Happy Chickens Lay Healthy Eggs

Hens need light in the winter.

2012-01-18T17:31:00.005-05:00

Light in the winter.

Chickens need a lot of light. I think that the steady supply of light in the coop contributes to good wintertime egg production and Happy Chickens.

I do two things to help with light for my hens:

1. See above. My dad and I enclosed the outdoor run in clear corrugated plastic, so it is both warm and sunny all day. I have seen coops where the outdoor run is closed in during the winter with wood, so the coop is dark all day. I try to get as much light to them as possible. The indoor coop is well lit because the roof of the barn has some clear panels as well.

2. I set up a crazy light / timer system for the indoor coop.
- Set a plug-in timer to come on at 4pm and off at 8pm.
- Then I clip these industrial lights on the overhead beams of the coop and the light comes on when it gets dark outside. Hens need anywhere from 14-16 hours of light a day.

2012-01-18T14:36:00.000-05:00

Thank you for writing this article Organic Connections.

"Orren Fox is an expert beekeeper, chicken farmer, and often-quoted sustainable-food advocate. He has been interviewed by the Huffington Post and NPR, among many others, and he’s on the advisory board for ChopChop magazine. His blog, through which he is mainly sharing what he learns in his care of his chickens and bees, is read by thousands, and he is heavily followed on Twitter (@happychickens and @happyhoneybees) and Facebook as well. Oh, and we should probably mention this: he's only fourteen years old.

For Orren, it all began with the chickens—and he’s not even certain exactly why. “When I was about nine, I must have been reading something or heard something on the radio concerning chickens that kind of caught my attention,” Orren told Organic Connections. “I’m not quite sure what it was, but one day I just had this large interest in them. I looked around online to see what I could find, then went and got a bunch of books about them and read all I could. There was something to do with chickens that was really intriguing.”

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

Honeybee problem nearing a ‘critical point'

2012-01-15T14:30:00.003-05:00

Honeybee problem nearing a ‘critical point
by Claire Thompson from Grist.com

13 Jan 2012 7:39 AM

Pesticide Action Network North AmericaAnyone who's been stung by a bee knows they can inflict an outsized pain for such tiny insects. It makes a strange kind of sense, then, that their demise would create an outsized problem for the food system by placing the more than 70 crops they pollinate -- from almonds to apples to blueberries -- in peril.

Although news about Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has died down, commercial beekeepers have seen average population losses of about 30 percent each year since 2006, said Paul Towers, of the Pesticide Action Network. Towers was one of the organizers of a conference that brought together beekeepers and environmental groups this week to tackle the challenges facing the beekeeping industry and the agricultural economy by proxy.

"We are inching our way toward a critical tipping point," said Steve Ellis, secretary of the National Honey Bee Advisory Board (NHBAB) and a beekeeper for 35 years. Last year he had so many abnormal bee die-offs that he'll qualify for disaster relief from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In addition to continued reports of CCD -- a still somewhat mysterious phenomenon in which entire bee colonies literally disappear, alien-abduction style, leaving not even their dead bodies behind -- bee populations are suffering poor health in general, and experiencing shorter life spans and diminished vitality. And while parasites, pathogens, and habitat loss can deal blows to bee health, research increasingly points to pesticides as the primary culprit.

"In the industry we believe pesticides play an important role in what's going on," said Dave Hackenberg, co-chair of the NHBAB and a beekeeper in Pennsylvania.

ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

Photo: Pesticide Action Network North America

When it is cold, tips for caring for your chickens

2012-01-12T17:17:00.003-05:00

This weekend there are supposed to be 3 or 4 days where the temperature doesn't get above 10 degrees with the overnight temperatures well below zero. I don't know what the windchill will do to the temperature.

Here are a few things I do to help my hens.

1. Make sure there is always plenty of fresh water! I use a heated dog bowl which is quite big so if for any reason I can't get there right away they will have enough water.

2. I make sure they have really deep shavings. I actually use an entire bag of shavings per coop.

3. Today I put 1 heat lamp (on a timer) in each coop so overnight when it gets dangerously cold they have a place to perch and keep warm.

4. I added a little extra cracked corn and gamebird feed to their food mix. The gamebird feed is higher in protein and the cracked corn I understand takes some work to digest so keeps their body temp up.

5. I put vaseline on all combs to protect against frost bite.

6. I check them often.

7. Helpful link

photo by bytegirl2

Cracked corn for winter

2011-12-19T16:47:00.005-05:00

I increase the amount of cracked corn I feed my hens in the winter. However, cracked corn is low in protein and is not nutritionally complete for your chickens. It cannot be the only source of nutrition for them. Cracked corn is a good source of energy when it is cold.

Cracked corn also makes for good scratch --- a snack that your chickens can scratch about to eat. It keeps them from getting bored and provides some activity.

Please be sure to include grit to your chickens when feeding them cracked corn. Chickens need grit to digest cracked corn. Grit can be small pebbles or rocks that chickens naturally will find in their outdoor coop or you can purchase bags of grit from the feed store and mix it with the scratch.

Have a happy winter. Here are some other WINTER TIPS

Do not allow the cracked corn to become wet. Wet and moldy cracked corn is very dangerous to feed to your chickens.

Awesomeness

2011-12-16T12:31:00.002-05:00

About a month ago I sent my friend cookbook author Mollie Katzen some of my first harvest of BeeHappy honey. She is great, here is what she sent back.

"With each golden drop, I can taste not only the sources of the nectar, but also the air, the Atlantic ocean, and the devotion of this committed young beekeeper/farmer. BeeHappy Honey is a labor of love, and the flavor of joy. Thank you for sharing it all, Orren!" - Mollie K

___________________________________________

Very Crunchy Honey Granola
Adapted from Mollie Katzen’s Sunlight Café

Granola should be crunchy—very. And here's a recipe that really works

•If you can't find barley flakes, you can substitute wheat flakes or just use 4 cups rolled oats.

Nonstick spray for the baking tray
3 cups rolled oat flakes
1 cup barley flakes
1 cup oat bran
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup chopped almonds
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey !!
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup soy protein powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin seeds (optional, but highly recommended!)

1) Preheat oven to 325*F. Spray a 13 X 18-inch baking tray with nonstick spray.

2) Combine the flakes, bran, sunflower seeds, and almonds in a large bowl.

3) Combine the oil, honey, and vanilla extract, and pour this in. Mix thoroughly. (Use your hands, if necessary.)

4) Stir in the protein powder and salt, and mix thoroughly (again, use your hands).

5) Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden. (Stir it once or twice during the baking.)

6) Crumble in sugar as soon as it comes out of the oven. and let it melt in. Cool it on the tray, and stir in the protein powder and pumpkin seeds as it cools. NOTE: The granola will get crunchy as it cools

7) Store the finished in a tightly closed jar in the freezer for maximum freshness.
(This fits nicely into two 10-ounce jars.)

Variation
Cool Berry Granola
You can add sliced fresh strawberries—or whole fresh raspberries or blueberries—directly to the granola before you freeze it. After the granola has cooled, add up to 2 cups berries, stirring them in gently until the cereal surrounds them like a protective coating. Carefully pack the mixture into jars, close them tightly, and freeze. The berries will store beautifully this way, and will defrost very quickly in your cereal bowl, after you add milk.

Preparation time:
10 minutes, plus 35 to 45 minutes to bake

Yield: 6 to 8 cups

My friend Jan Brett

2011-11-23T17:50:00.001-05:00

My good friend Jan Brett was in the Boston Globe Magazine section this week. She is one of my key mentors. I have visited her on several occasions at her magnificent house, which has a spectacular coop and aviary for her ducks. Honestly I was quite jealous of her set-up. I used it as inspiration for how I'd like my birds to live. She always uses very deep bedding for her hens, now I do too. She feeds her birds a nice handful of mealworms everyday, I do too. But most importantly she just really truly cares for her animals and I really admire her because of it.

Whenever I go to visit Jan I take her a big bin of fresh red wiggly worms for her grassbins. She has these amazing shelves, where she grows grass for her hens. The hens also like to dig about for red worms. I have a worm farm, so we trade advice about hens with the crawly critters.

My glorious hen Stella came from Jan Brett. I had just lost a wonderful polish black polish hen and was quite sad about it. So I called Jan, she made me feel a lot better about it, but she also said, "You should come visit me and pick out a bird from my new pullet batch". Amazing. So we did go visit her and she put about 6 hens into a little pen out on the grass. I just sat with all the birds trying to get to know them all. I honestly would have been incredibly grateful to have any of her birds, but she let me chose. I chose Stella. She later told me that Stella was in fact one of her best pullets with tons of potential. I am so lucky to have Stella at our barn and even more lucky to know Jan. Thank you Jan.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-13T14:13:00.020-05:00

It's about time I thanked all the people who have helped me with my chickens, bees and now horse.

