Gardening, and a chicken update

 Yesterday I worked in the garden. I was glad I prepped it earlier in the year so it was ready to plant. I got seedlings this year so I wouldn't have to start anything from seed. I planted lettuce, kale, broccoli-rabe, bok-choi, leeks, parsley, pickling cukes, and dill. I also planted spinach but I started with seeds. It's a special variety I was given by a local farmer. I also put in 100 onion bulbs and planted a little rosemary bush in a large pot. I still want to pick up some rainbow chard, thyme, and several basil plants. Last year I only had one basil and that wasn't nearly enough - at the end of the season there was none left to dry and use over the winter!

In the chicken world, I lost all power to the shed, so hopefully the older chicks will be fine tonight without heat. They haven't been sleeping under the heat lamp lately anyway, so I hope they are all able to snuggle together to stay warm tonight.

And as for Mama Hen: she is losing chicks right and left! Yesterday I found one dead by the chicken run gate. I assume it fell in the water bowl because it was very wet. I don't know if it got out but was chilled and died, or if it drowned and another chicken pulled it out of the water to see if it was good to eat. Anyway, that leaves her with six. She would be down to 5 if I hadn't rescued the one on the woodpile the other morning. I hate to say it, but she's the worst mama hen I've had so far! I dumped out the water bowl to prevent any further accidents and left them with a very shallow bowl nobody should be able to drown in!

_