The 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[ChickenFox]

Bator is set and ready to go. My BCM eggs should be shipping out tomorrow. The weather even warmed up enough I don't have to worry about them freezing. I just reintegrated my flocks so I'll wait to collect eggs until Thursday. Hubby doesn't know I plan on hatching some of my own eggs for this HAL. I have 2 ameraucana roosters in with ameraucana, dark cornish, ee, light brahma, white leghorn, blue cochin and polish hens. I know all the girls still aren't laying but the possibility of adorable mixes is there. Can't wait!

Oh! And I'll be hatching a few bantams as well. Ee's and some silkie crosses.

 

[tntchix]

We don't spray our fruit trees. They are older, but we have plenty of apple trees, so we get plenty. Have a huge cherry tree that just keeps on giving. When we see the honey bees, we are pretty excited, because we know we will be getting fruit.

Ugh, I'm outta ovations again! LOL

No bees yet, but I sees lot of bugs already, won't be long now. I have decided to hatch praying mantises for the established plants and butterflies for the new garden this year.

 

[bantambury]

Bees are so extremely important. I love seeing them in my garden, anticipating fresh vegetables... but I don't like it when they sting me. I turn into a small child, waving my arms and running in frantic circles.

haha! that reminds me of the time I was so interested in my grandfathers bees...he told me that the drones, or male bees, don't have stingers and they cant fly. sometimes they venture away from the hive and im able to hold some. the drones normally have eyes 2x the size of the worker bees eyes, so its easy to tell if they are makes. I asked my grandfather once to pick one up for me because I was nervous around them as it it, and when he picked it up it stung him! haha he was so sure it was a drone!

also did you know the ones we see collecting the honey are actually females? no males collect. all they do is eat the honey. oh boys

Bator is set and ready to go. My BCM eggs should be shipping out tomorrow. The weather even warmed up enough I don't have to worry about them freezing.

I just reintegrated my flocks so I'll wait to collect eggs until Thursday. Hubby doesn't know I plan on hatching some of my own eggs for this HAL.

I have 2 ameraucana roosters in with ameraucana, dark cornish, ee, light brahma, white leghorn, blue cochin and polish hens. I know all the girls still aren't laying but the possibility of adorable mixes is there. Can't wait!

Oh! And I'll be hatching a few bantams as well. Ee's and some silkie crosses.

I love me some silkie crosses! ill be hatching about 8+!

Ugh, I'm outta ovations again! LOL

No bees yet, but I sees lot of bugs already, won't be long now. I have decided to hatch praying mantises for the established plants and butterflies for the new garden this year.

im so excited fir spring!

 

[Happy Chooks]

no males collect. all they do is eat the honey. oh boys

And that is why they get kicked out of the hive in the fall.

My bees are busily collecting pollen, as everything has been in bloom since early January. We haven't really had a winter here in CA. It's 75* today.

 

[bantambury]

And that is why they get kicked out of the hive in the fall.

My bees are busily collecting pollen, as everything has been in bloom since early January. We haven't really had a winter here in CA. It's 75* today.

HAHA
it was in the 70s here today too, just a little wind making everything chilly. the sun wasn't really out either, but hey, I didn't have to wear a jacket!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm late in announcing, but the 2nd winner of the Random Posting Contest is

chicken pickin

Congratulations! You have won a 6 month GFM!

The magic time was 2:05PM on 3/2.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...byc-easter-hatch-a-long/2100_50#post_14874483​

 

[Happy Chooks]

To pass the time, since we are on the topic of bees, if you wonder what 10,000 bees sounds like...........here ya go.

Keep in mind that it is much quieter on video than in person. If you aren't used to working with bees, it certainly gets your adrenaline pumping!

 

[Peep-Chicken]

I had to share!

 

[campingshaws]

Y'all aren't even going to believe this. After having to convince DH that the HAL was a cool thing to do, and nearly having to back out because he wasn't on board, yesterday he told me to save ALL THE EGGS for hatch.

So in addition to the EE/OE that I picked up Saturday, I'm saving ALL my SS and SS mixed eggs. I have white chickens and black chickens under the SS roo.

Does anyone know if speckles are a dominant trait? I can't wait to see them!

 

[Sueg4332]

starting to collect eggs from my flock.
Hope to get enough from the Marans and marans crosses they lay such pretty eggs, My splash rooster is getting old need a replacement. My son in law wants some blue hens to add to his flock.
The brahmas aren't laying.
The wheaten marans are laying afew.
My young white marans have only laid 6 eggs so not sure if the rooster is doing his job.
My last hatch on the wheaten ameraucana was a bust. 9 set 2 live, 3 quitters 4 unfetile. The hatch before that was great. 20 set 16 babies.
crested cream legbar are laying too
So it will be a mixture of whatever lays. Number unknown right now, Plus I can't tell part of the rules
maybe I'll throw in some cochin bantams too....
when do we post numbers sat??????? It will be very interesting to see just how crazy everyone is!!!!!!