Lisa B was the first person to take me to see a chicken coop and a flock of hens. She was also the person who even in the middle of a snowstorm would take me out to my coop after school. Thank you.

I was first introduced to our local farm Oak Valley Farm and Julie by our neighbor Dorothy. Dorothy loves all animals, and she started the Merimack River Feline Rescue Society. She also introduced me to Albert Schwitzer. I volunteered at Oak Valley for a year, feeding, cleaning, sweeping, anything Julie needed. Then in the spring Julie said I should get my own hens. I did. I got my hens from several places: Mypetchicken.com and Jan Brett. Now 5 years later I have 25+ hens and 4 ducks.

For my birthday I wanted to go to Bee School. It was held at the Essex County Beekeepers house at the Topsfield fair. I met some really cool Beekeepers there. My mentors are Jane and Rob Wild. They have really helped. This fall while I was at school they helped my mom harvest the first batch of BeeHappy Honey.

With my new horse, Paddy, at school I have many people to thank. My initial instructor, Mr. Schryver and my most recent teacher, Mrs.Vancissin have helped me this fall Paddy. Very recently I passed my riders' test which allows me more freedom while riding Paddy. It might sound extremely cliche, but I wouldn't be where I am now if everyone wasn't so generous with their time and effort. Thank you.

Thank you
Lisa
Dorothy
Julie
Jan
Jane
Rob
Annie Novak
Megan Paska
Susan Orlean
Mollie Katzen
Mr.Schryver
Mom, Dad and Will

Beekeeping 101 from my friend Megan Paska

2011-11-13T13:01:00.001-05:00

Many people have expressed to me their interest in beekeeping, which is awesome. Sometimes it is hard to communicate in a conversation the things that should be considered before getting started. I met Megan Paska at a cool event in Brooklyn a while ago, she is really smart and a great beekeeper. Here is her list. I think you will find it useful.
_________________________

"The steps to get from bee-less to beekeeper are fairly simple, but should be followed closely so you don't end up in a pickle somewhere along the line." Photo by Alex Brown

CLICK HERE for entire article

Know your beekeeper

2011-11-13T12:49:00.001-05:00

"Chances are, that stuff sittng in the plastic bear in your pantry doesn't technically qualify as honey. The FDA requires honey to have microscopic particles of pollen, which allow the honey to be traced to its source so regulators can be sure it comes from safe origins. But nearly all of the honey that's sold commercially in the U.S. has been filtered to get rid of that pollen. It could basically come from anywhere. And that means it's not honey, according to the FDA's definition." - from Grist.com

CLICK HERE to read entire article

First Harvest

2011-10-19T17:02:00.001-04:00

FIRST BeeHappy Honey harvest

Thanks to my be mentors Jane and Rob Wild, also my mom for harvesting the first batch of honey! I wish I had been there, next time. The honey came from two hives, I wish it had been from all four, however, it seems as if the queens in hives one and hive three weren't really doing their job. In fact hive one is essentially a frat house of drones because the queen wasn't able to do her job. As I understand it looked as if she were injured. Hive three swarmed this spring and I decided to leave it alone, assuming that they would create a new queen. Rookie move. I should have recognized about a month later that the new queen wasn't very strong. I should have reQueened. The realities of a rookie keeper. So as we head into the winter I really think only two hives will make it.

Back to the good news. Two hives produced about 40 pounds of honey. Not a ton but enough to satisfy a rookie keeper. My mom did all the work and I think she has officially become a beekeeper too.

I look forward to getting bee hives going here at school too. Orange Blossom and Avacado honey instead of apple and peach blossom.

Report

2011-10-08T15:20:00.003-04:00

There is a new flock of baby silkies at the barn. They are amazingly smart even at only a few days old. I was a little worried that the weather was getting too cold at night for them, but they are actually plenty warm when they sit under mom's wing. It is funny to come into the barn and not see the babies anywhere and gradually they peek there heads out from under mom. When my hen Butterscotch hatched 7 eggs out this summer, she would tuck them underneath her until they were strong enough to be exposed to the cooler air.

Needless to say they are still eating grower and will do so for several more weeks. They have a lot to learn from mom but it is still important for them not to get bored, especially as the pecking order is getting established.

In a few weeks we will be prepping the barn for the winter. It takes quite a bit of work to put up the corrugated clear plastic on the outdoor coop, clean and sterilize the coops, get the heated dog bowls ready, adding new protein to the feed, adding lights and making sure each bird is in top condition going into the cold weather.

Lastly here are a 13 tips for raising happy chickens.

(reported from stories at home, thanks M+D for taking care of birds)

Winterizing the coop (a repost)

2011-09-30T10:06:00.001-04:00

I've been asked what I do to winterize my flock and coop. Here are a few of the things I do:

1. Add Cracked Corn to their feed. They LOVE it! and it is helps keep their body temperature up.

2. I use heated dog bowls for their water, I find them much easier to use than the heated bases and metal watering towers.

3. I wrap my the outdoor part of my coop in heavy plastic so that they can still go outside. They need as much sunlight as possible during the day. By wrapping the coop it turns into a little cozy, sunny greenhouse.

4. I add more mealworms to what I give them each day. It makes them really happy.

5. I obviously go out to the coop every day, but during the freezing times I may go more often and I inspect each bird to make sure their combs and feet are ok. Sometimes I will put vaseline on their combs to protect them from frostbite (i even add some euclyptus oil to it)

6. Check for drafts and fill them.

7. I also use deep bedding for the indoor coop. I think of it like a big blanket for them!

8. Add a bit more protein to the feed. I use Game Bird Feed.

I think that is about it, if I remember anything else I will add it. Oh, don't worry your eggs shouldn't freeze.

Please let me know if you do something else that would be helpful to list.

Later

With winter coming.

2011-09-12T09:11:00.008-04:00

A few articles that may help with chicken questions.

And HERE about bees.

______________________________________

Thank you.

2011-09-06T15:36:00.001-04:00

Thank you Yankee Magazine

At the barn after riding.

2011-09-05T15:55:00.002-04:00

New grey silkie

2011-09-05T15:48:00.002-04:00

Preparing for the upcoming hurricane

2011-08-25T12:28:00.000-04:00

Here is some interesting information.

I am going to strap down all of my hives and put a cinderblock on the top of each hive. Hope it isn't too bad.

The future of the barn

2011-08-18T08:22:00.005-04:00

Every year during the spring an average of about a dozen birds gets added to the collective population of the barn. This year had its share of the new birds except, many of them were added during the summer, including one added merely a week ago. Yes, I am talking about the homegrown babies that Butterscotch and Peach hatched. With a combined eight babies between them, I think they did a very fantastic job! One week ago today, I was still at camp Kieve having a great time, except that it is not the reason to be excited, one week ago one of my blue cochins hatched a baby chick! One chick sounds like nothing compared to the seven that Butterscotch hatched in mid July, but take no credit away from Peach, hatching a single egg is a very tough task and she did a great job. I feel some empathy for one of the other blues (blue cochins) named Sassy who was unsuccessful in her attempt to hatch a few eggs, by now I'm sure she has moved on and is probably looking forward to next spring/ summer when she will get another try.

When I walk into the barn, there is the unmistakable high pitched chirping of the babies chatting with their mothers. The excitement that both the babies and the mothers show for each other is amazing. Of course the mothers are happy to teach their children basic necessities of what to eat and what not to eat, while the babies are eager to learn. As I approach Butterscotch's coop holding a fresh corn cob, she immediately and easily gather her babies by calling them over. As they lock their eyes on the cob of corn, nothing else matters, All they want at that moment is to sink their beaks into the big, fat, juicy kernels of corn. It is great to see that something so simple as a cob of corn makes these birds so genuinely happy. Since today is the one week anniversary of Peach's baby, Fudge, being born I think will celebrate by giving her some mushed up corn that will be nice and easy for her to eat. If there is one thing that can be gathered form these amazingly cute babies it is that they are the future of the barn an will be for years to come.

My friend @Annie Novak

2011-08-14T14:36:00.002-04:00

"A rooftop farm in Brooklyn grows vegetables and doubles as a green roof, insulating the warehouse below. Green roofs save money on cooling and heating costs and also retain water, reducing the load on sewer systems. Annie Novak, head farmer and co-founder of Eagle Street Rooftop Farm gives us a tour and Lisa Goode, whose company installed the roof, talks about the process." From SciFri

My hen Butterscotch hatched out 7 new silkies!

2011-08-14T14:23:00.000-04:00

I sure hope they aren't all roosters..

