Celebrations, Chickens and Slugs…
Kind of a weird title for a post, but it fits all that I am going to try to fit into this one….
Earlier this week, we packed up the kids into our trusty minivan and took the long drive to Double S Farms….okay, it took us all of 5 minutes to get there. We were gathering together to celebrate the birthdays of my husband and my nephew (Littlest Farmer).
One of the first things we did was to go out and see the chickens, who are the newest residents of the farm. They are now 5 weeks old and they have now graduated to the outdoors. My sister, Chicken Farmer, is enjoying raising her chickens. You can read my earlier posts about the chickens here.
Raising chickens
For some reason, the chickens were not very cooperative about standing still for the camera. So, my brother-in-law (Farmer Dad), picked one up so I could take a better picture.
This is Flo who was very patient while I took her picture. She is one of two who does not mind being handled. However, what happened afterwards, I am not sure that Flo was too happy about….
Farmer Dad handed Flo to my daughter, who just happens to work at Chick-fil-A, (a restaurant that serves only chicken). I may have imagined it, but Flo look vastly relieved to be set down by my daughter.
Lucy and Ramona were kind enough to pause a moment for their picture.
We then ventured inside for dinner and birthday cake. Afterward, my son and his cousins, (Little & Littlest Farmers), had fun wrestling in the living room.
Well, it was getting late and we started to head out the door when I saw something truly gross…
We were greeted by the sight of slugs crawling all over the low wall surrounding my mother’s succulent garden. She has had a problem with slugs ever since she moved into the house last year. There used to be a flower garden where the succulents are now planted.
Recently, she has been setting out a bowl of beer for the slugs. They are attracted by the smell of beer and then crawl in and drown. I wonder if they are drunk before they drown? Hopefully, for their sake.
Not too pretty is it? But, it is a welcome sight for those who are waging a battle against slugs. They do not seem to prefer one beer over the other, so my mother used some old beer that my brother-in-law had left over since November. **Some gardeners also have had similar results using grape juice.
Within 5 minutes of setting out additional saucers of beer, the slugs were racing as fast as they could to enjoy their beer. Does that remind you of anyone you may know?
My kids thought it was very cool in a gross kind of way and so did I. But I have to say that I am extremely glad that I do not have slugs in my garden 🙂
Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."
Great post Noelle, nice to see the chickens again, they have grown so quickly and the kids are all adorable. The slugs are gross, but it's very useful, I will try this method this summer, since my yard is full of them.
Amazing Noelle, I just put three small bowls of beer in my white impatiens…..hope I get the same result as you have shown here. Lovely family and the chickens are growing so fast…..
I had no idea there were slugs in the desert. I thought that was just a curse we gardners in wet areas (Seattle, Portland) had to deal with.
With all of those chickens I wouldn't think she would have to resort to beer.
Hey, Noelle! The chickens are so cute! I used to have a dozen hens and a rooster…before the fox got to them! 🙁 The eggs are wonderful! So is your family! The slugs are gross.
I have not found the slugs in my garden yet, better watch out though. At least now I know the way to get them 🙂 You have a wonderful family.
Between the chickens and the desert climate I'm surprised at the slug problem too! Maybe the chickens don't like them either?? Too funny about Chick-fil-A and the chick. Glad you were able to have such a nice day together celebrating.
Noelle, Cute chickens and farmers too! I thought you were going to say that chickens love to eat slugs! Darn … I was going to talk myself into getting them for sure if that was so! ;>)
You have a beautiful family Noelle! Great post again!
Your daughter works at Chik-Fil-A? My sister is Owner/Operator of one in Dover, DE. Her husband is the Manager. They love the company.
I've had slugs, and depending upon the level of rainfall and weather, some years are worse than others. I've tried the old beer trick myself. Seems like the grape juice could attract ants. Once I accidentally used alcohol-free beer (I'd forgotten my husband switched) and that didn't work at all. I've also tried salt (but it's kind of silly to go around the garden with a salt container pouring it all over the place!). I have something in a box I bought one year to sprinkle out in the garden, it was so bad one year.
Your mom created some free entertainment by putting the beer out for the kids to watch the 'excitement'. Yuck…but I agree, it's interesting.
That little chicken did look a little nervous when your daughter was holding her. I wonder if she could smell the cooking oil!
I have heard that beer attracts slugs, but I have never tried it. Now I am a believer! Thanks for a fun post.
The chicks are so cute! One of my daughter's preschool friends brought their chicks to school today, they look about the same age.
Funny that Flo could sense something about where your daughter works 🙂
Hi Noelle – lovely to see your family again.
Slugs and snails are real pests in my garden too – I usually sink an empty yogurt pot in the ground with some milk – but that usually gets dilluted with some rain water ( UK weather!). They never make it out of the pot again and I could have about 10 slugs/snails every morning in each pot……… there is a caveat to this – don't forget to change the milk often as it goes stale and stinks throughout the garden if its left longer than a few days outside. Beer is probably better in warmer climates.
My those chickens are growing up fast!
I haven't tried the dish of beer trick for the slugs yet, as the ducks tend to gobble up the slugs. But the dish of beer probably doesnt pull up all the mulch to see if there is anything tasty under it, so I might yet banish them from the garden in favour of it!
Loved the progrss report on the rose too – it looks so health with all those beautiful buds!
Nice slugs lol! Are they really addicted to beer? Weird fact isn't it? You just gave me a nice tour. Tnanks
I have heard of using beer for slugs but it was one of those ideas that made me wonder if it would really work. So it is wonderful to see from you that it does work. How terrific.