Another urban homesteader in PDX

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beddyBoom

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Considering that BYC has become my go-to resource while planning my first flock, it's about time I introduce myself. I'm Bee. Lonnnnngtime organic gardener, beekeeper & (finally after all these years) about to set up a coop in Portland, Oregon I grew up a country kid in Minnesota so raising animals and brooding chicks is familiar to me, but this will be my first go in years. I'm THRILLED.

I'm organizing for a flock of six, but will be brooding a mixed group of 16 - planning for that accidental roo (though I ordered females), anticipating some loss and planning to home the extras come spring. Having hand fed chicks in my past, I also want to pick my favorites & the ones that attach to me :) Brooder is up and ready for chicks to arrive in a couple weeks. Working on my permit now so I can keep more than three girls in the city. Coop is in the works.

Welsummer, Blue Ameraucana, Lavender Orpington, Buff Orpington, Silver Laced Wyandotte & Black Australorps. Looking to connect with others near me - especially if you're in NoPo. Any & all suggestions welcome if you've found some great local resources.

Many thanks to this community already - so much great info here.
 
Hi and welcome.
It sounds like you have a lovely selection picked out there. I hope your permit goes smoothly and they arrive safely and thrive. There are quite a few beekeepers and gardeners on the forum too so you are in good company. What type of hives do you have? Do you keep your bees in the city too?
Afraid I'm in the UK so not a local contact as you were requesting but wish you well all the same. :D

Regards

Barbara
 
Hi, Barbara.

I have two Warre hives - yes, here in the city. Mostly I keep them to pollinate the fruit trees I've planted, though I did harvest enough to keep us in honey for the last year. Do you keep bees?

I've been across the pond a few times. The UK is similar to our climate here in Portland.
 
beddyBoom said:
Considering that BYC has become my go-to resource while planning my first flock, it's about time I introduce myself. I'm Bee. Lonnnnngtime organic gardener, beekeeper & (finally after all these years) about to set up a coop in Portland, Oregon I grew up a country kid in Minnesota so raising animals and brooding chicks is familiar to me, but this will be my first go in years. I'm THRILLED.

I'm organizing for a flock of six, but will be brooding a mixed group of 16 - planning for that accidental roo (though I ordered females), anticipating some loss and planning to home the extras come spring. Having hand fed chicks in my past, I also want to pick my favorites & the ones that attach to me :) Brooder is up and ready for chicks to arrive in a couple weeks. Working on my permit now so I can keep more than three girls in the city. Coop is in the works.

Welsummer, Blue Ameraucana, Lavender Orpington, Buff Orpington, Silver Laced Wyandotte & Black Australorps. Looking to connect with others near me - especially if you're in NoPo. Any & all suggestions welcome if you've found some great local resources.

Many thanks to this community already - so much great info here.
Click to expand...

Welcome to Backyard Chickens not far from you about the same climate map me you will see what I mean we are not urban very small foothill town 3/4 of acre enough for 35 birds right now 2 cockerel go back to one soon
 
Yes I keep bees too, but I'm rural. I haven't tried Warre hives yet, but I have horizontal top bar hives as well as framed hives. Don't you find the Warre's difficult to manage to prevent swarming? I actively encourage some of mine to swarm as I love the thrill of seeing them emerge and I get a kick out of pitting my wits against them to capture swarms and enjoy giving them to people to help get them started in beekeeping. I mentor a few people locally and via a forum.
Like you, honey is not my main interest with bees, it is more just the sheer fascination. I currently have 8 colonies within 15 feet of my back door and can watch them flying from my kitchen window. There was the odd one flying yesterday.... more in desperation for cleansing flights I suspect that any more engaging activity.... the weather was still, but pretty cold.

Oh no! You mean you have damp dismal weather too!!;) Actually where I live in the North East we have been pretty lucky over the past 18 months and not had as much wet weather as other places, so I really shouldn't say that..... it keeps the garden green and better to have too much water as not enough eh?
 
penny1960 said:
Welcome to Backyard Chickens not far from you about the same climate map me you will see what I mean we are not urban very small foothill town 3/4 of acre enough for 35 birds right now 2 cockerel go back to one soon
Click to expand...
Thanks for the welcome. Mossyrock is not far from us at all! I'm actually quite familiar with the area as we've been looking for property in Washington state over the past year. (Plus you've got the state park there which I've camped at several times!) Six birds is a huge flock in the city, but 35+ is more my style! What do your raise currently?
 
rebrascora said:
Yes I keep bees too, but I'm rural. I haven't tried Warre hives yet, but I have horizontal top bar hives as well as framed hives. Don't you find the Warre's difficult to manage to prevent swarming? I actively encourage some of mine to swarm as I love the thrill of seeing them emerge and I get a kick out of pitting my wits against them to capture swarms and enjoy giving them to people to help get them started in beekeeping. I mentor a few people locally and via a forum.
Like you, honey is not my main interest with bees, it is more just the sheer fascination. I currently have 8 colonies within 15 feet of my back door and can watch them flying from my kitchen window. There was the odd one flying yesterday.... more in desperation for cleansing flights I suspect that any more engaging activity.... the weather was still, but pretty cold.

Oh no! You mean you have damp dismal weather too!!;) Actually where I live in the North East we have been pretty lucky over the past 18 months and not had as much wet weather as other places, so I really shouldn't say that..... it keeps the garden green and better to have too much water as not enough eh?
Click to expand...

Swarming is a definite issue! I lost my first colony that way, but I'm now certain I could have managed that by adding another box to the hive. Maybe similar to you because of climate, but here with bees they tend to produce VERY rapidly in the summer. To the point they run out of room. It's like nine months of waiting for production, three months of thrill. Now that I've figured out how to manage the "thrill" by adding an additional box to the bottom, it's all good. Took me a couple years to figure that out. Haven't had an issue with swarming since. I too enjoyed watching them swarm. They took up location on a fence post for a while. It was right on the walkway - fascinated the whole neighborhood for a couple of weeks.

Yes on the weather. It's GORGEOUSLY green here. And dreadfully wet. And grey. Until June, sometimes July. I spend my winter months planning and plotting and taking on new projects while I wait it out for spring. This year it's new chicks!
 

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