I had just finished feeding the chickens when I decided to inspect the
electric fence that protects them from predators. Since it is hooked to
the fence that attempts to protect the garden from rabbits and deer and
stuff, I decided to inspect that one, too. Since I was already out
there, I decided to take a look through the garden. I found a couple
cucumbers, munched on some raw peas...

And noticed that something had been pruning my tomato vines (which are
big and healthy and full of *green* tomatoes sign). Ah, the first
tomato hornworm of the year! Goodie!

So, I shook the vine and listened for the little tick tick tick. Ah,
there he is! Even though it was getting dark, I found the little
caterpillar easily.

So, I plucked it off, hooked the fence back up, and took the tomato worm
and a grasshopper I had found earlier to the chicken pen. They were all
sleeping, but my son's favorite chicken (the only one old enough to lay)
was only too willing to grab the grasshopper out of my fingers. After
that, I gave her the tomato worm. She had a bit of a rough time with
it. :-)

You might not be able to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, but all
it takes is a hen to turn a bug into an egg.

As soon as the corn is all harvested, I'll let the chickens out so they
can get some free protein. I need to fatten the roosters up so we can
enjoy some stir-fried chicken, roasted chicken, chicken pie, chicken
soup, fried chicken..... :-)



Ray Drouillard

On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 22:04:35 -0400, "Ray Drouillard"
wrote:



So, I plucked it off, hooked the fence back up, and took the tomato worm
and a grasshopper I had found earlier to the chicken pen. They were all
sleeping, but my son's favorite chicken (the only one old enough to lay)
was only too willing to grab the grasshopper out of my fingers. After
that, I gave her the tomato worm. She had a bit of a rough time with
it. :-)

Yeh for the hen!

I found my first tomato hornworm of the season on a Devil's Tongue
Pepper, but it made me smile. It was covered in tiny white wasp
larvae.


Penelope

"Penelope Periwinkle" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 22:04:35 -0400, "Ray Drouillard"
wrote:



So, I plucked it off, hooked the fence back up, and took the tomato
worm
and a grasshopper I had found earlier to the chicken pen. They were
all
sleeping, but my son's favorite chicken (the only one old enough to
lay)
was only too willing to grab the grasshopper out of my fingers.
After
that, I gave her the tomato worm. She had a bit of a rough time with
it. :-)

Yeh for the hen!

I found my first tomato hornworm of the season on a Devil's Tongue
Pepper, but it made me smile. It was covered in tiny white wasp
larvae.


Penelope

I wonder if you can buy those little wasps from an organic growers'
supply company or something. A larger scale grower would certainly be
able to benefit from them.

As for us, the few we find are simply turned into chicken food :-) I
found another yesterday. It was a huge, fat one. Poor little henny
penny could barely choke it down. She managed, though. :-)


Ray

"Ray Drouillard" wrote in message
...

I wonder if you can buy those little wasps from an organic growers'
supply company or something. A larger scale grower would certainly be
able to benefit from them.
...
Ray


Am I the only one that feels sorry for the hornworm after viewing photo at
http://entweb.clemson.edu/cuentres/c...fici/ce174.htm
Olin

"omi" wrote in message
...
"Ray Drouillard" wrote in message
...

I wonder if you can buy those little wasps from an organic growers'
supply company or something. A larger scale grower would certainly
be
able to benefit from them.
...
Ray


Am I the only one that feels sorry for the hornworm after viewing
photo at
http://entweb.clemson.edu/cuentres/c...fici/ce174.htm
Olin

Probably not, but I doubt if that bug will get much sympathy from anyone
who has had their tomatoes 'pruned' by the little monsters. They
munched on some of the fruit, too.

By the way, my son found one last night, and I found another four today.
That hen is going to get fat on them. :-) I'm playing favorites. She
is the only one who's laying, so she gets the extra protein.


Ray

On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 17:30:41 GMT, "omi" wrote:

"Ray Drouillard" wrote in messag

I wonder if you can buy those little wasps from an organic growers'
supply company or something. A larger scale grower would certainly be
able to benefit from them.


Am I the only one that feels sorry for the hornworm after viewing photo at
http://entweb.clemson.edu/cuentres/c...fici/ce174.htm

Oh, oh! That's what mine looked like! I didn't feel sorry for him
at all. As a matter of fact, I was rather gleeful.


