Maine

[Jess B]

I got my four Bard Rocks in the begining of June, they just started laying last week They havent layed many. Last weerk the first egg was soft and leathery. Then two days later I got hard egg. Today I just got the 3rd and fourth one. The eggs are small however I research this and discovered that the first few eggs begin small until the hen adjusts to laying eggs.

 

[CoopChick719]

Okay I broke down and fired up the pellet stove. The house was at 57 when I got home today. Figured I would at least take the chill out and turn it off at bedtime. Good news is that it is burning fine.

Got our pellet stove going too!

I don't think my girls are ever going to lay!!!!

Have faith quailtrail...they will! It's tough waiting though.

 

[quailtrail]

Got our pellet stove going too!

Have faith quailtrail...they will! It's tough waiting though.

it sure is!!!!!!

 

[lazy gardener]

We've been burning wood almost every night for the last week. Just a little smudge. Yesterday, I kept the stove going almost all day.

 

[striperon]

I know this isn't chickens, but I'm so excited... just ordered bees for the spring!

Congrats on your bee order. I also keep bees. They are endlessly fascinating. I don't know where you live, but my advice is to look up the local/county beekeepers' association, join it and participate. There are mentors to help, forums for your questions, meetings with other beekeepers and informative speakers. You will feel much more confident about your husbandry when you have support from experienced beekeepers. It is much like this forum where you can get help on almost any topic.

You will begin to think more about weather and its impact on the bees, which flowers you should plant that help with feeding them, and a seasonal rhythm surrounding them.

Our coop is on one side of our storage shed, the hives on the other. Our dogs share the same fenced yard as the bees and hens. We live on Hickory Lane, so we have Hickory's hens, hives, and hounds.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I know this isn't chickens, but I'm so excited... just ordered bees for the spring!

This was my first year keeping a hive, and I've ordered an additional hive for next year. It's fun (really!) and entertaining and like the previous poster mentioned, gets you really involved thinking about the weather/seasons and how it all goes together.

I was surprised how truly gentle the bees were; I had wanted bees but been terrified of stinging insects. Turns out I was mostly afraid of yellow jackets and wasps, not bees. The bees have not stung me, yet, and I've gone into the hive twice without protection (just to fill their feeder so it wasn't a long visit, but it was a visit nonetheless).

 

[Jazor]

I am sorry but I would not have taken the bird to the vet. I would have humanely euthanized it and accepted payment for the value of the bird. Or not. I dont get reimbursed if a fox or coyote kills a bird so I am the type of person who would just consider the dogs to be just another predator. Then I would look at my set-up and figure out how to prevent another attack. My set-up right now has worked well for the past few months and I am happy with it. I do however have some ideas to make it even better.

Now I know people get attached to their birds but my turkeys are here to go on my table. While they are here I enjoy having them around, for the most part, but I am not going to spend $70 to treat them. Nor would I consider those dogs dangerous. They are dogs. They are retrievers. Makes sense that they were drawn to the birds. It was an unfortunate accident and now the dogs will have to pay the price. I know others will disagree with me but I am a dog person first and foremost. Always have been, always will be.

Agreed. It seems a bit excessive to spend money on veterinarian bills for a chicken. In my view: it's either not hurt that badly (and it can get by on it's own, perhaps with your help) or it's going to need to be put down humanely. For me, the birds are something of an investment. They aren't expensive, they are mostly for egg production and yard entertainment. Anything else is just a bonus.

Dogs will be dogs. This is a first time offense (if you call it that) and there's no reason for the dogs to suffer. If this turns into a routine, I would imagine the dog-owners would do what most animal lovers would do, and find a way to better keep their dogs. The chicken keeper should also being doing this. I have no problem shooting a predator in my yard, but I'll be ****** if I shoot someone's dog over a chicken.

Just my $.02



I've been wanting to keep bees but feel like I don't even know the basics yet. Did a lot of research and it seemed "too easy" to be true. I dunno, but I'd definitely consider it if I could get some reasonably priced hives. I've heard they do wonders for the yard/gardens. I'm also a sucker for honey. I have no less than 10 jars in the cupboards at all times. Constantly using it...

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I've been wanting to keep bees but feel like I don't even know the basics yet. Did a lot of research and it seemed "too easy" to be true. I dunno, but I'd definitely consider it if I could get some reasonably priced hives. I've heard they do wonders for the yard/gardens. I'm also a sucker for honey. I have no less than 10 jars in the cupboards at all times. Constantly using it...

I took a class at Knox-Lincoln County Beekeepers over the winter. It really helped me get a basic grasp on what to do. I'm still a "bee-haver" and not a "bee-keeper" and the first few times I was looking in the hive I had no idea what I was looking at. You can get some reasonably priced hives at Humble Abodes. You generally don't get honey your first year, if you start from scratch. I am hoping to get a decent harvest next year.
Edited - forgot to add that this is the first year I did not have to hand pollinate my garden. It was fantastic.

 

[striperon]

I've been wanting to keep bees but feel like I don't even know the basics yet. Did a lot of research and it seemed "too easy" to be true. I dunno, but I'd definitely consider it if I could get some reasonably priced hives. I've heard they do wonders for the yard/gardens. I'm also a sucker for honey. I have no less than 10 jars in the cupboards at all times. Constantly using it...

The small amount of care for a few hives is one of the attractions. The queen decides who does what and they all obey. The busiest time is usually "swarm" season, starting about mid-May in Maine. You will be splitting the hives (making artificial swarms) so your hives don't naturally swarm and you lose half the hive. Even that is not a lot of work for just a few hives. But, just like chicken math, hive math means that you start out with two hives and each year that number doubles. lol

My mentor, a very accomplished beekeeper, advised me to always start with two hives. That way you can compare performance and will understand better if a hive needs extra care. Her advice has been spot-on every time I've asked for help.

It is wonderful to have jars of honey to use for anything you want. Jars of honey also make great gifts for family and friends. I am not in it to be commercial, just to do something for the bees and get a little honey in return. The education is a large side benefit as well. I have learned so much.

I will borrow a phrase from a fellow beekeeper that is in keeping with chickens, "Pete's free range bees!" See, we can relate this discussion to chickens.

 

[lazy gardener]

I have a neighbor... country neighbor that is, who is recently trading honey for eggs. good arrangement all the way around. I'm going to have him look at my property and advise whether a hive would be appropriate for my yard. I'm sure it would, the biggest issue is that I have a lot of ground clover, great for bees, not so great for my 7 y.o. who runs through that clover and might get stung. She has multiple allergies, so, bees would perhaps bee a blessing and a curse, I'm thinking that honey from local bees would help desensitize her to the outdoor pollen allergens, but a bee sting, could be more problematic for her than it would for the average child. Perhaps I'll get her tested before proceeding further. My neighbor may park a hive in my yard next year.

I'd love to learn how to make skin lotions from the bees wax... again a way to help my little one with her allergies.