Bee's Guest House

[Up-the-Creek]

Dace, haven't started the garden yet...still a little too wet and cold here for that. We had snow again the other day.

The fam is good, The Bat is still battling the legalities and is getting an attorney. The boys are all getting along *most of the time* in our crowded house situation. They went fishing today.

I checked out the ram today and I was extremely disappointed in this guy's herd and his husbandry skills. He talked a real good game on the phone but I would never buy anything off his farm. The fellow clearly has more money than sense when it comes to sheep....he paid $7500.00 for 25 registered Dorpers last year and hasn't taken care of them since, from the looks of it.

There were several missing big patches of hair....one lamb looked like someone had given him a close shave all down his neck and shoulder. The man couldn't tell me why his sheep were missing hair and there were a few with sores and scabs in the bald patches. My guess would be mites or lice but it just as well could have been scrapie. Some of his sheep were poorly looking even though he had been feeding 50lb of grain a day! Some of them were much too fat and were having trouble breathing with just walking.

Some of them looked like they had bottle jaw and his older ram was eating on his knees...his hooves looked like elf shoes. All four of them!

He had a few horses there and at least one was anemic...you could see the white of the membranes around his eyes, he was lethargic and listless looking and was not in good condition.

The sad part? This guy has a beautiful farm with tons of pasture. I just don't think he knows what the heck he is doing. When he saw I wasn't too keen on his ram lamb~which had a horn growing into his head that would have to be cut off~he immediately knocked $100 off the price of $300. He couldn't tell me if he had been a twin....in fact, he didn't have a record of this animal at all.

Needless to say, I didn't want any animal off this farm. It is pretty disappointing.

Back to my original breeder for the loan of his Dorper and to put in a bid on any ram lambs born out of this ram this spring.

WOW Bee! Is this the same guy we were talking about?? The one up in Green Bank?? Man that just pizzes me off to see people do stuff like that! Have so much and don't want to take care of it. I see it all the time down here in our part of the state,..acres and acres of good pasture land and animals everywhere,..not being taken care of properly or have good shelter from the elements,...or the pastures growing up into brush It is so irritating for someone in my shoes who would give anything to have an operating farm, good pasture land,...not scrub land like I have,...and just have the oppurtunity to have that chance,...and people like him piss it away,... Sorry,...It is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. I do truly hope you find yourself a good breeding ram and you get your herd going. YOU deserve that chance. Its about time for the new Market Bulletin,..keep your eyes open!

 

[Beekissed]

It bothers me also....I looked at his beautiful farm and my heart ached. Beautiful place, poor animals. Just think what we could do with the land.....

 

[Beekissed]

Java, sorry you are a rolling stone right now but blooming where you are planted is a brave stance and can bring you blessings you never dreamed. That is what I finally decided and it brought me to this place and it has been pretty nice overall....not MY land, but a place nonetheless.

I have production reds right now and they are pigs! I want some true RIRs now like I used to have....my sis has some she ordered from MM and they are truly dark and beautiful. I miss RIR chickens...so simple and sweet.

 

[lorihadams]

I know what you mean! That's why I was so happy to find cornerstone farm.....I know I am getting quality animals from someone that cares about her animals. I am so excited to be moving to our new farm but we are starting from scratch with the pasture and I have been trying to find out what to plant for the dairy goats. Gonna have to ask Barb for advise.

Sorry Bee about your sheep guy. That's awful. Starting with that many animals all at once is a mistake....geez, talk about jumping in with both feet. Someone ought to report that guy for cruelty to animals....no excuse but pure laziness.

How are things coming along with the bee project?

 

[Beekissed]

Lori, I am coming up dry on any info about getting on a list to collect swarms of bees locally...everyone looks at me like I'm crazy when I inquire and then they say they've never heard of anyone doing that and never heard of reports of bee swarms....only here....

Local beeks are not selling either and so I am having to order a package, which is pricey but I'm biting the bullet to do it anyway...I am determined to at least try to start bees this year. I've been reading, studying, asking and learning for 3 long years now and I just want to jump in and get my feet wet now.

So...am going to try to order from Weavers tonight and see what I can get and how soon.

