#homesteadhensandhoneypod

[homesteadhens]

Episode 60 is live! I didn't have time to get my tortoise episode done so I dug into my folder of bee papers and news articles, and chose a few to share! Learn about the new honeybee vaccine for American Foulbrood, how early learning impacts the accuracy of honeybee waggle dances, how hive position in relation to the sun effects foraging distance; and finally, learn about how bumblebees play! 🐝 I wasn't sure what photos to put up with this post so enjoy the brood frame on slide one, and then have some Chappie cuteness! ❤️ He's so snuggly in his jammies. 🥰 No episodes for the next two weeks while I do some traveling. Then I shall return to regale you with tortoise stories! 🐢 #homesteadhensandhoneypod #honeybeeresearch #beekeepingpodcast #homesteadingpodcast https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp5U5ALOK5l/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#homesteadhensandhoneypod #honeybeeresearch #beekeepingpodcast #homesteadingpodcast

[homesteadhens]

New episode going live at 9am EST!! This week, I continue my farm story series by sharing how my neighbours and I worked together to help trap, neuter, and return our local stray/feral cats. Over the course of this adventure, I made a sweet kitty friend! 🤗 At the beginning of the episode, I share some sad news about my hen, Boo. She passed away last week due to egg peritonitis. We made sure her passing was peaceful. ❤️ The last photo in the roll shows what I removed from her body cavity during her necropsy. There's no organs or viscera on display but it might still be upsetting to some, so please view with caution. Next episode will be about frostbite in chickens! What causes it, how can we prevent it, and how should we treat it? I hope you'll join me again then! ❤️ #homesteadhensandhoneypod #homesteadingpodcast #farmstories #tnr #straycats #kittyfriends #chickenhealth #chickenkeeping (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpVCjr3OLNK/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#homesteadhensandhoneypod #homesteadingpodcast #farmstories #tnr #straycats #kittyfriends #chickenhealth #chickenkeeping

[homesteadhens]

New episode is live! This week, I give a quick update on how my tiny hen, Boo, is doing. Then I talk about obesity in chickens: what to look for, how to prevent it, and what kind of foods are healthiest for our flocks. Due to all their feathers and fluff, an overweight hen can be hard to spot, so I hope this episode will be helpful! Next week, I'll be sharing another of my farm stories, focusing on cats! A few of my neighbors and I worked together to handle our stray cat population with the help of a local clinic. Learn about TNR, general kitty shenanigans, and how I now have a feral kitty friend of my own. Thanks for listening! 🐣 #homesteadhensandhoneypod #homesteadingpodcast #chickenhealth #chickenkeeping #chickenpodcast https://www.instagram.com/p/CpDRXOcufqE/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#homesteadhensandhoneypod #homesteadingpodcast #chickenhealth #chickenkeeping #chickenpodcast

[homesteadhens]

New episode today! This is the first in my 'farm stories' series: mini episodes that focus on the animals of my homestead. This week, I tell you all about my little hen, Boo, and her surprising interaction with our rooster, Red. 🐓 Link to my website and podcast in my profile! Next week, I will be talking about obesity in chickens: how to prevent it and how to recognize it. #homesteadhensandhoneypod #homesteadingpodcast #chickenkeeping #chickenpodcast #chickenhealth (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoxlylcuRkH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#homesteadhensandhoneypod #homesteadingpodcast #chickenkeeping #chickenpodcast #chickenhealth

[homesteadhens]

Episode 55 of the podcast will be going live today at 9am! Apologies in advance for some odd noises at the beginning: my dogs were banging the mic stand! I think I've fixed the issue moving forward. This episode gives a full coverage of my apiary from Spring 2022 until January 2023. It's a long one so grab a cup of coffee and settle in! ❤️ Next week, I'll be starting a series of mini-episodes called Farm Stories. These will be dotted in-between my longer, more educational episodes, and will focus on critters and random happenings around the homestead. First one will be about my tiny hen, Boo, and her surprising interaction with my rooster! 🐓 #homesteadhensandhoneypod #beekeepingpodcast #homesteadingpodcast #beekeeping #ilovebees🐝 (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/Coe-_8WOyOr/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#homesteadhensandhoneypod #beekeepingpodcast #homesteadingpodcast #beekeeping #ilovebees🐝

[homesteadhens]

