Chick Magnet

My Peeps Have Arrived

I'm so excited--my baby chicks arrived on Tuesday, March 23rd--twenty-five tiny, day old, peeping balls of down in a cardboard box.

We ordered bantams, the smaller-bodied birds that require less feed to sustain. From “feather-footed” to “clean-legged” to “cochins,” the individuality of each is intriguing.

The chicks are my project with my grandsons who spent hours on line looking at photos and reading about the different varieties of Bantams. Together we decided on the "Assorted Purebred Bantam" chicks from www.McMurrayHatchery.com.

The fun part is that we won’t know what bantam breed they are OR if they are pullets (young hens) or cockerels (young roosters) until they start growing! It'll be fun to match them to McMurray’s on-line guide. I can’t wait for the “big reveal.” It's a really fun project for all of us.

If you're not into chickens, you won't care to read the next post. For me and my grandsons, however, the fun is in the learning.

I'd like to think that my next blog won't be about the tiny chick cemetery with 25 little etched stones that read, "here lies 25 bad ideas!"

Preparing for my Peeps

Preparing your chick's initial first home (the brooder) takes some planning, as the fragile hatchlings require a consistent environment of 90-95 degrees during that critical first week. Afterward, the chicks can tolerate a decrease of 5 degrees each week thereafter until their first head feathers appear.

Start your chicks in a safe place to protect them from family pets and preditors.

Before the Chicks Arrived I Gathered the Following:

• LARGE CARDBOARD BOX that allows at least 6 sq.” per chick
• HEAT LAMP or reflective casing with a minimum 100-watt light bulb for chicks started indoors or in warmer weather (250-watts for chicks started outdoors or in cooler weather.)
  
• FOOD - chick starter granules; if you purchase chicks that have been vaccinated against certain diseases, make sure your feed is not medicated or it will nullify the vaccine.
  
• FEEDER- the round ones with little holes works well (see photo below), although the first few days my chicks did better with their food sprinkled on a flat plastic lid.
• WATER - a chick waterer (use at least 2-4 tablespoons of sugar per quart to provide needed energy the first week.)
• BEDDING - Wood shavings (not saw dust) or straw works well; don't put them on newspaper, they need the "traction" to move around in the brooder.
• GRIT – by day 3 the chicks will need “chick grit” to help digest their food; just sprinkle it on their food.
  
• THERMOMETER to measure the heat inside the brooder; you'll need to adjust the height of the bulb until the correct temperature is maintained; and check the temperature often. I experimented and got it right before the chicks arrived.

Here's What to Do

• Step1 - A cardboard box or large plastic box is a good choice for starters. Ensure spacing of about 6 square inches per bird; they'll need more as they grow. Prepare the brooder with 1-2 inches of wood shavings or straw bedding beneath them.

• Step 2 - Suspend a 100-watt light bulb set in reflective housing unit to radiate heat efficiently above the cardboard box to keep the chicks warm. Maintain a temp of between 90-95 degrees during that critical first week, then 5 degrees cooler each week until they get their head-feathers.

• Step 3 - Buy a chick waterer. This is by far the most efficient method of providing fresh water for your chicks as saucers spill easily making the brooder wet and unsanitary for the chicks. Provide them fresh water daily and ensure the chicks have continuous access.

• Step 4 - Buy chick starter granules for their first food. To get the chicks started, sprinkle some on the floor of the brooder or in a small plastic butter dish lid; the chicks peck just like the big boys do. Feed the starter granules for eight weeks, then switch to chick grower. Do not feed "scratch" feed as it doesn't contain all the nutrients the chicks need for maintenance and healthy growth.

• Step 5 - When your chicks first arrive, watch them closely for several days. It's not unusual to lose a few, as shipping can be hard on them-especially if they got cold in transit. Closed eyes, lethargy and/or drooping wings should raise a red flag; affected chicks should be isolated from the others and observed carefully in a separate box. I placed my weak one in a small plastic cup on its side so the chick could get out if needed. I also took the chick to the water and feed this way, as she was weak and appeared to have an injured leg. This little Blue Silkie made a full recovery.