420 Racing.

2011-08-14T14:21:00.000-04:00

Ok, not hens or bees, but I love sailing just as much.

New baby in the barn.

2011-08-14T09:06:00.002-04:00

WELCOME HOLLY.

I just returned from a month a camp to find a 2 day old baby chick hatched by Peach, my standard blue cochin. She is an awesome mom.

Eunice and Alice (photos by my brother)

2011-07-21T19:47:00.000-04:00

Off to camp, see you all in a month!

2011-07-21T16:39:00.000-04:00

Later.

Butterscotch hatched 7 eggs!

2011-07-21T16:34:00.000-04:00

TOO early.

2011-07-01T07:02:00.004-04:00

A hard lesson on being impatient.

My sweet hen Butterscotch is quite broody. She has been broody for what seems like a long time (most eggs hatch within 21 days). I wish I had written down when she first became broody so I would know exactly how many days.

She is quite hysterical actually, she gets all puffy and protective when I come to check on her and the eggs. I worry a little bit about how much she is eating and drinking. She also makes this crazy, wonderful sound when we get a little "too close". It sounds a little bit like purring, but she is clearly saying you are "too close".

I was a bit impatient on Tuesday. I thought she had been broody for too long and began to think that the eggs weren't fertile. I didn't want her to continue to sit and sit and sit thinking the eggs would hatch when they actually weren't going to...So I took one of her eggs. I had figured that she had been on the eggs AT LEAST 4 weeks. I thought her eggs couldn't be fertile. But when I opened it up I realized that some eggs must take longer than 3 weeks. My candling experience was inadequate and unfortunately my mistake might have been at the expense of a baby chick. :( However, now I have learned how to candle an egg and hopefully I have some baby chicks on their way... If these eggs hatch (about 5-6 of them) where will they go, what if they are roosters? With excitement comes a conundrum.

Nat Geo - Heirloom Chickens

2011-06-23T14:19:00.003-04:00

"People eat more eggs and poultry than ever, but the world’s reliance on a few high-yielding breeds is edging out hundreds of others: Nearly a third of chicken breeds are at risk of extinction. That’s alarming because many varieties have traits, like heat or pathogen resistance, that could be invaluable in the future."

I have a speckled hamburgh bantam, her name is Messy or Eunice. Depends on the day.

Thanks to my friend @sarahnow for the heads up.

New honey, uncapped.

2011-06-23T14:14:00.002-04:00

Picture by my brother Will

Queen of the Sun Trailer

2011-06-23T13:35:00.000-04:00

"beekeepers are chosen by the bees"

"This I Believe" writing for school.

2011-06-17T09:02:00.006-04:00

I believe in the power of women.

I work for around half a million of them every day, and they work for me. I am their caretaker, and they are my workers. A few thousand of them are the best engineers you have ever met. Another couple thousand are the best nurses you have ever heard of. Four of them are the best mothers ever to live, and the remaining thousands are the best gatherers and guards that the world has ever seen. They are unselfish and put their thousands of sisters before themselves. If there is a threat to their house, they will die in battle to deter the threat away. Of the thousand sisters, they have only a few hundred brothers. The brothers do not guard, clean or help any of their siblings’. All they do is consume the hard work of their extraordinary sisters. From the second these amazing ladies are born, they begin their work. This is the intriguing story of a honeybee.

When I first became a beekeeper, after four months of bee school, I realized the true power of an insect that can save the world. On mothers’ day last year, I installed my first package of bees. This was my first experience having hundreds of bees less than an inch from my skin. I became comfortable with these little insects as they crawled under my suit and started crawling on my stomach. I was unaware that honeybees are experts at finding and climbing into little holes wherever they can. As it turns out, they had found the bottom of my pant leg on my bee suit, and started crawling in. Honeybees are not meant to sting you. They are meant to pollinate and create honey. Anyway, these bees had started crawling up my leg and onto my stomach. After a couple of nervous moments, I calmly walked away from the cloud of bees and unzipped my suit. When I lifted my shirt, I found 10 baby bees clinging to my chest. I gently wiped them away, trying not to hurt them. I returned to my hives unharmed.

This was a good beginning to my hives. Now when I walk through the woods, and come the area where my bees are nestled into a little pocket of trees, I know that when I lift the top of a hive, I will be looking down at a family of the hardest workers I have ever encountered. These women are pretty powerful. We need them to survive. Plants need them to survive, and the planet needs them to survive. They might be the most powerful women in the world. Queen Elizabeth and Oprah are some very significant women, but nothing compares to the little insects who pollinate the planet. This is why I believe in the power of women.

This I believe.

My Broody Hens

2011-06-11T09:23:00.005-04:00

For the first time in the five years of raising birds, I have had some truly broody hens. In years past, I have had birds who merely sit on the eggs for a couple of days and never hatched any. I think this is about to change. For around a week now, two of my hens are broody on about a total of a dozen eggs. Butterscotch, my Americana, is sitting on top of some fertilized silkie eggs coming from a pair of silkies in the barn. Whenever someone approaches her or walks past, she ruffles her feathers to look larger and makes a sort of growling noise. Yes, a growling noise coming from a hen. Before Butterscotch, my little girl duck, Olive, was sitting on as many eggs as she could. She is a bantam Call duck (she is very teeny), which leaves her not many feathers to cover all of the eggs. She would also guard her eggs and when I came near hiss at my hand and sometimes pecking it whenever it got too close. Interestingly after two days, a broody Blue Cochin, Sassy, kicked Olive out and claimed the eggs to be hers. She also plucked all the feathers off her chest to expose her skin to the surface of the eggs. Instead of fighting it, and maybe causing more harm to Olive, I let the birds decide who sat on the eggs and it happened to be Sassy. She has been a very consistent mother, always sitting on her eggs and never going too far away from her eggs. To help both of my broody hens out, I put a bowl of food and a full waterer within a foot of their nests. This allows them to have food and water and not let their eggs get chilled while they are eating. This is hopefully the first time that my own birds will hatch their own eggs and raise a family.

The tricky thing about broody hens is that if the eggs aren't really going to hatch they can stay broody for too long. I have even heard of hens that died while broody. Their body temperature rises when broody and they can get "too comfortable". If the eggs are fertilized cool, if not you are going to help her get "un-broody" (is that a word?)

TIPS:

1. Put water and food nearby

2. Keep her in a quite safe place, unbothered by other hens

3. A set of eggs will take approximately 21 days til hatch out.

4. If you don't want them to be broody, simply take them of the nest and keep them away from that spot for 24+ hours. And remove the eggs from the nest.

5. Don't let a hen go longer than 21 days.

Pecking Order (My first blog post, 5 years ago)

2011-06-10T10:00:00.007-04:00

Sweet Butterscotch after healing.

Our sweet hen, Butterscotch is at the bottom of the pecking order and was quite injured as a result. "The pecking order is a well-defined hierarchical pattern of behaviour that manifests in flocks. There is a ‘top bird’ to which the rest will defer, often giving way at the food container or generally getting out of the way. The top bird is often a cock, but in the absence of a male, an old hen may hold the position. She may continue to hold sway even if there is a male, if he happens to be young and nervous. The pecking order extends downwards (just as it does in human societies), with the weakest having to survive as best as they can, dodging the onslaughts of the more powerful. The pecking order may also extend sideways, with a previously untouched bird being attacked if, for example, it becomes ill or sustains a wound that attracts the unwanted attention of the other birds."

When we initially took her to the vet where they recommended that we put her down, the injury was too deep. We decided not to do that but to try and nurse her back to health as best we can. The vet washed, cleaned and trimmed some feathers then made a little cone to put around her neck so she wouldn't get into a bad habit of picking the injury. We are also now giving her some antibiotics to help prevent infection. We have built a new little ccop for her, near her old flock but separated. I think she may never go back in with her old flock. So far it seems to all have worked, she even laid an egg yesterday.

6/11 Tips for helping birds at the bottom of the pecking order

1. Give your birds plenty of places to perch. This allows for those birds near or at the bottom to get away from their attacker.

2. Don't let your birds get bored.

3. If the bird at the bottom of the pecking order has a wound that is bleeding, it will (oddly) attract the attention of all the hens. They will be curious about it and often will begin to peck at it too.

4. Best bet is separate this bird from the flock, put her in the infirmary and let her heal. In my case butterscotch got her own coop near the the other hens and never returned to the original coop.

Lice.

2011-06-08T11:27:00.005-04:00

People often ask me about lice.

Here is how you can tell if your bird has lice:
a drop in egg production
broken feathers
raw patches
wattles looking pale (lice cause anemia)
look near the vent to see if you can see them

1. Humans cannot get chicken lice!

2. Keep your coop very clean. I try and completely clean the coop every week.

3. Don't use hay in the nesting boxes. The lice live and rest inside the tube of the hay. Hay is a breeding ground for lice. Straw is ok, but hay is not.

