Monday, August 31, 2009
Rain
Darn! Wish I had gotten those kale, mustard, and turnip seeds into the ground yesterday. There's a nice gentle rain falling. It's been coming down throughout the night.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
It's later than it seems...
The patty-pan plants are history. Too many bugs. Too many male blossoms. Not enough hope!
Dug all the carrots. Had a few nice long ones, but most were short and fat. A lot of waiting for a little reward.
I planted broccoli and cabbage this morning... 9 plants each. I think they were supposed to be in the ground by August 15. Maybe I'm not too late! This afternoon I sowed beet seeds down the middle of the cabbage rows. I prepared a bed for greens, but didn't get the seeds in the ground before it was time to go to Sunday dinner.
The chickens seem to be back to normal... I found 7 eggs in the hen house today.
Dug all the carrots. Had a few nice long ones, but most were short and fat. A lot of waiting for a little reward.
I planted broccoli and cabbage this morning... 9 plants each. I think they were supposed to be in the ground by August 15. Maybe I'm not too late! This afternoon I sowed beet seeds down the middle of the cabbage rows. I prepared a bed for greens, but didn't get the seeds in the ground before it was time to go to Sunday dinner.
The chickens seem to be back to normal... I found 7 eggs in the hen house today.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Hot Summer Days
Today I found a patty-pan squash developing nicely. Alas, it had rotted in place on the vine! I spotted a couple more female blossoms amidst the many male blossoms, but also saw some bad caterpillars. The plants themselves seem to be suffering from squash bugs. Very disappointing.
The butternut squash has a few more fruits ripening, and several blossoms, too. That has been a deliciously successful crop. The okra is producing like crazy. If there's one thing we do well in the hot and humid south, it's grow okra! The green beans are coming in steadily. There are three good-sized Cherokee Purple tomatoes with a blush of red on them. I'm really looking forward to a little encore by them! Surprising, but there are still a few blueberries coming in.
I picked up 3 eggs today, 4 yesterday, 3 and 2 in the days before that. Seems like my girls are getting back on track. I really do believe they got dehydrated.
The butternut squash has a few more fruits ripening, and several blossoms, too. That has been a deliciously successful crop. The okra is producing like crazy. If there's one thing we do well in the hot and humid south, it's grow okra! The green beans are coming in steadily. There are three good-sized Cherokee Purple tomatoes with a blush of red on them. I'm really looking forward to a little encore by them! Surprising, but there are still a few blueberries coming in.
I picked up 3 eggs today, 4 yesterday, 3 and 2 in the days before that. Seems like my girls are getting back on track. I really do believe they got dehydrated.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Why Have My Chickens Stopped Laying?
Hens stop laying eggs for a variety of reasons. External or internal stimuli affect hormone levels, which change the condition of the ovary and oviduct, the organs responsible for egg production. The result of these changes is the reduction or cessation of egg production. The most common stimuli that affect egg production are decreasing day length, disease, broodiness, poor nutrition, and stress. However, even under ideal conditions, every hen’s egg production eventually slows down and stops.
Decreasing day length
Days become shorter beginning June 22 and begin to lengthen again on December 22. This change in day length causes hens to molt and cease egg production, a process that may take several months.
Molt
Molting is a natural process that allows the hen to replace old, worn feathers and rejuvenates her oviduct, the organ that “makes” eggs. With the molt, the hen puts the bulk of her energy into feather growth, leaving little for egg production.
Natural molting is a seasonal process related to changes in day length. It usually occurs in the fall after chicks fledge, but in domestic birds it can occur at any time, especially if the hen is exposed to some stress. Rapid feather loss by the entire flock usually is the result of a serious stressful event such as lack of water and/or feed or lighting problems.
Poor nutrition
Diet is very important to maintaining maximum egg production. Chickens require a balanced diet, and any supplementation of scratch, table scraps, garden waste, etc. serves to unbalance the diet.
Stress
Egg production is a hen’s reproductive activity. It is not a requirement for hens to thrive. When a hen experiences stress, even so minimal as to go unnoticed, she may respond by ceasing egg production.
Moving, handling, overheating, fright, and lack of food or water are stresses that can be detrimental to egg production. Protection from the elements and predators, clean and well-maintained facilities, adequate ventilation in closed houses, constant availability of feed and water, etc. will reduce stress and help maintain high egg production.
Age
Eventually, all hens cease egg production. Normally, chickens produce well until they are 2 to 3 years old, and then egg production declines. Molts become more frequent and prolonged, and physical problems with the ovary or oviduct may occur. After all, when a high-producing hen has laid for 3 years, she may have produced more than 30 times her body weight in eggs.
Our Situation
The entire flock is molting. Could be the right time of year for that, but I think our chickens went without adequate water while we were on vacation. We had three ducks sharing the chicken yard. Ducks play in the water all the time, spilling most of it onto the ground. It's been a real challenge to keep the waterer filled. Abi was housesitting while we were away. She hurt her back and moved to Chapel Hill for a few days at the end of our absence so she could have help from a friend. When we got home, the waterer was dry. Don't know how long it had been that way, but that seems to be the point at which the laying pattern changed. Abi had been collecting eggs the previous week. In fact, the morning after we returned home I collected the normal amount of eggs. It was in our first week home that laying ceased.
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/html/pnw/pnw565/
Decreasing day length
Days become shorter beginning June 22 and begin to lengthen again on December 22. This change in day length causes hens to molt and cease egg production, a process that may take several months.
Molt
Molting is a natural process that allows the hen to replace old, worn feathers and rejuvenates her oviduct, the organ that “makes” eggs. With the molt, the hen puts the bulk of her energy into feather growth, leaving little for egg production.