Penelope

"Penelope Periwinkle" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 17:30:41 GMT, "omi" wrote:

"Ray Drouillard" wrote in messag

I wonder if you can buy those little wasps from an organic growers'
supply company or something. A larger scale grower would certainly
be
able to benefit from them.


Am I the only one that feels sorry for the hornworm after viewing
photo at
http://entweb.clemson.edu/cuentres/c...fici/ce174.htm

Oh, oh! That's what mine looked like! I didn't feel sorry for him
at all. As a matter of fact, I was rather gleeful.


Penelope


I haven't seen any parasitic wasp pupae yet, but we managed to pluck
about twenty hornworms off the tomatoes today. They are doing some
serious munching.

Most of them went to the one hen who is laying. We took her out of the
pen, held out a handful of worms, and let her take her pick. She has to
shake the worm a bit to get it to deflate, then she swallows it.

Interestingly enough, some of the worms were mostly black. I have never
seen a black tomato worm before.


Ray

"Ray Drouillard" wrote in message ...

As soon as the corn is all harvested, I'll let the chickens out so they
can get some free protein. I need to fatten the roosters up so we can
enjoy some stir-fried chicken, roasted chicken, chicken pie, chicken
soup, fried chicken..... :-)


I hear from someone who uses chicken in the garden that they
completely eliminate slugs, and strongly reduce weed seeds (I have to
spread sluggo if I want to garden). Because they scratch, they get
seeds all the way down to maybe 1/2 inch. They also do a good job with
all sort of insects and grubs, good and bad. Of course, they will
eliminate tomatoes and green seedlings if you let them in in the
summer. She only lets them in for the month before spring planting,
approximately April 15-May 15, but that is enough. I suppose one could
have the compost pile in the kitchen pen, and get free turning and
some nitrogenization.

If I get a hen and turn her loose in the garden as a semi-permanant
resident, is she goiing to pick at tomatos etc or is it better to have a
separate area for said hen? How many hens could a 9'x60' garden
accomedate? More importantly, do they eat white flies and spider mites?

simy1 wrote:

"Ray Drouillard" wrote in message ...

As soon as the corn is all harvested, I'll let the chickens out so they
can get some free protein. I need to fatten the roosters up so we can
enjoy some stir-fried chicken, roasted chicken, chicken pie, chicken
soup, fried chicken..... :-)



I hear from someone who uses chicken in the garden that they
completely eliminate slugs, and strongly reduce weed seeds (I have to
spread sluggo if I want to garden). Because they scratch, they get
seeds all the way down to maybe 1/2 inch. They also do a good job with
all sort of insects and grubs, good and bad. Of course, they will
eliminate tomatoes and green seedlings if you let them in in the
summer. She only lets them in for the month before spring planting,
approximately April 15-May 15, but that is enough. I suppose one could
have the compost pile in the kitchen pen, and get free turning and
some nitrogenization.

They'll eat your cabbage and corn if they get a chance. I like Simy1's
idea. I might try it next year.

Eventually, I want to keep the chickens in the orchard. They will eat
bugs and deadfalls, while fertilizing the trees.


Ray


"Flatspin" wrote in message
news:ND3_c.84942$4o.28572@fed1read01...
If I get a hen and turn her loose in the garden as a semi-permanant
resident, is she goiing to pick at tomatos etc or is it better to have
a
separate area for said hen? How many hens could a 9'x60' garden
accomedate? More importantly, do they eat white flies and spider
mites?

simy1 wrote:

"Ray Drouillard" wrote in message
...

As soon as the corn is all harvested, I'll let the chickens out so
they
can get some free protein. I need to fatten the roosters up so we
can
enjoy some stir-fried chicken, roasted chicken, chicken pie, chicken
soup, fried chicken..... :-)



I hear from someone who uses chicken in the garden that they
completely eliminate slugs, and strongly reduce weed seeds (I have
to
spread sluggo if I want to garden). Because they scratch, they get
seeds all the way down to maybe 1/2 inch. They also do a good job
with
all sort of insects and grubs, good and bad. Of course, they will
eliminate tomatoes and green seedlings if you let them in in the
summer. She only lets them in for the month before spring planting,
approximately April 15-May 15, but that is enough. I suppose one
could
have the compost pile in the kitchen pen, and get free turning and
some nitrogenization.