• Step 6 - Keep the brooder clean and sanitary; changing the bedding once a week should be adequate and maintain the correct temperature in the brooder.

After the Chicks Arrive

Place them under the heat lamp as soon as they arrive. It's critical to show them their water and food immediately after you get them. Poke their beaks in the sugary water and in the chick feed to "train" them to eat and drink. I found that tapping my finger where the food is located showed them how to "peck" and most of them mimicked my finger in the chick feed. Don't let any of them get "lazy" as they do need to eat and drink. I was persistent with all my chicks until they caught on.

Did You Know…

• That you don’t need a rooster for a hen to lay eggs?


• That some breeds of bantam hens, for example the Araucana, is known for laying bluish-green eggs?


• That you can tell if a hen will be a brown or white egg layer by the color of her ear lobes? A chicken with red ear lobes will generally lay brown eggs; white ear lobed chickens will be white egg layers!


• That you can tell if an egg is fresh by putting it in cold water? A fresh egg contains little air so it will sink; an older egg will float!

• That pullets (hens that are under a year old), whether they are big-bodied or bantams, will lay small eggs at first but larger eggs as they mature?

• That a young hen will lay one egg every 3-4 days, but a hen at her peak will average 2 eggs every 3 days?

Barrel of Spuds -- A Mrs. Potato Head Special

Those who know me well, also know that my lifelong favorite food on God’s good earth is mashed potatoes. In fact, I am positive these tantalizing tubers of the gods will be served in heaven.

I’m a Russet girl, myself; however, Dennis is more of a Yukon Gold kind of guy—so I’m starting my first year of planting potatoes with both.

Believe it or not, I’ve never tried to grow potatoes. They used to be so inexpensive, that it really wasn’t worth the labor involved in planting them. Not so anymore! Experienced gardeners have told me that potatoes are among the easiest veggies to grow, and to add to the attraction, the plant is decorative with lovely purple flowers.

As always, when I plant something new, I like to ask experienced gardeners for tips, so I lucked out big time at Southern Farmers last week when I struck up a conversation with an interesting man picking through the potato sets. It turns out that he taught at LSU’s agricultural department until Katrina forced him to move to Northwest Arkansas.


“You look like you know what you’re doing,” I observed.
“Course I do." Without looking up, he continued to dig purposefully through the barrel of spuds.
Intruding his quest, I asked “I’ve never planted potatoes before--can you give me some tips?”
“Yup. I can. Tell ya what, if you can name 5 of the 7 continents, I’ll give you some tips for free.”
I rattled off five, (Whew!) and he rewarded me with the coveted information.

I learned that the first sign that it's time to plant is when you first start seeing dandelion weeds gracing your lawn. In Northwest Arkansas, that's around St. Patrick's Day. For other areas, it could be sooner or later than March 17th.

Since chatting with the “Professor” , I did some homework on the “barrel” method of growing potatoes. I am so intrigued with this technique, that I have decided to give it a whirl. It sounds ridiculously easy! Once you read this, if you’re a potato lover or want to start the easiest garden ever, you might want to give this spud producing method a try.

BARREL POTATOES

Here’s what you’ll need:

A sunny spot
Water
Organic fertilizer
1 -30 gallon plastic barrel (more if you want to grow more potatoes)
1 large bag peat moss (or aged sawdust, mulch, and/or rotting leaves)
1 bag potting soil or quality top soil
5 potato sets (two eyes per cut; 5 cuts per barrel)

Here’s what you do:

FIRST: Buy one large 30 gallon trash can per 5-6 potato "sets". I plan to use two barrels; one for Russet potatoes and one for Yukon Golds.

SECOND: Drill holes in the bottom of the barrel to ensure adequate drainage. Place the barrel on flat rocks or bricks to keep it from touching the ground. To prevent the holes from plugging with soil, fill the very bottom of the barrel with a layer of small, flat rocks.

