As we wade through the stifling August heat, I have come to the realization that its almost time to start planting for the Fall garden. But who can think of Fall when it is so hot outside. Of course, this weekend has been pleasantly cool (in the 80's) so working in the garden and finishing projects in the yard were bearable and actually enjoyable!
Our garden is kinda split into two sections. Now that the bush beans and cucumbers are done, that half of the garden can be tilled up and prepared for Fall planting, while the other half of the garden is still producing tomatoes, watermelon, peppers, etc. So why bother tilling it and removing the plants and waste my precious energy when I have a whole flock of chickens who have been itching to get in the garden! I fenced off half of the garden with some chicken wire and created what I like to call the "chicken playground".
As you may remember, we added 6 chicks to our flock in March. But my little babies are not so little anymore. Actually our new hens are bigger than our two older hens. So two days ago we decided to "herd" (using this term loosely) the lil' ones to the chicken playground. Boy were they excited to have access to the leftover plants and rogue vegetables to nibble on. This plan seems to be working, as I have seen a marked decrease in plant matter and nice scratched up and "tilled" soil in just a few days. And my little babies are happy! (Kyra our shepard, as usual, is not so happy with any kind chicken relocation projects. She spent the day guarding the garden gate...gotta make sure none of those chickens get out of line!)
Today I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and weed the other side of the garden. As I was weeding I noticed a unusually large amount of clucking and cooing coming from the chicken playground. I looked over to find my lil' ones lined up at the fence talking to me. Their clucks and coos tugged at my heartstrings. Those chickens love me with all their little chicken hearts (as much as a chicken can love, I suppose). Hubby standing nearby could only shake his head and chuckle as I talked back to the chickens, petting them and feeding them blades of grass. What can I say I love those little biddies, and I do believe I have spoiled them. So yes, you can spoil a chicken!
You are so funny! They need to call you the chicken whisperer.
ReplyDeleteI talk to my chickens. and they talk back. They are so funny.
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed with your gardening abilities! Wow! My mouth is watering from reading your post. I love the chickens, too. Ha! A neighbor has a pet boa constrictor that is fed chickens. One of the chickens was not wanted by the boa and was kept as a pet. They loved the little chicken so much they decided that boa was getting rats from then on. On another note, loved your definition of "forthy" on my Captcha Balderdash game! It made me laugh. :)
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