Thinking About Chicks

I've had a few orders for hatching eggs already this year, although the younger trio of Buff Sussex bantams are only producing about 1 egg every other day and the other trio aren't laying at all. The Rhode Island bantam hasn't laid since about September although she did have a significant moult and is coming in to her 3rd year so I'm not expecting a prolific supply from her this coming season!

A lady called in at the weekend to collect one of the bantam eggs that I did have (I'd have had 3 to give her if I'd not made cinnamon buns, oops) as her Light Sussex bantam had gone broody which is very early in the year. I'm hoping my little cockerel's fertility levels are ok as they tend to diminish in the winter, or rather, it's the day length that stimulates the hormones. We'll see. I've asked her to let me know how the solitary egg gets on.

We've had a lot of stormy weather and the mud in the runs is terrible. I've been mucking the hens out every couple of days so that they've got somewhere clean and dry to shelter although they do insist on scuffing all the bedding out of the door, or nosing in the neighbours' coop....

It also keeps the eggs a bit cleaner which helps, especially as I sell almost all the eggs the hens lay - it was lovely over Christmas plenty enough spare to enjoy ourselves. There's always enough to go round though so I don't like to turn customers away and the thing they all comment on is that they like having the dates on the eggs - I write it on in pencil so it's possible to use the eggs for the right purpose according to the age.

A very fresh egg (less than 3 days old) is a nightmare to peel if it's hard-boiled as the membrane is so firmly attached to the shell, but it's perfect for poaching and frying because it holds its shape with a tight white and a rounded yolk. The flavour develops and is best from about 3-7 days so that's a good time for soft-boiled and easy-peel eggs for sandwiches. Eggs will keep fresh for about 3 weeks so use the older eggs for scrambling and cooking in cakes where the texture isn't so important. By writing the day it was laid on the egg, I can make sure my customers always get eggs less than a week old, with a mixture of sizes and dates. Some of the hens are laying extra large and double-yolkers which is a lovely treat and makes up for the rather puny ones the bantam crosses lay! 

Thankfully, despite the weather, all the hens are getting a run in the garden and field every day which keeps them happy and gives a beautiful rich taste and colour to the yolks. The hybrids are always keen for a forage but the bantams sometimes need a bit of persuading with a handful of corn or an apple. We're all looking forward to some dry weather and a bit more sunshine!

September Update

Here at Wayward Bee, September has been a pleasantly quiet month, with time to enjoy the plants and animals - and the weather! It's been the driest warmest start to autumn I can remember but thankfully everything and everyone in the garden and paddock is thriving.

The Bees:
They love the hot dry conditions and are working the ivy for pollen and nectar. Walking past an ivy-clad tree, you can hear an audible buzz as bees and flies make the most of the rich supplies. There is a solitary bee called the Ivy Bee that has recently made it over to our shores (therefore a new species not an alien one) and they look very similar to a honey bee. Hornets and wasps are also making the most of the congregating masses of prey and picking off any hapless insect who doesn't look behind them...

Thankfully 6 of my colonies are going in to the winter in a very strong state, absolutely chock full of honey. One has been a bit slow to build up so I'm uniting them with a queenless colony to give them a boost in numbers. I'm also housing 2 colonies for a friend who is moving soon and needs to relocate her hives while she decides where she can keep them. One is a swarm we rescued from her plum tree and despite a rather inelegant removal of combs from the branch, they are creating a wonderful organic honeycomb structure in the bottom of a brood box and bringing in honey and pollen for the winter. They have frames of honey and comb to build in so that they can be checked more easily but bees much prefer to build their own free-form comb than in the rectangles we provide them with! I will be blogging about this on a later date, hopefully with some pictures.

This is the Rose Hive outside my front door

The Chickens:
Egg production is starting to slow down as the days get shorter, and the hens start to go through an annual moult. This natural process happens in autumn as there is a natural break in the brooding cycle (hens don't want to rear chicks going in to winter) and it rejuvenates their feathers ready for inclement weather. Each of the pens looks like it's had a pillow emptied in it and preening is a constant operation! Some hens can feel a bit peaky and go quite quiet and introverted which for an anxious mother like me is always disconcerting. I've bought them some mealworms and added sunflower seeds to their scratch ration of corn in the afternoon to boost the protein and cheer them up. The roosters always look a bit unimpressive without their long sickle tail feathers and they too preen more and strut less but this means they tend to leave the hens alone: no bad thing when the girls are below par.

The Garden:
I've been planting lots of bulbs from Gee Tee Bulbs in the lawn this week ready for spring. I concentrate on early crocus and fritillary so that they are most beneficial for wildlife. Choose a spot where the sun will shine in the winter but be sheltered from the wind; this is where the bees are most likely to look for forage. Being essentially 'cold-blooded' they need the Sun's warmth to help them along in low temperatures. Other than that the garden has been looking after itself and the asters and sunflowers are at their peak. I've been sowing Broad Bean 'Aquadulce' too ready for planting out this autumn, although I'm not entirely sure where I'm going to put them...!