4. Overcrowding promotes lice growth. Each bird should have roughly six square feet.

5. If any birds from outside the flock are coming into the coop, check them very carefully before introducing them to your flock.

6. Make sure your birds have a place to dust bathe (I use a mixture of sand and dirt). This is how they naturally take care of lice. They fluff up their feathers and dust the dirt onto their skin and lice.

7. I sometimes sprinkle a little food grade diatemaceous earth into the area where they dust bathe, DE is thought to be a natural solution for lice. I always wear a mask when working with DE.

Hope this helps.

Cheesecake. 5 years ago

2011-06-03T20:03:00.001-04:00

Student finds passion for activism - Beverly Citizen

2011-06-03T20:02:00.009-04:00

By Katrina Powell, June 9, 2011

Stella is a social butterfly, Alice is a chatterbox and Paprika acts as the boss lady, keeping everyone in line. While these may sound like the personalities of characters on a television series, they are, in fact, chickens.

Orren Fox, an eighth-grader at The Glen Urquhart School in Beverly, owns 23 hens, three roosters and four ducks and claims that they have as much personality as domestic pets like cats and dogs.

“They all have really funny personalities and it’s fun to see them interact with one another,” said Fox said, who lives in Newburyport.

Fox, 9, initially acquired a batch of 12-day-old chicks from a gardening and agricultural store back in 2007, and was instantly intrigued by the birds.

“I’m not sure what got me interested, but one little thing just sparked an interest inside me,” Fox said.

“My husband and I certainly didn’t know the first thing about birds when he brought them home,” said Fox’s mother, Libby DeLana. “But there’s nothing like seeing your child so engaged in something.”

Fox was in forth grade when he first brought home his birds, and despite his young age, he rose to the occasion and took on the responsibility of raising and caring for his young pets. Fox explained that the birds started out as clueless chicks and he was responsible for showing the babies how to find food and water. He now spends about a half hour each day after school feeding the full-grown chickens and providing them with clean water, as well as sweeping their cages and collecting eggs.

“It sounds like a lot of work, but once you do it everyday for years, it just becomes something you do,” Fox said.

The birds have a cozy home within three large cages that are set up inside the family’s barn, and some birds just run free inside the barn, Fox said. It’s safe to say these chickens won’t be flying the coop anytime soon.

“They definitely have plenty of room and they’re pretty happy,” Fox said. “You should have a minimum of five square feet per bird.”

A year after receiving the chicks, Fox entered the fifth grade and learned that his class at Glen Urquhart required a research project. Because of his love for his pets, he chose to conduct his project on, what else, chickens. But when he began to conduct the research for the project, Fox didn’t like what he found out.

“What really caught my eye was the egg-laying business,” Fox said. “I discovered that most factory farms will cram eight birds into an 18 inch by 18 inch cage with little food and they are literally clawing each other’s backs because there is no room. It’s really a miserable situation.”

Fox added that chickens will lay the majority of their eggs within their first year of life, and after that time, the chickens are sent to the chopping block. Another unsettling area of research for Fox was what he found on the birds that are raised primarily for meat purposes.

“The get treated so badly and they are injected with hormones and steroids,” Fox said.

Fox explained that after opening his eyes to the inhumane treatment of chickens, he knew that he was doing the right thing by raising his own chickens.

“My own birds will never have to go through that,” Fox said. “Chickens felt great as pets but then I really realized that I was doing something really good by keeping them away from bad treatment.”

Fox has been featured on NPR, Time for Kids, Ranger Rick and Yankee Magazine for his research, and even discussed his knowledge with the masses during a seminar that was held in May at his school called Greenspiration. The seminar was attended by approximately 40 people, and featured stations where students and parents could learn about gardening, farming and agriculture. Fox’s personable chickens were also in attendance.

“It was a fun little event for people to learn how to start something sustainable in their own backyard,” Fox said. “I think it was really successful.”

“The Glen Urquhart School is so incredible,” DeLana said. “To be honest, it’s amazing for a child to be able to be interested in something, anything, and no matter what it is, the children are open to it and think it’s cool.”

Although the research started out as a school project on raising chickens, it quickly evolved into a full-time commitment for Orren, as he decided to start a blog and Twitter page in 2008 to share his information with the masses.

“It just started as a hand-written journal but people then wanted to know what I was writing and they had questions about their own birds,” Fox said. “I’m now just trying to spread the word [about inhumane treatment] so that people will get their own birds and raise them in their backyards.”

Today, Fox has a blog readership and more than 3,000 followers on Twitter (@happychickens), with whom he shares his knowledge and opinions on the humane treatment of chickens and other animals, healthy eating, and the environment.

“It’s really nice to know that what I’m writing is read by a lot of people,” Fox said. “It motivates me to write more.”

Fox tries to update his blog several times a week, adding interesting articles about the subject and even pictures of his own chickens. Fox explained that it doesn’t take much to make a difference.

“Not a lot of people know about how badly chickens are treated but it’s important information to know,” Fox said. “It just a simple little thing of treating some birds nicely. I think that if I can treat some chickens nicely, it’s better than none.”

Fox added that chickens that are raised in a comfortable setting will lay eggs that taste much better than if they are raised on factory farms. He explained that if people are unable to raise their own chickens, they can still promote humane treatment by purchasing eggs from a local farm, and finding a local supplier of meat where the animals are ethically raised.

“I would say that if you feel happy about supporting the way that the animals you eat are treated, then I would continue to buy from that supplier,” Fox said. “But if you aren’t happy about how they are treated, then I would do something about it.”

Sweet Blue Cochins. They are the best.

2011-06-03T19:50:00.002-04:00

The Chicken Chronicles -

2011-06-03T19:18:00.009-04:00

"I love this chicken because she is so in her body. If you look into her eyes you are right to know she is not thinking of your dinner.

One of the things I especially prize is that she is missing a toenail. At first I wanted the artist to put on a fake one, but then I thought no: Life gives us broken toenails and worse to let us remember where we’ve been and the struggles we’ve overcome. I felt this way a few months ago watching How To Train Your Dragon, a movie I like a lot. One of the things I like about it is that the main character Hiccup loses a leg in his battle to save his dragon friends and enlighten his Viking community. This is the truth of Life. We may lose a lot in whatever fight we choose or have chosen for us. But these are warrior marks and need not be hidden or completely disappeared by “restoration.” The lessons from them in their role as teacher never end, and seem to me, having acquired a few deficits myself, to become more like oddly delivered gifts. Gifts that it becomes easy to imagine The Universe (in the form of ancestors or whoever they are) sending down to us. Weeping as they pray we can outlive the initiatory pain.

What I didn’t like so much about How To Train Your Dragon (adored the matriarchal choosing of leaders, of course!) is that at the end the Vikings are shown playing with the dragons by having the dragons fly them about. The question is: what do the Vikings do for the dragons?

Anyway, this is the book that grew on this blog, as I sat with my chickens in the outback of Mendocino, California. I sat with them expecting nothing and over the months they pecked open places I hadn’t been able to enter by myself. All of my “girls” have their toenails but occasionally, and though it is shocking it is natural, they lose their feathers."

More here

The Diane Rehm Show The Chicken Chronicles

Alice Walker blog

Sweet! CONGRATULATIONS TO MY FRIEND TAMARA STAPLES! on the cover photo

Going to hives

2011-05-31T17:24:00.000-04:00

Just watching.

2011-05-31T17:10:00.000-04:00

Queen Bee.

2011-05-31T16:58:00.002-04:00

This weekend was totally exciting because I was checking on my big green hive and found some supersedure cells. I pulled one off thinking that the queens had already moved into the hive to battle it out with the other queens, but no she was still in the cell and she hatched right on my hand. It was amazing. Honestly I was so surprised I didn't really know what to do. I decided that if I hadn't (mistakenly) taken her out of her spot she would still be in the hive, so I put her back in. I think there must have been a battle that night. Only one queen can survive. If I had been preparaed I probably could have split the hive. But. I. Wasn't. I imagine that hive will swarm.

Lots to learn.

READ "Animalish" - by Susan Orlean

2011-05-23T10:18:00.006-04:00

Susan Orlean, with Mabel Black Label,
an Araucana chicken.

At Home on the Farm and in E-Books
By JULIE BOSMAN
Published: May 18, 2011 PINE PLAINS, N.Y.

