Tag Archives: chickens

February 24: Will You Rear Good Bees (and hens)

We have about 70 laying hens at the apiary. This past week we marked all the younger birds, those born in 2022, with leg bands so you can tell at a glance how old they are. There’s an international coding system for marking queen bees that keeps track of their age and makes them easierContinue reading “February 24: Will You Rear Good Bees (and hens)”

January 15th: A winter reminder

It’s been tees & shorts weather for a week, but two light freezes have reminded us to keep the insulated coveralls at the ready. And we are, ready that is. Pipes are insulated, plants are mulched, and heaters are going in the barn for the chicks and in the greenhouse for the seedlings. Yesterday, theContinue reading “January 15th: A winter reminder”

January 6th: The Pri¢e of Egg$

“Inflation is when you pay fifteen dollars for the ten-dollar haircut you used to get for five dollars when you had hair.” ~Sam Ewing Although we initially intended to just raise bees, here at Big Branch Apiary we have four main products that bring in revenue. In order of least to most lucrative, they are:Continue reading “January 6th: The Pri¢e of Egg$”

January 4th: The Trolley Question

“I’m a fun father, but not a good father. The hard decisions always went to my wife.” ~John Lithgow Many of you are probably familiar with the Trolley Question, an ethical quandary first posited in the 1960s regarding right and wrong, and taking action (or not) for the greater good. The scenario goes like this:Continue reading “January 4th: The Trolley Question”

USDA bulletin on the avian flu outbreak.

Are egg prices fixing to soar? https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAFARMERS/bulletins/313953e At Big Branch Apiary we yoke (yolk) our prices to the cost of feed and strive to keep the cost down. A dozen of our fresh, free-range*, organic eggs sells for $5. Have Qs? Email us at bigbranchapiary@gmail.com or text us at 985-422-0880 for more info.

Mite Patrol: update

In the post “Mite Patrol” we discussed why chickens take dust baths and shared how we manage the mite load in our flock. But I think we may have come up with something better than Sevin® dust to add to their dust bath area: diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is made of minute exoskeletons of diatoms,Continue reading “Mite Patrol: update”

Another Typical Spring week on the Farm

Ever notice how Nature never procrastinates? Other than a siesta during the heat of August, and a short breather in winter, Nature is in an explosive sprint to eat or be eaten, to reproduce or die out, and to otherwise keep farmers and gardeners scrambling to keep up. It’s the last week in May atContinue reading “Another Typical Spring week on the Farm”