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Red Bucket Farm is an urban farm on a quarter acre property in an average residential neighborhood. We are located in Wisconsin, USDA Zone 5. We focus on chickens, bees, orchard fruit, and raised garden beds for fruits and veggies. We hope to reduce our footprint on the planet by growing some of our food, reducing our use of fossil fuels, and gardening with sustainable practices. Thanks for visiting!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Bobbing for Apples


Yesterday the weather was unseasonably warm---90 degrees---and the chickens were feeling the heat. The girls instinctively know to stay in the shade, and they each dig a little hollow in the dirt to seek the coolness of the earth. We also provide a trug of wet sand so they can take turns in the sand bath. Chickens do indeed pant like a dog, and they hold their wings away from their bodies when quite warm.


One of my teenagers decided that it would be fun to teach the girls to bob for apples in the heat of the day. We cut an apple into small bits and tossed them into a trug of water. It was amusing to watch the girls peck out the apples. They continued to drink from the extra water all day and I think they appreciated a little diversion from the heat.

A word of warning: I've read that chickens drown quite easily, so don't try this little trick without close supervision!

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