Author: Caryn

Still growing

On By CarynIn chickens

We did health checks with weight, vent and feet check, and band size check. The chicks are still putting on weight, which is good. Magic is the largest at 753g (1.66 lbs). They are over 8 weeks old, so we have also introduced scratch grains. We are staying on chick feed, though. One of the local suppliers of the organic grower feed has some on back order, so we are waiting for that. A bit frustrating to have the labels say chick feed to 8 weeks, and layer feed for over 16 weeks, but the feed for 8-16 weeks is no where to be found.

Chicken weights chart

Scorpion

On By CarynIn Flora
Bark scorpion

Uh, hello. My iNaturalist app tells me that this might be a variety of bark scorpion that was crawling across my back porch. It was on its way to being a former bark scorpion; I’m pretty sure it was suffering from the effects of the spray the exterminator put down around the house last week (not around the coop, just the house). It did not have to suffer long. Out in the meadow, under a nice rock is a good place for scorpions. On my back porch is not.

Scarlet gilia

On By CarynIn Flora

Aren’t these pretty? The app PlantSnap identifies these as Scarlet gilia. Here is an interesting article on the Scarlet Gilia, which is native to the western US. I’ve spread native wild flower seeds, but this one wasn’t in the mix. Bonus flower!

The hummingbirds love them, which I love, because I am terrible about remembering to change hummingbird food every three days, and after reading that the black mold kills hummingbirds, I don’t even bother making sugar water anymore. I plant flowers the hummingbirds like instead. Win win.

We ordered some Scarlet gilia seed too, since this plant is doing well. We are all about planting native species that don’t need lots of specialty care and attention!

Cabbage

On By CarynIn chickens

I stuck a threaded hook in the stem of a cabbage and hung it up for the chickens. They were not impressed. Interested, but they can’t seem to get enough enthusiasm to eat it.

Is it edible?

The apple I hung up a couple days ago was devoured. But not right away. We’ll see what happens with the cabbage.

First chicken run door

On By CarynIn Coop

I made the first chicken run door and we put it up! It made doing health checks easier because after we checked weight, vent, and feet, we could separate the chickens who had been checked from those who hadn’t.

Door for run installed

I’ll spread some more seed in the area and we will keep this door closed for a couple weeks to let the seed sprout. Eventually I’ll have three runs, once I get the other doors done.