THIRD: Fill the barrel about 1/3 full with a mixture of peat moss and potting soil. In place of peat moss, you can use rotted leaves, aged saw dust and/or other loose, acidic mulch. In place of the potting soil, you can use a good top soil. Place the barrel in a sunny location keeping in mind that you will be watering the plants 3-5 times a week depending on the weather, heat, etc.

FOURTH: By now, you should have purchase potato sets (potatoes with "eyes") from a certified nursery. These starter potatoes are disease resistant. Don't use the potatoes from the grocery store, as even if they do sprout, they're treated with a substance that slows the potatoes' ability to sprout. Your organically grown potatoes won't have any chemicals on them except wholesome goodness from the soil. Slice the seed potatoes so that each chunk contains at least one, but better yet two "eyes"; allow the pieces to set for a day or two until the cut side has had a chance to dry.

Place no more than 5 or 6 "double eyed" pieces into the barrel with the cut side down (eyes looking up toward the heavens) and just a few inches under the surface of the soil. Water. In few days, you will see them start to sprout above the surface of the soil.

FIFTH: Continue to water the until you see it drain from the holes in the bottom. You may also use time-release fertilizer granules; I prefer organic gardening, so my fertilizer will consist of cotton seed meal, kelp and/or liquid fish.

SIXTH: Once the sprout is about 6-8” tall, add more peat/soil mixture to within 2” of the top of the plant. It's okay if the plant gets covered; it'll sprout right back through the soil. Cover, water and fertilize each time the plant is 6-8” tall, add more peat/soil mixture to within 2” of the top of the plant. Water and fertilize again and keep doing this until the plant flowers. Once it flowers, stop feeding. Once the flowers die off and the plant begins to yellow—stop watering.

WHEN TO REAP: Potato plants will be about three feet tall from the soil; small purple blossoms will form on the plants, letting you know your potatoes are almost ready.

If you dig up the potatoes when the flowers are in bloom, they will be ready to eat, but very small (new potatoes). “Underground” is where the magic happens

When the plant turns yellow and starts to dry up, the potatoes will have reached their full size. Allow the potatoes to cure in the ground for a few weeks before pulling them up. When it’s time, pull up the plants, as the plants form a network of stems that bear these scrumptious, edible tubers!simply dump the barrel to retrieve your reward!

Picture it now—fresh grown potatoes hot and steaming from the oven; or better yet, boiled mashed into fluffy white heaven—they’re so creamy they don’t need butter or sour cream!

HOW TO STORE: Store your potatoes in a cool, dark place. Be sure to cut off any green sections or sprouts before eating, as these can be toxic to children.

So, there you have it--a long explanation of something you may never do nor ever read, but such is the life of blogger.

Farmer Wanna-Be

I love spring; I love gardening; and I love eating the food we nurture from seed to table. For me, the “work” is fulfilling, relaxing, and rewarding! I’m a farmer “wanna-be.”

Dennis and I live on a lovely piece of land on Trammel Mountain and have had a small garden just about every year since we’ve been here—even though a few years were little more than a few cherry tomato plants out on the deck. There’s nothing like fresh veggies from the plant to the plate!

This view is from the top of my hill in the back yard...

A cherry tomato still warm from the sun is dessert on a vine! Like a kid at Christmas, I’m thrilled when the plants start to emerge from the earth or the first flowers decorate the stalks, assuring us that our labor was not in vain. I’m rewarded when excess food fills my freezer full of fresh veggies, but I also enjoy giving it away to others who won’t let it go to waste.

I’ve had some pretty good veggie gardens through the years; some years the garden was amazing, one I killed though ignorance (that's a blog spot all its own), and one or two failed due to drought or blight; but all in all, gardening has proven to be extremely cost effective and absolutely therapeutic!

