The chicks are doing well. All 5 seem healthy and happy running around the yard with Sol. Sol is a good mama, but this time she tries to lead the chicks away from us. She and they are not too keen on being handled, although she doesn't actually do anything but fluff her feathers and make distressed clucks when I do pick up a chick. They spend a lot of time in the shady areas of the yard but come running when I pour out treats. See the yellow chick with the brown spot on its head? That is Crest. Elijah named it and has declared Crest his favorite. I hope Crest is a hen.
In other chicken news, Fluffy laid her first egg this week! We were very excited. She laid it on Thursday, and we actually got 5 eggs that day, from all of our big hens (except Sol) and Fluffy. She lays brown eggs.
In the garden, I've had some major disappointments. The pumpkin crop is gone. When we came back from our weekend at my inlaws, some kind of bug had bored holes in all of the pumpkins and laid maggoty things inside. Ick. The zucchini were lost, too. I am hopeful that the butternut squash, which is a bit away from where the other pumpkins were, will be able to produce. I have a nice sized one, but it's not ripe yet and probably won't be for a few weeks. I hope the bugs leave it alone. I am still hoping for the cantaloupe to thrive. I've got several golf-ball sized ones looking good, and one baseball one. The biggest was lost along with the pumpkins.
On the tomato front, I'm starting to get 3 or 4 a day, plus a handful of cherry ones. Lydia and I have been devouring them. There's still not enough to make salsa or can yet, but I'm hopeful that in a couple of weeks I'll start getting loads. There are plenty of green ones on my plants. Today I did buy some at the farmer's market (and a yard sale) because I got a good deal and want to make salsa. Hopefully, the garden will pick up the pace.
On the plus side, the peppers have been doing great. I've had a couple of red ones, and I've had several of these long yellowish ones that have a tiny bit of heat to them. I've also got lots of green ones that are looking great, but I am waiting to pick them after they turn red.
That's it for now. I'm off to enjoy this fabulous weather!
Yea!! for Fluffy, she must be doing ok
ReplyDelete