Gardening 2022

[GaRp58]

I mix and feed my chickens: corn in whole kernels, oats, wheat, rapeseed, soya and rye seed. I also add the dried and powdered eggshells and another tad of calcium and minerals especially made for farm animals. They get to run around the open yard once a day for about an hour to get some green grass, clover and any insects, ants, worms and spiders they may find. They get tomatos, potatos, peas, apples, cucumbers and watermelon leftovers and peelings as they come up in the kitchen and any tomatos or apples that are not pretty enough to eat ourselves. They lay daily and get only water from the well, no chlorine or flouride water from the city.
Winter is coming and we will see if the 5 cm thick insulation in the coop keeps them happy enough to keep laying.

 

[Survivor_316]

Thank you guys so much!

I just inherited about 50 lbs of buggy grains, so I was considering how to give it to them. This makes me a little less apprehensive, so I think I'll mix something up for them.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Winter is coming and we will see if the 5 cm thick insulation in the coop keeps them happy enough to keep laying.

Hens can take cold well. They need water and to stay dry and out of the wind. Reduced daylight time is what slows down egg laying. When I want my hens to lay in the shortest days of the year I have a light I turn on in the henhouse 1 hour before daylight and again in the evening for 2 hours. A lot of folks let their hens rest from laying during winter. I normally give them a month to six weeks downtime. If we need the eggs though, they will be laying! Do make sure your hens are getting enough ventilation. They really do need it. How low do you normally get in the coldest months?

 

[Proud Prepper]

Hens can take cold well. They need water and to stay dry and out of the wind. Reduced daylight time is what slows down egg laying. When I want my hens to lay in the shortest days of the year I have a light I turn on in the henhouse 1 hour before daylight and again in the evening for 2 hours. A lot of folks let their hens rest from laying during winter. I normally give them a month to six weeks downtime. If we need the eggs though, they will be laying! Do make sure your hens are getting enough ventilation. They really do need it. How low do you normally get in the coldest months?

All my hens are going to work this winter. Have you seen the egg prices? No slackers allowed!

 

[Survivor_316]

The water is more of an issue for us than the hens not being able to tolerate the cold. We've bought so many heated water dishes and they never work well. We just swap them out several times a day when it gets really cold. Thankfully, we don't get that many super cold days!

 

[Robinjopo1]

You can take a cookie tin and put a hole for the wire, place a light bulb inside then place water on top.

I never give my chickens water in the coop. Causes too much moisture and respiratory problems--- per The Chicken Chick. I carry warm water to them every morning during the Winter and add as they drink.

 

[DirtDiva]

I mix and feed my chickens: corn in whole kernels, oats, wheat, rapeseed, soya and rye seed. I also add the dried and powdered eggshells and another tad of calcium and minerals especially made for farm animals. They get to run around the open yard once a day for about an hour to get some green grass, clover and any insects, ants, worms and spiders they may find. They get tomatos, potatos, peas, apples, cucumbers and watermelon leftovers and peelings as they come up in the kitchen and any tomatos or apples that are not pretty enough to eat ourselves. They lay daily and get only water from the well, no chlorine or flouride water from the city.
Winter is coming and we will see if the 5 cm thick insulation in the coop keeps them happy enough to keep laying.

Sounds very similar to the way I raise my chickens and ducks also. The insulation will help keep the coop warm and the eggs from freezing but will not alter laying habits. My understanding is a chicken is born with the amount of eggs they are going to lay in their lifetime. What alters WHEN they lay them is light and day length. A window allowing light in might help or a solar LED light might contribute more to winter laying.

Life Cycle of a Laying Hen

The hen’s ovulation is stimulated by the length of the day. Maximum egg production is reached during summer days with 16 hours of daylight. Egg production may continue during the spring, fall, and winter when artificial light is supplemented to provide 14 -16 hours of light. Using a timer and a 60-watt incandescent bulb, add light to the morning and late afternoon but allow hens to naturally roost in the evenings with the setting sun.

