Lazy Gardener's Little Town Farm

[baymule]

One year, my grand daughter and I cut out a tree from green wrapping paper and taped it to the wall. Then we cut out ornaments from construction paper and taped them on the tree. TA-DA!!

 

[wyoDreamer]

I may need to go the "make your own tree" route this year. It is pretty late to be setting up a Christmas tree - all that work for 1 week of enjoyment is too much for DH to comprehend. I may just pick up a tiny fake one - think he would notice?

 

[Lazy Gardener]

If putting up a little tree makes you happy, then do it. Sometimes it's ok to simply do what makes you happy without having to please anyone else. It's all about balance.

 

[baymule]

If he does, tell him you didn't put it up for him, you put it up for yourself and he is not required to enjoy it.

 

[flowerbug]

we're so easily amused even a small branch or even a twig of pine would do it for us with a bulb sitting next to it. for many years the Christmas tree here was a crochet'd green thing with crystals hanging off it sitting in the corner (they never took it down until Mom got sick of it and dusted it and then she divided up all the crystals and gave all the kids a share).

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Vicious cold outside today. Temp all the way up to 7* with crazy wind chill. Too cold to even open the chicken's pop door. I am so thankful for wood heat!

Chickens got a buffet of "time to clean out the fridge" delights.

I've placed an order for 10 ducklings from Murray McMurray. Smaller orders involve a crazy shipping charge. So... I'll take advantage of free shipping, and expect to sell the extras. If the market is favorable, sale of the extras will mostly pay for my keepers.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

DL in the chicken coop is doing very well this season. Every morning, I flip the previous night's poos, drag a bit of the loose litter over them. this takes less than 2 minutes. I toss some sprouts or grains into the litter every few days, and they are keeping the litter well churned. It's also helpful that we are not having long stretches of sub zero weather. Quality of leaves is also better this season. I started out with mix of pine straw and willow leaves. Fantastic texture for DL.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yah for new egg layers! And colored, too. How nice.

My weather is nothing like yours -- why I live here, LOL -- and older hens are laying sporadically right now but, laying! The younger pullets from 3 months ago are laying every day, strong layers. Ones I just added, are "starting" to lay.

Here I recently caught & isolated 2 egg eaters. Boy, were they chowing down!!! Eggs in nest tell the tale. 6-8 a day. I'm watching to see if there is a number 3....hmmm. Glad I have a few days to "watch". LOL Feed is expensive, plus I sell eggs.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I'm blessed to have one egg/day right now. One of the other down sides of living in higher lattitudes: less hours of day light = less winter laying. In past years I have given my birds a light during the winter months to keep them laying. But, nobody went broody last summer. I really would like to have a broody hen, so... hoping that a year of fully natural light just might tweak their hormones into an appropriate broody cycle. Come on now, girls... All I need is ONE broody hen!!! My goal is to be able to sell enough eggs to pay for my chicken feed. That goal will most likely change as I cut flock size this summer. Time will tell. While I'm reading that duck eggs are more profitable, I don't know how the market for duck eggs will be.

 

[Mini Horses]

My goal is to be able to sell enough eggs to pay for my chicken feed

Same here but, as customers told friends, the demand grew. In good season, they pay for their feed plus. It pretty much takes cares of the slow winter egg months. This year I was able to get some very nice pullets to "replace" the older layer slackening and the broody hens on nests. I expect 5 or 6 broody this Spring. I am watching for fertile eggs to expand my bloodlines this year. I'd prefer local eggs but --- depends on what's out there.

I've never used lights on the hens. Generally I try to have new layer starts in Oct-Dec and they generally carry thru winter at a decent rate. These I got a few months back are REALLY good.

I may throw a roo in with them for just the eggs to hatch.. They are great layers, large brown eggs, excellent foragers. Aver 7 eggs a day, so only 3-4 days will fill a nest or two, once the broodies commit.

I still plan to retire!!! So, I need the customer base & chickens are less demanding than many animals. I could make a few bucks to help out. Plus, I love to collect eggs.