Chookies!

The chooks enjoyed sunshine, king kong greens and sunflower seeds today while recovering slowly but surely from fowl pox.

Spring Time

We have all been enjoying a bit of warmth in the backyard. However, today hit a new record reaching 34 deg C for September. I hate the heat, so fortunately it will be short lived. For now. A cold front is expected tonight/tomorrow morning, and cooler temps and rain are more my cup of tea!

Out the Back ...

We have been getting 3 eggs a day lately. Our Orpington is not far off laying again, after a heavy moult, and Happy Feet, one of the Hy-Lines is now getting all new feathers underneath, so I'm guessing she won't be too far behind.

We had our first lime off the tree, still plenty of lemons and passionfruit. Tomatoes are coming along. Tons of cherry toms, kale and beans.

And I was happy to see the first of the Jasmine open today that we planted over the trellis. The smell is divine.

Adding to the edible garden

Yesterday we planted a mandarin tree and a grape vine. We put them both in the chook yard to make the most of the wonderful soil that the chickens create. Perfect for growing fruit and veges. Of course, we had some very important helpers.

Out the back

The winter garden has been growing well. We pick some beans and snow peas nearly everyday. Cherry toms too, although there aren't any ripe right now, there are a ton that will be soon. There are lots of flowers on the capsicums, so I am expecting a pretty good crop. The kale is being used nearly everyday (it's a superfood!) that I think I need more than two plants. The guinea pigs get a little bit each day too, which they love. We are getting through the lemons, especially with 2/4 sickies in this household, so there are honey and lemon drinks being made. Silverbeet is plenty, some for us, some for the chooks and a bit for the guinea pigs.

Out the back

It was a beautiful winter day yesterday, so we put the guinea pigs in a temporary outside pen we made, the chooks were loving the weather, and the cat joined us too! The garden is growing well. Ella and I took these photos! Enjoy!

Chicken Run Extension

We have built a new enclosed run for the chooks over the last couple of days, partly because they were slowly destroying all of our lawn and partly because they were making far too much mess on the patio. The holes they were digging were getting deeper by the day and we were slowly falling in them! They will still get out on the grass from time to time, but only when I am out there with them. We have made the run so it is part of our backyard sustainable living, so our current vege gardens and fruit trees are in the run. They also have access behind the shed and around to another area that will become gardens down the track. So really they will now be off the small lawn area where the kids play, and off the concrete. We will be growing something up the netting, not sure what yet!