I'm finally back!! Episode 54 is going live at 9am EST today. ❤️ Listen in for a rundown of my achievements and failures on the homestead last year, and a list of goals I've set for this year. Also, learn about 'chicken math' and how it finally got me. 🐣 Next episode will be all about what happened in my apiary in 2022. Going live next week! 🐝 Thank you for your patience with me while I have been away! I'm hoping to provide lots of new content this year. #homesteadhensandhoneypod #beekeepingpodcast #homesteadingpodcast #newepisode🐝 #chickenmathstrikesagain #chickenpodcast (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoM-GxmO5yY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#homesteadhensandhoneypod #beekeepingpodcast #homesteadingpodcast #newepisode🐝 #chickenmathstrikesagain #chickenpodcast

[homesteadhens]

Big day on the homestead!! One of the 4 eggs I gave Dahlia hatched this morning. 🤗 So far just this one baby but I am hoping for at least one more. I gave her 3 English Orpington eggs, and one of Ginger's (barnyard mix). I also let the main flock out to roam! I was able to smoothly introduce the new pullets to them, gave everyone a week to acclimate, and now they're out and about. Still worried about that hawk but I've let a lot of the grass and weeds grow long out back for extra cover. So much news to report but I don't know when I'll next have time to record anything! The podcast is on an unofficial hiatus for a bit until I can eek out some time. I'm off on a vacay at the end of the month (to visit my bestie in Canada!!) so unlikely to have an episode up until mid to late July. Hope all is thriving in your apiaries and on your farms! 🐝🤗 #backyardchickens #chickenkeeping #englishorpington #chickdays #dahlia #homesteadhensandhoneypod #homesteading (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce87AUJu5zY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#backyardchickens #chickenkeeping #englishorpington #chickdays #dahlia #homesteadhensandhoneypod #homesteading

[homesteadhens]

Hive inspections today! Pleased to say that the nuc with swarm cells has NOT rebuilt them. 🤗 Queen still laying and they're rapidly expanding! I'll still keep a close eye on them. Pics from colony #2 (VSH nuc). This queen is my favourite. ❤️ Her laying pattern is amazing. Frames are either absolutely FULL of brood or like this one; eggs in the middle surrounded by so much pollen. 😍 I don't think I captured quite how stunning it is. I'm considering taking a frame or two of eggs/brood from this colony and giving it to #3 (my single winter survivor colony) as they're still a little behind (showing improvement, tho!). #ilovebees🐝 #beekeeping #spring2022 #homesteadhensandhoneypod #honeybees #hiveinspection https://www.instagram.com/p/CeMgaHUu_Zw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#2 #3 #ilovebees🐝 #beekeeping #spring2022 #homesteadhensandhoneypod #honeybees #hiveinspection

[homesteadhens]

Picked up 4 nucleus colonies yesterday so my apiary is full once again. 😍 The pink lids house overwintered VSH queens, and the single green lid has an overwintered Saskatraz queen. Each nuc was STUFFED with bees, and the queens are bootalicious!! The Sask nuc had swarm cells with eggs in them but, since the queen is still laying, I'm hoping the move to a full size hive will change their minds about swarming. I'll be watching them especially closely! Seeing such healthy nucs really highlights how weak my single surviving/overwintered colony is. I've been babying them and feeding heavily but, if they don't pick up soon, I am considering requeening. We shall see! The TBH colony continues to expand. They have 10 full frames of brood now, and have had a noticeable increase in drone production. Love! ❤️🐝❤️ I'm a happy beekeeper! #ilovebees🐝 #beesofinstagram #beekeeping #homesteadhensandhoneypod #homesteading #honeybees #saskatrazbees #vshbees (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd87KYTuDwc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#ilovebees🐝 #beesofinstagram #beekeeping #homesteadhensandhoneypod #homesteading #honeybees #saskatrazbees #vshbees

[homesteadhens]

Got to spend some time with my bees this morning! My single overwinter survivor colony is still small but seems to be turning a corner. 🤞 The package I installed into my top bar hive is going GANGBUSTERS. 😍 This is a Carniolan queen, and the package was ordered through @qrcltd (my go-to for packages every year!). It helps that they had comb to make use of but still. . .this gal is an egg laying machine! 8 full frames of brood, 2 frames of pollen/honey, and they're busy repairing broken comb and making new ones. They're raising drones as well (maybe 5% of brood so far). I've been feeling so behind this spring but this inspection has helped me feel like maybe I'm actually on track. 🤗 #ilovebees🐝 #beeswax #beekeeping #topbarhives #honeybees #spring2022 #homesteadhensandhoneypod (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdeQKeVOq6i/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#ilovebees🐝 #beeswax #beekeeping #topbarhives #honeybees #spring2022 #homesteadhensandhoneypod

