The Productive Backyard - 2015

[Harriet]

Cleaned out the henhouse and put in all new straw for the winter. The hens have slowed down in laying now that the seasons are changing. I don't believe the Buff Orpingtons are laying right now. But one of my big New Hampshires has not only come back into lay, but is producing really large dark brown eggs now - I believe it is either Reba or Robin.

[Nancy]

Eggs are fewer here too. The sunflowers I planted are doing great and the hens are loving them! I will plant more next year. Put in a new apple tree and 2 new roses making a total of 4 new ones this yr in the back, moved one from the front yard not doing to well to the bsck fence where things seem to do good.

[Harmony]

Nancy, I am sorry your beans did not grow last time. I have had that happen.

My newly reduced garden (about 6 1/2' x 12' raised) is planted. I still have green peppers going from the last 2 plantings. I think they've turned into perennials! That does happen down here. I sometimes get a new growth at the bottom of tomato plants that will produce too.

I turned all the dirt over and added black cow and cultivated it. I don't have any little machines, it's all hand labor. I planted 2 more pepper plants and 3 tomato plants. Then I put in 2 packets of blue lake bush beans (I've always had more success with that type), and broccoli, zucchini, and bib lettuce. If the lettuce does ok I will replant in a few weeks to keep that going.

Crossing my fingers. I've spent lots of time in gardens that I didn't get much of anything from. This time I only planted those things that did ok for me. The only thing I tried again is the zucchini. It has never done well, but maybe one of these days. The rest I usually do ok with. I will never try off brand seeds again either. Bur pee is the best. M. Stew art doesn't grow, neither does some generic off brand home depot carries.

And I tried heirloom tomato plants one year, they were a failure. Went back to tried and true ones.
Here's hoping...

[Nancy]

Just a few hens sleep in the coop each nite I clean it in the morning and put that on roses rotating which one is next to get it and the roses are lovely now!

[Harmony]

Nancy, where do the other hens sleep? Wouldn't they be safer in the coop?

I watered the new plants and seeds. Can't wait till they start coming up!

[Nancy]

The rest sleep in the run secure with chicken wire w1" openings, we have not had problems. Some mice in the coop one year that we got out of there.

[Harriet]

Harmony, I greatly appreciate their seeds, too, and usually have good results. I have been able to keep their seeds, with the foil folded over, in the refrigerator for years and still have good germination. Have you ever tried Park Seed Co. out of South Carolina? I've also had those results from them. I've never really found fault with either company's seeds. Park test gardens are in a warm climate, I was thinking, and their seeds might grow really well for you. I used to try to find bush varieties and found sometimes Park would beat Bur pee for a good variety.

Still fighting the where-to-lay-the-eggs fight. LOL. Marking one with a sharpie X and letting it stay in my choice spot seems the most help.

HRH is so impressed with how attractive the hens are these days. He pointed out Ophelia the Orpington looks like a new pullet again. Unfortunately, to have those powderpuff behinds that seem so youthful, I happen to know that means they have gone out of lay for a while and grown some feathering back, LOL. Not exactly what you are looking for if you want eggs, but yes, it's so nice they look pretty like that. Happily, both Robin and Reba New Hampshire Reds are laying now. Not sure which has kept it up and which is rotating back into lay, maybe. Hmmm... ... Just remembered our green-eyed boy named one of the big Orpingtons and now I've forgotten what he named her. Oops. Oh well, don't tell Grandma something to remember while she's working.

[Nancy]

One chick got a drop of purple paint on it so I have named her Violet.
I have speckles#2 & #3. One is red & white the other b & w.
Casey #2, Butterscotch. Roo us ladies man h renamed him bc this on sogs to the hens.

[Harmony]

I love reading the names of your chickens!

So all my plants are up fast and strong so far. I was amazed how quickly they germinated. I need to find more information about composting. I don't think the composting I was doing helped the garden at all. I actually think it hurt it. I know if one puts compost into a garden and it isn't done "working" it will rob the soil of nitrogen. (I think). So this time I didn't put the compost in it as it was still very goopy. Mine is all veggie scraps from the kitchen, kept in a container. Maybe I should have added a bunch of oak leaves or something. Need to do some reading. Only seeds that aren't up are the bibb lettuce. What's up with that?

[helia]

Yes, I like seeing the chicken names too!

The two we have are named Iggy and Iris. The kids originally decided to name all the hens with names that begin with "I." The kids and I each named one hen. Mine is Iris. Iggy is ds'. LOL! The girls' 2 hens that passed away were Izzy and Ivy. Iggy isn't full Barred Rock; she has more white in her ticking and her eggs are slightly lighter than Iris'.

They are just finishing their moult and are not laying right now. We don't put lights on them during the winters anymore. We decided a couple years ago to stop that as they are getting older, and they need all their energy to survive the winter cold. So, we're buying eggs until spring.

Iggy and Iris are 5.5 years old. How long will they live?