Using Those Ole Chicken Feed Bags!

Main food for the Hen Owners is 25lb bag of Kalmbach Organic layer pellets. I have this on a subscription from Chewy.com to ensure that we don't miss them. It's our preferred feed, the Hen Owners do like it and their eggs have large and orange yolks. The feed bags are rather nice, too and I've been saving them. One project that I started using them for is for planting. This season, I'm planting some garlic in one as some started sprouting in my pantry. I set aside the sprouting cloves until I had enough for a bag.

Then I took a bag and folded the sides down twice. This was to help keep it open and start forming the shape for planting.

Next, I put down the garlic and spaced them out so there's at least 3" between each other.

Finally, I covered the sprouting cloves with soil.

I typically plant garlic in October-December and harvest around July. I'm planting now because of the sprouting cloves. I like how these bags are nice and deep, sturdy, and woven, so water can seep out. It also doesn't take up garden bed space by having it's own container, so if I need to harvest in September that doesn't affect other garden plans.

The bags are aesthetic, too. And should last more than a season! Now to make sure the Hen Owners don't play in these bags when they're out and about! LOL.

#gardeningwithhens #feedbagprojects

Time to Start Garden Planning!

 

#backyardchickens #gardeningwithhens

"Barn Door" Feature Needs a Redesign

 

     

Looks like we have to review the sliding 'barn door' feature. We added the little patio footing, but that seems to have resulted in helping to trap melted snow in the door rail. While it hasn't been a problem during the warmer days and with rain, it seems to be a problem when there's snow and the melting snow doesn't really have anywhere to run off to.

Thoughts on the redesign for this summer:

• Raise the bottom, build a threshold to hold water and dirt.
• Divert runoff at the top.
• Add a drain at the bottom, near the front of the coop.

Right now, after snow, and then temps of 40F, and now below freezing and more snow, those doors are frozen in place. I did put in an effort yesterday to work in their run before I'd be frozen out of the run. At least there is another way to enter in, but this is the preferred entrance.