[homesteadhens]

More dandelion and weed appreciation! The sight of this made me feel as if Spring was truly here at last. 🤗 #dandelions #weeds #inthegarden #spring2022 #homesteadhensandhoneypod (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdWzGlguXkQ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#dandelions #weeds #inthegarden #spring2022 #homesteadhensandhoneypod

[homesteadhens]

Self correction: I have been referring to some of my pullets as Wyandottes but they're WELSUMMERS. doh! Don't know how that got mixed up in my head. 🙄 Anyway, I got my first Welsummer egg today, which means 5 out of my 6 new girls are now laying. 🤗 And because there's always something going on with my animals, I've had to move my two frizzle Easter Eggers into the quarantine coop. Petal (white one) has a nasty habit of plucking her newly growing feathers, making herself bleed. Her sisters, attracted to the red colour, will then peck at her until she has an open wound. This is all happening on her poor little tushy!! So I pulled her out with her sister because a/ Dahlia has never shown any interest in the wound, and b/ we've had some cool nights and Petal needs another chicken to stay warm overnight. I wanted to bring her inside to nurse but we're currently nursing one of our snakes who went through surgery on Tuesday, and the smell of a live chicken will make her impossible to handle without being constantly bitten. And she is STRONG. So the quarantine coop is the best I could do! I'm hoping to use this time to tame these cuties since they're still very shy. ❤️ #chickenhealth #chickenbehaviour #backyardchickens #welsummerchicken #frizzlechicken #easteregger #homegrowneggs #homesteadhensandhoneypod (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdOxzDmOWQr/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#chickenhealth #chickenbehaviour #backyardchickens #welsummerchicken #frizzlechicken #easteregger #homegrowneggs #homesteadhensandhoneypod

[homesteadhens]

Can you see our special visitor in the first pic? 🐍 This is only the second snake I have seen on our property so I was delighted to see this pale garter snake behind the barn. My husband came running out like a little kid to see her! We didn't try to handle her at all because we want to encourage her to stick around. Garter snakes eat earthworms, frogs, toads, and all kinds of small rodents. They pose no threat to our chickens or their eggs. #inthegarden #gartersnake #spring2022 #homesteadhensandhoneypod #herpetology #herpetoculture (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccx_b5EulEi/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#inthegarden #gartersnake #spring2022 #homesteadhensandhoneypod #herpetology #herpetoculture

[homesteadhens]

Cold and extremely muddy package install yesterday!! I drove through snow to pick up this package of bees from @qrcltd Just like last year, I installed them in the top bar between snow flurries. My hands hurt from the bitter cold and I was worried about my new friends but they were quick to cluster up around the queen. Fingers crossed I have better luck with my TBH colony this year! #beekeeping #ilovebees🐝 #topbarhives #beepackage #homesteadhensandhoneypod (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccl20WEuX-h/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#beekeeping #ilovebees🐝 #topbarhives #beepackage #homesteadhensandhoneypod

[homesteadhens]

The second sunflower bed is a huge success and I'm honestly obsessed with it. 😍 These are the tallest of all of them this year and are so cheerful! I wasn't sure how they'd do in this location because it gets a lot of sun but isn't by a convenient water source so doesn't get watered as much as the other beds. Apparently it's still a great space for these happy flowers! The corn I tried in this location did not do well and stalled out at 3ft. Lesson learned! #inthegarden #sunflower #growfoodnotlawns #homesteading #homesteadhensandhoneypod (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTx_-L5MSHH/?utm_medium=tumblr

#inthegarden #sunflower #growfoodnotlawns #homesteading #homesteadhensandhoneypod

[homesteadhens]

I just ate corn that I grew myself!! 🌽 It tasted amazing. It's a small crop; maybe 6 ears total when the last ripen but that is far and above what I got last year (2 tiny, sad cobbs!!). Also, pears! We have two modest pear trees at the back of the property (by the apiary). I don't like pears, honestly, but can't let them go to waste. Planning to cut them up for the chickens as a snack, and will give the rest away to neighbours. Maybe I could make pie filling? 🤔 #growfoodnotlawns #cobbcorn #pears #homesteading #homesteadhensandhoneypod (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTI1oEOHM3m/?utm_medium=tumblr

#growfoodnotlawns #cobbcorn #pears #homesteading #homesteadhensandhoneypod