Last Friday Susan Orlean was on the verge of some serious animal acquisitions. Her latest herd of 12 Black Angus cattle was scheduled to be dropped off within days. And the local post office could call at any minute to report that four rare and eye-catching Swedish flower hens were ready for pickup, having been shipped overnight from Florida. READ ARTICLE HERE

Find Animalish here

Greenspiration Event at School

2011-05-23T10:05:00.006-04:00

By Sean Teehan, Town Correspondent - Boston.com

Orren Fox, an eighth grader at Glen Urquhart School in Beverly, eats eggs for breakfast most mornings. If for nothing else, it helps cut down on the surplus that comes with owning more than 20 chickens.

"I look at the eggs as a bonus, a very delicious one," Fox said in an interview.

On Saturday Fox will inform people of proper chicken care and other chicken-related matters at the Glen Urquhart School Greenspiration where students will also have displays dealing with gardening, agriculture, and other environmental matters.

Fox has been a proponent of ethical chicken treatment since he began volunteering at a farm about a mile away from his Newbury home when he was 9-years-old, he said.

"I'm not sure [why], but something struck a cord with me and really made me want to learn about chickens," Fox said.

As he made daily trips to the farm, Fox soon yearned for some chickens of his own. In 2007, he got his first dozen chickens at Agway in Danvers, he said.

Since then, his assembly of pet poultry has grown.

"It would be safe to say I have 23 hens, three roosters, and five ducks," Fox said.

Each day after school, Fox goes to the farm about a mile away from his home where his chickens and ducks live in a barn to provide them with food as well as meal worms and scratch feed as treats.

When one of his birds is injuredfeeling under the weather, he brings them to the local veterinarian, he said.

"There are occasionally interesting receptions when I come into an animal hospital with a squawking chicken or a duck," Fox said.

His pets have also earned him some money, Fox said. With hens lay a total of about nine eggs each day, Fox began putting them in cartons on which he puts a custom "O's Eggs" stamp and puts them in a refrigerated cooler outside his house. Neighbors, who can name their own price, often leave $5 for a dozen, Fox said.

Although many people opt for cats, dogs, or other animals often found at pet stores when choosing a pet, Fox said despite popular perceptions, chickens are more than just food.

"I think they're truly underestimated because people think that birds don't have personalities," Fox said. "But really, some of them have more personalities than any dog or cat."

When do I switch to Egg Layer from Grower?

2011-05-22T13:17:00.013-04:00

My blue cochins. When this picture was taken she was eating "Grower"

"When do I switch from Grower to Layer?"

I feed my babies "Starter" until about 8 weeks.

Then I switch to "Grower Mash" until they are fully "feathered out" about 20 weeks.

Then I switch them over to "Layer Pellet" I do not use "Layer crumble or mash".

I also mix in some:

Black Sunflower Seeds

Cracked Corn

Flax Seed

Mealworms

GameBird Pellets (higher in protein)

There are lots of ways to feed your birds. This is just one suggestion.

White House Bees

2011-05-22T13:14:00.001-04:00

My friend Lis Timpone's HappyChicken!

2011-05-22T13:04:00.001-04:00

"My hens got eaten by __________"

2011-05-22T12:34:00.008-04:00

Here is my hen dust bathing next to barn. I am always with them when the are out of their coop.

I have heard one to many times these last few weeks about people losing hens to neighborhood dogs or other predators. Now I understand no one intends for this to happen, in fact most people are taking very good care of their hens. But your number one priority is to keep your hens healthy and safe. "Free Range" backyard hens are NOT safe if you just let them roam about with no protection. Actually your neighbors dog can't help himself! It is your responsibility to keep your coop predator safe and your hens/roosters safe.

One person said to me "we lost several last week to a neighbor's dog" he frowned. I asked "what did you change to prevent this from happening again?" No response. A few minutes later "our hens are outside roaming in our backyard for bugs and grass right now" he said as if he were doing them a favor. "But you aren't there to protect them" I gently said. No response. I hope they are all safe. Honestly I'm sure he is doing what he thinks is right. I respect that, and obviously just being with your hens doesn't gaurentee that they will be safe. I just ask, make the effort.

I had someone else say "How do you keep the predators out of your coop?", well I have chain link fence that goes about 20 inches into the ground with big telephone pole type things where the fence meets the ground, the coop also has a tin roof so no hawks can get in and I never leave them alone outside in the field unless I am there, or the farmer I work with is there with her dogs. I never leave them alone. They are too vulnerable.

I don't want to make anyone feel bad. Would you ever put other animals you cared about in the same pasture as the animal above it on the food chain? I know that even my method doesn't mean my hens will be 100 percent safe. Just think about it.

Please, take care of your animals. Protect them. Keep them healthy and happy otherwise honestly you are simply feeding them to other animals. Keep your hens safe.

New Brood

2011-05-17T15:35:00.002-04:00

My bees hang out here on the peach trees.

2011-05-04T15:48:00.002-04:00

BeeHappy package labels

2011-05-04T15:46:00.005-04:00

I may be harvesting honey soon. Here are my new labels.

Spring Cleaning.

2011-05-04T15:39:00.002-04:00

Found under my hive. Mouse house.

2011-05-04T15:33:00.001-04:00

A list of suppliers of packaged bees

2011-05-01T08:14:00.001-04:00

I get my bees from H & R.

Helpful Vid on Installing Bees

2011-05-01T08:11:00.000-04:00

Three Hives, Two big stings.

2011-04-30T15:37:00.007-04:00

Drone larvae.

Frames LOADED with brood and new honey!

See her legs loaded with orange pollen!

Today was hive cleaning day. It is about 60 degrees with no breeze. A good day for opening hives. I lost hive number one this winter but hives two and three were still alive 3 weeks ago. Today's hive opening was where I would really find out what may have killed hive one. There is mold in the hive so, I think it was moisture. All three hives were covered with snow this winter and I left the snow all around them thinking it would insulate the hives. Maybe it did, but it also may have created too much moisture for the bees.

Hive one: died

Hive two: weak

Hive three (Celitics): Alive and STRONG

I really spent quite a bit of time on my Celtics hive (3). It is super busy, with tons of brood (see photo above). Honestly my bee mentors feel as if there is a possibility of a swarm. They were very patient the whole time, until they weren't and I was stung twice in my neck (unpleasant). What we decided to do was to take two frames loaded with brood from the Celtics hive and put it into the weaker hive. Then tomorrow I will go back to put a honey super and queen excluder on the Celtics hive. I may be harvesting my first honey in a few weeks!

Hen hatching

2011-04-23T15:00:00.001-04:00

In Honduras volunteering at NPH

2011-04-18T12:25:00.009-04:00

I think there were a few thousand hens at the orphanage.
I collected about 650 one day.
It was really hard work and very rewarding.

MAHA and HOWL at the Farmers Market

2011-04-08T17:56:00.002-04:00

Equinox

2011-04-08T17:54:00.002-04:00

Did you know you can balance an egg on the Equinox.
We did!

Yale Sustaianable Food Project

2011-04-07T10:26:00.002-04:00

Cool blog here.

A bee station. Good idea.

2011-04-07T10:06:00.005-04:00

CLICK HERE

Hard to do homework.

2011-04-04T11:35:00.003-04:00

Spring hens. Butterscotch as a baby.

2011-04-04T11:27:00.002-04:00

She is a super gentle hen.

Four articles for Spring Chickens

2011-04-03T13:53:00.004-04:00

Prepare for your chicks arrival.

Tips for when your chicks arrive.

Keep your hens entertained. A few tips.

13 tips for raising Happy Chickens

Blue Cochin as a pullet

2011-03-26T13:11:00.004-04:00

"Soldiers returning from China brought the first Cochin bantams to England in the 1860’s. They were known as “Pekin” bantams then and are still referred to as “Pekins” in many parts of Europe. Cochins are heavily feathered down the shanks and toes and appear to be much larger than they actually are. They are very gentle, excellent setters, require little space, and with their many color varieties are absolutely beautiful to look at. Cochins are the most popular of the feather legged bantams and one of our best setters. The true blue color is perhaps one of the most difficult colors to breed for in the poultry world. We have a nice blue that will vary from a bluish white to a beautiful black laced dark blue. (Please see "The Color Blue" under Blue Andalusians for a description of our Blue Cochin chicks.)" From Murray McMurray

Hear my friend Robyn O'Brien

2011-03-25T18:16:00.003-04:00

Here is my interview with Ms. O'brien.
And one more.

So you are about to get baby chicks. A few Tips.

2011-03-23T14:12:00.014-04:00

My blue cochins as chicks. That is Peach.

If you are planning on getting chicks this spring here are a few tips:
1. Make sure you have extra time on the day you pick up or receive your chicks. You will want to be with them of course, but you will also want to check in on them every few hours to make sure they are ok.

2. You can certainly mix different breeds together, just be aware that different breeds have different personalities and each bird has a unique personality. Every flock has a Boss. In my flock it is Paprika a white Brahma, she is big, loud and always is the first to greet me at the barn.

