Neighborhood Chickens

We have chickens in the city. We follow the ordinances for our city which is no roosters and the chickens must be contained at all times. We would have to do this anyways because of the large number of stray cats we have in our neighborhood. Our chickens are technically not "free range" but enjoy a large run and coop that is kept clean and moved around the yard. They seem to really enjoy their home. My husbands biggest concern when we decided to get chickens was what the neighbors would think.

So far, the response has all been positive. People frequently walk in our neighborhood. We will see them frequently stop and look at the chickens. I will invite them into the yard to see them up close. Now, that we have baby chicks I have especially invited those with children or grandchildren around to come in and see the baby chicks. Several people have expressed interest in getting started with egg-laying chickens. When I have an abundance of eggs, I will share with these passerby. The people leave happy and excited about having chickens in their neighborhood.

I do this to help others see the benefits and fun of having backyard chickens. This also helps with good neighborly relations. If you have backyard chickens, I would encourage you to be open about it with your neighbors. Give them some free eggs occasionally. This will help everyone be happy with your endeavor. 

Baby Chicks-2 Weeks Old

Yesterday, we spent the afternoon moving our baby chicks from under our carport to the cement patio area we have next to it. We then introduced them to the outside world for the first time. At first they were hesitant but last night they did not want to go into the house. There was too much to see. The chicks are getting in their wing and tail feathers and have grown considerably. They will still need the heat-lamp until all of their feathers come into their body. We will let them go outside on days that is warm enough for them to maintain their body temperature. .I love baby chick season. 

A Family Affair

Both my children love gardening and helping out in the garden. I would like to attribute part of this to the fact that I have always found tasks for them to help me with in the garden even when they are not really "helping". Makenzie is still of that age because of her developmental delays. She loves to help dig, plant and pick the produce. Last night, she came out with her little pink garden shovel as Chuck and I were putting mulch down wanting to help "dig". We put her to work on the opposite side of the wheelbarrow digging out mulch to put on the flowerbeds. She had a ball. She felt useful and was helping out. Today, we will find a pot and plant her Cosmos seeds that her grandparents gave her for Easter. I will help her to remember to water them during the summer and we will let them grow. I did all these things with my older daughter, Mary, and she loves to garden and help in the flower beds.

Letting your children "help" even when they might not be so helpful will help them develop a work ethic as well as a love for gardening. As my children get older, I have always given them little chores to do according to their abilities. Children love to help and be a part of making a household work but to instill this you must take the time when they are young. You will be glad that you did.

Baby Chick Update

The baby chicks are now almost 2 weeks old. They are very active and peeping all the time. They are starting to get their wing and tail feathers. You often see them taking off from the large edging stone we have the feeders on to test their wings. We also have to be careful when we open the lid that they do not accidentally fly out. This weekend we will move them off the carport and onto the patio part of our backyard. We will attach the run so when it is warm outside we can open up the door and let them start exploring the outside world. This is always a treat to watch. Baby chicks are so much fun to have and watch grow. Unfortunately, this stage like all baby stages it does not last too long so we have to enjoy it while it is here. 

Donating Used Eye Glasses

Yesterday, I read on facebook a post from a distant relative. He just returned from a Haiti mission trip. One of his jobs there was to sort through the eye glasses donated by a US Lion's Club. People waited in line for 2 days to receive these glasses. Even though many of them could not get the exact prescription they enabled them to see much better than before. This is a great way to recycle old glasses and give vision to those who cannot afford such a luxury as clear vision. Take the time to find a Lion's Club eye glass box today and donate those old eyeglasses.   

Baby Chicks-Day 2

Our baby chicks are doing well. We have them on our carport this time. This is the first time we have had them in an outdoor shelter. Luckily, the weather is warmer so we do not have to worry about them so much. Last night, our first friend who joined us in the order came and picked her six chicks. She was so excited. This is her first adventure into backyard chickens. My other friend came and picked up hers this evening. Her three young children were with her. They have four other backyard chickens and are excited about adding to their flock. My other friend who lives further away will get hers later. It has been so much fun to watch them today. They are so cute when they are little. I love baby chick season. 

Baby Chicks

At 7:20 this morning, the post office called to tell me that our chicks were here. We had to wait a whole hour for them to open. It is always fun and exciting when the chick order arrives. My youngest daughter sat in the backseat with them and talked with them to "make them feel better" on the way home. As soon as we got home, Mary worked on getting food and heat to their new home. I put electrolytes in their water container and dipped their little beaks in it. They had not had anything to eat or drink since they left the hatchery so this is an important step. Next, we moved them in to their new home. We have checked on them all day and they seem to be adapting well to their new environment. Tomorrow, should bring a whole new set of adventure for our baby chicks. They are so cute when they are babies. It is hard to believe that just a little over a year ago that our 6 layers were this small.

Weed Control

Weed control has been my weak point the past two years. Most of it is because spring is very busy for us and the weeds always seem to get ahead of me. I am still working out my system but find a combination of weed barriers, hand pulling, selective planting and hoeing have been my best weapons against these pesky things.

The first line of defense is selective planting. The more you have planted together and the less bare space you have the less weeds you will have. This goes back to "three sisters" tactic that the Native Americans used in their gardens. They planted beans, corn and pumpkins together. The corn supported the beans and the pumpkins helped shade out the weeds. One way to do this in your flower beds is to look at groupings. Take an area and plant several kinds of flowers together. The key to making it look good is to always have something in bloom all season.

The other three things go hand in hand. I put down cardboard boxes that I save throughout the year and then lay mulch on top of them. I also have used layers of newspapers in the past but have not found them to be as good of a barrier.  I try to do this in the spring after all the perennials have peaked their heads through the ground but before the weeds have grown large. If I know that I am going to plant an annual later in the season in a spot, I will reserve the spot with a stick. Hand weeding and hoeing are the day to day tasks of keeping things weed free. If you can keep your weeds from going to seed you should see less of them each year.

Weed control can be a frustrating job at times but with a good plan of action you can conquer this task without using chemicals.