They'll eat your cabbage and corn if they get a chance. I like Simy1's
idea. I might try it next year.

Eventually, I want to keep the chickens in the orchard. They will eat
bugs and deadfalls, while fertilizing the trees.


Ray


"Flatspin" wrote in message
news:ND3_c.84942$4o.28572@fed1read01...
If I get a hen and turn her loose in the garden as a semi-permanant
resident, is she goiing to pick at tomatos etc or is it better to have
a
separate area for said hen? How many hens could a 9'x60' garden
accomedate? More importantly, do they eat white flies and spider
mites?

simy1 wrote:

"Ray Drouillard" wrote in message
...

As soon as the corn is all harvested, I'll let the chickens out so
they
can get some free protein. I need to fatten the roosters up so we
can
enjoy some stir-fried chicken, roasted chicken, chicken pie, chicken
soup, fried chicken..... :-)



I hear from someone who uses chicken in the garden that they
completely eliminate slugs, and strongly reduce weed seeds (I have
to
spread sluggo if I want to garden). Because they scratch, they get
seeds all the way down to maybe 1/2 inch. They also do a good job
with
all sort of insects and grubs, good and bad. Of course, they will
eliminate tomatoes and green seedlings if you let them in in the
summer. She only lets them in for the month before spring planting,
approximately April 15-May 15, but that is enough. I suppose one
could
have the compost pile in the kitchen pen, and get free turning and
some nitrogenization.

If I get a hen and turn her loose in the garden as a semi-permanant
resident, is she goiing to pick at tomatos etc or is it better to have a
separate area for said hen? How many hens could a 9'x60' garden
accomedate? More importantly, do they eat white flies and spider mites?

simy1 wrote:

"Ray Drouillard" wrote in message ...

As soon as the corn is all harvested, I'll let the chickens out so they
can get some free protein. I need to fatten the roosters up so we can
enjoy some stir-fried chicken, roasted chicken, chicken pie, chicken
soup, fried chicken..... :-)



I hear from someone who uses chicken in the garden that they
completely eliminate slugs, and strongly reduce weed seeds (I have to
spread sluggo if I want to garden). Because they scratch, they get
seeds all the way down to maybe 1/2 inch. They also do a good job with
all sort of insects and grubs, good and bad. Of course, they will
eliminate tomatoes and green seedlings if you let them in in the
summer. She only lets them in for the month before spring planting,
approximately April 15-May 15, but that is enough. I suppose one could
have the compost pile in the kitchen pen, and get free turning and
some nitrogenization.

In article ,
"Ray Drouillard" wrote:

"Glenna Rose" wrote in message
news:fc.003d094101d2f9723b9aca00ef08c800.1d2f98e@p mug.org...
writes:


Paul was very delighted to get a double-yolk egg this morning. I
told
him that maybe Racetrack (the name he gave his hen) gave him that egg
because he fed her so many bugs. She really is the best laying hen I
have ever seen. I think I'll buy a dozen black sex link pullets next
year. She only missed one day since the day she started laying, and
that is exceptional even for a hen in her peak. Most start laying an
egg or two a week, and take a while to get to peak production.

I've found the Australorps (sp?) to be reliable layers. This is only
the
second year for my Aracuna but she seems to be a steady layer also
easy to
tell since she is the only one laying blue/green eggs. g

We still only have one layer. The others are too young. I'm expecting
the Isa Browns to do very well. The Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds
are old classics, and ought to be steady layers for a long time. I
don't know what breed the white ones are (they were unexpected extras
that someone else had ordered but didn't pick up), so I don't know what
to expect from them. They look somewhat like leghorns, but have red
earlobes.

I'm glad to hear the araucanas are reliable layers. We have ten of them
(should have had an even dozen, but the person doing the sexing must
have had a bad day). We had gotten a pastel blue egg from a farm before
we moved up here, so when I found out what kind of chicken did that, I
ordered some.


Aren't pet chickens great?!

I certainly have no problem getting my middle child to eat eggs. He
loves to run out there and collect the egg from his pet hen, and wants
me or his mother to cook it up right away. We're enjoying the birds a
whole lot more than I thought we would.


