Seed Starting, Mice, and Chickens

Let me start by saying, Chickens are NOT vegetarians!!! They eat bugs, mice, lizards, and tiny snakes.

Today, I decided to start my seeds, that I got from Baker Creek Heirlooms (www.rareseeds.com), in the seed starting trays that I got from Peaceful Valley (www.groworganic.com). I post where they came from, because I wouldn't have known about them without a friend telling me about them. I'm passing that on. So, like I said, I was starting my seeds. I needed just a bit more potting soil to cover the seeds, so I pulled on my rain boots. My rain boots make me feel like an alligator hunter, like on "Swamp People", because they're white. I trecked across our very muddy yard, over to my potting shed, pulled an open bag from the shelf, and saw some mouse holes in it, darn. I peeked in the bag, and saw a mouse nest, made from some stuff momma mouse must have found in the yard. I didn't want a mouse nest, so I decided to dump the bag of potting soil outside. Momma mouse took off at a dead run, good for her, she escaped the chickens I'd been talking to on my way into the potting shed. Three little tiny baby mice fell out with the nest. Yuck! I can't crush them, I can't stand the feel of that under my foot. So, I called my chickens, they ignored me, I called Crespo, but there was a semi unloading seed beans in the yard, and she couldn't hear me. So, I wished the baby mice the best, grabbed a different bag of potting soil, checked for a mouse nest, and left.

A few days ago, a neighbor, who has organic, free range chickens, came over, while dropping off some Grass Fed Beef, and we were talking about our chickens. She said she's been asked at farmers markets, if her chickens are vegan. She said, "I just say 'No', because how do you tell someone, who's never been around a farm, that chickens eat everything! They'll run past with a tail, of something smaller than they are, hanging out of their mouth. Sometimes, you can still hear "Squeak, Squeak," as they run past. I don't think they'd appreciate knowing that". And I laughed... :) Yeah, chickens, they aren't vegan.

Today, I learned that I won't over winter bags of potting soil... I can't take the baby mice. At the end of this year, I'll just dump any leftover potting soil on my garden beds, and look forward Bomgaars stocking it up, for me to pick up, mice free, in the spring.