Windy, sunny and warm.
We’ve spent all morning outside planting peas and carrots and herding chickens.
The pullets escaped while being transferred to the big pen which caused another series of blunders. This time…without the mud.
While the hens were running around and the pullets were stretching their legs, the boys and I planted peas, carrots, borage and marigolds in one of the woody beds out back.
Joe ended up planting peas all over the place. I’m not even sure where they all are so we might have a few surprise peas later in the season.
Once we’d finished planting, the boys ran off into the maze. I was right behind them…strolling and taking pictures of the fruit trees we planted last year.
All of the trees in the south swale are budding. We won’t have apples or cherries this year, but at least they all survived the winter.
Sugar Sweet Cherry
Most of the oaks we planted last year are not budding…yet. I still have hopes though. The branches are reddish and not gray a sign that life is in there somewhere.
Before going inside, I put the hens away. I’m still not sure what ate our two missing ladies so I don’t want to take any chances. Since hawks have been spotted in the area and the coyotes are starting to come out at dusk, we’ll only let them out when we are working in the yard.
But, I didn’t want the little girls to be stuck in the garage on such a nice day.
I pulled a dog kennel over to the hen’s playpen and put the pullets in it.
Not only does this give them a chance to forage and get used to the wind, but it’s also a good way to get the big ones used to the little ones and vice versa.
I don’t know if we are ready to let them mingle in such a confined space as the play pen, but this is a great way to get started.
Pullets are on the loose
Stretching claw and wing
Hens are introduced
To start the mingling
a pinch of homestead 