3. Choose a location for the "brooder" (this is the hen nursery). It must be predator (including house pets) proof! And also must be draft free. Babies need to be warm.

4. For the brooder you could use a big box with holes in it, a big plastic tub, a cardboard box unfolded and rolled into a pen. You get the idea. Just make sure there is plenty of ventilation and that each chick has 2 square feet of space. This seems big, but watch how fast they grow!

4. HEAT! Babies need to be hot. For the first week of life they need the brooder to be above 90 degrees. Then the temperature can come down about 5 or 6 degrees each week after. I use a 250 watt infrared heat lamp. I hang it over my brooder (which has a thermometer in it) and am constantly checking to make sure it is the right temperature. Here is one thing to look for - if the chicks are all huddled together under the lamp, they are cold. If they are at the edges of the brooder they are trying to cool off. They should all be simply walking around and exploring with each other.

5. Line the brooder with newspaper under pine shavings (NOT CEDAR - too perfumey). Deep shavings though because just plain paper can make for a slippery surface and the chicks can hurt their legs with only newspaper. Change the bedding often.

6. Water. Use a specific chick waterer. A dish can be dangerous. You will also have to teach your chicks how to drink. When you first get them gently dip their beaks into the water.

7. Feed. Get a chick feeder. I actually used a little bowl once and they tipped it over and trapped one of their flock mates. Luckily I was right there. I would recommend an organic chick starter (Not Layer). Starter has more protein. Feed them as much as they want.

8. By about 6 weeks your chicks should be able to go out. It should be above 65 degrees.

9. "Pasting up". This can kill your chicks so look for it every time you are at the brooder. Inspect each little hen. It is when the poop cakes up on their booty, over the vent. Which means they then can poop anymore. You should try and pull it off immediately. Apply warm wet paper towel to soften it up then peel it away.

List of things you need:
Chicks
Brooder pen (box, tub)
Heat lamp, 250 watt red lamp
Pine Shavings
Chick waterer
Chick feeder
Organic Chick "Grower" feed
Thermometer
Affection

My interview with cookbook author Mollie Katzen, in ChopChop

2011-03-15T17:06:00.003-04:00

All You Need Is Love
Cookbook Author Mollie Katzen tells how she started
By Orren Fox, age 14

I’m a big fan of Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook and her other books, so I was excited about the chance to speak to her in person. Mollie and I started our conversation talking about our love for soft bread dough. We both just love it. Mostly we would never cook it, instead just play with it, making different shapes over and over again. It just feels so great. Try it! Another thing that just feels great, we both agreed, was when people liked our cooking. It makes you feel very accomplished, useful and independent. Here are her tips for beginner cooks.

CLICK HERE FOR ENTIRE ARTICLE

Went to Sugar Shack today. 200 Gallons of Maple

2011-03-06T17:01:00.005-05:00

*: How to be Happy

2011-03-05T17:01:00.001-05:00

*: How to be Happy: "Back in December I talked with Orren Fox of @HappyChickens about 12 things kids should learn on their own about food. Orren, a 14-year..."

Read the rest here

Bee Update. Bees out and about. 45 degrees

2011-03-05T16:09:00.000-05:00

If you are thinking of getting hens this spring.

2011-03-05T15:36:00.006-05:00

A few things to think about before your hens arrive.

1. Have a plan if you happen to get a rooster. Every time I get new baby chicks that are all supposed to be hens I get a rooster. If you cannot keep a rooster be sure you have a happy place to have your rooster go. Good places to check are other chicken owners, a local farmer. Just a warning, it can be difficult because no one really wants the roosters. I had someone call me once, she had ordered 12 chicks and 6 of them were roosters and she was trying to find homes for them. Roosters fight and cannot usually be in the same coop.

2. Have your coop all prepared before hens arrive.

3. Each hen should have 6 square feet of space.

4. Make sure the coop is completely predator proof - neighborhood dogs, coyotes, hawks, racoons, fox and rats etc. It needs to be very secure.

5. The coop should be well ventilated but not windy or wet.

6. 5 hens can share a nesting box. A henhouse should always have nesting boxes and roosts.

7. Your chickens should have access to sun. They need roughly 14 hours of light to be good layers.

8. Hens need a place to take a dust bath. This is their natural way to keep pests down. Lice make your hens very uncomfortable and unhealthy.

9. Fresh water every day.

10. Feed should include greens, feed, grit and I add coarse corn and black sunflower seed.

11. Perches or roots. Hens need them I use an old thick broom handle.

12. Any questions email me: thehappychickens@gmail.com

If you are getting baby chicks that's a whole other process.

Don't let your chickens get bored.

2011-03-05T14:34:00.004-05:00

During the cold icy winter months stay in their coop, they only go out to the field for a short period of time to forrage. They have an outdoor run that is enclosed with clear corrugated plastic so it is quite warm and sunny, but by the end of the winter months the outdoor coop is well worn. I try to add things to the coop to keep the birds occupied. I don't think it is good for them to be bored. Here are a few things I add to the coop to keep them entertained.

1. Butternut squash cut in half and put into the coop. This occupies them for several days! Just watch out if you have white crested birds, it will stain their feathers.

2. Scratch. This is essentially a special treat for chickens. It is mostly made up of oats and seeds. I love to sprinkle it on the coop floor and the hens "scratch" around for it. It helps dig up the floor and keeps them occupied for hours. Scratch should not replace regular feed, it isn't as nutritious as regular feed.

3.I also go to the local farm and get their leftover tops from beets and carrots and put that in the coop. Both of the tops are different textures and flop around so this is very entertaining. The hens also need greens during this time of year.

4. Tennis balls. I put tennis balls into the coop. The hens think it is hysterical.

Making Fondant for bees

2011-02-27T15:27:00.000-05:00

5:1

234 degrees

Anyone know what the sawdust looking stuff is?

2011-02-22T17:20:00.004-05:00

Feeding the bees 2/11

2011-02-22T10:53:00.009-05:00

Late Winter Hive Check in and Feeding

2011-02-21T08:47:00.008-05:00

February 20, 2011
42 degrees in the sun
18 inches of snow on the ground
Bright blue sky, no wind

Two hives alive, one not (Hive two has died. Oddly it was the strongest in the fall). Another winter check in went well, but it was still sort of sad. When some of the more curious bees would come to see who it was, we would tell them to stay inside, because it was only us, the beekeepers. It is one of the greatest feelings to press your ear up to the side of the hive and hear the faint buzzing of the survivors. It is also one of the worst feelings to press your ear to a hive and hear nothing... That has only happened once, and I hope it will not happen again. The little bees are strong but in some cases the bitter cold is stronger. The bees also received a bucket full of thick, sweet syrup to help them make it these last couple of weeks. Many other beekeepers have said that their hives have made it through the heart of winter, but they run out of honey a couple weeks before the nectar begins to flow again. That must bee terrible, so to avoid it we fed them. Just hang on little bees, just a few more weeks.

Cool bee facts

2011-02-19T16:17:00.002-05:00

Pollination
Agriculture depends greatly on the honeybee for pollination. Honeybees account for 80% of all insect pollination. Without such pollination, we would see a significant decrease in the yield of fruits and vegetables. 1/3 of everything we eat depends on bees.
Pollen
Bees collect 66 lbs of pollen per year, per hive. Pollen is the male germ cells produced by all flowering plants for fertilization and plant embryo formation. The Honeybee uses pollen as a food. Pollen is one of the richest and purest natural foods, consisting of up to 35% protein, 10% sugars, carbohydrates, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins A (carotenes), B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinic acid), B5 (panothenic acid), C (ascorbic acid), H (biotin), and R (rutine).
Honey
Honey is used by the bees for food all year round. There are many types, colors and flavors of honey, depending upon its nectar source. The bees make honey from the nectar they collect from flowering trees and plants. Honey is an easily digestible, pure food. Honey is hydroscopic and has antibacterial qualities. Eating local honey can fend off allergies.
Beeswax
Secreted from glands, beeswax is used by the honeybee to build honey comb. It is used by humans in drugs, cosmetics, artists' materials, furniture polish and candles.
Propolis
Collected by honeybees from trees, the sticky resin is mixed with wax to make a sticky glue. The bees use this to seal cracks and repair their hive. It is used by humans as a health aid, and as the basis for fine wood varnishes.
Royal Jelly
The powerful, milky substance that turns an ordinary bee into a Queen Bee. It is made of digested pollen and honey or nectar mixed with a chemical secreted from a gland in a nursing bee's head. It commands premium prices rivaling imported caviar, and is used by some as a dietary supplement and fertility stimulant. It is loaded with all of the B vitamins.
Bee Venom
The "ouch" part of the honeybee. Although sharp pain and some swelling and itching are natural reactions to a honeybee sting, a small percentage of individuals are highly allergic to bee venom. "Bee venom therapy" is widely practiced overseas and by some in the USA to address health problems such as arthritis, neuralgia, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even MS.