• 
  
• This year, we’ll have our largest garden yet. Dennis built three 24'L x 4'W x 12"H raised beds out of landscaping timber that was on sale last year at Lowes. We ordered a ton of topsoil delivered, and my sweet hubby has already filled and prepped the beds--all I have to do is plant the seeds!

Here are my 3 raised garden beds

I tend to be over-zealous with just about everything I do, so I reminded myself not to overdo it and am just planting a little of few dozen different plants that I enjoy most such as

strawberries (the nice thing about strawberries is that, once planted and if cultivated correctly, they come up again year after year.)
yellow & green beans (did you know these shouldn’t be planted side by side with potato plants?)
peas (yeah, it’s time consuming to shell them, but the flavor is out of this world; they freeze nicely, too.)
russet & Yukon gold potatoes (you need to read my “barrel potato” plan below)
white, red & Texas yellow onions (fresh onion is so delectable, you’ll consider making perfume out of it!)
several varieties of tomatoes (they ripen at different times)
jalapeño, green, red and organge peppers (gotta try my fresh, homemade salsa!)
zucchini and yellow squash (You should taste my sister Angie’s “mock apple pie” zucchini recipe)
lettuce, radishes, carrots (YUM!)
beets (we like it in our fresh carrot juice, but this year I’m going to learn to pickle them, too.)
cantaloupe & honeydew melons (still warm from the sun—it’s like CANDY!)

This is my 3rd year with an herb bed, and let me tell you, if I can help it, I will NEVER buy prepared herbs again. Food made with fresh herbs is unbelievably tasty! Herbs are about the easiest plant to nurture on God's good earth. The herbs I plant are perennials meaning you only have to plant them once, and they'll come back to bless you year after wonderful scented year as they send their tantalizing aroma of sage, thyme, basil, rosemary, cilantro and oregano, parsley and dill to your favorite sunny spot. Go ahead--invest a few dollars in a few herb plants. All they need is decent soil and water; they do well in pots, too.

Oh, and if you've never smelled a lavender plant, you're missing out big time! It's not only a wonderful bug repellent, but this beautiful flowering herb makes perfect cuttings for your bedroom.

Just thinking about this makes me want to dig my hands in the dirt right now!

OMG--I'm "Blogging!"

I can't believe I'm BLOGGING.

You might be thinking, "big deal--everyone blogs!" That might be true if you're either under 40 or a computer geezer geek. But for the over 50's gang, it's another new way of communicating that we know we'd better learn or be left in the dust!


Give me a break. This is what telephones looked like when I was growing up in 1950's? These suckers were heavy, too! If you answered one of these babies too quickly, you could knock yourself out!

Communication consisted only of telephones and snail mail.







In the 1960's, it cost 4 cents to mail a letter. These were our options and compared today, messages moved along like turtles in mud.





I was married in the 70's; "slim line, touch tone" phones in avocado, harvest gold or poppy red were the latest craze, but not much changed when it came to communication in our day-to-day lives.






However, you might find it interesting to note that the first cellular phone call was made in 1973. Can you imagine toting this thing around in your purse? It weighed TWO pounds! For the average American, it was still either a phone call or a letter.







"Depersonalization" began in the 1980's when AT&T started making folks pay for their own telephone equipment.

At first, it was accepted practice for a business to use an answering machine after hours or a household to use it during the work day when no one was home. But soon, we learned that we could screen our calls and BINGO--a new era of freedom and an indirect means of communication had begun and cassettes were turning like crazy inside these machines.


In the 1990's, telephone companies began to offer "voice mail," "call block," "caller ID," and other tools that allowed us to use our own telephones the way we wanted to use them.

The 2000's certainly has given way to cyber communications among other things. It seems that even e-mail has been outnumbered by handy mobile texting.

I still haven't figured out what Face Book is; that's next on my agenda, but for now, Blogging will be my "new project" until the next new thing comes along.

Last week, after "girls night out" with my daughters-in-law, I realized that if I didn't learn to blog soon, I was going to be the unknown grandmother of their children!