Getting acclimated to country

[Country homesteader]

I looked up how to kill burdock on the internet and it said in the early Spring when the ground is wet dig up as many roots as possible and to pour undiluted distilled white vinegar towards the bottom so the vinegar will get into the root system and HOPEFULLY kill it. Anybody else tried to do this?
I would have to stick with the Blueberry Lemonade concentrate seeing how strawberries and I don't get along.

 

[tortoise]

You don't need to dig or use vinegar. It's a biennial, grows a rosette the first year and bolts to grow seeds the second year. As long as you prevent it from going to seed, the patch will die out eventually. I don't know how long seeds last in the soil, but digging and vinegar don't help. You can mow it midsummer before it bolts will do just as well at getting rid of it and much less work.

 

[Country homesteader]

It's past being a rosette. It's almost gone to seed.
The property owner says NO to goats and sheep.
The mowers ( not even the underbelly deck mower on the John Deere tractor) can take care of the burdock. He even tried to weed eat it with a commercial grade weed eater and NOPE, didn't work.
According to my Grandfather, the only way to stop the spread of burdock is to let it dry out then burn it.

 

[tortoise]

Next year when it bolts, but before it sets seed, lop them off with pruners.

 

[tortoise]

The first year plants are very easy to pull out in spring after a soaking rain.

 

[Country homesteader]

I'm using pruners to cut them down. I have calluses on top of calluses and on the verge of having blisters.

 

[baymule]

Glad I don't have burdock!

 

[Country homesteader]

Mama #2 with her baby is in the foreground while Mama #1 and Munchkin is in the background by the corner of the chicken coop.
I'm actually hoping that my Uncle will allow me to finish building the smaller building my cousin started and use it for a maternity area for hens and their children next year.
I currently have another hen going broody. Yup, another Buff Orpington hen. I would like to see a RIR hen go broody but I don't know if they do.

 

[Mini Horses]

The Orps are known to be broody...one reason to keep a few around, to hatch eggs from others. Personally I like Orps as they do lay well, large eggs & because of size not big into flight, plus good carcass if you look to meat.

If you have only a few hens & need/want eggs, you will have to deal with the broody issue. But if you have a large mixed flock, not so much of an issue with eggs. I have had a couple other types go broody this year and prove to be super setters & moms, they are high end hybrid of white leghorns -- who do NOT brood -- so I was amazed with these. My marans are good for this, too. My hens have hatched out 2 doz chicks for me this year. Could have had more. Right now, 2 Marans are setting -- no eggs! -- May give them a few as they sure aren't doing anything else!!!! Some of my flock will be culled this Fall at molt, age & less production....new ones from this year will start to lay....old ones make good soup. Will do the young roos at same time. Yep, one bit mess & done.

 

[Country homesteader]

I tend to around 40 chickens- including 2 of my very own ( Roo, BO rooster and Boo, EEx ( I think). It's a mixed flock of RIR and BO.
Right now I'm not able to get a good picture of the entire flock seeing how they are scattering because of rain. There's a pic of some of them-

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I took that pic last night as they were getting ready to go in for the night.