Progress

We finally have all three garden beds done! Are they filled with soil? - No. But, they are finished. With the heat wave in LA we weren't able to do as much as we anticipated this past weekend. In fact, I think we may have contracted heat stroke just from moving the one raised bed frame from the back patio to where it rests now.

The good news about the heat wave is that our pumpkins and watermelons are going crazy! I planted two different types of pumpkins this year - white and some kind of French heirloom variety. I got a late start on them, but I'm hoping if the warm weather continues we'll have normal-sized pumpkins in time for Halloween. My husband has been trimming the pumpkin plants, which is supposed to allow for more nutrients for the existing pumpkins, so hopefully this strategy will work out and we won't have to display mini-pumpkins on our front step.

I've also let the hens out of prison now that the plants are out of their delicate seedling phase. You can see Wanda lounging behind the not-so-effective chicken wire fence at the top left. They are very happy to be roaming free again, and we've been getting two eggs a day, which is fantastic. Check out the three beds and one of our pumpkins, below:

Hilarious Craigslist Ad for Chicken

I saw this on another board and had to post it. So funny!

House Chicken...thinks she is a cat. (Everett)

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Date: 2010-09-14, 9:34PM PDT
Reply to: sale-qekqa-1954715309@craigslist.org ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]}

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This is difficult to do, but I have to rehome my beloved house chicken Milkshake.
She is about 9 months old and a white silkie bantam (if you are not familiar with what that means she is not the right bird for you).

Adopter must-haves:
1. Experience with chickens & cats: My partner and I adopted her and raised her by hand thinking that once the cute chickie look wore off she would just go out in the coop with the rest of the girls, but, alas, she thinks she is a cat. She refuses to go in the coop and will meow/squak at the back door when she wants to comes in.

2. Time and deaf or distant neighbors: Sometimes I have to go outside and grab her after dusk because patheticly she has little chicken skills and doesn't realize that chickens should not hang out outside in the dark. She thinks since the cats do it she should be able to as well. She does not really care to be in her cage, but rather wants to roam around the house. She will let you know this loudly in the morning, at night, and when you have company or get on the phone.

3. Hard wood or easy to clean floors: During the day she likes to come and go as she pleases, sometimes 'dust-bathing' on the carpet. She likes to hang out in the kitchen when you're cooking in case you drop anything and makes a better vacume than a chicken. We tried the whole I'm-an-urban-chicken-farmer-retard technique of making her wear a diaper, but she gets very angry and tempermental and would much rather shit everywhere as she pleases. Free useless diaper included.

4. Patience: She may like you, or may not on some days. She was incredibly prone to my (ex) partner and loved to cuddle on the couch and shit. She is nice to me when I feed her, but will bite my ankles if she doesn't get what she wants.

5. Thick socks

6. Room for a big ugly bird cage - big ugly bird cage included. I fill it with hay. There is no need to have a laying box because she doesn't get why there's a box taking up room in her cage. She would rather just pop out mini-eggs as she pleases, and wherever she pleases.

7. Must like Easter Egg hunts.

8. Must have a blowdryer: Because of her lack of chicken skills, she is not great at the dustbathing idea. She likes a warm bath followed by a complete low setting blow dry.

9. Lastly, must be willing to provide a forever indoor & outdoor home: she would make a horrible dinner - don't even think about it.

I have tried to incorporate her into the hen house but she doesn't give a damn about other chickens and refuses to cooperate. She likes shag carpet, raspberries, clean laundry (to poop on), dirty kitchen floors, and talking. If this sounds like a pet you want for some reason, maybe you're a stay at home dad with too much time on your hands, or a mom whose kids left the roost, or a cat-loving old lady that's allergic to cats, or maybe a geeky hipster that wants to be 'original' and 'hip' with a pet house chicken - whatever, just keep her forever and don't eat her. For consideration, send an email stating why you would be the best candidate to adopt my dear Milkshake. As stated she comes with a big ugly cage, a waterer, food dish, and some food crumbles. I can also provide some thick sock, but if you can't afford socks, you really shouldn't be getting a pet house chicken.

• Location: Everett
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

Hot Chicks

My friends just got some baby chicks and placed a webcam above their temporary digs to document them. So fun!

Check out this link: Hot Chicks