.

Buddy kicked my 77yr old dad today, so this weekend I will be showing my dad how to - um- properly discipline - young Buddy. Unacceptable behavior, and too dangerous to play around with.

Squash are really kicking it into high gear, plants are getting bigger. Still just scattered peas and invisible mustard greens.

gotta move some junk around and make room for hay for Buddy - it is supposed to be in the 50's at night here this week!! What?!?!

I guess I need to figure out something for the chicken house as well - thought I would have at least until the end of October / first of November before it started getting cooler.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

hee hee hee 60* is considered perfect here! hee hee hee heck i wont even stop wearing shorts until we hit the 30* YIKES!

great work on the egg customers! isnt if funny to see 'em come running to you? spread the farm-love, baby



but sorry about the pooch. let us know what happens

happy thursday!