Ray


I agree about the Barred rocks and RIR's being nice reliable standby's
:-) Our local feed store has gotten in the fall chicks. I like to get
them right now as the tend to start laying right about the time the
older hens quit for the winter. I picked up 2 of each along with a
couple of ornamental bantams, and dad bought me 3 more aracauanas. All
are sexed as hens.

By far tho', my most reliable layers have been red sex links, and also
turkens. The turkens were good for about 3 years before they slowed
down, and tended to be better winter layers.

Don't mourn the Aracauna roosters! They are very nice birds, and I've
never had a mean one... One rooster per 5 to 10 hens is about right but
if your hens start getting bald backs, you may wish to make soup out of
one or find it a good home. I've also found aracaunas to be one of my
longer lived birds. My one roo' is about 8 years old now.

K. (a fellow chicken lover!)

--
Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

,,Cat's Haven Hobby Farm,,Katraatcenturyteldotnet,,

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

"Katra" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Ray Drouillard" wrote:

"Glenna Rose" wrote in message
news:fc.003d094101d2f9723b9aca00ef08c800.1d2f98e@p mug.org...
writes:


Paul was very delighted to get a double-yolk egg this morning. I
told
him that maybe Racetrack (the name he gave his hen) gave him that
egg
because he fed her so many bugs. She really is the best laying
hen I
have ever seen. I think I'll buy a dozen black sex link pullets
next
year. She only missed one day since the day she started laying,
and
that is exceptional even for a hen in her peak. Most start
laying an
egg or two a week, and take a while to get to peak production.

I've found the Australorps (sp?) to be reliable layers. This is
only
the
second year for my Aracuna but she seems to be a steady layer also
easy to
tell since she is the only one laying blue/green eggs. g

We still only have one layer. The others are too young. I'm
expecting
the Isa Browns to do very well. The Barred Rocks and Rhode Island
Reds
are old classics, and ought to be steady layers for a long time. I
don't know what breed the white ones are (they were unexpected
extras
that someone else had ordered but didn't pick up), so I don't know
what
to expect from them. They look somewhat like leghorns, but have red
earlobes.

I'm glad to hear the araucanas are reliable layers. We have ten of
them
(should have had an even dozen, but the person doing the sexing must
have had a bad day). We had gotten a pastel blue egg from a farm
before
we moved up here, so when I found out what kind of chicken did that,
I
ordered some.


Aren't pet chickens great?!

I certainly have no problem getting my middle child to eat eggs. He
loves to run out there and collect the egg from his pet hen, and
wants
me or his mother to cook it up right away. We're enjoying the birds
a
whole lot more than I thought we would.


Ray


I agree about the Barred rocks and RIR's being nice reliable standby's
:-) Our local feed store has gotten in the fall chicks. I like to get
them right now as the tend to start laying right about the time the
older hens quit for the winter. I picked up 2 of each along with a
couple of ornamental bantams, and dad bought me 3 more aracauanas. All
are sexed as hens.

By far tho', my most reliable layers have been red sex links, and also
turkens. The turkens were good for about 3 years before they slowed
down, and tended to be better winter layers.

Don't mourn the Aracauna roosters! They are very nice birds, and I've
never had a mean one... One rooster per 5 to 10 hens is about right
but
if your hens start getting bald backs, you may wish to make soup out
of
one or find it a good home. I've also found aracaunas to be one of my
longer lived birds. My one roo' is about 8 years old now.

K. (a fellow chicken lover!)

I just counted all the chickens to make sure we didn't lose any that I
don't know about. It turns out that we have 38 hens. That's enough for
three roosters. We are keeping my youngest son's pet named 'stripe',
who is a beautiful red and gold bird (I don't know what breed). We are
also keeping a red Araukana mix who is starting to look rather handsome.
We need to choose one of the black and white Araukana mix roosters as a
third. A lot of them have bent toes that look genetic, so it may be a
simple matter to choose one with good feet LOL.

Right now, we're working on new digs for them. I need to make some nest
boxes and a big 100 pound feeder to put into the lean-to behind the pole
barn with the goats. We just put in a woven wire fence, so the chickens
and goats will have plenty of room to roam, and plenty of greens to eat.
I haven't quite decided what to do with the guineas. They are supposed
to be our free range bug patrol, but they keep hanging around the
chicken pen. We let them in at night to keep them save. We already
lost two -- probably to that hawk that ate one of our barred rocks.


