We missed a 20 year high flood while out of town. Our garden was pounded, but our house is far enough from the creek and larger rivers to be safe (oh, and that photo is NOT our house). Horses were floating down the creeks and everyone said it was an exciting time (nobody was hurt though and all the cows & horses lived!).

Speaking of our garden……. I still have four things to plant: Squash, Pumpkins, Watermelons, & Beets. Even though it is high time to plant, we are late because of the enormous amounts of rain (and we should have planted before the rains started).

Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Pole Beans, & Marigolds made it in on time.

Here is our lettuce & spinach patch. This has been my absolute FAVORITE!

What about Kristen’s Chickens?
You’ve probably been wondering if they are out of the house. Well the answer is YES…. They ARE…. and we never even had to chase loose chickens in our living room.

Last but not least: the fruit trees. We will have a lovely year of blueberry picking and peach pies. Look at the start of these yummy fruits!

Next few days I’ll be writing about “Killdeers Harassing Me In My Driveway”. Weird huh?

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Our chicks are now a week old! They have grown way more than we expected and only one has died (now we have 24). The chicks have now moved from being crowded and almost jumping out of the wash tub:

To being in a large box with more feeders!
The large box provides more room, which they will need as they grow. However, there are two issues to consider with the large box:
1. They still need 90-95 degrees in there, so I hung a towel on either side to trap the heat.
2. There are square corners now. With right angles like that, chicks can get trapped and smothered to death. Round “corners” are best. But, hey! I’m working with what I have.

Now, are you wondering “What is this lady doing with 24 chicks in her living room?” It’s still pretty cold here in TN (harder to keep them at 90degrees) and we don’t have the chicken house exactly finished yet:
If we put them outside they would be an easy and tasty prey to cats, dogs, possums- anything!
So, they’ll be our indoor buddies for the next week or so and then they be kicked out in the nice, warm, finished, chicken house!

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How Many Chicks Do You Count?

This breed is used for meat and eggs, so a “dual purpose” chicken. Their temperment is rumored to be calm and friendly, as opposed to skittish or aggressive. Buff Orpingtons are also good Mommas, once their time comes. Some breeds will not stay put on their eggs, enough to grow new chicks anyhow, and we wanted the option to raise our own chicks. As for egg production, Buff Orpingtons are not the top of the line, but they lay well in winter and summer. A great overall hen- or atleast I’ve read!

This is the first time I’ve (attempted) to raise chicks, and here are the basic directions I’m following:

1) Starting temp. 95 degrees, lower 5 degrees each week.
(100-150 Watt Light bulb)
2) Use commercial feed for type of poultry ordered.
3) Clean, dry straw for litter (not newspaper). Keep dry.
4) Upon arrival, dip beak in water, then feed.
5) Check birds often

Let me know tips and anything else I need to know! Comment or email at kristen@simplykristen.com

Tips I just got:
- For their first drink add 1/4 cup of sucanat to 1 quart of water to help regulate their sugar.
- Use a thermometer to check their temperature, and if too cold can add a towel/box/whatever over the non-lighted side to hold some warmth.

WHOA!

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