 

[Arcticdude]

The water is more of an issue for us than the hens not being able to tolerate the cold. We've bought so many heated water dishes and they never work well. We just swap them out several times a day when it gets really cold. Thankfully, we don't get that many super cold days!

We don't heat our chickens water, takes too much power (we're on solar). We have a couple rubber tubs. They're about 4" deep ×18" diameter. They will freeze solid during the day. We break the ice and remove it in the morning and refill with water. And once again in the afternoon. The chickens have learned to drink when we fill their water. During the day they're always nibbling on snow. We throw out scratch and worms in the snow. They get plenty of water.

 

[Robinjopo1]

Question...... I have tiny garlic cloves that I decided to dehydrate. I will take days to skin each clove. Is there a better way. Can I dehydrate with skin on and peel after it dries.

I have already cut my thumb twice. Lol

 

[Survivor_316]

Dehydrated garlic is too hard for me to use whole, so I chop mine. If you are willing to not have whole cloves, I smash them with a big knife by putting it flat over the clove and whacking it. Then they are easier to skin.

 

[GaRp58]

I will take days to skin each clove. Is there a better way. Can I dehydrate with skin on and peel after it dries.

Several people have the same problem Robin, take the time to look, think which idea is good and try your chances to peel the garlic faster...

 

[Robinjopo1]

Several people have the same problem Robin, take the time to look, think which idea is good and try your chances to peel the garlic faster...

Mine are tiny. I found them in clusters so they didn't have room to developers. I finally threw them in the dehydrator and put it on the porch because my son said the smell was really strong.

 

[Robinjopo1]

Several people have the same problem Robin, take the time to look, think which idea is good and try your chances to peel the garlic faster...

Mine are tiny. I found them in clusters so they didn't have room to developers. I finally threw them in the dehydrator and put it on the porch because my son said the smell was really strong.

 

[GaRp58]

Mine are tiny. I found them in clusters so they didn't have room to developers.

If they are so small, the ground was to hard for them to grow right and they needed more sunlight.
Onions and garlic are NOT ROOTS. They are the veggies and have roots. The veggie should grow ABOVE THE GROUND and the last half inch should TOUCH the ground. Very soft earth or no earth should touch both of these veggies for them to expand right. Even potatos need soft ground for them to get bigger so they do not have to use up energy to fight against the hard earth. If your taters are large and have an even form, they were happy. If they are small and have funny shapes, they had to look for the softer earth around themselves to develope into and the funny shape comes from the harder earth holding them back. They have to take the shape of the "mold" of soft earth that they can find.....The same happens with carrots and parsnips, soft ground: large and happy veggies. Gary

 

[Robinjopo1]

They were remnants from years old crop that the seeds dropped and they were in a cluster. This was just a malfunction of Mother Nature.

 

[Survivor_316]

Anyone grow Watercress?

It is high in some cancer fighting compounds that promote apoptosis, so I really want to grow it. I have tried unsuccessfully time and again and I just can't get it to grow. I bought more seeds for spring but I think if these fail, it will be my last go around with it.

 

[DrHenley]

Several people have the same problem Robin, take the time to look, think which idea is good and try your chances to peel the garlic faster...

Thanks Gary!

I love cooking with fresh garlic, and all my best recipes are loaded down with fresh garlic...but peeling garlic is one of my least favorite things about cooking.

TI'll have to try one of these.

 

[Robinjopo1]

They still haven't received the part for my heat so I am carrying wood for the cold front headed here tomorrow.

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

They still haven't received the part for my heat so I am carrying wood for the cold front headed here tomorrow.

It just hit here and I had the window open for fresh air. One minute, hot and humid, the next, wind and the air is cold! Stay warm!

We are supposed to get our first freeze of the season Saturday morning.

 

[Robinjopo1]

Watched a video this morning about herbal meds and they kept mentioning Marshmallow. Do you guys grow it? To be honest, I have never heard of it.