Ray

If I wanted a single hen, maybe two for garden duties and the eggs, what
would be a good variety? I grew uo with ducks so we only really ate
green shelled mallard eggs as kids, they're thicker than chicken eggs as
I recall.

My garden is small, 9'x60' but I get crickets, white flies, spider mites
and the occasional Tomatoe Hornworm. Do they eat lizards, I have a
cinderblock wall regularly patroled by lizards and occasionally
inhabited by cockroaches.

I live in Mesa, AZ so need something that would adapt to the desert
climate. I have a beautifil lemon tree and could build a henhouse under
it. Nothing else wants to grow in its shade.

Ray Drouillard wrote:
"Katra" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Ray Drouillard" wrote:


"Glenna Rose" wrote in message
news:fc.003d094101d2f9723b9aca00ef08c800.1d2f98 ...

writes:


Paul was very delighted to get a double-yolk egg this morning. I

told

him that maybe Racetrack (the name he gave his hen) gave him that

egg

because he fed her so many bugs. She really is the best laying

hen I

have ever seen. I think I'll buy a dozen black sex link pullets

next

year. She only missed one day since the day she started laying,

and

that is exceptional even for a hen in her peak. Most start

laying an

egg or two a week, and take a while to get to peak production.

I've found the Australorps (sp?) to be reliable layers. This is

only

the

second year for my Aracuna but she seems to be a steady layer also

easy to

tell since she is the only one laying blue/green eggs. g

We still only have one layer. The others are too young. I'm

expecting

the Isa Browns to do very well. The Barred Rocks and Rhode Island

Reds

are old classics, and ought to be steady layers for a long time. I
don't know what breed the white ones are (they were unexpected

extras

that someone else had ordered but didn't pick up), so I don't know

what

to expect from them. They look somewhat like leghorns, but have red
earlobes.

I'm glad to hear the araucanas are reliable layers. We have ten of

them

(should have had an even dozen, but the person doing the sexing must
have had a bad day). We had gotten a pastel blue egg from a farm

before

we moved up here, so when I found out what kind of chicken did that,

I

ordered some.


Aren't pet chickens great?!

I certainly have no problem getting my middle child to eat eggs. He
loves to run out there and collect the egg from his pet hen, and

wants

me or his mother to cook it up right away. We're enjoying the birds

a

whole lot more than I thought we would.


Ray


I agree about the Barred rocks and RIR's being nice reliable standby's
:-) Our local feed store has gotten in the fall chicks. I like to get
them right now as the tend to start laying right about the time the
older hens quit for the winter. I picked up 2 of each along with a
couple of ornamental bantams, and dad bought me 3 more aracauanas. All
are sexed as hens.

By far tho', my most reliable layers have been red sex links, and also
turkens. The turkens were good for about 3 years before they slowed
down, and tended to be better winter layers.

Don't mourn the Aracauna roosters! They are very nice birds, and I've
never had a mean one... One rooster per 5 to 10 hens is about right

but

if your hens start getting bald backs, you may wish to make soup out

of

one or find it a good home. I've also found aracaunas to be one of my
longer lived birds. My one roo' is about 8 years old now.

K. (a fellow chicken lover!)


I just counted all the chickens to make sure we didn't lose any that I
don't know about. It turns out that we have 38 hens. That's enough for
three roosters. We are keeping my youngest son's pet named 'stripe',
who is a beautiful red and gold bird (I don't know what breed). We are
also keeping a red Araukana mix who is starting to look rather handsome.
We need to choose one of the black and white Araukana mix roosters as a
third. A lot of them have bent toes that look genetic, so it may be a
simple matter to choose one with good feet LOL.

Right now, we're working on new digs for them. I need to make some nest
boxes and a big 100 pound feeder to put into the lean-to behind the pole
barn with the goats. We just put in a woven wire fence, so the chickens
and goats will have plenty of room to roam, and plenty of greens to eat.
I haven't quite decided what to do with the guineas. They are supposed
to be our free range bug patrol, but they keep hanging around the
chicken pen. We let them in at night to keep them save. We already
lost two -- probably to that hawk that ate one of our barred rocks.


Ray