Guest Blog Post from - Debbie at Sapsucker Farms

2011-02-19T10:03:00.015-05:00

>> I know this isn't about bees or chickens but I just love maple syrup. Also Debbie has bees so we communicate about bees alot.
_____________
Making Maple Syrup Brings Out the Kid in All of Us

As a kid growing up in Minneapolis, I remember early spring as that time of year when the days were longer, the snow was disappearing, and I was allowed to play outside again all day long. The most fun was getting the huge pack of neighborhood kids organized for softball games, to play “kick the can,” or just ride around on our bikes. With all of these options, it didn’t take much effort to get me outside; in fact it was much more difficult to get me back indoors at the end of the day.

As time went by, that wonderful, playful era passed and I grew up, went to college, joined the ranks of the corporate world, got married, bought a house in the suburbs, and became a serious-minded adult. I retreated to the indoors during the cold months and when the snow receded in the spring, I looked out my window and only saw was an ugly, dirty yard awaiting attention – the kind that I just didn’t want to give it

But the spring-embracing child in me re-emerged after my husband and I moved to our farm in 2000 and a friend of ours who grew up in Vermont took note of all of our sugar maple trees. He gave us a tour of our own property, pointed them out, and asked: “Have you ever thought about tapping these trees?”We decided to give it a try. The first year we put out 35 taps, and constructed a primitive outdoor cooking station. We discovered it was really fun, so the next year put out 100 taps and made some upgrades to the cooker. We were hooked and made the plunge, expanding a little more each year. The next year it was 200 taps -- built a sugar house -- installed a maple syrup evaporator. Then 400 taps -- 500 taps -- more improvements. And now our operation is even certified organic.

For us, the sugaring season begins the first week of March. We organize a pack of neighbors – spanning three generations – to put out the 500 taps, tubes, buckets, and lids. We have a special drill bit that is specifically for tree tapping. My husband goes from tree-to-tree, identifying the sugar maples, then drills a hole, wipes the bit clean with an alcohol-soaked rag before going on to the next tree to ensure that no diseases are spread. Behind him, someone is ready with a tap with tube already attached, and gently raps it in place with a small hammer. The next person comes along with a five-gallon bucket and lid, tucks the tube into the lid hole and securely snaps it shut.

On our farm, we only tap the sugar maple trees because they have the highest sugar content in the sap. But all varieties of maple trees can be tapped: red maple, silver maple, even box elder which are also members of the maple family.

The taps need to be installed just before the sap begins to run, and that is completely dependent on the weather. The conditions need to be right: nights below freezing and days that are warm. Why? The sap needs to be moving in the tree in order for it to drip through the taps. Freezing nights stops the flow, warm days gets it going again. The wrong combination -- warm nights and warm days or cold nights and cold days -- will prevent this process from happening. And it is because of these very specific weather requirements that maple syrup is exclusively made in North America.

When the weather is cooperating, sap is collected every one to three days. And let me tell you, there is no greater joy than tromping through the muddy woods on a beautiful spring day to find the buckets full of pure, crystal clear, pristine maple sap. Bucket-by-bucket, the collecting tank is filled and hauled back to the sugar house to be cooked in our wood-burning maple syrup evaporator. The sap is boiled for several hours, evaporating most of the water to concentrate the sap into luscious, pure maple syrup.

Maple sap has a sugar content of about 2.5 percent and pure maple syrup has a sugar content of about 66 percent. In simple terms, it means that a whole lot of water needs to be boiled off in order to concentrate the sap in syrup. It takes 30 to 40 gallons of sap – depending on the variety of maple trees – to produce one gallon of maple syrup. The plumes of steam billowing out of the chimney as the sap is cooked is quite a sight to behold.

While the length of time the sap flows varies each year, it typically lasts about three to four weeks. On our farm in East Central Minnesota, the sap flow is usually from mid-March to mid-April. When the trees start to bud, the chemistry of the sap changes taking on a disagreeable odor, color, and taste. This is known as “buddy sap” and it is the indicator that the sugaring season has officially ended.

When the taps are pulled, the holes have already dried up and begun to heal. Just like your skin, the tap hole will leave a scar on the tree. When we return next year to tap again, we will find the scar and use it as a map, moving around the trunk to tap in a different spot. Over the years, the tree grows adding more rings to its girth so by the time we work around the tree back to that general area the same area on the tree can be tapped once again.

Making maple syrup is more than just producing a scrumptious treat. It is an experience that brings together people of all generations to enjoy the great outdoors and celebrate the winter thaw. Lifting buckets, hiking in the forest, splitting wood, and staying up late to cook sap is a lot of work. But the effort is easily surpassed by the pleasure of being outside playing all day until you’re completely exhausted, knowing you get to do it again the next day. For me, making pure maple syrup, is pure childhood joy.

Debbie Morrison is an organic farmer living in East Central Minnesota, about 70 miles north of Minneapolis/St. Paul. She and her husband founded Sapsucker Farms in 2000 and have been making maple syrup since 2001. Other organic crops they raise on their farm include apples, plums, and a variety of vegetables. 20 happy egg-laying hens call Sapsucker Farms home, and Debbie also organically manages up to 20 honeybee hives each year.

Jim & Debbie Morrison Sapsucker Farms
sapsuckerfarms@northlc.com
www.sapsuckerfarms.com

(Photo credits: Mitch Kezar, Kezar Photography)

HAPPY Bees, this past summer - Wait ALL the way until the end

2011-02-12T15:56:00.000-05:00

Winter Bees - so so sad

2011-02-12T14:57:00.004-05:00

I feel like I failed my bees. Two hives still buzzing, one hive done.
My bee mentors who have 10 hives have lost 4.
I am going to start feeding my other hives this week 2/14/11

Winter Hive Check-in

2011-02-12T14:55:00.004-05:00

Guest Blog Post from - Alex Jokela: Beekeeping in Minnesota!

2011-02-01T07:43:00.006-05:00

Ice crystals around the front door in MN.

It is January in northern Minnesota. This means we have had much snow which is usually followed up with several severe cold days and nights. Night time temperatures, at their coldest, will reach down to -40F without the wind. How does one keep bees in colder climates? For me, it started with planning. My planning started in August while attending the Eastern Apiculture Society's annual conference (held in Boone, NC, last year). I quizzed any master beekeeper who was from a northern state and who would give me a couple minutes of their time. Valuable common sense tidbits that I assembled, in piecemeal fashion, into comprehensive plan.

Moisture Control.

Growing up, while hunting whitetail deer with my father, I learned to pace yourself while hiking in the woods. You did not want sweat. As soon as you stopped to wait for the occasional deer to wander by, you would become cold faster with the moisture on your body.

The same principle of moisture and cold holds true with beehives. Moisture + cold is a perfect equation for ending up with a pile of frozen, dead bees mid-winter. To control excess moisture (remember, bees shiver in the winter to keep the collective warm; lots of moisture is given off with the shivering), a master beekeeper from Maine recommended using homasote board as an inner cover. A piece the length and width of your top super is cut, and then, using a router with a rabbiting bit, a groove is routed out from middle of the piece - roughly halfway through the material - to one edge. This will be your top entrance for the winter.

On top of the homasote, a 2" wood spacer is used. Inside the space, a piece of rigid foam insulation cut to snugly fit. The outer cover is then placed over the spacer with care being taken to not cover the cut-groove in the homasote.

Insulation Wrap.

I picked an insulation-blanket-type wrap. It is covered in a heavy-mil black plastic. The insulation is loose enough to trap air between itself and the hive boxes while the heavy plastic is useful for keeping out drafts. The wrap is pulled up and secured just below the groove in the homasote board.

As a side note, I use screened bottom boards during the warmer months; to prevent updrafts into the hives, I slid a solid piece under the screens. The bottom entrance is still accessible, but gets covered with snow.

It is very important to make sure that the top entrance remains accessible; this will be the bees' link to the outside world while their bottom entrance is in the snow.

Wind Break.

We have a taller fence to the east and north of the hives. These are the predominant directions the winter winds blow from. Even though the hives are wrapped snug and warm with insulation, there is the fence to act as a wind break. The fence, during the warmer season when the bees are active, also forces the bees to enter and leave the hives at a very steep angle - well above the yards of any neighbors.

Depending upon the size of your apiary, it might not be conducive to put up solid fencing; instead it might be enough or more time-economical to have the top entrance facing away from the predominant wind direction.

