Livestock update 7-12-11

Well our new bee girls are doing well. They seem to want to build wax comb where they're not supposed too. Normally bee's won't attach comb onto the screen mesh of an inner cover,  some of our bee's haven't heard about that.

This is "dots" hive (yellow polka dots) they are doing the best out of all our hives. The neighboring hive "stripes" had a virgin queen, meaning she can't lay because she is unmated. Weather plays a crucial role in the queen being mated successfully. If it's too windy or raining she won't go on a mating flight. In short that's all the weather we've been having. We checked on Sunday 7-3 and she still had not been mated. But half way through the inspection TONS of bees went to the top boards put butts in the air started fanning their wings. A phenomenon not often seen, they were directing her home making sure she came back to the right hive. It's amazing how important her mating flight and her presents is to the hive. We didn't get a picture of it because of course we forgot the camera. But Peace Bee Farmer has a great picture and explanation of the mating flight. 

'Stripes' queen mating was confirmed on Sunday 7-10, her butt was twice as big as before and finally eggs are larva were seen! They will be our weakest hive since no queen meant no babies for the last month. Jake took a frame of capped brood from dots and put it inside stripes to give them a boost since 'dots' is kicking ass!

The chickens are doing good, each and every one of the Sussex's have gone broody. So our break broody method involves the dog kennel and a lot of patience. We put the broody girl on the side yard for the day locking the not broody girls in the chicken run. Then in the late evening we grab the broody girl and put her in the dog kennel with a roost. If she has any access to nesting material she will sit on it and be back at ground zero. This goes on for 3 days, by then she's broken broody and will just lay eggs. UGH! This is round two of the broody antics, every one has gone through it once, then we had about 3 weeks broody hen free and the cycle started over. Last night was the first time we've had two girls at once. They are only in the kennel at night when they sleep then get to enjoy the side yard and taunt the other girls all day. YEAH for heritage breeds raised by mothers not incubators! It really makes me wish I lived on property and could have a rooster then we'd have free baby chicks.

Side yard on the right. Chicken run on the left. Dog kennel (tan box) in the upper right. Silly girls.

Bunny pile! I split Big Mamma's first litter of 8 into two cages of 4. They are getting big. Tubbers is nearing the 5lb harvest weight. Likely they will reach weight by the end of July, then it's off to Camp Freezer. I am going to have Jacob build me a bunny tractor because transferring them back and forth from the pen to the cage is stressful.

This is Baby Doe's first litter of 4 they are really big! I think it has everything to do with being only 4 kits their was more milk to go around. Not sure.  One of the white spotty kids has splay leg the rear right looks like a seal flipper. The only way to fix it, is to hobble them. If it were a front leg it's easier for the bun to handle but being a back leg it's more stressful to cure. So far little spotty's had no issues and doesn't seem to mid it, so I'll just monitor it.

Big Mamma had another litter about 2.5 weeks ago. She had 9, but we lost 2 from Mamma squishing them on accident. One of her litter is a runt and is distinctly smaller (in front of bunny pile), think of an apricot vs. an orange. It's been doing fine though, I am just worried that the other bunz will beat it up. So far though eyes are open and everyone is getting along, they are in the adorable stage where their head is bigger than their body.

I know it seems like a ton of babies,  Mom asked me if we're going to have the freezer space for it. But if you think about it 5 lbs harvest weight means 2 lbs of meat but that 2 lbs also includes bones. So Big Mammas litter of 8 is only going to yield 16 lbs of meat and we don't intend to breed them in the dead of winter, we're stocking up now.

Everyone is good, busy but good.