Natural molting is a seasonal process related to changes in day length. It usually occurs in the fall after chicks fledge, but in domestic birds it can occur at any time, especially if the hen is exposed to some stress. Rapid feather loss by the entire flock usually is the result of a serious stressful event such as lack of water and/or feed or lighting problems.
Poor nutrition
Diet is very important to maintaining maximum egg production. Chickens require a balanced diet, and any supplementation of scratch, table scraps, garden waste, etc. serves to unbalance the diet.
Stress
Egg production is a hen’s reproductive activity. It is not a requirement for hens to thrive. When a hen experiences stress, even so minimal as to go unnoticed, she may respond by ceasing egg production.
Moving, handling, overheating, fright, and lack of food or water are stresses that can be detrimental to egg production. Protection from the elements and predators, clean and well-maintained facilities, adequate ventilation in closed houses, constant availability of feed and water, etc. will reduce stress and help maintain high egg production.
Age
Eventually, all hens cease egg production. Normally, chickens produce well until they are 2 to 3 years old, and then egg production declines. Molts become more frequent and prolonged, and physical problems with the ovary or oviduct may occur. After all, when a high-producing hen has laid for 3 years, she may have produced more than 30 times her body weight in eggs.
Our Situation
The entire flock is molting. Could be the right time of year for that, but I think our chickens went without adequate water while we were on vacation. We had three ducks sharing the chicken yard. Ducks play in the water all the time, spilling most of it onto the ground. It's been a real challenge to keep the waterer filled. Abi was housesitting while we were away. She hurt her back and moved to Chapel Hill for a few days at the end of our absence so she could have help from a friend. When we got home, the waterer was dry. Don't know how long it had been that way, but that seems to be the point at which the laying pattern changed. Abi had been collecting eggs the previous week. In fact, the morning after we returned home I collected the normal amount of eggs. It was in our first week home that laying ceased.
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/html/pnw/pnw565/
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Two weeks of neglect take their toll...
It's amazing how quickly Mother Nature can get the upper hand. I went to the Swannanoa Gathering for one week. Turned around and flew to Seattle for a week in the North Cascades. Spent last week cleaning off my desks at the office and at home.
Since returning home, I've been picking green beans, okra, and butternut squash. I've pulled a few good sized carrots. I picked what seems to be the last of the blueberries... pitifully small. The tomatoes still have fruit on the vines, but ripening has slowed significantly. I harvested the basil this afternoon and made two big batches of pesto. The first was a basic basil/garlic mix, which I froze in 'blops'. The second batch contained walnuts and freshly grated parmesan. I used it to sauce up a big pot of pasta.
We missed out on the last of the field peas. There're plenty of dry peas for next year's seed, or to cook as dried beans... but to eat peas that are fresh and green is why I grow them. The aphids had taken them over, as they did by this time last year. I pulled the plants this morning and threw them into the chicken yard, along with the aphid-riddled rainbow chard and all the other weeds that had grown up in the last few weeks. The eggplant fruits are small and stunted. I don't think the garden got enough rain while I was away. Abi was holding down the fort while we were gone, but that entailed mainly picking produce so it wouldn't go to waste. I didn't expect her to water and weed and do real work.
Despite that, the patty-pan squash plants have been looking really good, with lots of blossoms. Today, though, I saw evidence of those darn squash bugs! It's a race now, to see if fruit will develop before the plant totally dies back. The sweet potato vines are growing like crazy. The butter bean plants look healthy and lush with lots of blossoms. I hope it's not too late in the season for the beans to actually develop. It's always hard for me to let go of hopes for the summer garden in time to get the fall garden in, and that time is here.
In news from the chicken house, my hens have stopped laying. I thought maybe something was getting the eggs, but I've had only 6 eggs all week. Don't know if it's the heat, the time of year, deficiencies in their diet and water - ducks in the chicken yard make it difficult to keep the waterer filled up - plus, Grayson is living here now. Having a doggie in the yard makes it difficult for the chickens to get their free-range time in. Will have to pay attention in the coming week.
Since returning home, I've been picking green beans, okra, and butternut squash. I've pulled a few good sized carrots. I picked what seems to be the last of the blueberries... pitifully small. The tomatoes still have fruit on the vines, but ripening has slowed significantly. I harvested the basil this afternoon and made two big batches of pesto. The first was a basic basil/garlic mix, which I froze in 'blops'. The second batch contained walnuts and freshly grated parmesan. I used it to sauce up a big pot of pasta.
We missed out on the last of the field peas. There're plenty of dry peas for next year's seed, or to cook as dried beans... but to eat peas that are fresh and green is why I grow them. The aphids had taken them over, as they did by this time last year. I pulled the plants this morning and threw them into the chicken yard, along with the aphid-riddled rainbow chard and all the other weeds that had grown up in the last few weeks. The eggplant fruits are small and stunted. I don't think the garden got enough rain while I was away. Abi was holding down the fort while we were gone, but that entailed mainly picking produce so it wouldn't go to waste. I didn't expect her to water and weed and do real work.
Despite that, the patty-pan squash plants have been looking really good, with lots of blossoms. Today, though, I saw evidence of those darn squash bugs! It's a race now, to see if fruit will develop before the plant totally dies back. The sweet potato vines are growing like crazy. The butter bean plants look healthy and lush with lots of blossoms. I hope it's not too late in the season for the beans to actually develop. It's always hard for me to let go of hopes for the summer garden in time to get the fall garden in, and that time is here.
In news from the chicken house, my hens have stopped laying. I thought maybe something was getting the eggs, but I've had only 6 eggs all week. Don't know if it's the heat, the time of year, deficiencies in their diet and water - ducks in the chicken yard make it difficult to keep the waterer filled up - plus, Grayson is living here now. Having a doggie in the yard makes it difficult for the chickens to get their free-range time in. Will have to pay attention in the coming week.
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