Also am breaking down and buying chicks..something I didn't want to have to do anymore, but I found some breeds that are essential to my flock. In other words, I saw how beautiful and functional they were and got to jonesin' for some!!!

I am currently ordering 5 each of RIR, Speckled Sussex, Partridge Rock and Barred Rock from MyPetChicken. I will be doing a big culling here soon of all nonlayers and my hen house will have some space left for some new blood.

I also borrowed an incubator from my sis and plan to hatch about 40 of my own eggs and kill all at 3-4 mo. for the freezer instead of buying meat birds. I had planned on buying some meaties but figured, why not just raise twice the amount of my dual-purpose birds for a short while~for free!

And why not do that a couple of times this summer? Free meat...well, except for feed, but the garden and free ranging will defray some of the cost of that.

Now, the plan is to not have to buy anymore chicks after this set and just keep breeding my own replacements. That is, now that I have the perfect breeds for my flock: WR, NHR, Aussie, Dom, SS, RIR, PR, BR. I think that is a wide range of breeds that are both beautiful and functional as dual-purpose/good layers.

 

[MorelCabin]

Bee, I'm so jealous! I have to get my shed up to order my birds...and the only time before June that I can order them is for an April 7th delivery... too soon for me to be ready. Well, I guess June isn't that far away...I'm just so itching to get started!
I am getting some of my Cali Rabbits back, a buck and two does...so I guess I can start with them, at least that way I will feel like I'm progressin! LOL!
Have a wonderful day!

 

[lorihadams]

I want to get some more layers but hubby doesn't want to go there right now....I want to get some BLRW, dominiques, and maybe some black australorps and a couple of buff orps. I was hoping to go up to about a dozen layers. I have been looking at a few other breeds as well. I am thinking I am going to cull my EE and my roo, he is too big for my sexlinks, they hide from him all day long. I hate to do it but I need to find a smaller roo if I have one at all, my BIL may not do well with the crowing. My sexlinks are going on 3 yrs old but are still laying well so we may keep them another year, my barred rock is still laying well too and looking way better than she did last year, she really feathered in well after this years molt. I just bought 2 light brahma hens and they are laying up a storm so I have 5 hens total already. I have to find buyers for my eggs if I want to justify to hubby the cost of getting more layers. I also have to see what will happen with my duck eggs. I have to put an add on craigslist to see if I get any bites on selling some eggs. My cup runneth over!!!

Sorry to hear about the bee difficulties. I would love to get into it but I am getting started with the goats and I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. I was really anxious to see your hive and hear all the details. Hopefully everything will go well with your order!

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Bee did you order your chicks yet??? I was checking out some hatcheries and MT. Healthy has some good prices on about all of the breeds you listed you was wanting. Plus they are in Ohio,..shorter trip for those babies. I want to order some chicks,..but Im not sure whether I should. I love the partridge rocks,...I have four left of my original flock. They are so pretty and the best layers. Im thinking about ordering a staight run from Mt. Healthy. The ones I had came from MM,..the roos had a nasty temper. I have a barred rock roo and three hens with him that I think Im going to get rid of,...I hatched them from some eggs from someone out of KY and they have poor genetics,..small framed, crooked feet,...I am trying to better my flock,.so they need to go. The hens don't lay very well either.

 

[Beekissed]

I did and the shipping nearly choked me!!! $34.95!!!!! So my 20 chicks, which weigh about an ounce or two, will cost the price of sending a blue whale through the postal system.....

I've actually BEEN to Mt. Healthy hatchery once long ago but had forgotten about them. Should have checked them out before I stopped shopping, huh?

I'm very excited about the new chicks! I can blame my sister for this new purchase....I went to visit her and she had the PR , RIR and SS hens there and they were so incredibly beautiful that I just had to have some. My flock is rather unexciting in coloring...the only patterned birds I have are the Doms.

My broody is still sitting but I think the eggs were a total loss....and I don't know why. She seems unwilling to stop sitting and she is in great shape, so I may let her set on a whole new batch of different eggs from different hens to see if she can successfully hatch a clutch.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

I did and the shipping nearly choked me!!! $34.95!!!!!