Our ducks are big bug hunters although not off plants. Guineas are big bug hunters, but mine seem to be omnivorous. I used to let my chickens in my garden periodically after the plants got bigger. It was always a controlled visit and they did quite well. After a couple hours they were herded out and on to other chicken pastimes. No chickens now, my LGDs are anti chicken even though they are fine with my ducks and geese. So we have ducks that lay year round and life is good.

LGD???? Large Great Danes????

Danes are definitely hard on chickens, ours have taken care of a couple of fence flyers, but I think she meant livestock guard dogs.

I'm sorry. I forget that not all are familiar with some lingo. Yes, livestock guardian dogs, aka LGDs, covers all the different breeds and crosses that regularly protect our livestock. My first two were adults when I got them and hated chickens for whatever reason. Now years later my current LGDs hate them as well. It was apparently taught through the generations. But they don't mind my other free range fowl.

New hens are adapting to the other chickens well but seems they have already flown the coop, over the fence and into my garden. Scheduling a wing clipping party this week!

Love that puffy faced one.

That is the Ameracauna, lays blue/green eggs! Has somewhat of a hawk look.

Nice looking chickens, I love the look of the blue/green eggs.

She wasn't on the order for me to purchase but I couldn't pass her up when I got there!

They are all really nice chickens.

It's funny, I never got into the other chickens, but these feel like they're mine!

These chickens can be your pals!

As soon as I clip their wings!

My garlic gardening may have turned the corner into garlic farming! I have three 3 ft wide rows, planted with 6 plants across at 6 inch intervals, and two rows planted with 4 across. Each is 116 ft long. It took most of 3 days to hand plant it all, one clove at a time. The rows are marked with a homemade tool that punches holes, then I get down on my knees and do the planting. In late June/early July it will be ready to dig up, bundle and hang to dry in dark sheds. Lately I have been wondering about my sanity, and have said at least once "Oh, Lord, what have I done?"

The weather is perfect, frosty nights, sunny days in the low 60's. I'm working on messy flower beds, and putting geraniums in the used-to-be garage where they won't freeze to death over the winter. About the end of April I will take them into the greenhouse to start waking up. Leaves have turned yellowish and are starting to fall. So far our lowest early morning temperature has been 26. The vegie garden is a mess and I still have a table full of now ripened tomatoes to can. When the table is empty I will bring winter squash inside from a shed where they have been for the past week or so. The potatoes are still in the ground, bean pole teepees are still up, tomato support fences still in place. I need a lot of good weather to finish it all.

Oh Mary, that is A LOT of garlic. We do the 3' wide rows with 6 across at 6" intervals and we only do two 50' rows and have plenty to sell! You will be floating in garlic! We won't plant ours for about 3 weeks yet.

We just lifted half the sweet potatoes and they filled the bucket on the tractor so it looks like we'll be going back to market for a couple of weeks. Thankfully my son pulled two hives of honey so we'll go with garlic, sweet potatoes and honey. Not much but it'll have to do.

I feel for you on the garden cleanup. I'm in the same boat but I don't have any tomatoes to can. You will be very busy. I hope the weather holds out for you!

Arlene, garlic, sweet potatoes and honey should sell really well at market. Hope you sell them all quickly.

Nothing going on in the veggie garden here. Too busy with my bulb planting project.

snow

Snow!

How much? Is it unseasonably early?