Lastly, food. This is a tricky one. You want to harvest enough honey for yourself, but you also need to leave enough for your bees for the winter. It gets trickier if you get an extra cold snap that causes the bees to "lock up" and be unable to reach the food stores. A beekeeper friend had this happen last year; in the spring, there was plenty of food stores left, but all his bees frozen out directly under the food.

By day, Alex is a programmer and data analyst for the University of Minnesota Duluth. But, in his off time, he tends bees and gardens. He is also actively involved in basset hound and coonhound rescue - he and his wife, Melissa, own two bassets and two coonhounds. He blogs about bees and gardening at http://snowshoe-farm.com/blog

Winter Hive Check

2011-01-31T18:25:00.005-05:00

3+ feet of snow!

My outdoor coop is like a little geenhouse

2011-01-23T15:39:00.002-05:00

Cold weekend

2011-01-23T15:16:00.002-05:00

What you can do for your hens when it is dangerously cold

2011-01-22T15:24:00.003-05:00

Picture from EthanMiller.net

This weekend there are supposed to be 3 or 4 days where the temperature doesn't get above 10 degrees with the overnight temperatures well below zero. I don't know what the windchill will do to the temperature.

Here are a few things I do to help my hens.

1. Make sure there is always plenty of fresh water! I use a heated dog bowl which is quite big so if for any reason I can't get there right away they will have enough water.

2. I make sure they have really deep shavings. I actually use an entire bag of shavings per coop.

3. Today I put 1 heat lamp (on a timer) in each coop so overnight when it gets dangerously cold they have a place to perch and keep warm.

4. I added a little extra cracked corn and gambird feed to their food mix. The gamebird feed is higher in protein and the cracked corn I understand takes some work to digest so keeps their body temp up.

5. I put vaseline on all combs to protect against frost bite.

6. I check them often.

From Ilya to Ike.

2011-01-21T08:51:00.003-05:00

I have a rooster, that I originally thought was a hen. At first she was named Ilya but now he is named Ike. The hysterical thing is that when I first entered “her” in the local fair, the judges didn’t pick up on the fact that my bird was really a rooster, not a hen. He was a very good-looking “hen”, so good-looking in fact that he won first prize. Ilya won, but it was really Ike. Thank goodness “she” didn’t crow as she received her blue ribbon. In fact it was just a few months after the fair that I first heard “her” crow and thought “uh oh”.

My family thinks this is hysterical because not only did we not know “she” was a “he” but the judges didn’t know either. I think judging is an art, not a science, so there is room for “interpretation”. Not everyone is perfect, no matter how long they’ve trained or how many books they’ve read, no one gets everything just right.

We also think it is really funny that maybe we have a cross-dressing chicken. It is just a hysterical thing to think about. As a result of a ton of jokes about a cross-dressing chicken, we now have a crazy tradition with one of our good family friends. We have a stuffed fake chicken, yes a stuffed fake chicken that we dress up and hide in each other’s houses. Sometimes the chicken dressed in goggles and a swimsuit will appear in a big box at camp. I have to admit when I get a big box at camp I immediately hope it is homemade cookies and a little note. Then I look at the return address and slowly, secretly, open the box, because inside is usually a stuffed, full-sized fake chicken dressed in shorts with a little backpack and headlamp. Last Easter, I came home from an egg hunt and went to my room, guess who was there in my bed dressed like an Easter bunny, surrounded by marshmallow peeps. You guessed it, The Chicken. Right now The Chicken is at our friend’s house and we keep trying to imagine where she will turn up. I am guessing under the Christmas tree in a reindeer suit!

I'm glad my family thinks this is perfectly normal.

A rookie beekeeper

2011-01-12T16:36:00.003-05:00

As a rookie beekeeper I do worry about the bees in such a big snowstorm, but honestly they are probably fine. I just can't help but think about them.

"I have read up on their astonishing winter habits. Bees metabolize the dense carbs in honey ferociously, generating heat, which they further augment by flexing their flight muscles, without moving their wings. Clustering around their queen to retain the heat is their means of climate control. Deep in the hive, the cluster expands and contracts with the temperature; the colder it gets, the tighter the huddle.

But can these cluster physics really maintain a constant central temperature of 70 degrees in a pelting snowstorm? “You bet they can,” said Leslie Huston, a Newtown beekeeper. “And in late January, if they have begun producing brood for the spring, the activity can raise the temperature to 90.” -NYT article here

My very first hens.

2011-01-12T16:13:00.003-05:00

Bee Hives at the White House

2011-01-12T12:46:00.004-05:00

Hear a nice interview HERE

Digital Subscription to BeeCulture

2011-01-12T09:42:00.001-05:00

Good Magazine.

My friends at FearLess Cottage in BeeHappy!

2011-01-11T18:07:00.006-05:00

Go see FearLess Revolution, now!

13 Tips for raising Happy Chickens

2011-01-01T11:12:00.003-05:00

13. Feed your girls greens. Weeds. Leftover Salad. The lettuce from the bottom of the fridge (don't throw out your food scraps, give it to your hens)

12. Have a plan for what you are going to do if you end up with roosters. They can be difficult to find homes for them if you can't keep them. Plan ahead.

11. Consider using food grade diatomaceous earth for pest control. Sprinkle it in deep bedding or lightly on the feed. Wear a mask when working with DE.

10. Choose one breed of chicken and get to know that breed. Generally each breed has specific needs and it is easier to start with one breed. I recommend Rhode Island Reds. Or considering helping a heritage breed.

9. Have at least 5 square feet of space for each bird, 10 square feet if they are in a coop all day.

8. Have a place for your hens to perch or roost. Best to use 2" wide poles.

7. Hens need 14-16 hours of light a day to lay eggs. In the winter you may supplement with lights set on a timer.

6. Make sure your coop is predator proof! this includes storing feed in rat proof containers.

5. Coop should be well ventilated but not drafty.

4. To encourage egg laying there should be 1 nesting box per 4 hens.

3. Make sure your birds aren't bored. I make sure they have "scratch" in their coop to give them something to work on.

2. I feed my hens organic layer pellets, cracked corn, black sunflower seeds, mealworms, scratch, fresh greens, worms, grit and of course clean fresh water every day.

1. Talk to your birds, they will talk back, and make sure to give them lots of love.

Happy Chickens for 2011

2011-01-01T10:36:00.005-05:00

Alice. Everyone knows Alice.

Josie as a baby.

Check it out. FearLess Revolution

2010-12-31T16:20:00.002-05:00

Check it out, HERE.
Cool. Thanks for having me.

Materials for winterizing my hives.

2010-12-30T18:39:00.006-05:00

Winterizing my beehives.
There are many ways to do this, this is just one perspective.

Far left: Homosote. It is basically papier mache. I put this on the top of the inner cover to absorb some of the moisture in the hive. Moisture can kill bees.

Second from left: is insulation. A layer I put on top of the homosote to just help the hive stay warm-ish.

Black roll: is tar paper. I wrap my hives in this tar paper to help the hive absorb heat during the day.

Far right: I can't remember why I put this in this picture...it is a deep body.

Hope this helps. Would love to hear what you do. A few more thoughts

Bee by Rose-Lynn Fisher

2010-12-30T08:53:00.004-05:00

Picture of BeesKnee by Rose-Lynn Fisher, Video here.

I was giving this book for my birthday yesterday. It is really cool, check it out.

"Of the ten million or so different species of insects on our planet, none is more fascinating than the honeybee. One of the oldest forms of animal life still in existence from the Neolithic Age, bees have been worshipped and mythologized since the beginning of human history. Known popularly for their industriousness ("as busy as a bee") and highly valued for their role in agricultural pollination (every third bite we take depends on them), bees are now kept by a quarter-million beekeepers in the United States alone, and millions more around the world."

Why do my hens stop laying eggs in winter?

2010-12-30T08:05:00.009-05:00

Many people ask me what they can do to help keep their hens laying eggs during the winter. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Make sure your hens have plenty of fresh clean water all day long. Don't let it freeze over night then replace in the morning. I use heated dog bowls.

2. I use lights (on timers) in my coop so that my hens have 14-16 hours of light a day.

3. Add a bit more protein to their feed. I add a bit of gamebird crumble to the regular feed. Also consider adding cracked corn and ground flaxseed to their feed.

4. Try and add some greens to your hens feed. I go to our local farm and get the leftover lettuce and carrot tops. It is also great entertainment for hens.

5. Keep the coop draft free.

6. I also try to add something to the coop so that they are entertained. Scratch is a great thing! They love digging about for it.

More winterizing tips.

Love my ducks

2010-12-29T18:13:00.003-05:00

Tim my Mandarin.