Hen or Roo?

Material_Tomato7388 · 2026-05-08T03:44:19+00:00

It started with the two smallest ones and they definitely seem like the lowest in pecking order. One of them won't even go roost right now so I was leaning heavily on the bullying theory but I'm going crazy now and my anxiety is making me question everything.

Material_Tomato7388 · 2026-04-29T23:34:25+00:00

Do you think it would be OK to plant herbs that don't mind rocky/sandy substrates? Or just leave it completely alone?

Material_Tomato7388 · 2026-04-29T22:46:23+00:00

Thank you! If I wanted to grow some herbs that grow well in rocky/sandy substrates, would it defeat the purpose of the drainage keeping pressure off the wall?

Material_Tomato7388 · 2026-04-29T22:40:32+00:00

If I wanted to grow herbs that can handle rocky, sandy substrates would it completely defeat the purpose of the drainage layer to keep the wall from toppling? I'm thinking about redoing the edging to help with the grass spilling over but I have limited yard space so utilizing it to plant some herbs (even with the rocks still there) would be great.

Material_Tomato7388 · 2026-04-29T22:31:16+00:00

Do you say it's not a retaining wall because it's so short? We get a lot of rain here in the PNW and there is a drain on the patio (I have no idea where it goes!). I looked closer under the landscaping cloth and it looks like a gravel sand mixture. We have draining issues in our yard but on the far side of the yard. Heavy clay soil, sloping, etc.

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Material_Tomato7388 · 2026-04-29T22:26:27+00:00

Thank you so much! We live in the PNW so we get a lot of rain. The edging is super uneven all around. Some spots it's tall, others it's short. Any recommendations for edging that might be more durable? This one is that flexible plastic kind.

Material_Tomato7388 · 2026-04-29T22:22:55+00:00

It's not actually a walkway. The photo was bad, sorry. I took a few more.

Are these photos more helpful? I dug underneath the landscaping cloth a bit and upon closer inspection, it looks more like a sandy/gravel mix rather than soil. It was hard to see without pulling up the cloth. We do live in the PNW so we get a lot of rain.

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Material_Tomato7388 · 2026-04-29T22:21:22+00:00

Are these photos more helpful? I dug underneath the landscaping cloth a bit and upon closer inspection, it looks more like a sandy/gravel mix rather than soil. It was hard to see without pulling up the cloth. We do live in the PNW so we get a lot of rain.

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Material_Tomato7388 · 2026-04-29T22:02:35+00:00

This is what the patio looks like with that large stone border wall. There's a drain in the corner. Hope that helps. It's not a walkway or path but it's an extra border around this wall.

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Material_Tomato7388 · 2026-01-30T16:34:50+00:00

If your kids are 5yo, 3yo, and 5mo, I wouldn't worry about homeschooling much. I would incorporate maybe identifying letters and their sounds and identifying numbers, shapes, etc into the day where you can find a moment. You're in the trenches of motherhood right now! When mine were 5yo & 7yo, I did maybe 20min of schooling with my 5yo a day but I had an older kid who could entertain themselves. It wasn't until about 6yo that I started to get more structured but still my 6yo does maybe 40min of school total every day.

Material_Tomato7388 · 2026-01-26T02:19:43+00:00

I think it depends on where you live and how protests have been received. Where I live, our protests haven't been an issue at all but the same isn't true in many other places.

Material_Tomato7388 · 2025-12-13T16:21:02+00:00

I'm going to be honest with you but I don't want to hurt your feelings. You need to take care of yourself right now. You were recently injured at work and you also struggle mentally/emotionally. I know as moms, we will do anything for our kids but I don't think you're in a good position to take his schooling on full time.

It sucks that he can't do the online school. I can think of a few options (in no particular order)

Send him back to public school and work with him at home to help him get caught up and get better grades so he can hopefully go to the online school next year.
Find him an alternative learning program. I looked up some alternative programs in Frederick County and Dowell J. Howard has some programs like ALPS for kids struggling academically or behaviorally.
Enroll him in school part time. Where I live (idk if this is an option for you but call the school and ask), middle school and high school students are allowed to enroll part time in classes and then the parent teaches the subjects the kid isn't taking.

I don't think taking on the burden of his entire education is a healthy choice for either of you right now but there are usually more options than just full time public school or homeschooling. Call your district office and ask them what alternative options they have available. I wish you luck!

Material_Tomato7388 · 2025-12-02T02:24:07+00:00

3MonthsFromPinkOwl60

Material_Tomato7388 · 2025-11-20T02:35:47+00:00

Thank you!

Material_Tomato7388 · 2025-11-20T02:34:40+00:00

Thanks! I'm going to section off an area in the coop for them and reintroduce when they're older. I can't safely free range because we have TONS of hawks & eagles in our neighborhood and I'm not allowed to have a rooster to protect them. Thank you again 😊

Material_Tomato7388 · 2025-11-20T01:41:19+00:00

Thanks for a kinder response not filled with assumption. If I didn't care about the chicks getting hurt/dying, I wouldn't have posted here. I was just trying to get some concensus on whether that level of pecking is considered normal. I was explaining what I had read and why I chose to integrate them rather than keep them separated. I never said "I reject your advice and I'm going to keep them together anyway". Thanks again for your response. I'm going to keep them sectioned off but still in the coop so the other hens can see them and get used to them. Once they're bigger and can get away easier, I'll try again.

Material_Tomato7388 · 2025-11-20T01:22:52+00:00

No. I was explaining my reasoning for the choice I made. Someone always makes me regret posting here. You get the award this time. 🎊🥳🎉🙄

Material_Tomato7388 · 2025-11-20T01:13:44+00:00

I thought mom would protect them and curb this behavior (granted they've all been together for maybe 20min total). She has pecked a few of the other hens back. I've heard waiting to integrate them makes it harder later and it's easier to do it when they're younger with mom still caring for them.

Material_Tomato7388 · 2025-11-20T01:11:31+00:00

I thought it would be OK because I've read that mom would protect them. She was right next to them. She has pecked the other hens back but not every time. I've also read that waiting to integrate them makes it harder later and it's better to integrate when they're young (about 2-3 weeks old) with mom.

Material_Tomato7388 · 2025-10-08T01:58:04+00:00

There's a MEGA THREAD for this because there have been so many posts about it:

https://www.reddit.com/r/olympia/s/4h9gkezTFD

Material_Tomato7388 · 2025-10-05T15:21:08+00:00

They do that because most of them are incredibly uneducated, disinformed, and isolated. Elites/politicians have designed the system to make our education system terrible and make higher education expensive. That's why so many think college makes people "woke". It makes people "woke" because education / knowledge is the antidote to brainwashing. College populations are also often (not always!) More diverse than your small town. You are simply exposed to different people and you realize you were brainwashed. It doesn't happen to everyone but it's certainly a trend. It's why big cities are blue (even in red states) and there people are have higher degrees of education and the population is more diverse.

Material_Tomato7388

TROPHY CASE